Next PS4 system update adds new parental controls and custom wallpapers

By Gabe Gurwin February 6, 2018

PlayStation 4 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Sony has continued to make the PS4 system software better with each update this generation, adding features for organizing game collections and the ability to use external storage, and its latest update is no different. If you have kids and need to control their gaming time, System Software 5.50 is just what you need.

Available to those enrolled in the beta preview program right now, PlayStation 4 System Software 5.50 adds a “play time management” feature for parents looking to limit how long their children can game on the system. Settings can be adjusted both from the console itself or a web browser, and can limit the total amount of time your child can play each day as well as the window of time they have — notifications will be sent before time expires so they never have to lose any save data.

Tired of the basic colors and “dynamic” themes available in the PlayStation 4 menus right now? If you’ve got a USB drive and an image, you can make your own custom wallpaper. The images can be cropped or zoomed, as well, but we worry about users on shared consoles abusing this feature to put random memes in the background.

If you have a PlayStation 4 Pro but not a 4K television, the update also enhances your experience. A new “supersampling” mode will give games a bump in image clarity, even if they aren’t specifically designed for PlayStation 4 Pro enhancements. Sony says that not all games will see any improvements, and the specific enhancements available in individual games will likely be more apparent than this blanket solution.

The PlayStation 4 library has also received a few changes to make it easier to navigate. New tabs will make it easier to find games not currently installed on your console, while a special PlayStation Plus section will show you which games you’ve claimed from the current batch of freebies — a lock symbol will appear next to these games if you aren’t currently subscribed to the service.

The PlayStation 4 hasn’t had to make the drastic changes to its user interface that Microsoft has with the Xbox One, and we don’t expect that to happen in the future. The PlayStation 4 is just a great place to play, and Sony doesn’t need to fix what isn’t broken.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…

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One of the PS5's most unique features is its removable faceplates, which allow players to customize their console with new colors and designs. The new PS5 models will evolve that idea with a four-cover panel design that gives the system a slightly different look. Sony is already planning to make those customizable in the near future, according to a statement sent to Digital Trends.

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Rockstar Games' open-world western game first launched in 2010 for Xbox 360 and PS3. It was critically acclaimed and a smash sales hit, creating a new franchise for Rockstar that could stand alongside the likes of Grand Theft Auto. It received a sequel, Red Dead Redemption 2, in 2019, but the original Red Dead Redemption remained stuck on older platforms outside of backward compatibility support on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.
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Red Dead Redemption comes out on PS4 and Nintendo Switch on August 17.