PS4 ‘Yukimura’ update brings social, UI and practical improvements

Remember that PS4 update we all wanted prior to The Order: 1886? Well, it’s nearly here, and Sony is really splurging on this one just in time for Bloodborne too.

Update 2.5, codenamed Yukimura, brings with it a host of “highly anticipated and requested features” to the PlayStation 4 console. The update is due for launch on 26 March 2015.

For your viewing pleasure, we round up each one of these in a bite-sized listicle.

Suspend/Resume the console directly in-game

This wasn’t possible before, but Yukimura allows users to suspend the console while you’re directly in a game to continue playing said game when the console resumes. It’s a small enhancement but one that will undoubtedly save a lot of time navigating menus.

External backups are now allowed

This is a big one frankly. Internal hard drives can now be backed up using an external drive plugged into one of the console’s USB ports. No only does this ensure redundancy in case your PS4 is engulfed by laser-eyed man-eating seagulls, but it also means that these settings, saved games, screenshots and the like can be transferred between consoles more easily.

Search Facebook for friends you wish you didn’t have

Gaming is getting ever-the-more social nowadays, and Sony has realised this. Searching for friends using gamer tags are often a chore, especially if you’ve forgotten what said tag is, so the PS4 will now allow gamers to search Facebook for friends. The accounts have to be linked though, so this might only be partially useful.

It also allows gamers a snapshot into what their Facebook friends are playing on game pages and highlighting which are online at the time so that you can ruin their day in Evolve.

Remote Play and Share Play will now buzz along at 60fps

Those beefy smartphone chips can now be put to full use for games that support the 60fps benchmark. Of course, you can’t do this on a 2001-grade phone, so generally Sony Xperia Z devices are supported.

Boast about those trophies you’ve earned with the ‘Trophy List Enhancements’

Yukimura will allow users to be even more smug when it comes to trophies, as the new update will ensure that screenshots are automatically snapped when a trophy is earned.

The update allegedly also makes it easier to share said screenshots via the usual social media horde and allows a date sorted option for trophies. Once again, simple updates, but definitely effective.

Better accessibility options available

The update checks another box in the practical segment, adding improvements for gamers with “impaired vision and limited manual dexterity”. This means a host of custom button assignments for the Dualshock 4, a zoom feature for images and the Microsoft-like inverted colour schemes will be added to the system menu.

Additionally, there’s a bolder, bigger set of text options, and a high contrast UI for menus.

What else is worth mentioning?

That SHARE button will open its doors to other services in the future, but for now, Dailymotion makes it onto the list. Gamers can also look forward to automatic system software update installations, which is a welcome addition. A Twitter-like Verified accounts system will also be added, allowing professional gamers or online personalities to distinguish themselves. There are also a few enhancements for sub-accounts, with which gamers younger than 18 can upgrade to master accounts on the PS4 itself.

Glaring omissions

Annoyingly, there’s still a lack of DLNA support — the protocol that would allow the PS4 to stream and play media content across a network. This has been an integral part of the Xbox One since October 2014. Although one can backup the system via a USB drive, users still can’t play video from a USB drive, another small gripe. Understandably, the PS4 is primarily a gaming machine first, but there’s no doubt that gaming consoles are evolving into home entertainment systems.

We’re also not too sure if the console will allow users to play games from an external drive, which is something the press release, PlayStation blogs or the company itself doesn’t quite clarify.

Another annoyance for users on forums at least is the inability to change PSN IDs. This seems to be a major social update that Sony should consider in the future.

For one, Yukimura seems a solid update nonetheless.

The PlayStation Vita will also gain an update (version 3.5) alongside the PlayStation App (version 2.5), which brings niceties like “new accessibility options, including enlarge text, increase contrast and more.”

Updates to follow…