PS4 2.50 Update Aims to Help People With Disabilities Enjoy Games

PlayStation 4

Sony is reportedly working on an update for the PlayStation 4 console that aims to help gamers with disabilities.

Dubbed as update 2.50, the firmware comes with an accessibility menu that includes features specifically designed for those with hearing and visual impairments, according to IGN Middle East.

Details about Sony's update 2.50 for the PlayStation 4 were revealed through a screenshot posted by Twitter user Is A Parrot on March 6. The user claims the screenshot came from the update's beta testing group.

Based on the leaked image, the accessibility menu includes the options Text to Speech, Zoom, Invert Colors, Larger Text, Bold Text, High Contrast, Closed Captions, Button Assignment and Add to Quick Menu.

Although the update can be enjoyed by everyone, some of the options featured in the menu are geared toward enhancing the overall game play experience for persons with disabilities.

Aside from the accessibility menu, Is A Parrot also explained that update 2.50 has a Suspend/Resume feature that will make watching Netflix programs more convenient.

"Suspend/Resume while watching Netflix," the user tweeted. "The PS4 will pick up where you're watching and not just reboot the entire app. It's really in memory."

Sony previously opened the beta testing of this feature and update 2.50 for PlayStation 4 users. However, the participants were asked to sign confidentiality agreement forms to prevent them from leaking details of the test.

One of the features highlighted during the beta tests was putting the PlayStation 4 console into rest mode without closing running applications or games, Gematsu reported.

Days after the image was leaked via Twitter, Sony released a statement regarding update 2.50. The company, however, did not mention the exact date of its release.

"The next PS4 system software update will be released soon, and its features are currently being processed for quality assurance," a spokesperson from Sony told Game Spot.

"We will have more information on the update to share shortly," the representative added.