PS5 System Update Introduces Ads That Can’t Be Disabled

A recent PS5 system update has sparked frustration among players due to the introduction of unremovable ads on the dashboard.

The September 2024 update, which overhauled the user interface (UI), now places advertisements behind each game tile on the home screen, even for games players already own.

These ads, presented as “game news,” promote trailers, updates, or unrelated marketing content, such as pre-orders for upcoming titles.

While some ads provide relevant information, like updates or expansions, many users said they feel bombarded by less pertinent promotions, including third-party content or unrelated offers.

This has led to confusion, with some ads misleadingly suggesting players are interacting with games they don’t actually own.

For instance, hovering over Horizon Zero Dawn may display an ad for pre-ordering LEGO Horizon Adventures, giving the impression that the user is playing the latter game.

The inability to disable these ads has only intensified criticism on social media, particularly X (formerly Twitter). Players have noted that their clean dashboard has been replaced with a cluttered display, making the once sleek aesthetic of the PS5 feel more like an advertising platform.

So it turns out that the recent PS5 UI update that let you disable all the advertisements on the dashboard was too good to be true. Now EVERY SINGLE GAME on your homescreen shows you an advertisement in the background with no way to remove them lol https://t.co/Nts6eCq8Eb pic.twitter.com/29p56mYn34

— Earl Turlet (@alfredobofa) September 29, 2024

Unlike previous customization options, this feature cannot be turned off without disconnecting the console from the internet, leading some to hope it might be a temporary bug.

This has to be a bug. Right?

— Prowlitz (@Prowlitz) September 29, 2024

Although other gaming platforms, like Xbox, have similarly introduced ads, PlayStation players are still frustrated at seeing promotions for games they’ve already purchased on a console they’ve paid for.

In other PS5 news, PlayStation’s Senior Principal Product Manager Toshi Aoki recently defended the PS5 Pro’s price, discussing AI upscaling features and the optional disc drive.