PS4 firmware 2.0 to add music playback, dashboard customization, library sorting, more (update)

The list of features in PlayStation 4 system software update 2.0 continues to grow, with new elements now including further customization options for the dashboard and better sorting for your game library, Sony announced today.

Firmware 2.0 is codenamed "Masamune," presumably for the renowned swordsmith from feudal Japan. The update is led by Share Play, which Sony detailed during Gamescom 2014 in August. It will also bring themes to the PS4, and Sony said today that users will additionally be able to change the background color of the dashboard from its default blue to one of seven other hues: gold, dark blue, red, green, purple, pink and gray.

Another new feature in firmware 2.0 is the ability to listen to music while you play games, without using Sony's Music Unlimited service. However, this will only work for files on USB storage; you still won't be able to copy media to the PS4's internal hard drive. The USB Music Player will support files including MP3 and M4A audio, and MP4 and 3GP video.

Sony is also redesigning what it calls the PS4's Content Area, the horizontal list of all your games and apps. With firmware 2.0, the space will be limited to the 15 most recently used items, while the rest will remain in the Library. The Library itself is being improved with sorting options to filter by name, type and more. And free PlayStation Plus games will now have an "Add to Library" button in the PlayStation Store, so you can secure them for future use without having to start the download.

Grid View

Other additions to the PS4 in update 2.0 include enhanced voice commands, improved live broadcasting and a "Players You May Know" tile in the What's New tab that shows you PlayStation Network users whom your friends play with frequently. Sony also plans to release system software version 3.35 for PlayStation Vita and PlayStation TV around the same time as Masamune; that update will add support for four-player Remote Play to those systems. In addition, the Live from PlayStation app will arrive on those devices at that time. And finally, Sony is also working on a version 2.0 update for the PlayStation mobile app on Android and iOS for the same launch window.

Masamune is set for release this fall on PS4. According to Scott McCarthy, director of product planning and software innovation at Sony Computer Entertainment America, there are more features for the update that have yet to be announced. You can check out screenshots of the firmware above.

Update: After the publishing of this article, Sony updated its blog post to say that the USB backup feature will not, in fact, be part of system software update 2.0. We've edited our story to reflect this.