Sony’s PlayStation 4 is getting some noteworthy updates today (March 25), including some that parents will want to know about.
The software update v2.50, called Yukimura, will bring a number of features to the table, including a suspend/resume function, an account upgrade function for users 18 and over, better accessibility, and more social sharing aspects.
The suspend/resume function means that players will be able to switch from Rest Mode to powered-up rapidly. This could be a life saver for parents of young children who might need to leave the game at the drop of a hat, but don’t want to constantly lose their progress. It will also be great for kids who have trouble putting down the controller when their time is up or when they have to get to school—no more “I just have to get to the next savepoint,” an ambiguous phrase that could mean anywhere from five minutes to an hour depending on the game.
The PlayStation 4 update will also allow families who have multiple users with sub-accounts for younger kids to upgrade those sub-accounts when the kids turn 18. This will remove chat restrictions, and allow account owners to create their own Wallet and buy their own games.
Accessibility improvements for PS4 include text-to-speech for all graphical interface elements, customized button assignments for the controller, zoom and invert colors for pictures, enlarged text, bolder fonts, and higher-contrast UI in general.
Yukimura also brings with it a number of expanded sharing functions, some of which parents should keep an eye on. Users will be able to find and connect with their Facebook friends, view whether friends are online and what game they are playing in real time, and even jump right into that game if it supports multiplayer co-op. Players will also be able to show off their game trophies more prominently—an exciting development for those of us who treasure those achievements.
The PlayStaton Vita and PlayStation app for mobile will also be getting updates later today.
