PS5 Firmware Update Out Now, We Hope You Like Emojis

Thumbs up

by Robert Ramsey 2 hours ago

PS5 Firmware Update Emojis — *Image: Push Square*

PS5 firmware update 26.03-13.20.00 (catchy!) is available to download now.

And this latest system software patch isn't just your usual stability upgrade — it's actually packing an all-important improvement... more reaction emojis. Get in!

If you make use of messages on PS5, then you've probably noticed that you can 'react' to text from other people with a small selection of emojis, like a laughing face, or a thumbs up.

This update adds a broader range of reactions, allowing you to (hopefully) fulfil your communicative dreams.

But that's not all. The patch also improves the readability and usability of some screens. We assume this refers to some very minor visual tweaks across the console's user interface.

For the sake of professionalism, here are the very short patch notes:

PS5 Firmware Update 26.03-13.20.00 Patch Notes

We’ve added more emojis that you can use for message reactions.
We've improved the messages and usability on some screens.

Will you be making immediate use of those emoji reactions? Go overboard with a laughing-crying face, or just give us a stoic thumbs up, in the comments section below.

[source playstation.com]

Robert (or Rob if you're lazy) is an assistant editor of Push Square, and has been a fan of PlayStation since the 90s, when Tekken 2 introduced him to the incredible world of video games. He still takes his fighting games seriously, but RPGs are his true passion. The Witcher, Persona, Dragon Quest, Mass Effect, Final Fantasy, Trails, Tales — he's played 'em all. A little too much, some might say.

1
Rich33
2 hours ago

No stability upgrade? Insert unhappy crying face emoji...

2
Fiendish-Beaver
2 hours ago

As someone that has recently switched to maining on PlayStation, the one thing that I wish Sony would introduce that is available on Xbox is the ability for people to comment on games in the Store. Sometimes the review score does not tell the whole story, and people views would be very welcome...

3
katamariUK
2 hours ago

Store is still borked I guess? Since early April it doesn't remember your place when browsing lists after viewing a game. It always resets back to the top. Makes browsing the sales almost impossible. And the wishlist has been broken since early 2025 if you have over a certain amount, sigh.
I wish the company that maintained the store would actually use it for 5 minutes to see how broken it can be.

4
EpicMouse
2 hours ago

@Fiendish-Beaver Yeah, they need to implement it into console UI since this feature already exist on web store.

5
themightyant
2 hours ago

@katamariUK THIS! It's such a small thing but really ruins the user experience and likely makes people search the store less.

@Fiendish-Beaver I guess we all like different things. When I look at Xbox store reviews most are either 10/10 best game ever! or 0/10 Dog *****. There's so little nuance. It's like Metacritic user reviews. But choice is good, if they can implement it in a way that's not obtrusive, or slows down the store, i'd be all for it.

6
Futureshark
2 hours ago

Aubergines to be sent to everyone then

7
MrPeanutbutterz
2 hours ago

@Fiendish-Beaver Ouch, complete opposite for me. Absolutely don't want the semi-literate dribblings of fanboy/hater idiots clogging the storefront.

8
Oram77
2 hours ago

@Fiendish-Beaver While I understand where you are coming from, however that could be a very slippery slope... like some people are better off just putting a number rather then having access to text

9
The_Elder
1 hour ago

You can now use emojis to react to messages, but you can use messages until you ID-verify your account 😏

Whatever happened to that UI change with things moved to uppper bar?

10
Fiendish-Beaver
1 hour ago

Thanks for the replies, guys, @EpicMouse @Oram77 @MrPeanutbutterz @themightyant. I absolutely understand where you are coming from, some of the views posted are simply ridiculous, but I find if you put them in date order so that the most recent appear first, you weed out most of the ones that talk about bugs (which will have been (mostly) fixed many months later), and also it tends to weed out the fanboys. What you end up with a more nuanced take on the game.

The problem with just having a score is that if a game releases in a buggy way, but is then fixed, those scores that reflect the bugs are still taken into account when in reality they are no longer an issue.

After all, you will still have a score to take into account even if there are written reviews too. It just provides more information, which is sometimes very helpful...