The latest PS4 system software update launches today, adding new avatars

By Heidi Nicholas,

The latest PS4 system software update, 8.00, launches today and adds new avatars, changes to Party and Messages features, and more.

Over on the PlayStation Blog, Sid Shuman, senior director for SIE Content Communications, says the new avatars come from a variety of games including Bloodborne, Journey, Ghost of Tsushima, God of War, The Last of Us Part II, The Last of Us Remastered, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and more.

The update also ensures Party and Messages will be "more tightly linked together," with both apps using "the same ‘Groups’ of players for Party voice chats and message exchanges, instead of having different groups setup across the two apps. So now you can start a Party chat or send a message to the group you’ve previously chatted with across PS4, as well as PS5 when it launches."

Also included in the update is an option to Mute all Microphones in the Quick Menu, and changes to Parental Controls to make them "simplified and more flexible." The update also removes Event Creation and Private Community Creation, meaning you won't be able to create or access Events. Although you will still be able to access existing private Communities, you won't be able to create new ones.

The PS4 era is beginning to wind down a little ahead of the launch of the PS5 next month. We should be getting some PS5 news soon, as there has been hints about something to do with the PS5 happening tomorrow, October 15th. This didn't come through the PlayStation official channels or anywhere else you might expect, but from a Burger King ad.

We'll keep you posted.

PlayStation 4

Written by Heidi Nicholas

Hey, I'm Heidi! I've just finished studying a Masters in English Literature, but I've been obsessed with gaming since long before then. I began on the PS2 with Spyro, before graduating to the Xbox 360 and disappearing into Skyrim. I'm now a loyal RPG fan, but I still like to explore other genres — when I'm not playing Assassin's Creed Odyssey, or being lured back into Red Dead Redemption 2 or The Witcher 3!