# PS5 Home Screen Advertisements: Error or Unwanted Change?
In recent times, the surge of advertisements on diverse platforms has become an inescapable part of our online experiences. Whether it’s streaming services displaying ads during pausing or free TVs featuring a secondary screen solely for advertisements, the pattern is evident: if there’s a display, advertisers are bound to utilize it. This week, PlayStation 5 (PS5) users encountered a new influx of ads, igniting confusion and annoyance within the gaming community.
## What Occurred?
According to **IGN**, PS5 players started observing full-screen advertisements on their home screens following a recent system upgrade. These ads manifest when users hover over a game icon, supplanting the game’s distinctive artwork with marketing content tagged as “official news.” The ads are quite overt, and more crucially, they are inescapable.
For instance, when users hovered over the icon for *Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2*, they were met with an advertisement for a video from the game’s publisher. Even more bewildering was witnessing an ad for *Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse* when hovering over *Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales*. The ad touted the movie as “coming soon exclusively in theaters,” despite the film having been released in cinemas over a year prior, in June 2023.
## Error or Intentional?
The sudden surge of advertisements led many to ponder whether this was a deliberate update or an error. PlayStation’s senior product manager, Daniel Hiatt, initially commented on the matter on X (formerly Twitter), indicating that the ads were unintended. However, Hiatt’s post was eventually deleted, leaving PS5 users in a quandary.
Hiatt’s now-removed post suggested that the advertisements weren’t part of a new feature and that the issue would be rectified soon. Yet, with the post absent and no formal follow-up from Sony, gamers remain uncertain if this was a fleeting bug or an indication of future changes.
## The Larger Context
The emergence of ads on the PS5 home screen fits into a wider trend in the tech sector, where companies increasingly seek ways to capitalize on every inch of display. From streaming platforms like Roku showing advertisements during content pauses to free TVs that broadcast ads on a secondary screen, the drive for increased advertising revenue is growing more intense.
If the ads on the PS5 home screen truly foreshadow the future, it could represent a transformation in how gaming consoles function. Typically, consoles have served as an escape for gamers from the onslaught of advertisements that pervade other platforms. However, if Sony opts to permanently incorporate these ads, it may alter the gaming experience for countless users.
## What Lies Ahead?
Currently, it remains uncertain whether the ads will be eliminated or if they will be a permanent fixture. Sony has yet to issue an official statement clarifying the scenario. In the meantime, PS5 users are left to speculate and hope this is merely a temporary glitch rather than a lasting feature.
Regardless of the outcome, the emergence of these ads has ignited a discussion about the future of gaming consoles and the impact of advertising in this realm. If this indicates a shift on the horizon, it could incite considerable backlash from the gaming community, which has historically resisted intrusive advertisements.
## Final Thoughts
The abrupt emergence of ads on the PS5 home screen has left gamers feeling exasperated and perplexed. While it remains ambiguous whether this is a glitch or an innovative feature, the situation underscores the growing trend of advertising infiltrating every aspect of our digital lifestyles. As Sony remains reticent on the matter, PS5 users are left pondering whether their gaming experiences will be irreversibly impacted by these unavoidable ads.
Should this signal the future, it seems discouraging for those who cherish a gaming environment devoid of advertisements. For now, the spotlight is on Sony to determine how they will tackle this situation and if they will heed the concerns of their gaming audience.
