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Sony to roll out first major software update of PS5 since launch

Gamers will now be able to store PS5 games on an external USB storage hard drive but will not be able to play games directly from it.
Gamers will now be able to store PS5 games on an external USB storage hard drive but will not be able to play games directly from it. Gamers will now be able to store PS5 games on an external USB storage hard drive but will not be able to play games directly from it.

Sony is rolling out its first major system update to the PlayStation 5 console from Wednesday, which will include the ability to store PS5 games on external USB storage.

The feature means users will be able to offload PS5 titles from their console’s main internal storage, providing more space and making it faster to reinstall games instead of re-downloading or copying them from a disc.

PS5 games cannot be played from a USB extended hard drive, as this would impact performance speed – nor can they be directly downloaded to it.

The development is one of several big additions to arrive on the console since it launched in November 2020.

Sony is also adding cross-generation Share Play, allowing PS4 and PS5 players to view each other’s screen and pass the controller virtually to a friend, meaning PS4 owners will be able to get a taste of the PS5.

A selection of enhanced control and personalisation options will be added to the PS5 too, including improvements to the Game Base area, the ability to quickly disable in-game chat, and customisation of the game library.

The PlayStation App will receive some changes “in the coming weeks”, such as allowing people to join a multiplayer session on the PS5 from the app and remote management of their console’s storage.