If you're one of the lucky ones who has managed to buy a PS5 console, Sony is now offering you the opportunity to experience new features before everyone else.
Hideaki Nishino, Senior Vice President, Platform Experience at Sony today announced that the PS5 System Software Beta Program is launching. Anyone can sign up as long as they are 18 or older, have a valid PSN account in good standing, and reside in the US, Canada, Japan, UK, Germany, or France. However, signing up doesn't guarantee acceptance, and it's up to Sony to select who will become part of the program.
As the sign-up page explains, "We’re calling on all eligible players to help our teams continue to enhance the PlayStation 5 console experience. By signing up to take part in upcoming system software beta programs, you could be among the first to put new features to the test and provide essential feedback that will help guide their development."
Once enrolled, instructions will be sent on how to download pre-release beta versions of the system software for your console. This is a double-edged sword, of course. On the one hand, you'll get those new features to play with, but on the other, this is pre-release software and therefore your PS5 may crash a few times.
The last major PS5 system software update rolled out back in April when the console got USB external storage support and an updated PlayStation app. The next major system update is scheduled for release later this year, so anyone signing up for the beta program now will most likely be testing the new features that update contains. Sony has promised to share more details about what to expect from the update "in the coming weeks."