On December 2, 2024, PS5 owners began receiving a software update that brought back classic PlayStation startup imagery and let them style parts of the console interface after the PS1, PS2, PS3, or PS4. The options changed dashboard colors and sounds; they were a software feature, not a new console or a paid theme pack. Sony described them as available for a limited time, but the reports did not give an end date—and their availability in October 2026 has not been verified.
What the PS5 anniversary themes changed
The update offered four generation-inspired styles: PS1, PS2, PS3, and PS4. Contemporary coverage described changes to dashboard colors and menu sounds, alongside a return of classic startup imagery. These were visual and audio touches rather than changes to games, performance, or console functionality. The descriptions do not establish that every element was an exact recreation of the original consoles.
Engadget reported that users were prompted to choose a generation the first time they started the console after the update. Its account also described a new “PlayStation 30th Anniversary” entry in settings. Push Square reported a quick-menu anniversary tab for switching styles, and highlighted details including PS1 power and disc-open cues and the PS3 wave and navigation sound. Those are reports of the 2024 interface, not confirmation of the menus available on PS5 today.
How to get the old PlayStation themes on PS5
When the feature rolled out on December 2, 2024, the reported route was to install the update and choose a generation when prompted on the first boot afterward. Reports also pointed to the anniversary entry in settings or the quick-menu tab to revisit the options. Because Sony described the feature as limited-time and current availability is unverified, these steps should be treated as historical—not guaranteed instructions for a PS5 running current software.
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Are the 30th anniversary PS5 themes permanent?
No permanent availability was promised in the contemporary reports. Engadget said Sony described the options as available “for a limited time,” without announcing when they would be removed. The reports do not establish whether the feature remains available in October 2026. Check the current PS5 system software or an official Sony support announcement before relying on the old setup path.
The themes were separate from anniversary hardware
Sony’s 30th-anniversary celebration marked the original PlayStation launch of December 3, 1994. In a September 19, 2024 announcement, Sony presented a limited-edition collection of PS5 consoles and accessories using the original PlayStation color design, including a standalone 30th Anniversary DualSense controller. The collection was announced for release on November 21, 2024; that date is historical, not current stock information. None of that hardware was reported as a requirement for the software themes.
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Sony’s anniversary page also features PlayStation: The First 30 Years, a 400-page visual chronicle of PlayStation design and hardware history. It is optional reading, not a way to enable the PS5 styles.
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Sources
- Engadget, “PS5 anniversary update adds themes for each generation of the PlayStation,” December 2, 2024
- Push Square, “PS5 Home Screen Customisable with PS1, PS2, PS3, and PS4 Themes for the 30th Anniversary,” December 2, 2024
- PlayStation.Blog, Hideaki Nishino, “Celebrating 30 years of PlayStation with a nostalgic look,” September 19, 2024
- PlayStation, “PlayStation 30th Anniversary”
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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