Sony just released PS4 update 6.0 to the public, and following on a grand tradition of feature-rich, whole-number updates… it "improves system performance." That's the extent of the patch notes. If you have automatic updates enabled, you'll probably find your PS4 has installed the new, roughly 400MB update since you last checked in. But you probably won't notice much difference. Thankfully, there's good reason to believe this may just be a prelude to bigger PS4 update plans coming very soon.
Sony typically reserves its be-integer-ed PS4 updates for adding big new features: update 4.0 added HDR display support and improved sorting/folder functions back in September 2016; update 5.0 opened up the team and tournament system as well as following and custom friend lists in October 2017. Heck, even the half numbers can be pretty significant - remember when update 5.50 made it way easier to sort through your library back in March?
Improving system performance is always good, but it's the patch notes equivalent of changing the oil. Maybe rotating the tires. It's hardly befitting of that "nice, round numbers with cool new features" update legacy. And the beta version of update 6.0 that Sony started circulating in August didn't have any new features either, so nothing's hidden there. It feels more like an update 5.6 than an update 6.0, and since Sony's in charge of the whole numbering scheme, it totally could have just called it that.
This doesn't mean Sony's giving up on making big improvements to PS4's software as the console family approaches its fifth birthday. Hopefully the update sitting on your PS4 hard drive now is just preparation for bigger things to come, especially with Tokyo Game Show set to begin on September 19: for instance, Sony couldn't announce a hotly anticipated feature then say "...and it's available on your console right now" without laying some groundwork first.
Basically what I'm trying to say is if Sony was ever going to finally enable PSN name changes for all us poor slobs with handles that seemed way cooler ten years ago, the next week or two would be a fantastic time.
Get the most out of the features you have now with our PS4 setup tricks and tip guide.
