The 1.70 update to the PS4 represents the biggest changes to Sony’s new generation console’s firmware to date. The console has been launched for about half a year now, and this is currently the biggest update to land on it. As previously revealed, the firmware update brings several important changes. First and foremost, the ability to preload digitally purchased games has been added, and the first game to support this will be Ubisoft’s Watch Dogs, launching later this month.
A new feature introduced is the ability to change the brightness of the DualShock 4 controller’s light-bar. There were no indications that this feature would be introduced in the 1.70 update, so we’ll take it as a nice surprise. Interestingly, this seemingly insignificant detail managed to upset many PS4 owners, and generally speaking, the bright light-bar didn’t really impress fans of the PS4. Well, you can’t get rid of it, but you can sure as hell turn it down considerably now. The menu has the option to set the light-bar to one of three settings: bright, medium and dim.
The long-awaited SHAREFactory software was included in the update as well, providing gamers with the ability to edit and tune their captured videos. The video editor also allows the exportation of edited content to an external hard-drive, making uploading to the internet that much easier. Last but not least, the ability to disable HDCP for games has also been added. Other quality of life improvements have been made too, including (but not limited to) new sharing options, new friends options, new means for sorting trophies and an improved PS Store payment system.
Overall, there are many changes that are worth noting, so we recommend you visit the official Playstation Blog for the complete list. The update is now available, so get it while it’s hot!