The PlayStation 5’s “Official News” tab has become a source of frustration for many users, with complaints surfacing on Reddit regarding the influx of advertisements disguised as news updates. This issue mirrors a long-standing grievance among Xbox Series X and S owners, who have contended with intrusive ads on their consoles for years.
The primary complaint revolves around the News tab displaying updates for games that users have explicitly unfollowed or never followed in the first place. One popular Reddit post highlights this issue, with the author stating, “I used to view the News tab all the time to see updates on games I followed, but now it’s full of Fortnite, COD, Rocket league, and UFC posts. All games I’ve opted out of following.” This post resonated with many other PS5 owners, with numerous comments echoing the sentiment.
The Rise of Ads on PS5
While the PS5’s advertising presence hasn’t historically been as pervasive as that of the Xbox consoles, the recent changes to the News tab suggest a shift towards a more ad-heavy user experience. This trend, while financially beneficial for Sony, is drawing criticism from users who feel bombarded with unwanted promotions.
One commenter succinctly summarized the issue, stating, “Who thought this was a good idea? The ad sales team at Sony.” Another comment highlighted the parallel with the Xbox ecosystem, stating, “As a previously primary Xbox user, welcome to the shit we’ve put up with since 2020.” This comparison underscores the growing concern among PS5 users that their console’s user interface is becoming increasingly cluttered with ads, similar to the Xbox experience.
The Issue of Unfollowed Games
The core problem lies in the News tab’s failure to respect user preferences regarding game updates. Even after unfollowing specific titles, users continue to receive news and updates for those games, effectively rendering the unfollow function useless. This practice effectively transforms the News tab into an advertising platform, pushing unwanted game promotions onto users.
User Backlash and Sony’s Silence
The negative feedback from PS5 owners underscores the importance of a positive user experience. Prioritizing short-term revenue through intrusive advertising can negatively impact brand loyalty and long-term user satisfaction.
As of now, Sony has not addressed the user backlash regarding the News tab advertisements. Whether or not they will respond to these concerns remains to be seen.
