PS5 owner discovers setting that’s been secretly eating storage for 5 years, and you probably have it turned on right now

Sony quietly rolled out a new power-saving mode for the PlayStation 5 back in October, but it seems that many users are only discovering the feature now. Designed to reduce the console’s electricity consumption, the mode is part of Sony’s broader environmental initiative, helping the company work toward its ambitious sustainability goals.

According to Gaming Bible, the feature came to wider attention after a Reddit user on r/PlayStationPlus shared a screenshot asking about an unfamiliar icon that appeared while browsing their game library. This icon indicates which titles are compatible with power-save mode. At present, only select games, including Demon’s Souls, support the feature, but it is expected that more titles may be added over time.

Sony introduced the mode as part of its “Road to Zero” strategy, a long-term plan that aims to eliminate all greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. Activating the setting not only contributes to reducing environmental impact but could also lead to noticeable savings on your electricity bill.

The performance drop is way too big to ignore

Digital Foundry tested how the power-saving mode affects games, and the results show major problems. When you turn on power save mode, your game’s performance drops significantly, even though it uses less electricity.

In Demon’s Souls, the power-saving mode completely removes the 60 fps option. The game locks at 30 fps instead, which makes everything feel less smooth. You’ll notice this difference immediately when playing.

The resolution also drops to 1440p, and the game forces the original “performance” visual preset. This means lower quality graphics overall. You’ll see things like worse volumetric effects around the Nexus area in Demon’s Souls. Sony has been exploring new ways to play PS5 games beyond the traditional console experience.

Most players who bought a PS5 expect their games to run at maximum quality. Losing this much resolution and frame rate isn’t worth it for many people, even if it helps the environment.

Sony has been making several updates to the PS5 lately. The company released new PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro models to fix liquid metal leakage problems that caused overheating and shutdowns. They’re also working on fixing stick drift issues that have affected controllers since launch.

Additionally, Sony recently patented AI technology for family-friendly gaming that could change how content is moderated. These changes suggest Sony is preparing for the PlayStation 6 and wants to make it more efficient and powerful.