Some things you only truly understand when you see them working, and a new console’s interface is one of them. Sony had shown pieces of the PlayStation 5 system in the weeks before launch, but a full walkthrough of the menus was missing. In November 2020, a few days before the debut, Digital Foundry published a detailed tour of the PS5 interface, and the wait was over.
What stands out is the size of the change. PlayStation itself described the system as a total overhaul of the PS4 interface, rendered in 4K and HDR. The home screen has a row of apps at the top and two tabs to switch between games and media apps. When you select a game, the available activities appear, such as a specific level or a multiplayer mode. The PlayStation Store is no longer a separate app and is now part of the home screen itself.
A nice detail: the biggest novelty is the Control Center, which appears at the bottom of the screen when you press the PS button. At the top are cards with suggestions tied to the current game, such as progress in a mission or a challenge with a direct shortcut to it. For PlayStation Plus subscribers, some cards also bring tips and videos showing how to complete the activity. At the bottom, a customizable row of icons gathers notifications, the friends list and settings. You can see the care in the idea: according to Sony internal materials analyzed by Vice, the cards were designed to show how long each activity takes, helping those with little free time fit a session into the day.
What came next
The PS5 reached stores on November 12, 2020 in the United States, Japan and other markets, and on November 19 in the rest of the world. It was the biggest launch in PlayStation history up to then, with 4.5 million units shipped by the end of December 2020. The interface Digital Foundry showed remained the base of the system, updated over the years with new features.
Where to buy
Source: Digital Foundry.
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