It is time to say goodbye to the PS4 communities. After the removal of the feature was already mentioned in the changelog for the latest beta firmware, the confirmation from Sony via an email followed over the weekend.
PS4 Communities will shut down in April 2021
Sony has once again confirmed that one of the features of the last-gen console will be closed with the release of the next PS4 firmware. These are the PS4 communities. A first notice came recently with the publication of the changelog for beta firmware 8.50. The PS4 communities will be removed in April next month.
Sony points out that there are other ways for PS4 players to keep in touch with other people. This includes the messaging functions on the PS4 console and in the PlayStation app.
In the email confirmation that has been sent out since the weekend, Sony emphasizes the following:
“Thank you for using the Communities feature on your PlayStation 4 console. Beginning in April 2021, this feature will no longer be supported or available on your PS4 console. However, you will still be able to stay connected and enjoy messaging features and more on your PS4 console and PlayStation App.”
When exactly the final PS4 firmware 8.50 will be released is still unclear. But it is already clear what awaits you with it. In addition to removing the communities, the beta changelog includes several points. So you can switch notifications on and off for each of the groups you are in.
And on the game session screen, you can now use the “Request to join” button to ask the session leader to join the game. Also, a new feature is that if you play a game that you have hidden, other players will no longer see it.