The PlayStation 4's next major update is nearly upon us, and it finally adds what fans have been begging for: a folders option.
Rolling out on Aug. 16, the beta for PS4's upcoming 4.00 update, code-named Shingen, will also include a user interface refresh, Quick Menu/Share Menu overhaul, Trophy Improvements and User Profile updates, all of which are aimed at improving the usability and experience one has while on their PS4.
Starting off is the UI refresh, which Sony said is aimed at making the console "more refined and easy to use." Some of these changes will be immediately noticeable, such as new system backgrounds to choose from, as well as a revised What's New tab, whereas others will be less noticeable, such as updated pop-up notifications and redesigned system icons. There are likely other parts of the UI that will get adjusted, and it seems like Sony is leaving it to beta testers to make those discoveries on their own.
Meanwhile, the Quick Menu has been adjusted to become more compact and easier to use. Right out of the gate, players will notice that the Quick Menu only takes up a portion of the screen now, meaning that gameplay isn't entirely disrupted when accessing it. Furthermore, it has gained new functions, such as letting players see the online status of their friends and providing them quick access to their Communities, Favorite Groups and Party, among others. What's more, the Quick Menu is now fully customizable, allowing players to only include functions that are relevant to them.
The Share Menu will get a similar adjustment, making it only take up a portion of the screen. In addition, it will streamline the process of sharing a screen shot or video by saving the last social network gamers shared screen shots or video clips to. As an added bonus, the maximum length of video clips that can be uploaded to Twitter has been increased, going up from 10 to 140 seconds.
Compared with the UI and Quick/Share Menu upgrades, the ones for Trophies and the User Profile page are a little less expansive, though still greatly appreciated.
First off, Trophies will now finally be viewable offline. Players can simply access the "offline mode" option if they are unable to connect to PSN, and they will be able to view their entire Trophy collection, even without being connected to the internet. Second, there is a button that allows users to see the content of a Hidden Trophy (it's still hidden by default, but players now have the option of showing the Trophy name and info). Lastly, the icons showing a Trophy's rarity have been changed. Rather than four boxes that fill, the icon is now a pyramid, with the rarest Trophies occupying the top.
Meanwhile, the User Profile page has been changed so that it's faster and easier to see relevant info for a player. In addition, players can add a background image to their profile, similar to what can be done on the PS Vita.
Not to lose out to the other updates, Folders and Library Organization is the only "new" portion of the 4.00 update, and it also happens to be the one users have been requesting for quite some time.
Simply put, the feature enables players to create folders on the PS4's content launcher and Library, allowing them to organize their games accordingly. It's important to note that this feature is already present on the PS Vita and PS3.
The Library goes one step further in the organization route, now possessing a tab called Purchased. This will show all the content gamers own, while the main library only shows content currently installed on their PS4. This benefits pretty much any PS4 user, though it really shines for those who have downloaded a lot of games, demos and betas over the years.
All of these changes amount to one pretty substantial update, but this is merely the tip of the iceberg. Sony has revealed that the 4.00 update has more features that won't be available in the beta, so expect some surprises once it goes live.
