PS4 2.50 Update Details Leak, Suspend/Resume Currently In Beta Testing

Details for the 2.50 PlayStation 4 firmware update began leaked out over the weekend, revealing some long-awaited features for the console such as the ability to resume playing a game after suspending the console. It also appears that Sony has taken a cue from Microsoft by enlisting PlayStation MVP Program members to beta test the system update prior to its release.

The leak came from a PS4 2.50 firmware update beta tester who posted images and details to Twitter. That account was eventually taken down, but Gematsu collected the posted information before it was removed.

The main addition is the promised Suspend/Resume feature that Sony first announced at E3 2013. When the 2.50 update is released, players will be able to put their PlayStation 4 in Rest mode and then immediately pick up where you left off in a game or application when your resume later. This will also work with the PS Vita via remote play.

You can see the change to the Rest Mode text in the image above. It now states, “The PS4 will keep operating at low power consumption. It can charge controllers, and keep applications suspended depending on the PS4’s power save settings.”

Other notable additions include the ability to change button assignments. NeoGAF member Danlord posted the following screenshot showing how the mappings can be adjusted in the PS4 settings.

Another significant addition is the ability to use Share Play up to 60 frames per second (fps). The ability to let a friend take control of your game or vice versa via the internet was limited to 30 fps when it was first released. Now a host has the option to adjust the frame rate up to 60 fps. It’s important to note that a fast internet connection will be required. How fast is not yet known.

It’s nice to see Sony utilize PlayStation MVP program members to beta test. As these consoles become increasingly more complex, it’s important that updates be tested “in the wild.” Microsoft’s Preview Program has worked well for the Xbox One so far. However, Sony may want to follow another lead by going ahead and announcing the features they are testing for the next release since these leaks will be inevitable.

That said, here is the changelog that leaked for the PlayStation 4 2.50 firmware update. The update is expected to be released later this March or the early part of April.

Main Features

• The system can now enter rest mode without closing any applications. You can adjust this setting in [Power Save Settings] > [Set Functions Available in Rest Mode].
• [Accessibility] has been added to [Settings]. You can adjust accessibility settings such as zooming and button assignments.

Trophies

• You can now delete trophies with 0 percent achievement progress.
• [Earned Date], [Not Earned], and [Grade] have been added as sorting options for trophies. You can also sort by [Earned Date] and [Not Earned] options when comparing trophies with other players.
• You can now search the Internet for details about trophies from the options menu in [Trophies].
• Screenshots of scenes when you earn trophies are now saved automatically. You can view saved screenshots in [Capture Gallery].
• You can now share trophy details and screenshots. Select the trophy you want to share details about in [Trophy], and then press the Share button.

Share Play

• You can now test the host’s connection speed when starting Share Play.
• You can now enjoy Share Play at 60 fps. A host in a party can adjust the setting in [Party Settings] > [Video Quality for Share Play] > [Frame Rate].
• A user who is running version 2.50 or earlier on their system cannot use Share Play with someone who is running version 2.50 beta on their system. Users who are both running system software version 2.50 beta can enjoy Share Play.

Other

• Users who are your Facebook friends can now be displayed in [Players You May Know].
• You can now send real name requests in addition to Friend requests to users who are currently not on your Friends list.
• You can now apply a shadow style for text in [Themes].
• You can now enter up to 140 characters for your self-introduction.
• If you enter 22 characters or more for your self-introduction, only 21 characters will be displayed on a PS4 system running system software version earlier than 2.50.
• You can now use the touch pad to operate playback of videos on discs.
• [Discover] has been added to introduce users to PS4 system features. You can view information about features in [Notifications] > [Discover].
• Remote Play cannot be used with a PS Vita system running version 3.35. A system software update for the PS Vita (to be released later) is required.

[Images via Gematsu, NeoGAF, PlayStation]