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PS5 Builds In-Game Help Right Into The Interface--For PS Plus Members

Developers can enable a new PS5 feature, letting you view contextual help videos without fear of spoilers.

41 Comments

With less than a month to go before launch, Sony has shown off the user interface for PlayStation 5. A detailed video walks through the basic interface and its new features, but one of the most eye-catching is what Sony refers to as Official Game Help. The feature will be an exclusive perk for PlayStation Plus users, and optional for developers.

As the video explains, a game help video can be tied to any point in a game through the new Activity card system. The Activity cards let you jump to different points in a game quickly, and if you're struggling with a particular objective you can activate the game help. That will give you tips or show a video of the part you're struggling with, and Sony boasts that you won't need to wade through YouTube videos or read guides that may include spoilers.

Conveniently, the video can be shown in picture-in-picture mode, letting you view the objective as you complete it. The example shown in the video is simply finding a costume piece in Sackboy: A Big Adventure, but it's easy to see how this could be applied to tougher, more involved puzzle segments.

It's unclear how widespread the feature will be, since it's up to developers to implement. The video used Sackboy as the general example for all of the new UI features, so as a Sony first-party game it will likely be a showpiece.

PlayStation 5 launches on November 12. The console has been hard to find, but keep an eye on our PS5 preorder guide to grab it once it becomes available again.

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

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xgalacticax

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--- for PS plus members lol.

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jsprunk

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Edited By jsprunk

Well as the saying goes, “If you don’t like the UI on your favorite console, just wait a year and it’ll completely change.”

I spend so little time in the UI that aesthetics make no difference to my choice in purchasing. The fact that neither the PS5 nor the XboxAgain support a keyboard or mouse, making even the best designed UI inefficient and cumbersome.

My biggest concern is ALWAYS about the games. If I own a PC and a PS5, I have no reason to even look at an XboxAgain.

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Innerlux69

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Cool to see Sony is innovating

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Atzenkiller

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Man, soon you won't be able to turn the PS5 on without being subscribed to PS5. Might as well make it mandatory at this point since they're tying absolutely everything to it. Even such a feature that Sony seems to have absolutely nothing to do with as it's the developers who'd have to make these videos. And I'd find it hard to believe that most devs would go through the effort of providing these kind of videos when Youtubers already do so for every game.

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TimmyDKJR

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Ohhh this is what that leaked patent was for. The one where people would pay for in game tips. In this case, you'd pay Sony PS plus for in game times. I've been wondering what that whole thing was about for months

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GamerBum

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I couldn’t care less about this feature. After watching that ps5 UI reveal I can safely say that XseX is better in every single way. I watched that reveal and came away with no real feelings about it at all really. Meh.

What would you rather have multiple game Quick Resume or this game help feature? I know what I’d rather have. And I knew ps5 would only have one game quick resume. We have that now with X1 and ps4. Hate to say I told you so. Lol.

I watched a Kinda Funny video where they were giving their impressions after using the XseX and even Greg Miller the SDF general said that it’s insanely fast. And that what XseX does for your back compat games is simply awesome.

After watching the ps5 UI reveal they too came away feeling underwhelmed. And those guys are huge sony ps fans.

sony really are on the back foot and are just trying to react. It’s no wonder it’s taking forever for them to show the public anything. SMH.

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Prince_Lotor

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@gamerbum: I personally don't get the appeal of multiple game quick reveal. I don't bounce between multiple games at a time. I usually just play 1 game until I beat it, and then move on to the next one.

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Oogazi

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@gamerbum: The idea that Sony is reeling right now is so inaccurate I couldn't even begin to convey how factually incorrect that is.

Look, at the end of the day the success of a console is easily determinable and verifiable. You just have to look at the lifetime sales. There's no sense in arguing with you now which console is 'winning'. Alternatively I propose something more productive: I'll bet you PS5 will outsell XseX when we revisit this is 3 years time.

The current lifetime sales of PS4 is over 112 million units (at the time of this writing) compared with the X1's 48 millions units. I'll even go as far to say that the PS5 can outsell XseX at a higher unit ratio than the PS4 did the X1 in lifetime sales.

So what's at stake for this bet? Nothing except the simple knowledge in the future of how wrong you were in your assessment years ago. And if I lose - I'll bear that same knowledge too.

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AfroMakka

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Edited By AfroMakka

@gamerbum: do you have a life ?

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cboye18

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Not as useful today as it would've been 2-3 generations ago when games were actually hard and required guide books to find or unlock secrets.

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Innerlux69

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@cboye18: I don't get why people complain about everything. Sony brings up something new to the table and it's bad according to some. If you don't need it, fine, just don't use it. I know how useful it will be next month with Demon's Souls

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sealionact

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@innerlux69: Because they put that useful thing behind a paywall.

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Innerlux69

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@sealionact: Is there a point in having a console without the possibility of online gaming nowadays? I think pretty much everyone is on PS Plus. If you don't like it blame it on Microsoft who started that trend!

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sealionact

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Edited By sealionact

@innerlux69: 120 m consoles sold, 41m psplus subscribers....no, pretty much the minority is on psplus.

And no online feature on the Xbox UI needs Xbox live gold.

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PsychoMantisIII

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@cboye18: It'll be more than useful. For the most part, people won't have to bounce back and forth between the game and another device when searching for help. It's all in one place. It's convenient, and people like convenience

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Atzenkiller

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@psychomantisiii: That's assuming that it works as advertised. But from the sound of it you'll only get to watch the videos that the devs have created for the game. If they've done so. And I really don't see why they'd waste even more resources on something as useless as this when these videos are already available for every game for free.

So your best option would be to use the inbuilt browser to look this stuff up there if you don't want to switch to a different device for it, instead of relying on whatever the devs decide to provide you in their videos. If they bother at all.

Also the big problem with convenience is that it leads people to settle for shit. If you want to have anything done properly you have to put at least a minimum of effort into it. But for the lazy fucks who can't get their ass off the couch everything's good enough. It has to be since it's so inconvenient to look for a better option.

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MaxxDiamond

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@psychomantisiii: Yeah, it will still be useful. It will save a lot of time as well! Definitely a nice feature!

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datriax

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"...and if you're struggling with a particular objective you can activate the game help."

People actually struggle with the hilariously easy games released these days? I hope this is just a marketing angle or something, because I could count on one hand, how many games were actually even remotely challenging, over the entire past generation.

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Innerlux69

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@datriax: Not everyone has the amount of time for gaming that you apparently have.

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philip6k

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@datriax: Wow you're so E1it3

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PsychoMantisIII

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@datriax: This isn't about difficulty only. This includes any annoying collectible objectives. You are looking into it too much. "Struggle" doesn't just pertain to difficulty only

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speakjazz

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@psychomantisiii: Right. And it's also about accessibility. There's all kind of players out there.

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Jako998

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This is honest amazing, (Hope Xbox can do this in the future) but the only bad part about it is that you have to have a PS+ subscription to use that feature. For many its not a problem but others it will be.

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xNSHD

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@jako998: its amazing that they literally will be linking you to a youtube video essentially? i dont get whats so amazing about this. then again its sony thats doing it so its amazing by default. xbox does the same and people laugh and say what is this garbage.

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Milknweed

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@xnshd: Its more about convenience and accessibility, sure you can use your laptop or cellphone but its nice that you can have the feature conveniently on the PS5 to save a ton of time.

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Atzenkiller

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@Milknweed: Weren't you able to use the PS4's browser while a game is running so far though? Many games even open it for every little thing since the devs are too lazy to put some info into the game itself. I still very much prefer using my laptop for internet browsing so I can't say I've ever tried to use the browser actively while a game was running. But I assume it shouldn't be a problem at all for the PS5, if it's so inconvenient for you to use a different device that can handle internet browsing better.

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philip6k

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@xnshd: Don't be a fanboy man, just enjoy new features and news. It will make everyone better.

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GamerBum

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@philip6k:

He’s right though.

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PsychoMantisIII

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@xnshd: It's because it's built into the interface. Stop crying about people praising this just because it's Sony. This will definitely come in handy. Just for AC 3,I was bouncing back and forth between my phone and the game for the tedious collectibles and objectives. If you don't get the convenience, then you'll just keep on hating

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xNSHD

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@psychomantisiii: yes AC3 came out in 2012 but ever since 2013 with xbox being able to open multiple apps at once i can just as easily open youtube on the console and do the exact same thing this "feature" does.

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xNSHD

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@psychomantisiii: or just click on the youtube app on the console itself which i have been doing for years on my xbox one x.

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Avatar image for deactivated-60368fd7c2c18
deactivated-60368fd7c2c18

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This is genius. The old Nintendo Power mentality of the 80s/90s. "The quicker they beat the game, the more games we'll sell".

Seriously thou.

Remember the time when gamers spent hours figuring out how to beat the bosses or solving a puzzle?

Well, worry not my beautiful dummies. You will now get a "spoiler free", walk through.

PiP is awesome, don't get me wrong, but the whole point of a game is to win on your own.

Remember the first resident evil, when you had to arrange the pictures in chronological order to get a door key? Where's the fun if you had someone feeding you the answers?

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BryanWeary

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@tlpina: I got one better...remember Myst? Long before there was the mass use of the internet and ready access to walkthroughs, my buddy and I would take turns riding our bikes back and forth to each others houses to solve the next puzzle.

Is that "Eleet" enough?

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Avatar image for deactivated-60368fd7c2c18
deactivated-60368fd7c2c18

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@bryanweary: Myst was evil, I remember being freaked out by the books that had video in them. Frame by frame game exploration. and it was HARD AF.

But tell me honestly. Would it have been more fun if you were sitting with a walk-through and got through the whole thing in a couple of hours?

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BryanWeary

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@tlpina: Nah. It was the satisfaction of putting our heads together to solve it that made the experience. I still try to avoid walkthroughs on a first playthrough, but it's a neat feature for those that aren't as hesitant on hints and tips.

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philip6k

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@tlpina: The whole point of a game is not to win on your own...

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PsychoMantisIII

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@tlpina: We're not all kids anymore with all the time and motivation to solve them. Most people just like to get through stuff quickly these days, due to the little time they have to enjoy gaming

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Avatar image for deactivated-60368fd7c2c18
deactivated-60368fd7c2c18

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@psychomantisiii: This has nothing to do with age. My first video game was an Atari 2600 and i got it when it came out. I'm old. My father is 70 and he still rocks my pac-man machine.

Why would you play a game with puzzles if you don't have patience or time to solve the puzzles? But again, being spoon fed is not my thing.

Might as well put on a movie and not bother. Or play Sports/Shooters.

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MoogleStar

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That PiP is awesome.

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OldDadGamer

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OldDadGamer  Moderator

OK that's cool. I hope developers get behind this.

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BryanWeary

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@olddadgamer: Seriously. It'd be nice to see this become a common feature on all platforms. I may not use it much myself, but it's still a cool feature that many could use.

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