New PS5 update clogs menu screens with ads and people aren’t happy

Sony’s latest PlayStation 5 firmware update has come with an unexpected new addition, as game splash screens are replaced with ugly news updates.

While the lack of themes and general customisation on the PlayStation 5 dashboard has been an issue for many since the console launched, a new update has made navigating through your games library even more of an eyesore.

Earlier this month, Sony announced plans to roll out a new ‘Welcome hub’ on the console’s dashboard – complete with customisable widgets and backgrounds. At the time of writing, it is yet to be rolled out across the UK and is currently only available to console owners in the US, although it’s set to be released in other territories in the coming weeks.

While this appeared to be going some way to addressing the lack of customisation options, some players have noticed that adverts and news updates, which you can turn off on the Welcome hub, have now taken over game splash screens instead.

As shown by fans on Twitter, the background screen for Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 now no longer shows the artwork but a news update related to the title. In some cases, like Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Star Wars Battlefront 2, it’s showing adverts for other games in the franchise.

While the UK doesn’t have the Welcome hub update yet, the splash screen update is already being rolled out here – but only on certain games. We found the Elden Ring page now promotes the latest patch notes, while Tekken 8 shows an advert for upcoming DLC character Heihachi, but others like Astro Bot are unaffected.

Some fans have reported that the promoted news item on some games, like Gran Turismo 7, is advertising updates released months ago, so it seems as if it may not be working properly yet.

While it’s a minor annoyance in the grand scheme, it’s certainly a downgrade from the static, clean artwork which was there before. Some PlayStation 5 owners have already called for Sony to revert the change, so we’ll have to wait and see whether Sony pays them any attention.

As for the near future, Sony is set to launch the PS5 Pro on November 7, 2024. The 30th Anniversary edition of the console, meanwhile, is already selling for thousands on eBay.

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