Today, Sony announced that on April 14, 2021 (tomorrow), a new firmware update will roll out for the PlayStation 5. A number of new features are being added, and this includes new options for interactions between the PS5 and both the PS4 and PlayStation App.
The marquee addition is that PS5 owners will finally be able to use external storage for PS5 games.
PS5 April Update Brings PS5 Storage Expansion, Cross-Gen Share Play, More
The PS5’s storage expansion update does come with some caveats. First of all, you’ll want to check out the official support page to know what devices are compatible. But beyond that, you also need to know that this update is specifically for storage.
Due to the PS5’s bespoke SSD, you’ll be able to store data on the external drive but unable to play games from it or install games directly to it.
Related: Ratchet & Clank (2016) Free 60 FPS Mode Available to PlayStation 5 Owners Right Now
For now, this is purely a storage solution, although the announcement also notes that internal storage expansion is on the way.
The second big feature is cross-generational Share Play. A PS5 and PS4 owner will now be able to use Share Play for games across generations, meaning a PS4 user can play co-op with a PS5 owner, even for a PS5-only game.
Other, smaller (in scale) updates are included too. You’ll be able to customize the UI a little more than before, including hiding games in your library, control over trophy captures, update pre-downloads and more. Check out the blog post for the full rundown.
Or, you know, just wait a day and tinker around with the update yourself!
Let us know what you think of these updates over at Prima Games’ Twitter and Facebook feeds.
