PS5 Home Screen Overhauled With Unexpected Message For Users

PS5 users are being greeted by an unexpected overhaul for the home screen, which was added earlier today.

As pre-orders for Grand Theft Auto VI get underway, PlayStation 5 users have been greeted with a new welcome screen promoting the game when booting up their consoles.

When you load up your PS5 console, a custom start-up animation featuring the Grand Theft Auto VI logo will come into view (via Push Square).

You’ll then be prompted to check the game out on the PlayStation Store, where you can pre-purchase it ahead of its November 19 launch.

Sure, it’s just a bit of marketing, but it’s pretty wild to see Sony go all-out with a custom start-up animation to promote Grand Theft Auto VI, made by a third-party publisher, when it doesn’t even do this for its own first-party titles.

Meanwhile, going to the PlayStation Store will bombard you with ads to pre-order GTA VI, with a load of different tiles and menus pointing you towards the checkout screen.

PlayStation has also overhauled the icon for the PS App on mobile devices, with the icon on both Android and iOS using the game’s neon-soaked pink and orange pastel colours with the palm tree decorations.

It makes sense why PlayStation would be pushing hard on Grand Theft Auto VI. Not only will it be the biggest release of the year (and perhaps, the decade), but Sony has also confirmed the game “plays best on PS5”.

When you factor in that Sony takes a 30% cut of any games sold on the PlayStation Store, that’s a lot of money to be made from pre-purchasing a digital copy of GTA VI.

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In case you missed it, Grand Theft Auto VI has announced prices for the game, along with details on the different editions. The Standard Edition will cost £69.99 / $79.99, and the Ultimate Edition will cost £89.99 / $99.99.

• PLAYSTATION PRE-ORDER: Playstation UK | Walmart | Amazon UK | Amazon US
• XBOX PRE-ORDER: GAME UK | Loaded | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Walmart

The Ultimate Edition includes bonus cosmetic content such as extra clothing, makeup, hairstyles, and accessories for Jason and Lucia to wear.

It also includes exclusive vehicles, weapons, and side missions, which have been a point of controversy among fans who believe that the more expensive version of the game feels like a more complete edition.

Whether you decide to pick up Grand Theft Auto VI physically or digitally, it’s worth noting that the boxed edition of the game doesn’t come with a disc and is instead a “code in the box” situation.

It essentially means that you’ll be getting a digital copy of the game no matter how you buy, and that boxed copies of the game can’t be resold later on.

You’ll be able to use the download code to pre-install the game from November 12, so you’re ready to dive in a week later when the game launches.

Grand Theft Auto VI will release for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on 19 November 2026.