Sony has released firmware version 3.0 to select beta testers in Japan. Now, reports are coming in that some interesting improvements are slated to come. Once the new firmware is rolled out to PS4 players, they will reportedly be able to broadcast live gameplay directly via YouTube or upload short video clips straight to their Twitter accounts.
A website called Pocket News published a Japanese-language report enumerating most of the feature that the firmware update will bring to the PlayStation 4. It was given an English translation by Gematsu, which you can check out here.
To recap, PS4 users already had the ability to directly stream their gameplay from the console by using Twitch.tv. They also had the option to post their gameplay videos to YouTube using the native YouTube application on the game console. This PS4 firmware v3.0, however, will mark the first time that gamers can broadcast live footage of their game directly from the console to YouTube.
Moreover, players will be able to stream a fellow gamer's video, like what the Twitch's "Host" program has been doing. It can be done by going to the upcoming "Now Playing" section.
For quite some time now, PS4 users have been able to upload pictures and links to Twitch broadcasts by using the console's "Share" feature, but video clips are not included. This PlayStation 4 update is set to improve the Share function by providing the option to support video clips and screenshots.
Gamer who linked their Twitter accounts to their PS4 will also be able to post short, 10-second clips directly to the social networking site.
Aside from the aforementioned YouTube support, firmware update v3.0 also adds an "Event" section to the main menu so users can discover, participate, and view listed events like E3, Gamescom, and other various gaming events throughout the year.
A new Community section will be added in the Friends list menu giving players the ability to "find close players with similar preferences and interests." PS Plus will be integrated to the main menu so members can keep up with the latest free games for the month, in addition to the latest game promos and discounts. Furthermore, few minor improvements will be implemented to the "Message" function.
With plenty of news we have heard about Microsoft's media broadcasting features for its own Xbox One, the upcoming features described above will be a welcome improvement for the competing PlayStation 4 console.
As of now, there is no official word from Sony on when the firmware v3.0 will be rolled out in Japan or worldwide. That said, now that the new firmware's beta program is already ongoing in Japan, we can expect that it won't be long before we see a worldwide PlayStation 4 release.
