While we're finally up to speed on the PS5 specs and its bold new look, we still haven't the foggiest idea as to what the UI will look like. We already know it's going to be drastically different to what we're used to on the PS4 thanks to a few titbits from PlayStation's Vice President of UX Design, Matt MacLaurin - and even got a (very brief) sneak peek at it.
But more details on the PlayStation 5's interface have leaked via a patent granted to Sony earlier this month, and it looks like the console will have an answer to the Xbox Series X 'transformative' Quick Resume feature that's designed to create a more seamless experience for players.
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Just to give you a refresher, Quick Resume is already a staple of Microfoft's Xbox One X and Xbox One consoles, allowing players to suspend a game and switch to something else, then dive back in when they're ready. This has evolved for next-gen, allowing players to do this with multiple titles. Microsoft’s director of Xbox program management, Jason Ronald, explained:
"That's a part of the Xbox series X, which actually allows us to have multiple games saved at any one time. And then I can instantly jump between them or jump into them and resume exactly where it was when I left off."
This is possible thanks to the custom built SSD, and it looks like Sony is doing the same thing for the PS5, according to the recently discovered patent's details.
Sony's small PS5 UI teaser there pic.twitter.com/D7m6SrVfCkJune 11, 2020
Sony explains that the current issue plaguing UIs is the different types of menus for the different functionalities of the console - rather than being a seamless, unified experience, it varies between games, music, etc, which doesn't make it particularly user-friendly:
"While executing any one of the programs, a user may wish to execute another program in parallel or to start another program in place of the running program. However, input of instructions with respect to running programs (e.g., an instruction for terminating the execution) and input in such menu screens are usually entered in a clearly separate manner in terms of the user interface.
"Therefore, when executing programs in parallel or switching programs, a user is required to use a different user interface so as to carry out these operations. On the other hand, there is a strong need for the development of unified user interfaces that allow for various operations to be performed in order to present a novel user-friendly impression to a user."
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The patent isn't specifically for the PS5 - which isn't mentioned in the document - but considering Sony has a new console launching in just a few months with an overhauled UI design, we can go ahead and take the leap of assuming it references the PS5.
Microsoft explained that the next iteration of Quick Resume has been made possible thanks to the SSD, so by extension, the only hardware Sony is going to have out in the wild that will be capable of pulling off similar functionality is going to be the PS5, with an SSD that's even faster than the Xbox Series X's. Hopefully we'll find out more about the improved user experience in the coming months.
Don't forget to swing by our PS5 pre-order guide for everything you need to know about the price, release date, and where and when you can order the PlayStation 5!
