The PS5, generally, has held up as a great console since its launch in late 2020. It runs games smoothly on its SSD, its performance is considerably better than the PS4, the DualSense controllers have new features, and its design feels unique, not merely a refresh of older PlayStations.
However, there are still many things the PS5 could do better. And honestly, most of them have nothing to do with its performance and hardware. Instead, many of them are UI and quality-of-life-oriented. Here’s what we think would make the PS5 better.
1. Auto-Updates for Individual Games
Auto-updates is the PS5 feature that keeps all your games updated as long as you have a connection to the internet. You can enable auto-updates in your PS5’s settings and set it to download games in Rest Mode too.
However, always updating every game on your PS5 can rack up internet bills and take up space unnecessarily—in fact, it’s one of the reasons why you shouldn’t leave your PS5 running all the time. Turning off auto-updates means that you might try to log in to your favorite games only to find out it’s outdated. And you can’t play online multiplayer games without being on the latest version.
That’s why we want Sony to integrate auto-updates for individual games so that we can keep only the games we want to be updated and not spend internet bills on the ones we don’t.
2. A Functional, Dedicated Web Browser
A PlayStation might not necessarily be the best place to surf the web, but the PS4’s browser app was a nice, potentially helpful addition. For some reason, Sony didn’t add the browser app to the PS5; you have to use a roundabout method to access a severely limited browser on the PS5.
There are signs that Sony might add a fully functional dedicated browser app since the PS5's settings have provisions for it. So, let’s wait for a few updates down the line.
3. Bring Back Custom Animated Home Themes
You can give character to your PS4 using custom animated home themes or custom wallpapers. They sold them on the PlayStation Store or sometimes as pre-order bonuses with some games.
The PS5 didn’t inherit this cool feature; instead, it temporarily adopts the theme of whatever app or game you hover your cursor over. That’s not bad, but it’s certainly not the same as having your favorite character looping in the background while you wait in your console’s home.
4. No More Ads on the Home Screen
When you log in to your PS5 after a reboot or a launch, the first tile it places you on is “Explore.” No, not the last game you played, but a rather unneeded feature that gives you “news” about your interests.
It’s for similar reasons that there’s a bit of backlash on Windows 11. Seeing ads on a machine you’ve completely paid for is a little unsavory. Let us enjoy the PS5 without getting forced to buy something every time we turn it on.
5. Make the LED Lights Customizable
You must have noticed the LED lights at the top half of your PS5 by now. They are slim strips of light that flash when switching your PS5 off and on and glow deep orange when your PS5 is in rest mode. The light stays a steady white when your PS5 is on, and that’s where the customization comes in.
If, at the very least, PS5 users could change the color from white to a custom color, it could help make gaming setups look better and give players a little bit of extra immersion. Sony missed a chance with that one, but we sure hope it implements it in the future if the hardware allows it.
6. Introduce Official Mod Support
If there’s one thing console gamers are heavily missing out on compared to PC gamers, it’s mods. Mods are fan-created game modifications you can add to your video games to give them more content and styles. Mods can be really fun and sometimes make the game you’re playing even better.
Consoles don’t offer the same flexibility as PCs do for obvious reasons, but there are ways to install mods on certain games on the PS5. However, we’d like Sony to create a program for creators to share their mods. This way, there will be a platform you can log into to see what mods are available for the games you have on your PS5 and how well they’ve been received by other players—fully supported by Sony.
7. Integrate DualSense Haptic Feedback to Older Games
One of my best features on the PS5 DualSense is adaptive triggers. These triggers offer additional resistance to simulate difficult activity like pressing a gas pedal while driving a vehicle, drawing a bowstring, or squeezing a gun’s trigger. You can experience the full breadth of it if you play Astro’s Playroom (the game that comes built-in).
It’s just a bummer that adaptive triggers don’t work on PS4 games, and PS4 games currently make up the bulk of the PS5’s library. If Sony could find a way to make the PS5 include these adaptive triggers in older games, it would put such an important, ground-breaking feature more in the limelight.
8. Improve Game Recommendations
The PS5’s game recommendations aren’t great. It doesn’t seem to have an intelligent system for suggesting games based on what you like playing. It doesn’t even seem to know what other people who play games you like also play.
Frankly, it looks like Sony doesn’t care much about giving you good recommendations. Sony could be pushing games to you based on how much it stands to gain from you buying it instead of your interests as a player.
If Sony could improve the machine-learning, game categorization system and tags, and produce actually practical game recommendations, we could spend a lot less time finding new games. We’ll rely on the PS5 to recommend the next game to play.
9. Make the PS App a Second Screen for Gaming
The PS App is decent for managing your PlayStation account and it’s one of the only ways you can change the profile picture on your PS5. But the PS App can be more than just a quick way to download screenshots and manage your PSN profile.
Game devs should be allowed to integrate the PS App for gaming and convert smartphones and tablets to a second screen for their games. Imagine playing GTA V with the phone menu on your actual phone instead of just by the corner of the screen.
The PS5 Can Learn a Bit From the PS4
It’s a shame that we have to look back at the PS4 to draw inspiration for some cool features we want on the PS5. We can only hope and pray that Sony knows what it's are doing.
Perhaps there are some foundational reasons why we can’t have custom themes on a PS5, or perhaps they will release it in a future update.
FAQ
Q: What Are the Benefits of Owning a PlayStation 5?
While there may be some areas of improvement, the PlayStation 5 is still packed full of features and benefits. An innovative DualSense controller, 4k compatibility, and an internal SSD guarantee an amazing gameplay experience, while an unbeatable library of exclusive games is just the cherry on top. So, if you're looking for reasons to purchase a PlayStation 5, there are plenty of unbeatable reasons to do so.
Q: How Is the PlayStation 5 Better Than Other Consoles?
In terms of next-gen console gaming, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X stand as the two core rivals. But if you compare the Xbox Series X against PlayStation 5, both consoles have merit. The PlayStation 5, however, represents a powerful console with a vast array of exclusive games. And despite falling short of the raw power of the Xbox Series X, if you want to play brilliant games the PlayStation 5 is firmly on top.
Q: How Long Will the PlayStation 5 Generation of Gaming Last?
While the generation of gaming encompassing the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles lasted around 7 years, as time has gone on each successive generation of gaming consoles has lasted longer than the last. This stands to reason that the console generation of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S will last longer than 7 years. However, you're unlikely to be able to find an exact figure for the lifecycle of the PlayStation 5 beyond prediction.