Sony recruiting users to beta test PS4 updated Party features

16-player parties, and improved audio quality and network connectivity.

Sony Interactive Entertainment is recruiting PlayStation 4 system software beta testers in North America and Japan (soon in Europe) for its PlayStation Preview Program to test upcoming additional Party features, the company announced.

Users who have joined the program and are accepted as a tester will gain access to the following updated Party features ahead of official release:

Increased maximum Party participants from eight to 16.
Improved audio quality for voice chat.
Improved network connectivity.

Users in the Preview Program will not be able to join the same Party or use Share Play with others who are not participating in the program. However, the preview code supplied to each user can be shared and redeemed by 20 different accounts. In the Preview Program, parties that you are able to join will have an asterisk (*) in front of the Party name.

Testers in the United States will also gain early access to a chat transcription feature available through Party and the PlayStation 4 Second Screen smartphone app, which can be used to convert Party voice chat to text on the Second Screen app, or to enter text into the app which will be read aloud to other Party members. This feature will only be available in the United States, and only supports English.