The latest 8.50 update for PS4 will remove PSN communities, according to a report by MP1ST.
The update is currently available for beta testers and removes the communities feature from the PS4 operating system. It will soon be rolled out to all PS4 users.
PSN communities first debuted on the original PS4 as part of PlayStation’s move to a more social gaming experience. Communities are a bit like Facebook groups. Each collective of players have their own theme and moderators.
These communities can be tied to a specific game, which would allow players to share their gaming experiences for specific franchises.
Here’s a complete list of changes included with the 8.50 update, including the removal of communities:
- In messages, you can now turn notifications on/off for each of the groups you’re in. On the group screen, open then options menu and select “Turn Notifications Off”.
- On the game session screen, you can now use the “Request to Join” button to ask the session leader to join their game. The session leader can then send you an invite to join the game session.
- When playing a game you’ve hidden, other players will no longer see you play it.
- Communities are no longer available.
While the quality of life functions, like a “Request to Join” button, are nice to have, the removal of communities is sure to disappoint many.
Sony previously axed its communities app on mobile devices, with its functionality still being maintained on PS4. Now that the function is to be removed from consoles, many fans will have to find alternative ways to commune together.
The communities tab was also removed from the PlayStation 5 back in November. However, this didn’t go unnoticed, with some fans taking to Reddit to enquire about its removal:
Hopefully, Sony will implement a similar feature as the PS5 grows. Until then, it looks like fans will need to look elsewhere for a community-based hub.
Featured Image Credit: Sony