Sony released version 4.50 of the PlayStation 4's system software to beta testers. The update, code-named Sasuke, will allow PlayStation VR owners to watch 3D Blu-rays in stereoscopic 3D on the VR headset. It will also let people better customize their PS4 and use an external HDD.
Supporting 3D Blu-rays is Sony's latest attempt to expand the PSVR's content offerings. (It's also some more salt to rub in the wound left by Sony's decision not to include 4K Blu-ray support in the PS4 Pro.) The company also recently announced that PSVR would support YouTube's 360-degree videos, for example, and previously allowed people to use the PSVR to watch videos on a virtual big screen. Now they'll have access to 3D movies, too.
PS4 owners who haven't yet joined the PSVR revolution will also get some welcome features with the Sasuke update. The console will finally let people use custom backgrounds--no more paying for cringeworthy themes in the PlayStation Store!--and will overhaul the "quick menu" used while playing games. But perhaps the most notable addition will be external HDD support, which is compatible with up to 8TB HDDs with USB 3.0 connections.
"You can download and install applications directly to your extra storage, and the saved contents are easily manageable through the settings menu," Sony said in its announcement. "Also, all the applications saved in the external HDD will appear in the Content Launcher of the Home Screen so it’s easy to keep track of what apps you launched recently."
That's good news for anyone who's bought in to digital-only gaming. Console storage has never been great, but with games sometimes taking up more than 80GB a pop, it hasn't been hard for people to fill up the storage that came with their device. Sony did make it easy to upgrade the built-in storage, but supporting external HDDs both ups the total amount of data people can store and lets those uncomfortable with swapping HDDs get in on the fun.
Sony didn't reveal all the changes coming in the Sasuke update--the company said only that "there are more features" that will be revealed soon. A leaked screenshot suggests that PS4 Pro owners might be able to use the console's extra power in games that haven't been updated to take advantage of it, which could be something to look forward to, and it would also be nice if Sony would let people remove unwanted software from their devices.
We still don't know when Sasuke will make a public appearance, but the 4.50 update is available now for members of Sony's beta program.
