The PS5 has received a few feature updates since it launched in late 2020, but Sony shared today that it’s prepping to roll out a major system update later this year — and it wants you to test it first. You can register for it’s “first-ever” beta to try the new console software if you’re over 18 and live in the US, Canada, Japan, UK, Germany, or France.
Sony opens PS5 beta program ahead of next major system update
It’s inviting you to try it out
It’s inviting you to try it out
Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
is an editor covering deals and gaming hardware. He joined in 2018, and after a two-year stint at Polygon, he rejoined The Verge in May 2025.
Sony isn’t yet sharing what new features are coming in the beta, but it’ll divulge details in the coming weeks, it says. Could it be that the PS5’s long-awaited M.2 SSD slot will get switched on for additional speedy storage, or will the console finally get variable refresh rate and 1440p support? You can already tell that I’m expecting a lot out of this incoming update.
Microsoft has allowed Xbox gamers to opt in to test upcoming software releases for years through its Insider program, and it’s usually where the company debuts visual updates to its dashboard and other under-the-hood features.
If you’re interested, you can sign up here, though you’ll need to be signed in with your PlayStation ID to register. Sony says that signing up for this beta means you’ll be considered for future beta releases. Anyone who opts into the beta can still restore their system to the latest official release before the testing phase ends.
As always, there are risks involved with signing up to test beta software. The system might not behave normally in some cases, and you may want to double-check that all of your game saves are backed up — either locally or to the cloud via your PS Plus account.
Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.
