PS5 System Software Beta Signups Now Live: How To Register
Today, Sony announced that it's working on a major system software update for the PlayStation 5 and put out a call for testers. If you're one of the lucky few who own a PlayStation 5 at the moment – the console is still notoriously difficult to find around the world – you can sign up to beta test this new system software update and all future updates as well. Even better is the fact that the process of signing up is pretty straightforward.
If you have a PlayStation 5 in your possession (and it's connected to the internet), you can sign up for the PS5's first system software beta program by heading over to the PlayStation website. Click on the "Register Now" button you see at the top of the page, sign in with your PlayStation Network ID, then agree to the sign-in terms, and you'll be placed in the pool of potential beta testers.
Sony says that it will email those selected for the beta process with more details on how to download unreleased system software but doesn't indicate when those emails will go out, so you'll want to keep an eye on your inbox if you decide to register. Registration is open to those who are 18 or older in the US, Canada, Japan, the UK, France, and Germany, but those who sign up also need to have an active PSN account in good standing to be considered.
Sony also expects its chosen testers to give feedback on these beta software releases, and of course, this program comes with the warning that unreleased software might be buggy or incomplete. Registering puts you in the pool of potential applicants for future system software tests as well, so you won't need to register every time a new beta is announced.
Unfortunately, Sony's announcement today doesn't tell us what will be included in this major system update, nor does it tell us when the update is expected to be live for everyone. The hope is that the next system software update will unlock the PlayStation 5's M.2 expansion slot, which has been inactive since the console launched. Indeed, rumors have claimed that support for the expansion slot will be coming this summer, so we'll keep our fingers crossed for official word that it'll be included in the next PS5 system update.