PSA: PS4 Software Update Available Now for Early Download

[Cognimancer]

PSA: PS4 Software Update Available Now for Early Download

The PlayStation 4's first software update is going to be in high demand when the system launches - get it before the rush.

No matter how big a given developer or manufacturer is, or how much money they can throw around, launch day is always a mess for people trying to connect to official servers. The PlayStation 4 will be able to play games at launch, but many of its other features won't be functional until users download and install its first software update. Sony's thinking ahead, though - if you're planning on picking up a PS4 this Friday, head over to the PlayStation website [http://us.playstation.com/support/systemupdates/ps4/index.htm] to download the update onto a flash drive. That way you'll be ready to go on launch day while everyone else waits for Sony's burdened servers.

The update is about 400 MB large, so make sure you have that much space on a USB drive. Once you've downloaded the update from the PlayStation site [http://us.playstation.com/support/systemupdates/ps4/index.htm], you'll have to set up a simple folder structure: make a new folder called "PS4" on the drive, then make another folder called "UPDATE" inside the first one. The UPDATE folder is where you'll put the patch, which must be named "PS4UPDATE.PUP" for the system to find it. When you have your PS4, you can install the update by turning off the machine, then booting it in safe mode by holding the power button for 7 seconds.

It isn't the simplest process, but if the servers go down on launch day then this will definitely save you some time. Without the update you can still play games (you should even be able to download the update in the background while you play), but you won't be able to access multiplayer until you're on the most recent software version.

Source: PlayStation [http://us.playstation.com/support/systemupdates/ps4/index.htm]

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[Reed Spacer]

Ho wcan they have a software update before the system even launches?

That sounds like someone screwed something up.

 

[Tanis]

^Seeing as how they probably have to have the hardware getting made months in advanced, not really.

It's not like the PS4 was finished on Nov 1 and they manufactured millions of the things with a few weeks.

 

[RicoADF]

Ho wcan they have a software update before the system even launches?

That sounds like someone screwed something up.

The hardware would have been in manufacture for the last few months atleast, during which time they kept working on the software, finishing features, squashing bugs etc ready for the release and day 1 patch. It's the norm now a days in games so make sense the consoles would follow suit. Simple fact is that they focused on getting the games working first, then once that was done worked on online features to add in with a patch as you'd need to go online to use them anyway, the system runs games out of the box.

 

[loa]

Yes I still remember how bad the ps2 launch was, it was impossible to get that patch without which the console won't function out of the box due to servers.
Or the 360 launch, impossible to play a game on the thing on day 1 and don't even get me started on the 3ds.

But seriously, is this where we're headed now?
Buying bricks?

 

[Reed Spacer]

^Seeing as how they probably have to have the hardware getting made months in advanced, not really.

It's not like the PS4 was finished on Nov 1 and they manufactured millions of the things with a few weeks.

It's still sloppy - frankly it gives more of the impression that they shoved the thing out the door to get those yummy fourth-quarter sales.

Furthermore, an almost half-gig update?

 

[Jadak]

Doesn't matter to me personally as it'll be some time before I bother with a new console, but I like the idea. Rather convenient to be able to download a patch in advance. Less delay time in getting to your game playing.

 

[Mr C]

A surprisingly good solution to the problem or having continual change to a system. It even considers people who have no intention of ever playing online as the system will work as they need out of the box. It would be nice to have it totally up to date once you plug it in, but given the realities of online gaming I can accept this fix.

 

[Korten12]

Ho wcan they have a software update before the system even launches?

That sounds like someone screwed something up.

What? People are already playing the system. PSN is live and everything. No one screwed up.

 

[Something Amyss]

Ho wcan they have a software update before the system even launches?

That sounds like someone screwed something up.

Well, it has to undo their own DRM like the Xbone, but honestly, there's a ton of time between hardware fiinalisation and actual launch. That's not inherently a screwup.

 

[Something Amyss]

What? People are already playing the system. PSN is live and everything. No one screwed up.

Sony: PS4 is up and running, firmware can be downloaded before launch to ease burden.

Microsoft: Banning you for going online.

Slight difference.

EDIT: TO clarify, I wasn't aiming that at you, just musing based on your comment with info I didn't know (but wasn't completely surprised aboot)

 

[StriderShinryu]

Great of Sony to be on top of this before everyone tries to get online at once and there's a potential outage.

 

[WWmelb]

Ho wcan they have a software update before the system even launches?

That sounds like someone screwed something up.

Well, it has to undo their own DRM like the Xbone, but honestly, there's a ton of time between hardware fiinalisation and actual launch. That's not inherently a screwup.

I haven't actually seen a source definitively stating that there is a hardcoded DRM on the machine that has to be patched out. Lots of supposition and rumoring about, but haven't seen anything that is even remotely close to proof that it was there.

Would appreciate sources on this as it may sway me against buying a new console at all.

 

[Saulkar]

I have already downloaded the patch because I work at noon on Friday for half an hour short of nine hours and will not have anything getting in my way of playing that B.O.A. before my shift starts instead of risking overloaded servers.

 

[happy_turtle]

Can I take it as read that this is for US PS4's only and it would be foolhardy to install this patch on an EU console?

 

[Strazdas]

People this is much bigger than you think. This means that OS can be updated (read: changed) via offline installer.
This means two things:

1. Software updates can be distributed with game discs, helpful for offline players.
2. OS can be hacked and modified. This allows easy use for people that want to fix OS and then try to avoid lawsuits. This also means pirating will be easier.

I haven't actually seen a source definitively stating that there is a hardcoded DRM on the machine that has to be patched out. Lots of supposition and rumoring about, but haven't seen anything that is even remotely close to proof that it was there.

Would appreciate sources on this as it may sway me against buying a new console at all.

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Xbox-One-Requires-Day-One-Patch-to-Eliminate-DRM-362152.shtml
"It seems that without it, gamers will need to abide by the previously announced restrictions linked to game trading, lending and would have to connect to the Internet every 24 hours."

 

[Church185]

I haven't actually seen a source definitively stating that there is a hardcoded DRM on the machine that has to be patched out. Lots of supposition and rumoring about, but haven't seen anything that is even remotely close to proof that it was there.

Would appreciate sources on this as it may sway me against buying a new console at all.

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Xbox-One-Requires-Day-One-Patch-to-Eliminate-DRM-362152.shtml
"It seems that without it, gamers will need to abide by the previously announced restrictions linked to game trading, lending and would have to connect to the Internet every 24 hours."

He was talking about the PS4 having hardcoded DRM like the Xbox One. Those details never came out.

 

[WWmelb]

I haven't actually seen a source definitively stating that there is a hardcoded DRM on the machine that has to be patched out. Lots of supposition and rumoring about, but haven't seen anything that is even remotely close to proof that it was there.

Would appreciate sources on this as it may sway me against buying a new console at all.

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Xbox-One-Requires-Day-One-Patch-to-Eliminate-DRM-362152.shtml
"It seems that without it, gamers will need to abide by the previously announced restrictions linked to game trading, lending and would have to connect to the Internet every 24 hours."

He was talking about the PS4 having hardcoded DRM like the Xbox One. Those details never came out.

As Church says, i was talking about the PS4's supposed DRM. Xbox has had plenty of info about it, but no actual proof about sony.

 

[klaynexas3]

As a small update for this, as someone who is getting a PS4 tonight, the update isn't updating at all. Sony's servers must be flooded, either that or they just shot them in the face for this point in time, for whatever reason that was. Just to give a bit of an idea of how bad it is, I started the download three hours ago, and have downloaded all of 145 MBs. It has all but stopped downloading even at its snail's pace. I'm so glad it can play games without the update, though I kind of wish I had access to the online portion of features.