### PlayStation 5 Users Annoyed by Unremovable Advertisements on Home Screen
Recently, PlayStation 5 (PS5) users have expressed their irritation regarding the introduction of advertisements on the console’s home screen. These ads, which now occupy the space previously reserved for game artwork when hovering over game titles, are proving to be hard to eliminate. Adding to the frustration, many players have noted that certain ads are outdated or misleading, further contributing to their displeasure.
#### Ads on the Home Screen: An Unwanted Update
In the past, hovering over a game icon on the PS5’s home screen would reveal distinctive artwork or visuals associated with the game. This experience has now been overtaken by advertisements or promotional material. For instance, some users reported spotting an ad for *Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse* with the phrase “coming soon exclusively in cinemas,” even though the film was released in June 2023. Likewise, an ad for early access popped up when users hovered over *NBA 2K25*, despite the game’s prior release.
As reported by IGN, the PS5 seems to be fetching the latest updates for each game, which might include YouTube content, patch notes, or news of other games. Consequently, not every game icon displays an ad, but the inconsistency and unrelated nature of the content have left numerous users bewildered and irritated.
#### Confusing and Irrelevant Material
The issue extends beyond mere ad presence; it also lies in the confusion they engender. For example, MP1st flagged an instance where an ad for *LEGO Horizon Adventures* appeared while hovering over *Horizon Zero Dawn*, which caused uncertainty about the actual game being played. This content mix-up has led to frustration for users who anticipate clear and pertinent details on their home screens.
Some titles, like *Astro Bot*, seem to be unaffected by these modifications, yet the disparity across the platform has only amplified the confusion. Players are left pondering why certain games exhibit ads while others do not.
#### Community Reaction
The change has not been well-received by the PlayStation community. Many users have taken to social media sites like Reddit to share their dissatisfaction and bewilderment. One user, Crack_an_ag, voiced their annoyance, indicating that the ads complicated their navigation through the *Spider-Man* series. Others have called for Sony either to eliminate the ads or to enhance their relevance and utility.
Reddit user jackcos criticized the notion of compelling every game to showcase the latest news as dashboard art, highlighting that not all games utilize the news feature uniformly. Another user, Sam88FPS, mentioned switching from Xbox to PlayStation to evade ads, only to face them on the PS5.
> “One of the main reasons I moved away from Xbox was the fact they started to build the Xbox UI around ads and pushing [Game Pass]. Hopefully, Sony listens more because Xbox absolutely refused to, in fact, they even added full screen startup ads lmao,” Sam88FPS commented.
#### Speculation and Possible Reasons
While the factors behind this sudden shift remain unclear, some users speculate that it may correlate with a recent firmware update (24.06-10.00.00) released on September 12. However, the update’s patch notes do not reference the introduction of ads to the home screen. Given the presence of outdated and irrelevant content, it seems plausible that Sony is still fine-tuning this feature.
There is speculation that Sony might be attempting to offset financial deficits. A developer recently claimed that Sony incurred a $400 million loss after ceasing the online game *Concord* two weeks post-launch. This has spurred unconfirmed theories that Sony could be resorting to advertisements to recuperate these losses, though this remains unverified.
#### What’s Next?
At present, the sole option to remove these ads is to disconnect the PS5 from the internet, which would significantly restrict the console’s capabilities. Many gamers are optimistic that Sony will respond promptly, either by enhancing the relevance of the ads or by providing an option to disable them entirely.
Ars Technica has reached out to Sony regarding the reasoning behind the addition of these ads and whether there are intentions to address the outdated and confusing content. As of now, there has been no official reply from Sony.
### Conclusion
The introduction of non-removable ads to the PS5 home screen has generated considerable frustration among users. These advertisements, which substitute game artwork with irrelevant or outdated promotional content, have caused confusion and annoyance for numerous players. While the reasons for this alteration remain uncertain, the PlayStation community is hopeful that Sony will heed their concerns and take measures to either remove the ads or render them more applicable and pertinent. Until then, PS5 users must navigate this new and, for many, unwelcome feature.
