At some point in the next 24 hours or so, the PlayStation 4 console will prompt you to download the 8.00 firmware update. As detailed below PlayStation BlogThis patch includes a number of different changes to the party system, new messages, avatars, updated parental controls, and removal of the ability to create events.

After 8.00 update, messaging and party systems will be more connected as you can send messages and invite users to group chat from the same group of players. You will no longer need two different combinations for both features to function properly, and that will also carry over to PlayStation 5.

The pre-made avatars also get a little bit of a facelift with new ones to choose from. It includes profile pictures from PS4 titles like Bloodborne, Journey, Ghost of Tsushima, God of War, The Last of Us: Part II, The Last of Us Remastered, and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. Then in the quick menu, there is a new option to instantly mute all microphones. Two-step verification has also been improved with support for third-party authentication apps.

After downloading the patch, the Events tab on the PS4 home screen appears to be completely canceled. You will no longer be able to create new events or access existing ones. The same goes for private communities, which will no longer be available. If you already have one running, you will still be able to access it.

Finally, the Remote Play app on mobiles and PCs adds the option to connect to the PS5. It will be possible to take advantage of that, of course, as of November 12, 2020. How do you interact with the firmware update on the PS4? What do you think about removing some features? Share your thoughts in the comments below.