Out with the old

Sony may have introduced the ability for you to change the PlayStation 4’s background colour as part of PS4 firmware update v2.00, but it’s also added dynamic themes to the mix. While these aren’t available in North America or Europe at the time of typing, a couple of free animated backgrounds can be downloaded in Japan – and, if you don’t have time to create a new account, we’ve taken some screenshots to show you what they look like.

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Rectangular

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Clean and sleek, the Rectangular theme perhaps best resembles the PlayStation 4’s default theme. Instead of ribbons, though, this design centres on a selection of blocks which slide back and forth in the background. Move up to the top layer of the menu and you’ll get a different view of this scene, which is much less busy. This should help you to read your notifications with ease.

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Paper Sculpture

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Y’arr, the waves be wild in the Paper Sculpture theme. Accompanied by a selection of seafaring sound effects, this design shows a ship tussling against wild waters, which appear to have been fashioned out of felt. Scroll up to the top layer of the menu and you’ll see mountains made of fabric and a twilight sky, which overlook the lonely sailor in the centre.

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Spiral

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Arguably the most energetic of the complimentary options, the Spiral theme shows a kind of mechanical plant twisting and turning like a tumble drier in the background. Scroll up and you’ll see a slightly more tranquil scene, which is offset by loud sound effects and an electronica tune that sounds a bit like a pneumatic drill.


Which of these themes is your favourite so far? Will you be sticking to the standard design, or adopting one of these custom options? Let us know in the comments section below.