Proceeding the PlayStation 5 Gameplay Footage and recent PS5 Firmware v3.20 Update, in PS5Scene news today Sony shared a closer look at the PS5 Game Help feature with further details alongside a Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart PS5 Help Demo video below. 
For those seeking additional PlayStation 5 assistance, feel free to make use of our PS5 Help forum, and to quote from Sony Platforms Planning & Management Director Adil Sherwani:
At PS5’s launch, we introduced a brand new feature, Game Help, so players can quickly and easily get help during their gameplay – without accidentally running into spoilers they might find elsewhere.
The feature is supported in PS5 games like Astro’s Playroom, Maquette, Oddworld: Soulstorm, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart which just launched today, just to name a few.
Many of you may be curious about how the feature came to life, so we wanted to share some insights about this PlayStation Plus member benefit that’s available for supported games.
How Game Help got started
During PS5 development, our research found that the majority of players told us they seek out help for their games. Almost half get stuck in a game on a weekly basis, and more than half said they encounter spoilers when they seek out help for a game, or spend too much time searching for the tip they are looking for.
This feedback really resonated with us, so we went to work to create a feature for players that provides them with an easy way to get hints on the specific parts of the game they are playing, without spoilers or spending a lot of time searching for tips on the Internet.
We worked closely with game developers to create this feature, and also incorporated key feedback from our user testing research. It’s great to see this feature implemented in supported games, to quickly provide hints to players directly from the PS5 console, so they can spend more time playing.
What players are using Game Help for
We’re seeing a lot of players seeking hints on puzzles. We tend to see more engagement with Game Help for games that include a lot of puzzles throughout, like Astro’s Playroom and Maquette.
We also see players seeking help when they get lost in a game, so videos that guide players where to go are very popular. Also, if they take a break for a couple of days in between their game play sessions, they may check Game Help when resuming their game session to get reoriented with the game.
Games can provide several types of hints, such as a photo, text, a video, or a combination of video and text. Of these, we found that players used video with text hints the most.
How hints are determined for an activity
Because all players have different preferences, the goal is to allow players to have control over how much help they are receiving. To achieve this, we encourage game creators to provide hints that provide “progressive disclosure.”
An example of this is where the first hint would be just a nudge, such as a picture and a vague bit of text. The second hint gives a bit more information, such as a short clip showing the first couple steps to take, but not any further.
Finally, the third hint shows the full walkthrough or answer, such as a video with all the steps to complete the objective.
Tips for players using Game Help
Two popular features within Game Help are the pin-to-side mode and quickly accessing multiple hints, in addition to checking Activities.
Exploring PS5 Game Help
Learn more about the PS5 Game Help feature.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Launch Trailer I PS5
Ratchet and Clank are back! Help them take on Dr. Nefarious and his new empire by battling hordes of robotic troopers in a cataclysmic expedition across dimensions. Witness the evolution of the dream team as they’re joined by Rivet – a Lombax resistance fighter from another dimension. Enjoy a dazzling interdimensional adventure fueled by the mind-blowing speed and immersive features of the PlayStation 5 console.
Built from the ground up by acclaimed studio Insomniac Games, you’ll go beyond what you see with in-game actions coming to life in your hands via the DualSense wireless controller.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is available today (June 11, 2021) exclusively on the PlayStation 5 Console.
For those seeking additional PlayStation 5 assistance, feel free to make use of our PS5 Help forum, and to quote from Sony Platforms Planning & Management Director Adil Sherwani:
At PS5’s launch, we introduced a brand new feature, Game Help, so players can quickly and easily get help during their gameplay – without accidentally running into spoilers they might find elsewhere.
The feature is supported in PS5 games like Astro’s Playroom, Maquette, Oddworld: Soulstorm, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart which just launched today, just to name a few.
Many of you may be curious about how the feature came to life, so we wanted to share some insights about this PlayStation Plus member benefit that’s available for supported games.
How Game Help got started
During PS5 development, our research found that the majority of players told us they seek out help for their games. Almost half get stuck in a game on a weekly basis, and more than half said they encounter spoilers when they seek out help for a game, or spend too much time searching for the tip they are looking for.
This feedback really resonated with us, so we went to work to create a feature for players that provides them with an easy way to get hints on the specific parts of the game they are playing, without spoilers or spending a lot of time searching for tips on the Internet.
We worked closely with game developers to create this feature, and also incorporated key feedback from our user testing research. It’s great to see this feature implemented in supported games, to quickly provide hints to players directly from the PS5 console, so they can spend more time playing.
What players are using Game Help for
We’re seeing a lot of players seeking hints on puzzles. We tend to see more engagement with Game Help for games that include a lot of puzzles throughout, like Astro’s Playroom and Maquette.
We also see players seeking help when they get lost in a game, so videos that guide players where to go are very popular. Also, if they take a break for a couple of days in between their game play sessions, they may check Game Help when resuming their game session to get reoriented with the game.
Games can provide several types of hints, such as a photo, text, a video, or a combination of video and text. Of these, we found that players used video with text hints the most.
How hints are determined for an activity
Because all players have different preferences, the goal is to allow players to have control over how much help they are receiving. To achieve this, we encourage game creators to provide hints that provide “progressive disclosure.”
An example of this is where the first hint would be just a nudge, such as a picture and a vague bit of text. The second hint gives a bit more information, such as a short clip showing the first couple steps to take, but not any further.
Finally, the third hint shows the full walkthrough or answer, such as a video with all the steps to complete the objective.
Tips for players using Game Help
Two popular features within Game Help are the pin-to-side mode and quickly accessing multiple hints, in addition to checking Activities.
- Multiple hints can be accessed by pressing R1/L1 to go to the next hint. Sometimes the first hint you see may be just a slight nudge, so checking to see if there are multiple hints is worth doing to make sure you don’t miss one.
- Pin-to-side lets you see the hint and watch the Game Help video while you play, while also giving you quick access to the Game Help card with the rest of the hints for the objective you are working on. When you’re in pin-to-side mode, all your controls are in the game. Hitting the PS button twice switches you over to the Game Help card to easily close it, or switch to another hint.
Exploring PS5 Game Help
Learn more about the PS5 Game Help feature.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Launch Trailer I PS5
Ratchet and Clank are back! Help them take on Dr. Nefarious and his new empire by battling hordes of robotic troopers in a cataclysmic expedition across dimensions. Witness the evolution of the dream team as they’re joined by Rivet – a Lombax resistance fighter from another dimension. Enjoy a dazzling interdimensional adventure fueled by the mind-blowing speed and immersive features of the PlayStation 5 console.
Built from the ground up by acclaimed studio Insomniac Games, you’ll go beyond what you see with in-game actions coming to life in your hands via the DualSense wireless controller.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is available today (June 11, 2021) exclusively on the PlayStation 5 Console.
