14 DAY TRIAL // The team in charge of the PlayStation 4 is announcing that it is planning to deliver a closed beta period for the coming 3.50 firmware update for the home console to make sure that all the coming new features work well when the changes are introduced to the entire community.
John Koller, the vice-president in charge of brand marketing at Sony Computer Entertainment of America, explains on the PS Blog that anyone interested can sign up as long as they have a master account and an Internet connection and that a limited number of spaces for testing are available.
The beta period for the 3.50 firmware update for the PlayStation 4 will start in early March, which probably means that the full version is expected to arrive before the end of the month for all users.
So far Sony has not offered a lot of details about the changes that it is planning to make or the new features that will be added to the device.
The announcement adds, "I want to personally thank everyone who signed up for the last beta, and I hope all of you (and those who didn’t, too) will sign up again. Don’t wait too long — we’re accepting a limited number of beta testers, so get in now before it’s too late."
The same procedure was used in the fall of last year for the first time and delivered solid enough feedback that Sony is apparently making it a long-term part of the development process for the PS4.
The console is also getting ready for a free multiplayer weekend
Sony is also announcing that gamers who want to try out the multiplayer side of the device will be able to do so without any restrictions during a coming free weekend period.
The period starts at 12:01 AM Pacific Standard Time on Friday, February 19 and ends on Sunday, February 21 at 11:59 PM PST.
The company is also suggesting that it might introduce a set of special deals for players during the coming period.
At the moment, the PlayStation 4 is the best-selling home console of the new generation and has managed to outperform its older cousin, the PS3, and shows no signs of slowing down when it comes to the number of units delivered to fans.
According to Sony, there are more than 36 million devices live all over the world, although it is unclear how many of those are also paying for the PlayStation Plus service to enjoy multiplayer and other offers.
The company says that it has no plans to offer a price cut in 2016 to make its device more attractive and that it will focus on delivering more value using firmware updates, including the coming 3.50 version that will be soon tested.
The PlayStation VR virtual reality solution for the PlayStation 4 is also expected to arrive this year, with rumors saying that it will be offered in the fall with a starter kit priced at around 450 dollars or Euro, although no official announcement has been made so far.