PlayStation Stats: Rest Mode vs. Power Off Revealed

Half of PlayStation 5 owners skip rest mode, opting for a full system shutdown instead. This surprising statistic, revealed by Sony's Cory Gasaway, prompted the design of the PS5's Welcome Hub. The Hub aims to create a unified user experience despite this diverse preference.

In a recent interview with Stephen Totilo, Gasaway confirmed that a significant 50% of PS5 users forgo the rest mode feature. This is notable, given rest mode's energy-saving benefits and its role in facilitating convenient downloads and game resumption. Sony, emphasizing environmental responsibility, had previously highlighted rest mode's energy efficiency improvements over the PS4.

The revelation came during a discussion about the PS5's Welcome Hub, introduced in 2024. As reported by IGN, the Hub, developed during a PlayStation hackathon, directly addresses the 50/50 split in rest mode usage. The Hub's design provides a consistent starting point for all users, regardless of their rest mode preference, featuring a customizable interface and dynamically adjusting the initial screen shown (PS5 Explore page for US users, last played game for others).

Reasons for avoiding rest mode remain varied and anecdotal. While the intended purpose is power saving and background download management, some users report internet connectivity issues when rest mode is enabled, leading them to keep the console fully powered on for downloads. Others seem to experience no such problems. Gasaway's insights, however, highlight the influence of user behavior on fundamental PS5 UI design.