The PlayStation 5 launched on Thursday in the United States, and millions of gamers lucky enough to secure an early pre-order will be spending the weekend getting their new next-gen console set up.
A lot of things have changed from the PS4 era – the UI has been completely revamped, the PlayStation store has been remade and built into the home menu, and everything is lightning quick. There were also some surprises in my first hour exploring the menus and settings. Here are five things I learned about the PS5 during the system setup:
1. Be careful about which version (PS4 vs. PS5) of a cross-gen game you’re downloading
One of the first things you’ll notice about the PlayStation 5 – or the Xbox Series S or X – is that the fancy new solid state drive included will be full before you know it. Triple-A games are getting bigger and bigger, and it’s looking like millions of gamers will be investing in external hard drives this generation. It’s important, then, to make sure you’re downloading the correct version of a cross-gen game from the PlayStation Store to your PS5.
I went to the store to download the PS5 version of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, which is a free upgrade if you have a PS4 copy. I clicked on a screen touting said upgrade – but somehow accidentally started downloading the PS4 version to my PS5. It turned out that I needed to click to an additional screen to reach the download button for the PS5 version. Now, perhaps I was just being hasty, but I’m sure I won’t be the only one.
Later, when I redeemed a code to download the next-gen edition NBA 2K21, the PS4 version of the game was included in a bundle of things to download alongside the PS5 edition. If you’re rushing through that screen, you could very well end up downloading both the PS4 and PS5 versions of the same game, eating away vital storage space. Be vigilant!
2. The PlayStation media remote is a godsend
If you’re using the PS5 as your main entertainment and streaming device, get the media remote. It’s relatively inexpensive, and it’s far more convenient than using a controller when you’re watching anything. I went through an entire console generation having to turn on my PS4 controllers that had auto-shut off just to pause a show. Never again!
3. There is no HBO Max app on PS5… yet
I wasn’t expecting this one, considering there’s an HBO Max app on PS4, but I have bad news if you’re midway through a binge re-run of Game of Thrones.
Here’s a full list of the media apps available on PS5 at launch: Spotify, Apple TV, Crunchyroll, DAZN, Disney+, ESPN, Funimation, Hulu, Netflix, NFL Sunday Ticket, Peacock, Plex, Pluto TV, Amazon Prime Video, Tubi, Twitch, Vudu, WWE Network and YouTube.
4. There are no themes on PlayStation 5 at launch
The PS4 launched with a handful of different themes you could personalize your console with, but the PS5 seems to have abandoned themes altogether. There’s no place in the PS5 version of the PlayStation Store to download themes, nor is there an option in the settings menu to change the theme.
5. Astro’s Playroom should be the first thing you play
Astro’s Playroom is a pre-installed, free game that comes with your console. While you may be tempted to marvel at Demon’s Souls’ graphics or dive into an epic new Assassin’s Creed journey, Astro’s Playroom is a brilliant tech demo for what the PS5’s DualSense controller can do. It’s the perfect way to start off a new generation.
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