Half of PlayStation 5 users bypass rest mode, opting for a complete system shutdown instead. This surprising statistic, revealed by Sony Interactive Entertainment's Cory Gasaway, highlights a significant user preference divergence impacting the design of the PS5's user interface.

Gasaway, in an interview with Stephen Totilo, shared that a 50/50 split exists among PS5 users regarding rest mode usage. While rest mode was intended to optimize energy efficiency and facilitate convenient downloads and game resumption, a considerable portion of the user base avoids it. This finding played a key role in the development of the PS5's Welcome Hub, introduced in 2024.

The Welcome Hub, born from a PlayStation hackathon, aimed to create a unified user experience despite differing preferences. The design team, aware of the significant number of users foregoing rest mode, incorporated this insight into the Hub's functionality. For instance, US users see the PS5 Explore page upon startup, while users in other regions see their most recently played game. This approach offers a more consistent and customizable starting point.

Reasons for avoiding rest mode remain varied and anecdotal. Some users report internet connectivity issues when rest mode is enabled, preferring a fully powered-on console for downloads. Others appear to have no such problems and utilize the feature without issue. Regardless of the cause, Gasaway's revelation sheds light on the design considerations influencing the PS5's user interface. The data underscores the importance of considering diverse user behaviors when developing console features and overall user experience.