RIP Communities: PS4 feature is shutting down for good next month

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Au Revoir PlayStation Communities

Sony PlayStation 4
(Image credit: Sony)

Sony confirmed yesterday that the PlayStation Communities feature would no longer be available starting in April 2021. PlayStation Communities is now listed under "Discontinued" in the PlayStation apps. 

Sony released the following statement, "Thank you for using the PS Communities feature on your PS4 console. Beginning in April 2021, this feature will no longer be supported or available on your PS4 console. However, you'll still be able to stay connected and enjoy messaging features and more on your PS4 and the PlayStation App."

It's sad to see Communities go as it allowed for PS4 players with common interests to come together to play games, form parties, share screenshots and chat about their gaming experiences and things of interest. It appears the removal of Communities from PS4 could be the end of the PlayStation Communities feature across the platform, as it isn't offered on the PS5 at all. 

Could this be Sony's reaction to cyberbullying in gaming? Who knows; however, it is the second major feature Sony has removed in the last few months, the other being the ability to rent or purchase movies or TV shows from the PlayStation Store when using a PS5, PS4, or PS4 Pro. 

This is an interesting turn of events when you consider that Microsoft is also discontinuing its OneGuide TV on the Xbox, as we recently reported. In a blog post, Sony stated the end date of its TV and Movie services would be August 31, 2021. It appears Sony is slowly winding down its support of the PS4 and focusing on the PS5 even though finding one to purchase is like trying to trap unicorns. 

Mark Anthony Ramirez
Mark Anthony Ramirez

Mark has spent 20 years headlining comedy shows around the country and made appearances on ABC, MTV, Comedy Central, Howard Stern, Food Network, and Sirius XM Radio. He has written about every topic imaginable, from dating, family, politics, social issues, and tech. He wrote his first tech articles for the now-defunct Dads On Tech 10 years ago, and his passion for combining humor and tech has grown under the tutelage of the Laptop Mag team. His penchant for tearing things down and rebuilding them did not make Mark popular at home, however, when he got his hands on the legendary Commodore 64, his passion for all things tech deepened. These days, when he is not filming, editing footage, tinkering with cameras and laptops, or on stage, he can be found at his desk snacking, writing about everything tech, new jokes, or scripts he dreams of filming.