The feature was revealed in a PlayStation Blog post tied to the latest system update beta. But don’t get too excited it won’t actually be usable during the beta phase. When it does finally arrive, you’ll get a shiny new toggle called Power Saver.

Sony Interactive Entertainment VP of product management Shuzo Kikuchi said: “Supported PS5 games will scale back performance and will allow your PS5 to reduce its power consumption. If not enabled, or if games do not support the feature, the performance will not be scaled back and power consumption will not be reduced.”

“Scaled-back performance” means that VR mode will be off the table, and “some gameplay features may be limited.” That’s the only specific detail so far, leaving plenty of room for vague, game-dependent compromises.

The move ties into Sony’s long-running 2010 Road to Zero environmental initiative, where the company pretends it can save the planet while still flogging power-hungry hardware. Naturally, this might hint at how a rumoured handheld PS5 could keep its battery alive longer and throttling performance on the go would make perfect sense.

The same beta update is bringing a tweak where DualSense controllers can stay paired with up to four devices at once. Previously you had to faff about reconnecting every time you switched between a PS5, PC, Mac, or mobile. Now you can bounce between them more freely without the constant re-pairing hassle.

The PS5 system update beta itself is locked to invited players in select countries. Sony plans to roll it out globally “in the coming months.”

If you’re lucky enough to be tapped for the test, expect an email from the company on 24 July with all the gory details.