Half of PS5 owners skip rest mode, opting for a full system shutdown instead. This surprising statistic, revealed by Sony's Cory Gasaway, prompted the development of the PS5's Welcome Hub. The Hub aims to create a unified user experience despite varying player preferences.
Gasaway, Sony Interactive Entertainment's VP of game, product, and player experiences, confirmed in a Game File interview (reported by Stephen Totilo) that US PS5 users are equally divided between using rest mode and completely powering down their consoles. This 50/50 split played a significant role in the design of the 2024-introduced Welcome Hub. Originally conceived during a PlayStation hackathon, the Hub presents a consistent starting point for all users, featuring a customizable interface. For US users, this is the PS5 Explore page; for users outside the US, it displays the most recently played game.
While no single reason explains the rest mode avoidance, some players report internet connectivity issues in rest mode, preferring a fully powered-on console for downloads. Others experience no such problems and utilize the energy-saving feature. Regardless of the reason, Gasaway's insights highlight the considerations behind the PS5's user interface design. The information underscores the importance of catering to diverse user behaviors when designing console features and experiences.
