Summary
- Half of all PlayStation 5 users bypass rest mode, preferring to fully shut down their consoles.
- The Welcome Hub was designed to create a more unified user experience despite varying player preferences.
- Reasons for avoiding rest mode are diverse and not fully understood.
According to Cory Gasaway, Sony Interactive Entertainment's vice president of game, product, and player experiences, a surprising 50% of PlayStation 5 users forgo the console's rest mode feature. Rest mode, a key advancement in recent console generations, allows users to maintain certain functionalities—like downloads—while consuming less energy. The PS5's rest mode is designed to facilitate convenient downloads and maintain game sessions in progress.
Rest mode has long been a significant element of the PlayStation ecosystem. Jim Ryan, prior to the PS5's launch, highlighted Sony's commitment to environmental responsibility, a key driver behind the rest mode's development. Despite its energy-saving benefits and improved efficiency compared to its predecessor, a substantial portion of users choose not to utilize it.
As reported by IGN, Gasaway revealed this even split between users who shut down their PS5 versus those who use rest mode during an interview with Stephen Totilo for Game File. This statistic informed the design of the PS5's Welcome Hub, introduced in 2024.
50% of PS5 Players Don't Use Rest Mode
Developed during a PlayStation hackathon, the Welcome Hub directly addresses the fact that half of PS5 users avoid rest mode. Gasaway explained that 50% of US users see the PS5 Explore page upon booting, while users outside the US see their most recently played game. The Welcome Hub aims to provide a more consistent and customizable starting point for all PS5 users.
The reasons behind users' choices regarding rest mode remain varied. While the feature primarily serves to conserve energy and allow background downloads, some users report internet connectivity issues when rest mode is enabled, preferring to keep their consoles fully powered on for downloads. Others, however, experience no such problems and utilize the feature without issue. Gasaway's insights offer valuable context into the considerations behind the PS5's user interface design.
