![\"A](\"https:\/\/i.kinja-img.com\/gawker-media\/image\/upload\/c_fill,f_auto,fl_progressive,g_center,h_80,pg_1,q_80,w_80\/7230505de56e5b8d87c3a443230f56b9.jpg)
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<\/figure>\n If you\u2019re reading this, that means you\u2019ve managed to finally find a PlayStation 5. Which, according to Sony, is only going to become more common as it claims its overcome those pesky supply issues<\/span>. While some folks are likely jumping from PlayStation 4 to the new console, there will be many who are entirely unfamiliar with the system, its games, and its services, and might need a guiding hand on where to get started. Well, I\u2019ve been playing the thing since it launched in November 2020, so let me cut through some of the noise and give you some tips on how to get the most out of your PlayStation 5 on day one.<\/p>\n First off, once you get the PlayStation 5 out of its box, you\u2019ll notice it comes with a stand that will allow you to set it up either standing up straight or laying on its side. Obviously, which way you choose to set it up will likely be determined by your entertainment center\u2019s layout, but if you\u2019re going to go horizontal, make sure you don\u2019t follow former Kotaku staffer Ari Notis\u2019 lead and put the thing upside down<\/span>. If you have the version with a disc drive, the side with the disc slot goes on the bottom. Yeah, it looks weird and you\u2019re right to hate it, but it\u2019s how the console is meant to lay on its side. Sony forgot this itself once and pulled an ad that featured an upside down PlayStation 5<\/span>. It was embarrassing for them, and it will be embarrassing for you if someone who knows better sees it.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/figure>\n For those that need to make changes to the PlayStation 5\u2019s baseline accessibility, the system\u2019s Accessibility options found in the Settings menu is fairly thorough. It has options to invert and correct colors, change text size and intensity, enable a screen reader or display closed captions, and choose an intensity for the DualSense controller\u2019s vibrations and haptic feedback. It\u2019s a good place to start for any PlayStation 5 user, as setting these things to your liking now means you\u2019ll run into fewer issues later.<\/p>\n G\/O Media may get a commission<\/p>\n Up to $100 credit<\/p>\n Samsung Reserve<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Reserve the next gen Samsung device<\/strong> If, like myself, you are a screenshot sicko and always hitting that share button when you\u2019re playing games, one of the first things you need to do before you play any games is turn off the PS5\u2019s screenshot notification icon. The reason for this is because, unlike the Switch, Xbox, and Steam, PlayStation screenshots make a full capture of everything<\/em> on the screen at the moment you hit the button, rather than just the game you\u2019re playing. <\/p>\n For a lot of early adopters, the PlayStation 5\u2019s screenshot confirmation notification was a menace, as it made rapidly taking screenshots a pain in the ass because it would linger just long enough to get in the way of great shots. Then, by the time it was gone, the image you were trying to capture had come and gone. Sony didn\u2019t give users the option to turn the notification off entirely until just under a year after the console launched, and it is still on by default.<\/p>\n To turn it off, go to the Settings menu, scroll down to the bottom and click on Captures and Broadcasts. Here you\u2019ll find the Captures menu, which has one selection called \u201cShortcuts for Create Button.\u201d In that menu, there\u2019s a switch you can flip next to \u201cDisplay Save Confirmation for Screenshots,\u201d and let\u2019s go ahead and turn that off before we do anything else.<\/p>\n While you\u2019re in the Captures and Broadcasts menu, it\u2019s also worth remapping the screenshot and video capture button, as well, because the default options are also weirdly incongruous with how other systems operate. From the Captures tab, go to Shortcuts for Create Button. The first selection is for button mapping, and you\u2019ll want to switch this from the standard setup to Easy Screenshots. This will allow you to take screenshots instantly with a single press of the create button, rather than having to hold it down. This makes it easy to make sure your timing is right and to take multiple screenshots in a short period of time. This, on top with removing the screenshot notification, is the ideal way to capture screenshots.<\/p>\n While you\u2019re here in the Settings menu, it\u2019s probably also worth messing around with some broader settings, like your notifications. Personally, I\u2019ve turned a lot of my PS5\u2019s notifications off because the novelty of being made aware of my friends\u2019 online status wore off in the Xbox 360 era. But the notifications menu has a fair amount of options to customize what you do and don\u2019t want to be notified of while you\u2019re playing games, as well as when<\/em> you want to be notified about them. This includes general game notifications like when you earn a trophy, social features like friend requests and game invites, and even game-specific updates like when something on your wishlist has been updated in some way. Once here, you can set certain parameters for when the notifications will pop, such as hiding them during games, while watching videos, or broadcasts.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/figure>\n Something you definitely need to be cognizant of in this digital age is whether or not your system and games are getting updated properly. In the case of online games, you won\u2019t be able to play them at all if you\u2019ve not downloaded the latest patch or system software update. Sometimes these updates don\u2019t start downloading unless you\u2019ve turned the console on, but you can set them to download automatically while the PS5 is in rest mode, and that\u2019s what you want.<\/p>\n To turn automatic updates on for your system software, go to the settings wheel, click on the System menu, navigate over to System Software Update and Settings and make sure both Download Update Files Automatically and Install Update Files Automatically are flipped on. For game updates, go to the Settings menu, scroll down to Saved Data and Game\/App Settings, and you\u2019ll find a tab for Automatic Updates. Make sure both Auto-Download and Auto-Install in Rest Mode are turned on.<\/p>\n The PlayStation 5 is mostly a gaming box, but it connects to other services, such as music, streaming, and social media. If you want to connect your other accounts to your PS5, head to the Settings menu, click on Users and Account. Here, you\u2019ll see a Link with Other Services menu, which allows you to connect your Apple Music or Spotify account to listen to music while you play, Twitch to stream natively from your device, and Twitter and YouTube to share gameplay screenshots and clips. If you use any of those services, it\u2019s good to sign into those early on so you won\u2019t be caught up typing your username and password when you actually need those features.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re the only person using your PS5, you can save yourself a few seconds every time you turn on your console by setting it for your profile to log in automatically. In the Users and Accounts section, scroll down to Login Settings and flip the switch next to \u201cLog In to PS5 Automatically.\u201d This will be applied to whatever account you\u2019re logged into when you switch it on. So if you have multiple accounts on the console, make sure you\u2019re using the one you want this to apply to.<\/p>\n Fact: Games these days are bigger than ever. On paper, the PS5 has an 825GB solid-state drive (SSD). But a chunk of that is occupied by the operating system and other system-essential files, leaving about 667GB for your own use\u2014in other words, like, two Ubisoft games plus half a Call of Duty<\/em><\/span>. And you\u2019ll likely lose some to the elusive and unspecified \u201cother\u201d category<\/span> of your storage capacity.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/figure>\n You can invest in an external drive, but it comes with limitations. Though you can store PS5 games externally, you can\u2019t play them off USB storage, and will have to move them back to your console\u2019s storage to play\u2014faster than re-downloading from scratch, but still slower than clicking the \u201cX\u201d button and waiting 10 seconds for the game to load. (PS4 games work just fine from USB storage, albeit load a bit slower.) To really beef up your storage capacity, you should install an SSD upgrade<\/span>. It\u2019s not as challenging as you\u2019d think. All you need is a screwdriver, a compatible M.2 drive, and about 10 minutes of free time.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re brand new to the PlayStation console, or looking to get the most out of your new system after upgrading, it\u2019s worth looking through the different tiers of PlayStation Plus.PS5 gains access to a larger catalog than PS4, as it will have access to the PS5 games offered as part of the subscription, as well. If you\u2019re only interested in online play and two \u201cfree\u201d games a month, the standard PlayStation Plus Essentials package will be more than sufficient, and can be bought either monthly for $9.99, quarterly for $24.99, or yearly for $59.99. The next tier up is PlayStation Plus Extra, which includes all of the above, as well as a catalog of around 400 PS4 and PS5 games that you can download to your system and play as long as you maintain a subscription. Extra will run you $14.99 monthly, $39.99 quarterly, and $99.99 to subscribe for a year.<\/p>\n The highest tier is called PlayStation Plus Premium, and not only does it have the 400 downloadable games, it also includes over 300 additional games from the PS1, PS2, PS3, and PSP catalogs. Notably, the PS3 games can only be streamed to your console at this time, so if you don\u2019t have an internet connection that can handle that (Sony recommends at least a 5 mbps download speed<\/span> to stream games, but speaking personally from having lived in an area where the best I could get was a 15 mbps download speed and still had trouble, your mileage may vary), it might not be worth the extra money if you\u2019re hoping to stream games. Premium costs $17.99 monthly, $49.99 quarterly, and $119.99 for a year.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/figure>\n If you\u2019re waiting for me to get to the part about actually playing the games, the reason we\u2019ve held off on that so far here is because of the PS5-exclusive perk called the PlayStation Plus Collection. If you looked at the various subscription tiers and decided to put the money down, you\u2019ll also gain access to a separate collection of PS4 games as part of your sub. There aren\u2019t a ton, but there are some pretty significant PS4 heavy hitters here that you don\u2019t need to buy outright. Whether that be playing God of War <\/em>before buying Ragnar\u00f6k<\/em>, or taking the more economic route of playing The Last of Us: Remastered <\/em>instead of buying the Part I <\/em>remake, the PlayStation Plus Collection is a decent, relatively cheap way to experience some high points in the PS4\u2019s catalog instead of going off and buying them.<\/p>\n While PlayStation Plus Premium has been a contentious addition for some<\/span>, but as a new PS5 owner, it and the PlayStation Plus Collection are pretty cost effective ways to try out a lot of games if you\u2019re a new PS5 owner. So see what\u2019s in the catalog<\/span> and keep track of what you can play without having to buy outright.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve subscribed to PlayStation Plus at this point, you\u2019ve already got an unreasonable amount of games to play on your PS5 without having actually bought anything, but the PS5 has plenty of free-to-play games, as well. This includes competitive games like Fortnite<\/em> and Overwatch 2<\/em>, story-driven service games like Warframe<\/em>, and even The Sims 4<\/em>, which just\u00a0<\/em>recently went free-to-play<\/span>. Keep in mind there will be microtransactions in these games, but they\u2019re still something you can start without having to throw down a full $70 on a game right out of the gate.<\/p>\n For those new PS5 owners who were once PS4 owners, there are a few options to download your PS4 saved data to your new console. This can be done by migrating it to an external hard drive to add to your PS5, or by using the PS5’s native transfer feature, though this does require you to still have the PS4. In the System menu, go to System Software, then Data Transfer. Make sure both systems are on and connected to the same wifi network. Then follow the instructions on screen.<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t still have the PS4 but have a PlayStation Plus subscription, you can transfer through the service\u2019s cloud storage. You\u2019ll find this in the Saved Data and Game\/App Settings menu, which has tabs for accessing saved data for both PS5 and PS4 games. Click over to the Cloud Storage option and pick which games you want to download your saved data for. While you\u2019re here, make sure the Auto-Upload option is turned on for both PS4 and PS5 saved data, as this will keep you from having to manually upload saved files to your PS Plus account.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/figure>\n Now, we can start playing some games. But you should play Astro\u2019s Playroom <\/em>first. It comes pre-installed in all PS5 units, and it\u2019s a triple threat. It\u2019s a delightful platformer, a great guided tour through the DualSense\u2019s various haptic features, and a cute tribute to the history of PlayStation.<\/p>\n Playing Astro\u2019s Playroom<\/em> was an enjoyable early PS5 experience when I played it at launch.Not only was it fun to see its recreations of PlayStation characters using its robotic star, but it also gave me a chance to fully understand the capabilities of the DualSense controller\u2019s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. Even before you jump into the game itself, it has a full blown demo section where it will let you test out these features for yourself. It\u2019s a good first-time experience for those who want to know what it\u2019s like to feel the controller vibrate contextually with a game, or feel a trigger push back as you fire a weapon. And, if you\u2019re like me, it may also tell you these features aren\u2019t for you, and you\u2019ll turn them off, like I did. It\u2019s a great game and a solid litmus test for whether or not these impressive features actually add anything to your gaming experience. So it\u2019s a good place to start your PS5 journey.<\/p>\n Of course, what every new console owner wants to know is what are the best games on the system? What are the heaviest hitters that are probably not quite on these services that are worth your time and money? Luckily, Kotaku <\/em>has a round up of the 15 biggest standouts from the console\u2019s first two years right here<\/span>, featuring the likes of God of War Ragnar\u00f6k<\/em>, Horizon Forbidden West<\/em>, and Elden Ring<\/em>.<\/p>\n Admittedly, several of these were cross-generation with the PS4, but they\u2019re still great games in their own right. We\u2019re still in the transition phase between generations where a true <\/em>PS5 exclusive is few and far between, but 2023 seems to be the year Sony and other studios are finally getting comfortable leaving the PS4 behind. So it\u2019s a good thing you\u2019re here now, newcomer, because it seems like the PS5 is going to start hitting its stride this year.<\/p>\nSet it up properly<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"An](\"https:\/\/i.kinja-img.com\/gawker-media\/image\/upload\/c_fill,f_auto,fl_progressive,g_center,h_80,pg_1,q_80,w_80\/8d733193ca35d0ae6e036ae3f8cf7cf9.jpg)
Tweak your accessibility settings<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"Samsung](\"https:\/\/i.kinja-img.com\/gawker-media\/image\/upload\/c_fill,f_auto,fl_progressive,g_center,h_264,pg_1,q_80,w_470\/b93d83ebe455c4c4f0fc2640a6b1ec76.jpg\"\/)
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All you need to do is sign up with your email and boom: credit for your preorder on a new Samsung device.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nTurn off the screenshot notification<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Customize your general notifications<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/i.kinja-img.com\/gawker-media\/image\/upload\/c_fill,f_auto,fl_progressive,g_center,h_80,pg_1,q_80,w_80\/a801909294c12dcd736de505b7b06de6.jpg)
Activate Automatic Updates<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Link your other services<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Login automatically<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Consider a storage capacity upgrade<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Check the PlayStation Plus subscriptions<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"Kratos](\"https:\/\/i.kinja-img.com\/gawker-media\/image\/upload\/c_fill,f_auto,fl_progressive,g_center,h_80,pg_1,q_80,w_80\/3169dadbfee1e485fd4b40b894e242f6.jpg)
Check the PlayStation Plus Collection<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Download some free-to-play games<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Get back old save files<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"Astro](\"https:\/\/i.kinja-img.com\/gawker-media\/image\/upload\/c_fill,f_auto,fl_progressive,g_center,h_80,pg_1,q_80,w_80\/239fd4745efdd731a527f500d9439a06.jpg)
Play Astro\u2019s Playroom<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n
But what games come next?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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