PS5 New System Update Is Great News For Gamers Who Miss Themes

The latest PS5 system update is great news for gamers who miss the fantastic console themes. We’re so back!

I loved the PlayStation 3 console generation, because it brought us so many fantastic games, such as Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, God of War III, the Uncharted trilogy, The Last of Us and more.

However, one other aspect of the PlayStation 3 that probably doesn't quite get the credit it deserves is its animated themes. These were not mere static themes, but instead were fully animated with music and sound effects to boot.

PlayStation Dynamic Themes Added Character to Your Console

Dynamic themes returned on the PlayStation 4. Yet, for some reason, these dynamic themes were neglected on the PlayStation 5. That was until a much-needed system update in late 2024.

Don’t get me wrong, the volume of choice on the PlayStation 5 when it comes to dynamic/animated themes falls well short of what came before, but at least it’s a step in the right direction.

PlayStation 5 System Update Makes a Welcome Improvement

System Update Version: 26.02-13.00.00 has arrived, and it makes a whole host of improvements to your PS5 and not just the typical “system stability and performance”, though there is that, of course.

Arguably, the best feature of this system update is that you can now personalise your homescreen featuring your favourite screenshots taken with the PS5’s ‘Share’ function. The new feature in question is called “Slideshow”, and it adds a big personal touch to your console when it’s idle.

How and Where Can I Find the Slideshow?

In the ‘Welcome Hub’, select ‘Settings’ over to the far right next to where you can change your dashboard images. Once in, under ‘Slideshow’, you can curate an album featuring some of the best screenshots.

Once you’ve chosen your favourite images and settings, you can then activate your personalised folder found in the ‘Change Background’ section of the Welcome Hub over to the far right.

You can select the duration of the images, which way they slide or how you want them to transition between each image. You can also choose your images via the Media Gallery. I know for a fact that I will be making a Resident Evil folder.

What Else Does the New PS5 System Update Do?

Starting today, more games benefit from new PSSR upscaling on PS5 Pro, including:

☑️ Silent Hill f
☑️ Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
☑️ Monster Hunter Wilds
☑️ Alan Wake II
☑️ Control

Plus more on the way. Full details here: https://t.co/5bXXC4VEah pic.twitter.com/jjKShzRDMa

— PlayStation UK (@PlayStationUK) March 16, 2026

The PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution) has been improved on the PS5 Pro. This makes character models and environments even more crystal clear for supported games.

Some of those games include Silent Hill f, Alan Wake II, and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Newly supported games will be rolled out in the coming months.

To take advantage of the PlayStation 5 Pro exclusive feature, simply go to ‘Settings’, ‘Screen and Video’, ‘Video Output’ and select ‘Enhance PSSR Image Quality.’

For those who have been patiently waiting for this feature, Unicode 17.0 emojis are finally supported with the PlayStation 5 console messages. Now, if you excuse me, I’ve got a Resident Evil image folder to curate.