New PS5 Update Adds New Parties and Audio Features, Patch Notes Revealed

Sony has today released a new update for PlayStation 5 consoles that brings additional features to the console when it comes to Parties and audio. At this point in time, Sony has gone a little more than a month without releasing a new firmware patch for the PS5, which is a longer period of time between updates than PlayStation fans have come to expect. And while today's update isn't a massive one, Sony is clearly addressing some small problems with its first patch of 2024. 

The most notable new element of this PS5 update is tied to Parties. Rather than needing to start a new Party with a previous group every time you turn on your PS5, the platform will now allow you to see a history of Parties that you were previously in. In doing so, PS5 users are now able to select a Party from the past and start it up once again by visiting the "Recent" list that has been added to the console. This isn't a huge change, but it's definitely a welcome feature. 

Outside of this, Sony has also brought some new improvements for those that own the Pulse Explore earbuds that were recently released. In the wake of this update, the PS5 will now be able to notify the user with a notification on-screen that it has recognized that the earbuds are near. This will let Pulse Explore owners swap their earbuds between different devices far more easily than it was before. Beyond this, there are also some new equilizer features that have been pushed out for the Pulse Explore earbuds as well. 

You can get a look at the full breakdown of this new PS5 update courtesy of Sony's patch notes attached below. 

PS5 Console Version: 24.01-08.60.00 Update Patch Notes

• We've added new features in Parties. 
  • In the Parties tab, you can now see the list of parties you've joined in the past. You can easily restart a party just by selecting it from the Recent list.

• We've updated the device software for the PULSE Explore wireless earbuds.
  • You can now use the sound equalizer feature.
  • You can now use the sidetone feature, which makes it easier for you to hear your own voice in voice chats.
• When you have a PULSE Explore wireless earbuds nearby, a notification will now appear to let you connect to them quickly. You can now easily switch the connection from your PC to your PS5 through this notification.

• We've improved system software performance and stability.
• We've improved the messages and usability on some screens.