PS4 Update 2.00 to Add “Share Play,” YouTube Uploads and More

Sony Outlines The Next Firmware Update Share Play 2.00

Announced over at its gamescom presser, Sony exec Jim Ryan talked about what’s in store for PS4 system update v2.00.

First off, uploading your gameplay videos captured from your PS4 directly to YouTube is finally becoming a reality in update 2.0-, which is set to launch this fall. The “What’s New” section will also get tweaked, and will ” get enhanced real-time activity through friend-of-friend suggestions, allowing instant access to friends’ and recently played games’ broadcasts.”

Another new addition is “real name” search function, which should help those with a ton of people on their friends list to in sorting it.

Finally and what’s possibly the best addition to the new update is “Share Play.” As long as your friend (who’s based anywhere in the world) has an internet connection and a PS+ membership, the both of you can use the what Sony calls the “virtual couch.” In short, it will let you and your friend play a competitive or co-op online game at the same time even if they don’t own a copy of the game itself!

Here’s Sony’s official description of the feature:

The best way to think about Share Play is like a “virtual couch”. PlayStation 4 will create an online local co-op experience by allowing you to invite a friend to join your game—even when they don’t own a copy of it. With this first-of-its-kind feature, you’ll be able to play games with a friend just as if you were together in the same room. Let’s say that with games… you’ll be able to invite your friend online to play against the Miami Heat for the championship as the San Antonio Spurs in NBA2K, tackle the challenging Towerfall Ascension Quest Mode together, or aide, heal, and protect you as Igniculus in Child of Light’s local co-op mode.
With Share Play, you can even jump into a game to assist a friend. For example, if there is part of a game that you can’t quite finish, you can invite a friend to take over your controls. Like handing over the controller to a friend on your couch, your screen will be shared as your friend gets through the part of the game that has been giving you trouble—can’t get past that part in The Last of Us: Remastered when you’re hanging upside down? Get a little help.

Sony has announced that more features for update v2.00 will be made available as we come nearer to its fall launch.