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PS4 will need a software update to play Blu-rays and DVDs

The PS4 won't play DVDs and Blu-rays out of the box. You'll need to install a 300MB software update first.

Joe Svetlik Reporter
Joe has been writing about consumer tech for nearly seven years now, but his liking for all things shiny goes back to the Gameboy he received aged eight (and that he still plays on at family gatherings, much to the annoyance of his parents). His pride and joy is an Infocus projector, whose 80-inch picture elevates movie nights to a whole new level.
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Joe Svetlik
2 min read

If you were looking forward to breaking open your PS4 on launch day and settling down to a movie, you'll be in for a bit of a wait. That's because the console won't play DVDs or Blu-rays out of the box. Instead, you'll have to install a software update first.

Why doesn't anything just work anymore?

The 300MB update will be available from 15 November, which is when the console goes on sale in the US. Us Brits will have to wait two more weeks before we're able to sit tapping our fingers start enjoying the console's delights.

It's not just DVDs and Blu-rays that are off the cards until the software update. The console will also lack the Remote Play feature that lets you play PS4 games on your PS Vita over a Wi-Fi connection. Second Screen -- which lets you use your smart phone or tablet to participate in games -- will also need the update. You won't be able to take screenshots without the update either, or to record and upload gameplay online.

The download will let you broadcast your gameplay online, and watch other peoples', and you'll need it to take advantage of the 'play as you download' feature that's been much trumpeted. (It's ironic, really: having to download something that means you won't have to wait for downloads in future.)

The update also lets you log in four people to your PS4 at once, chat with pals online using Party, and use face recognition and voice commands. It'll let you listen to background tunes using Music Unlimited, and play multiplayer games online as well.

Suspend/resume mode, which keeps the PS4 in a low power state, won't be available at launch. There's no word on when it'll arrive.

Are you looking forward to the PS4? Or is the Xbox One your next-gen console of choice? Let me know in the comments, or on our Facebook page.