Hi everyone. Here’s a preview of the next PLAYSTATION 3 firmware update (2.00) scheduled to release within the next few days. This update contains features that will allow you to receive news directly from us on everything PlayStation, enhance the way you access and organize your media, and allow you to customize your XMB in new ways.
Here’s a closer look at the new features:
You’ll notice this icon in the Network category of the XMB. This is the Information Board.
Once activated, you’ll notice scrolling headlines in the upper right-hand corner of your screen. We’ll be delivering the latest news on new games, PLAYSTATION Store updates, hardware, accessories and lots more through the Information Board. Click on the Information Board icon and you’ll be able to see all of the headlines and click through for more detail. The headlines and associated stories will be updated on a regular basis. You can choose not to display the Information Board, but you never know what you might miss, so I’d recommend keeping it on.
We’ve added a nice enhancement to Remote Play called Remote Start, to use Remote Play locally or from a Wi-Fi hotspot, you needed to make sure that your PS3 was on. With Remote Start this is no longer necessary. As long as your PS3 is in standby mode, you’ll be able to turn your PS3 on remotely via the PSP. You can then use Remote Play to access media on your PS3, and when you’re finished you can put your PS3 back into standby mode.
Another feature we’ve added with this update is the ability to set themes on your PS3. Themes will change the whole look of your XMB; the background, icons, and in some cases sounds on your XMB will completely change. We will be providing themes on PlayStation.com and through the PLAYSTATION Store. Once you have downloaded a theme, under Settings go to Theme Settings, select Theme and then choose a theme to display or install a new theme. We are also providing the ability for you to get creative and make your own original themes.
We’ve also added a new way to organize your photos and music on the PS3 – you can now create custom playlists for all of your music and photos.
Finally, regular readers of this blog may have noticed that I’m using a new avatar. You will see that logo above on your XMB representing the new PLAYSTATION Network category. You’ll find the PLAYSTATION Store and Account Management in this category.
We’ve added several other features in this update. I’ll soon be back with more details with a quick video demo of some of the new features.
As always thanks for all of your support and feedback.
Sony please priortize your features!!! PLEASE ADD IN-GAME XMB in the next update. It’s so frustrating to find your friends and communicate without this feature. Coming from a XBOX to a PS3 (which I recently got) I am totally frustrated because of no cross game communication, inconsistent lobby system and inconsistent in-game communication! I love the PS3 but PLEASE fix this ASAP, its taking away the multiplayer fun!!
Some other nice to have features:
1. Auto-sleep after downloads finish or when no activity
2. Folder creation (its a mess right now with a flat structure)
Thanks and hope you guys read what gamers really want!!
@ Sparda The hint? You’d think their lackluster sales this week in Japan … the ps3 getting beat by the xbox 360 would be a big enough hint. It’s not… They want to write the whole playstation brand off as a tax write off or something.
It obvious Sony!!! People want HOME!!! You talked about it, hyped it up, but you aren’t delivering. I’m sure you think your new update is a great stride forward but who do you really consult on whats important to gamers? Maybe its time to find to a new focus group. If you need a qualified candidate I gladly nominate myself. But please stop listening to dopey business heads. PS3 want to believe in you… Now is you time to give us some good reasons.
V/R
DruDat2
in game xmb for music and messaging. also would like better internet support of user profiles, see xbox.com for that. all in all no big deal for in game xmb as I went ahead and purchased a 360 to get the features I feel are needed for basic online gaming. Sony treats this issue as a privilege to use the xmb features in game and we’ll get it when their ready to give it to us. Should of been a feature from launch.
who Knows after all these comments they might release ingame xmb! Im sure they already have it
lol @ 496’s comment, but it hits the nail on the head
NNNNNNNNnooooooooooooooo!
SONY WHAT HAPPEN….Is there a surprise or something? No in-game XMB. You really like giving munition to the competition to blast you…
Only one thing to say: YOU SCREWED.
I’m sorry you guys but if some of you are buying games on other systems or ridding yourself of a PS3 b/c of it lacking in-game XMB than you are both spoiled and a bit narrow minded. but go ahead and play on the other system. That way, i won’t have to deal with your a$$es online For those willing to wait, I’m sure the in-game XMB will arrive. I’m guessing it will come closer to HOME’s release or with HOME.
About in-game XMB (Music and Messaging) …bear in mind I’m not sobbing about it’s absence.
All I’m going to say, is that this is obviously a feature that many (not all) people want and some of us would enjoy using it very much. Now, add to this problem, all the delays PS3 games have been having, the Madden/EA framerate issue, the ever-increasing realisation that the PS3 isn’t able to do anything the 360 can’t (in fact, a few things 360 can do that we can’t) and you end up with a pretty major issue of consumer confidence.
Some people, like myself bought a PS3 on the understanding (wrongly, but still…) that it was going to be a machine capable of all the 360 was and then some. The RROD thing with Xbox also put me off.
Now it seems like a feature I’m pretty keen on will never come to the PS3 and my best option to get it, is to own both machines. That’s going to mean that whenever that features matters to me, (about 40% of games) I’ll have to buy the 360 version.
Not to mention that many, like myself have about 15 Xbox 360 owning friends, and 3 PS3 owning friends. I have to listen to them all talk about gaming with each other and they have the features that matter to them.
Some of you will give the usual “Alright then! GO! We don’t need ya!”. That’s fine, but honestly there are not dozens, or hundreds, or thousands, but I’d estimate hundreds of thousands of users who will end up owning both, because of this and other issues.
I’m not crying about in-game XMB not being here, I’m just assessing my options like any consumer.
This blogsite is just another one of Sony’s misserable failures. 93% of the people who have posted in this have nothing good to say, cause Sony did nothing worth praising. So, what this tells me is this… Sony doesn’t care about 93% of its install base… They’d rather ignore us and do their busy work. Give us their insainly idiotic updates that offer nothing of value. I mean, really…. printer support for the ps3? hahahaah Whatever. Like the ps3’s browser is powerful enough to be a workable/usable/proficeant computer. Please. What a piece a’ Joke.
Im really stunned reading this blog. People just dont know how to communicate with each other anymore. I doubt if you guys in RL communicate on this level with each other or is it me just being ignorant?
@stuntF50
@gamesblow
@gregero
@dan1066
@you all that feel like I am talking about:
Whats wrong with you do you really think whining over and over again will make people listen to you? Its a shame that this is going on on the internet, its not only here. Check other websites about games or forums. People need to learn about respect and how to communicate with others. Thats what needs to be done, not a stupid minor XMB/music in game update.
Its a shame, an official blog about Playstation is spammed with useless and respectless comments. Sony please moderate some of these comments so its readable again. Don’t just delete them just make them invisible with an option to open them separately.
About the new update, i love to see the theme options and the new file sorting! Keep up the good work!
Let’s see if we can get some answers from Sony by applying a little pressure. Send the URL for this Blog to the gaming news syndication sites.
i dont want in-game xmb (i can do w/o all the extra crap..for right now..)
but I DO WANT in-game messaging.
communication is a big factor, especially in our world now. i just started making friends on ps3 and now I can’t get ahold of them when they get online. so i have to quit my game and then by the time i can message them, theyve already gone into another game. what are we suppose to do about stuff like this?
Eric, the update is great. you guys did a great job! it just could of been better! I’ve seen the screen shots too and it looks awesome.
now, all we need is someone to update us on the productivity of home? any takers for sony????
There is no in-game XMB access??
¬¬’
Please, add a clock by pressing the PS button.
Thanks.
Oh, I’m going to make sure these comments get out to the media outlets needed. I have a great dedicated following and I’m copying and pasting tons of these comments to use for my blogsite tonight and in turn I’m going to send it to N4g and Gamepro and so forth and so on… Gamepro hates sony anyways.
As a former ps2 owner now ps3. Never thought i’d see the day ps3 os features out weigh the demand for quality “next-gen” games.
Well, im not suprised. My faith in Sony was rattled a while back for a few reasons. But the one thing im totally lost on, is that a VP at Sony made a comment at the begining of October stating that soon they would be adding more Blu Ray Playback interactivity capabilites to the PS3. Now, we dont know what that really means, but I do know that if Sony plans on marketing this as a BD player it needs to be the best it can be. The one biggest thing Ive been griping about is DTS-HD Master Audio decoding. As of now, the PS3 can only decode the CORE at 1.5MBps. Thats fine and all for some, but not for me. When I drop almost 30$ down on a Fox title that only has DTS-HD MA, I depend on my only BD player which is the PS3 to decode it. Of course, this is no where to be found and the only date to confirm when it will arrive is purely speculation. Sony did state that there are other features added that are not announced, so come tomorrow, if it still can’t decode DTS-HD Master Audio, Ill be let down once again much like the rest of you.
As the so called *superior console”, we sure have to do alot of WAITING on top of spending top dollar. The in game XMB feature is something that should have happend from day one, but I feel that there were technical limitations with the hardware design that would have held up the PS3 even longer had Sony not just said forget in game XMB it can come later in a firmware update. I read earlier on this year that memory was an issue and Sony was working on it. Everything the 360 does, Microsoft came up with and incorporated into the console from launch (with the exception of IM). I dont want to see Sony copy Microsoft, but at the same time, it looks as if Sony knows its customers will remain loyal, no matter how they are treated (cost wise and feature wise). I mean, really, you can get mad all you want, but at the end of the day, Sony can continue to slowly roll out these features and titles until its time for them to kick into full swing and you guys will stick with them till the end. So for all the people here saying nasty things to Sony about no XMB, I dont know why you bother because you know the second it becomes available all will be forgiven. In my case, I dont plan on investing anymore money into Blu Ray hardware, so this is it for BD playback. If Sony never releases an update to incorporate internal DTS-HD Master Audio decoding, oh well. Sony knows what to do and if they dedicated full power to further development of the console as a gaming machine instead of a MEDIA machine, then we would see better results in terms of features like in game XMB.
Also, it would be in Sony’s best interest to better train there support staff on every aspect of the PS3 technical wise, they really suck when you email or call for tech support (they pretty much just read whats in the manual).
this comment is for eric lempel. you still cant even see the time when your playinmg a game and press the ps button? the psp has that, why isnt this on the ps3? also, psn icon should be more like all the other icons of the xmb
On Sony’s next ACTION packed firmware update… they need to add a timer that runs in the background of your XMB “don’t worry you won’t be able to access it in game” but it’ll be there when you exit the game… this timer will be counting down to something big! When it hits Zero, Sony needs to push a button that kills off all the Ps3s so people will go buy more and thus double their sales.
I don’t know! Sounds like they want in game xmb. But maybe I’m wrong.
I’m not one to be mad at Sony or even disappointed, but even I was a little underwhelmed by this update.
Just a suggestion, but why doesn’t Sony ship out in-game XMB first and then get these other features afterward?
And my other question, who exactly did you ask about this update? Who said they wanted this other stuff over in-game XMB? The only reason i question this is because you have about (and probably more after a while) 500 comments ALL asking for one specific thing. I would think the majority wants in-game XMB before any other “little” feature. Do GAP members really not want in-game XMB over anything else? Anyway, thank you for what we got, but we’re still awaiting…
Whata bunch of ingreats you all are.
Anyway, great to hear about these new features Sony, can’t wait for the release.
Well done.
@setherington
Yeah great features i really wanted that new PSN logo wait while i go JERK OFF WHILE I ADORE IT
Yeah really, setherington.
Sony never announced in-game XMB, AT ALL.
WTF STILL NO XMB INGAME :| IM SELLING MY PS3
I really think sony is doing a goob job you really cant please evreybody and they know that im with sony ever since ps1 and lately ive noticed how much they have improve all the people whinning should really shut up Because what they do is free They dont charge :-) thats the great thing about sony Thank you sony
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… Sorry for the SPAM but what was said is true. OK, I know Sony wants to be different and all, but you do realise that everyone wants what the 360 has.
By doing that you’ll please a lot of gamers who never had a real reason to use the XMB and keep the rest of us enjoying what could only be found on the 360. Add the other XMB stuff and you got a winner!
Really, don’t be so stubborn Sony… I thought this whole blog thing was to listen to us! If there is a reason things aren’t going our way, at least give us an OFFICIAL STATEMENT… don’t keep us in the dark too much.
Us gamers are sensitive creatures!
this is insane, ive read this blog for awhile now before registering and i cant remember the last time i saw a post get over 500 comments in its first day….this is literally insane.
I wonder if sony is surprised?
Just because GamesBlow has made half the posts here doesn’t mean that half the people here are upset.
Happy people go about their lives and don’t bother with the mundane rants of lunatics.
IMO, this blog post is a lost cause as the trolls have taken over.
What else are you going to do while you wait for your “other” console to get back from being repaired…
@521
I can see you being the very last person in the world who owns a Ps3. After everyone sells their system off after being sick of waiting for everything and no exclusives… More so when they find out they waited for MGS4 only to have it announced for the xbox 360 the same year. that’s going to hurt. SLAP!
u_nick | November 7th, 2007 at 9:46 am
Some of you people are nauseating. Just because you assumed an update ending in a solid number (X.0) was going to be a big update, it’s not Sony’s fault. It’s yours for assuming and believing rumors. If Sony says they are working on it, then they are working on it.
ANY Update is a good update. As long as Sony keep providing updates to this awesome system, then I’ll keep being happy about them.
————————————————————————–
QFT – ppl need to get over XBL – the PSN and XMB will get there. WTF is with all the Whingers!!!
Gamesblow you really are taking this to crazy new heights lol seriously man it sucks there is no in-game xmb but you are reaching here and sounding desperate. If you truly feel wronged by sony because you did not get the feature you want get rid of it and let time take it’s course. But you are starting to sound Mrs. Cleo crazy with your predictions lol.
Anyway I think some of the features in this update are pretty cool but ya I guess I always assumed in-game messaging was gonna be in 2. But I guess thats what I get for assuming anything.
What I would like now is to know what problems sony is encountering in adding this feature or if this is something that is tied in closely to the way home is being built that 1 can not exist without the other.
To all the people here talking shi…… about the ps3. Ps3 made a lot of mistakes so far but we still have the system working because of the fixes they released. Like the update 1.90 and 1.91 that was hell to me because I couldn’t use the system but the 1.92 fixed it. The Xbox 360 has all you are asking for but has a bad graphic and incomplete games because of the small capacity of the dvd and a damage rate of 35%. I know my self a lot of people with burned xbox360 and also some that will not read games. I’m staying with ps3 with all errors and mistakes hoping that they will fix them. The in game xmb is highly need it so sony needs to work on it. You guys could also go to ebay and search for broken xbox and you will find over 200, search for broken ps3 and you will find less than 10. do the math.
In-game XMB is not very important to me… **BUT** I completely agree with so many people being upset here.
When you buy in to the most expensive game console on the market (vs. Wii and 360) – you expect the BEST experience and feature set right out of the box. At the very least, you expect critical features like this sooner than a year after release.
Generally, higher priced items provide the most benefit. Hence the saying “You get what you pay for.” However, currently, the PS3 does not follow this rule. When observing PS3 sales trends, it becomes obvious that the public is not dumb to the fact that the PS3 defies the norm of price and quality.
Put it this way – how would a BMW owner (PS3) feel if the much cheaper Ford (360) had MORE and BETTER features? Sure it breaks down more often, but the 360 has a better community and better set of features – there is no denying that.
As it stands now, the 360 is cheaper and provides a better feature set. I only own a PS3, so no trolling here.
gamesblow you are a big fud tool more than a big sony hardcore fan.
“You’d think their lackluster sales this week in Japan … the ps3 getting beat by the xbox 360 would be a big enough hint. It’s not”
first the number are not confirmed yet (not mc numbers, secondly both shows 16,000, and third fact xbox360 get several drop on price (now cost only in japan $170) with several packs and ace combat 6 for that week, you are insane if you think x360 could maintain these numbers and return for their abysmall sales of 3,000 consoles every week.
to comment 277 they implemented folders for music and video
http://www.gamesradar.com/gb/ps3/game/news/article.jsp?releaseId=20060314115917309058&articleId=20071107152123607099§ionId=1006
for people asking if ipod work on ps3, yes it works.
i want like other people the xmb thing, but here are several oportunist and competition fanboy that even dont own a ps3 that already [DELETED] the blog, that sucks (get a life)
It’s funny how all these people hype updates in their own minds, and then get mad when the next update doesn’t fulfill every fantasy they had dreamed up.
People are also complaining that Sony has kept us in the dark or something about these next firmwares. FYI – this post told us early what was on a firmware they haven’t even released yet. They have also told us that in game XMB is something they are working on. So there is a heads-up that it’s coming.
People need to take a chill pill. Oh no, I don’t have in game XMB function…..I’m going to die. It’s like a valley girl freaking out about breaking a finger nail. Grow up you whiney punks. If in game XMB on the PS3 is your biggest worry in life, you probably need to get a life.
Anyways, thanks for the EARLY info on the upcoming firmware release. It’s a great update, keep them coming.
What’s so important about in-game xmb? Sure it’d be nice to go and reply to a message or something or check what games my friends are playing or maybe turn on some music to play .. i dunno — don’t really get what the big deal with the need for that feature is.. especially without home released yet… which is what I thought 2.0 would have.. shrug.. still the ps3 is the best. :D
1st off I could care less about “In Game” XMB; when I’m playing…I’m playing. There are many games that now include in game XMB friends list/messaging.
With regards to the mass disappointment…does no one like surprises anymore why should they reveal every detail about every update before release. Do you open or know your X-mas gifts in advance?
Since release, the PS3 has evolved immensely…give it time and I’m sure they will make this year’s updates look like nothing.
Wow, some of these comments are truly ridiculous.
This is a great update, but everyone seems to be expecting SO much because its “2.0” the big number.
We WILL get in-game XMB, we WILL get cross game invitations.
Sony is listening, they are not dumb asses guys, understand that they know what we want.
Its just that they are working on it.
All that is needed IMO in the next update:
-PSN In-Game.
-Being able to sort friends in different folders, as well as up the friend limit to 250.
-Redesigned PS Store.
-Ability to make and name folders for media sections, and select what you want to move to each folder.
-Ability to move the notification messages (“[Blank] is Online”) to any edge of the screen.
-Put password locks on certain Users.
-The ability for each user to have their own entertainment, meaning one user can have dozens of their own songs, while other users have different songs, and then have the ability to copy songs from other users onto their user (this would go for videos and images as well).
-And somewhere in the future, the ability to take images and videos in-game, like a new feature for all games or something.
_________________________________________
Anyways, this is a good update, just dont really like how the new icon stands out from the rest, it doesn’t look like the others.
But yea, people making it seem like the end of the world, complete morons, dont over react…
[…] Network Operations Director Eric Lempel has posted a complete rundown of firmware update 2.00 over at the PlayStation.Blog, so click over to read up […]
It’s a good update, be thankful we’re getting something.
It’s really ungrateful of people to spam the forums all over the internet.
You know patience is a virtue.
I hope Sony get it’s act to together though alot of people are leaving the company or are being placed elsewhere.
Makes customers lose faith.
Better later than never I say.
IN GAME XBM OR DEATH!
THIS IS GAY, You know what sony screw you, I was going all the way till the end. YOU GUYS ARE RETARDS, I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU ALL. THE XBOX 360 CAN FREAKIN PLAY GAMES AND SEND MESSAGES AND LISTEN TO MUSIC AT THE SAME F#ckin TIME!!!! WHY CANT THE PS3!?>?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!!?
YOU KNOW WHAT Im selling my ps3 to buy a 360. THAT IS A CONSOLE THE PS3 IS $HIT COMPARED TO THE 360. in game xmb was necessary, I hate you. No im not defending you I hate you..
I don’t even care about in-game XMB. I just want to be able to access my friends list to send and receive messages and add friends without having to quit the game. I don’t need the videos, music or any of that other hooplah. Just the friends list.
THIS IS GAY, You know what sony screw you, I
YOU KNOW WHAT Im selling my ps3 to buy a 360. THAT IS A CONSOLE THE PS3 IS $HIT COMPARED TO THE 360. in game xmb was necessary, I hate you. No im not defending you I hate you..
good look with ms repair service ;)
Profile 1.1 is all I want. It better be part of the things they haven’t mentioned or Toshiba is going to have a big laugh.
Wow, a storm of comments. Guess it shows that people have a lot of feelings on this matter.
For myself, I’m very happy about the play list feature. The other features are nice too, but nothing i have been waiting for.
The screams for in-game xmb are staggering (and not just here, every place i have seen this news bit has had the same thing )
The only thing, really, that i miss to such a degree that i feel it ruins my love towards PS3 as a gaming unit is ingame chat. Online gaming really isn’t the same for me when i can’t have a friend or two on the ear while playing. I never even got into multiplayer in games before skype/teamspeak broke the wall of solitude between me and the friends i was playing.
This is the one feature that makes me turn away from my PS3 and turn on my pc when i want to game.
So although this post will be buried completely: If anyone with any power to influence the way PS3 is developed in the future reads this – Please consider making (private) voice chat available in games.
It would really make a great christmas present, hint-hint ;)
Keep up the good work.
For the idiots defending sony. Give up, I used to I wont. You know what microsoft has the 360 waiting for us at a reasonal bul price, BETTER GAMES, BETTER FEATURES(IN GAME DASHBOARD) AND BETTER STUFF PERIOD. Sony is just expecting to win, they will lose a shameful lose. I HATE SONY, I HATE THE PS3, I HATE MYSELF FOR WASTING $600 FOR A PIECE OF $HIT CONSOLE THAT CANT OUT PERFORM A $280 360.
ERM…. IN GAME XMB OR DEATH!
STFU and quit whining that ingame XMB isn’t here yet. It’s your fault for believing rumors you read on forums about what’s in 2.0.
STFU and quit whining.
If you like xbox live so much, then please leave and go over there. Sure, the games aren’t HD and they are Standard Definition. But I’d rather not listen to all of you whiney babies complaining about [DELETED] every single day.
GET A LIFE. STOP WHINING.