As has been reported on many gaming blogs and websites, we have temporarily taken Firmware v2.40 offline. We’ve received a limited number of calls from consumers experiencing an issue with installing the system software update on their PS3. While our consumer services department has seen a low volume of calls on this topic, we are committed to providing the PS3 community with XMB access features delivered in the v2.40 update. We are working diligently to isolate the problem for those few consumers and to identify a solution before we put the firmware back up.
We’ll provide further information as necessary here on the Blog.
Hey Hooked on Phonics, first off i didn’t say anything about sales…and could care less about the numbers. My post wasn’t to argue which is better ps3 or xbox 360, that’s for people like you to speculate on…along with the correct spelling of Blu Ray. My point was the mass number’s of friends i had that had to send back their xbox’s, some numerous times because of defect…I don’t need to research or check the news for that fact.
I have no problems with the 2.4 update. I guess I’m good.
it works fine for me.
good work guys.
I was just wondering, is it possible to get a list off all the games that support in game music?
Because, I have tryed all my current games (gta4, motorstorm, skate, stranglehold) and none of them seem to support it yet.
“music content cannot be played during the use of this game.”
I know there will be updates that will counter this, I was just curious, what games or demo actually support in game music and possiby trophies.
thanks sony.
Assyrian.. and you made the point.. “when you get rushed”.. that is why I hold them responsible. You don’t RUSH this stuff. You build it right.. test it.. QA it.. and test it again. You look at the competition.. you do focus groups.. you use stuff that works for your system.. like YouTube videos instead of Vitter… this is stupid mistakes.. and yes, they SHOULD listen to their customers and do what is best, but they should not over promise and under deliver.
As a business owner in the tech industry, they know this is just unacceptable and I predict there will be a fallout. The fact is, they WILL lose sales. Unless you are sold on the BlueRay, users who are gamers will most likely now look at 360 or wii. Just a fact.
My understanding is SONY was HACKED.. but again, Sony is a Fortune 200 company. You just cannot have this happen at this level. Again, my point, they will lose sales.
hey!!! why i can’t play my own musyk when i’m playing Grand Theft Auto IV i do it on my 360 buth i can on my ps3
the high and mighty have spoken, all us stupid ps3 users may enjoy the fact we can now look forward to having another experience with the game we purchase. so what if 360 has had these features. the ps3 didn’t and now does. gripe and complain and make threats, thats always worked for getting the job done. (pffbt…) how about instead, nice try and thanks. could have been much better and handled with more care as not to lead to the disaster it has turnewd into. some enjoy the new features yet others are displeased and expected something else. (what exactly they never seem to mention though, aside from the promised things that weren’t delievered) wouldn’t the same lame arguement that was made by that blowhard hold true if ingame music was part of the package as promised? why i’d say yes, yes it would. must be real hard living on the pedestal you’ve placed yourself apon. i am only happy you can’t speak for me, ever. in saying this, forever ignored by my eyes.
Overall, this was a pretty cool update. The ingamexmb worked fine but it was kinda slow when scrolling left and right. Hopefully the trophies will be added to my games.
I have a couple of questions for someone who is in charge of the ps3 trophy stuff:
Will Uncharted, Ratchet & Clank Future, Motorstorm, and Battlefield: Bad Company get psn trophies?
also (unrelated): that pixeljunk eden looks really cool. is there a release date?
thanks
If Sony is working we want to see it. Sony should use a live ps3 web cam and allow ps3 fans to view their progress on the firmware patch. I realize Sony has some secrets they wish to keep under wraps so all they need to do is zoom at and show a faded body moving. Hell just carry a clipboard and some sweat and I’m happy. What I think happened is Sony celebrated early when they released 2.40 and today they are nursing a hangover. What they need to do in the future is say firmware’s are scheduled for release during Q1 , Q2, Q3 or Q4 and if the release needs to be pushed back then say we are fine tuning the product so we will be extending it’s release to give you a quality product.
Oh my gosh! For the first time in 2 years SONY admits they have gone wrong. My frigging second playstation3 died yesterday..the xmb screen disappeared out of a sudden. Sony you must stop playing around with us, we are not toys. First and most important, fix the bloody DISC-READING ISSUE. It has killed my first PS3 unit. What the hell are you waiting to fix it?????? Then fix that 2.4 XMB disappearing issue, and finally bring us:
*ingame playstation store
*ingame music (yes, ingame music. seems that you do not know what ingame music is. have a quick look at the 360 and you’ll know what ingame music is).
Thank the gods that theyre working on a fix.
This is a list of things Ive noticed personally—
Voice chat lag from hell.
Lag during game play .
Random Log offs and DNS errors when logging back on.
2.40 never fully installed before it restarted (Mine got to 58% then it auto-restarted).
Video runs seemlessly (EyeToy).
Internet runs “so-so”…
Its a great update,but way too buggy.I just got my system back…Im not wanting to ship it out again for repair:(
For the record,my system wasnta refurb…they sent me a brand new 60 gig.
I downloaded the update right after the network dump. It happened while I was technically playing MGS offline. But I saw the Message that I was an Error occurred and Id been disconnected from the Network. When I tried to login to MGSO component, I git the message that my Firmware needed to be Updated before reconnecting to the Network… enough said, downloaded and updated. No issues.
My only concern is that the Game is essentially put on hold every time you pull up the XMB. This cannot be fully compatible with all PS3 online titles. Surely you either interrupt the game for others or just stand still like a dead duck waiting to get picked off.
Lastly what about these trophies. Im waiting for HOME. Its only been in the works for the last several years. Kojima has had less time to make a Killer product, but he did it, with Bells on! So anyway now we get Trophies? Where in the world do I collect a Trophy?? I get them in Super Smash Brothers, but thats a Nintendo title… I dont know of anything in the Sony Line up. Maybe sports titles?? But I dont play sports so I guess that cabinet is wasted space on my drive.
Another thing to take notice on fixing the FANTASTIC update (keep up the good work guys) I noticed something changed as far as bluetooth headsets go…for instance, I can do a video chat just fine, however, in a game the earpiece works, but the mic will not. This has happend on several occasions, and I must reset the system to get the headset working again. Headset worked fine before the update, I am using a Jabra BT350. Also volume changed dramaticaly, I need to re-do all my headset volume settings in all my games. Other than that…no problems. Thanks SCEA!
@409: Have a quick look at the 360 also reveals that Microsoft has the patent on in-game custom music.
2.4 is going to be disappointing to many people (myself included) that expects it to match the 360 feature by feature, but what I can’t understand are the outrageous expectations such as ingame Store, ingame Browser and ingame access to Toilet & Refrigerator?
When I downloaded it, it only got to 62% then saud it was done downloading and went to intstall. No problems here, I was just a little worried when it quit downloading. Thanks Sony, keep up the good work.
And any word on the PSP camera being released in the US? The GPS would be nice too.
Please make sure that the ps3 is backwards compatible and can play Naruto Ultimate Ninja 3. Please! Thank you.
@ 413
Ingame store: you’re playing MGO, then you hear that the store has updated. Instead of quitting the game, you would directly pause it, access the store, download what you want to download, and head back to the game.
hey how can i play my own musik when i’m playin Grand theft Auto 4 i can’t , this isn’t ingame music
will there be a a update fixing and will mgs4 have playable music?
@ 417
Do you really expect a company that takes 2 years to implement a bloody CLOCK to let you use ingame music? What color is the sky in your world buddy? Sony’s ps3 is a joke. Never ever will we get close to what 360 users have. Actually, we will at one point. But guess what? By that time, microsoft would have launch the XBOX3.
I agree with H.O.T. on a few of his points.
Only thing id like to see is In Game XMB for PS1. Yes I know some will say “your one of 10% or less that use PS1 games on your PS3” but so what? So I am 10% I still think it should be added. Also never mind the fact I have over 60 ps1 games, what do you think will happen when lets say a famous classic like FF7 or Xenogears comes out for PSN and someone buys it, is playing it, and then gets a message? They will have to wait or log out just like the PS3 gamers would. I know if – I – am in the middle of fighting Jenova or ID, I wouldn’t want to have to log out. Im sure others wouldnt either or havent thought of this. So how about when 2.4 comes back up or the next update we get this feature? It would make things very convenient for me and others like me. I thank you for your time.
Pendragonzero
i think it should have in-game web browser so it yu need help in a game yu can just pull up the browser instead of leaving the game
@414
0ff topic – Japan version USB camera for PSP works just fine.
Would like the GPS too.
hmmm live and learn, I wonder whats on those users systems that had the problems … shared games maybe ;p (jk). Anywho, I got the update around 12:30AM and it worked fine. Out of habit, I always clear my cache before those bloody updates. I think there was one that caused a problem if you didn’t clear the cache …
Also, I wax my ps3, buff, and kiss it before giving it new firmware to much on. It likes that ….. :p
(couldn’t help myself)
why i can’t play my own musik in GRAND THEFT AUTO 4 this is NOT ingame music anyone can help me plzzz
hmmm live and learn, I wonder whats on those users systems that had the problems … shared games maybe ;p (jk). Anywho, I got the update around 12:30AM and it worked fine. Out of habit, I always clear my cache before those bloody updates. I think there was one that caused a problem if you didn’t clear the cache …
Also, I wax my ps3, buff, and kiss it before giving it new firmware to munch on. It likes that ….. :p
(couldn’t help myself)
GTA doesn’t have own music .. awww but you can do all that other stupid stuff in that game right .. like jump off a buidling and listen to some NPC street radio … so whats the problem?
As a member of the game development community, I can say unequivocally that all hardware and software manufacturers do _all_ that they can to fix all bugs. That is why they have a Technical Requirements Checklist (TCR) for every piece of software. This is mandated by Sony so the software works with the current hardware version. Sometimes, hardware changes during a console’s lifetime due to one reason or another (some good and some bad). Many game companies have to have every altered piece of hardware and every revision of the firmware, just in case the game is run on any given version. Multiply that with the number of games installed, multiplied by the number of PS2 games that may be installed / saved, multiplied with all the PS1 games that may be installed / saved, multiplied with all the region encoding, multiplied by all the grey market game, multiplied by the multiple operating systems that Sony actually allows you (within warranty) to install, multiplied by all the demos, music, video, additional downloaded content and the like… If they had the time and resources to test all of these every time in every conceivable configuration… they would never release anything. Sure, much can be automated, but the sheer amount of human testing required to make it effective would make it cost prohibitive and therefore they would either pass the cost on to you (and consequently take forever), or they could just not do releases at all.
Although I do not work at a hardware manufacturer, I can assure you that not even the biggest game companies can do that kind of testing. The game cost would not stand up to it.
All said, yes this is an embarrassment, but they did the right thing by pulling it. I am sorry that anyone had to go through a black screen of death. Perhaps the few that had that happen can find consolation in the fact that they saved others from the same fate.
In the “good old days” – less than 10 years ago, if you released a console game, it had better work on everything and the hardware had better not fail, even with all the hardware revisions and region encoding. With constantly changing operating systems, you get the good and the bad when it comes to mixing software with the OS and Firmware changes and improvements.
For what it’s worth, I’m sorry anyone got bricked.
@HookedOnTronics, at least the ps3 havn’t had such major faliure problems like the RROD, was at 33% failure rate,(which is far less now) which i find extremely sad from such a rich company.
The ps3 rarely gets failures, compared to the 360’s MS lost alota $ due to their rrod problems, they rushed it, didnt think about the problems they knew their console still had, but let their consumers suffer with it, and they put it up on the market so it could be the first 7th gen console, so more people would buy it, thats greedy.
Sony doesnt rush many things, why do you think there are so many delays? you think its a bad thing? NO! there are obviously problems with their games, that they dont want us to suffer with, so they take their time, fix it, to perfection…
THAT, is something that sony mastered
unlike ms rushing the 360. this update is something sony tried very hard on, give them a BREAK. SOME DUMBF#$K probly hacked something, and the probs with the 2.40 is unexplainable, maybe bad workers, you could be right there.
o yeah, and once the ps3 does get its 2.40 back, nicely, and ingame cross voice chatting, oh and HOME, (which is delayed due to sony trying to fix all the problems that WE dont have to deal with, ive seen the betas, its proof) what is there to the 360? the ps3 gets pretty much everything the 360 offers for 50 dollars an year, PLUS HOME, which is huge, i already know some articles stateing this, 360 owners wondering what the hell their paying live for, then ps3 owners get all their stuff for free. that is when the ps3 will be leading, including the good game line up this year, (one is a dead secret, that is stunning, and kikas)
ive heard that ms is working on a wii-mii like social community, this could be false rumors, but thats what ms is doing to keep up with home.
i got waaaaaay too much to say on this stuff.
i just wana go back to my ps3 and use the ingame xmb thats working fine for me and my friends.
please dont come along saying you work for ms (probly true) and putting pressure on sony as you may not know it.
(i know you *probly* didnt read my entire post)
I think PS3 needs a safemode login method like Windows PC.
On safemode, PS3 refers former firmware backuped and ignore new firmware.
Give us a way of damage-control on such trouble.
i got the ps3 of 80 gb motor storm pack and i have the GTA IV – MGS4 and more… buth i wan to play the GTA IV and listening my own musik when i play and i can’t the same happends wiht the MGS4 anyone can help me??? PLZZZZ
@430
you got to wait for the developers to release a patch
test
notmarealname, You are missing my point. am pulling for Sony. Complaining and telling Eric Lampert to get his act together as a Director or get a new job does not mean I am against Sony. The fact is, Sony is NOW losing the console competition. They used to be number one and reviews keep pouring in that they are not implementing key features gamers are looking for.
I am a gamer. Sure we use the system as a media player, but as a gamer who plays online with friends, it is very inferior and Sony has been overpromising this for a long time. I am not pulling for Microsoft nor Nintendo, in fact I am suggesting family members get the PS3, but I am ONLY suggesting that because they are not big gamers.
You simply need to calm down and read the industry reviews. I am from the industry, worked for microsoft, my friend is lead at Bungie (Halo), I am 36 and have been doing this for awhile. Sony simply needs to wise up and listen to their core users who spend the money and want them to be number one. Right now, they are not and it IS because consumers, who use their wallet and money to vote on what system is best, NOT THESE BLOGS, they are chosing Wii and 360. Get mad at me?
Here is the quote from PC World today… link follows:
“Thoughts: I’ll be perfectly blunt. XMB Access In-Game should have made its splashy debut when the PS3 shipped back in 2006, because allowing for minor differencing, Xbox 360 owners have been enjoying this functionality for over two years. Now technically the In-Game XMB’s been around since before the PS3 launched, but the feature was temporarily shelved for technical reasons. So while PS3 owners have something to celebrate (and should), it’s worth bearing in mind that most of these features are competition catch-up work, not vanguard trendsetting.”
@ 428 notmyrealname
Well, there are solutions to bring everything in. Problem with the ps3 is the RAM. Today to PS3 is set around 32MB. The OS is taking all the RAM resources, so the one and only solution is to erase all non-gaming features. A video game console is meant for games. So sony must erase the PS3 browser, erase FOLDING@HOME, erase all other stuff that have nothing to do and here only for the “extra”. There is one other solution though..that would be working on new PS3 systems and adding RAM.
;)
I wonder if MS viral marketing pays well these days. :-P
My system has been working fine since the firmware update. (60gb, Dec/06) Hope everyone out there who has problems will be quickly resolved.
I installed 2.40 this afternoon on my PS3 didnt get anything wrong.. i hope u guys fix it to the other people.. i give creds to u guys.. that was fast on stopping it before it affects more users
Suggested improvements for firmware: add option to ‘Shuffle’ pictures in playback/slideshow and under Playlists (you already have this option with Music so why not Photos)? add option to customize clock, move the battery icon, grey-out/remove XMB options that are ‘pointless’ (or at least add the option to make it more steamlined for those of us that don’t want to view all the stuff that we are never going to use), please also add option to give feedback on players (how many more times will I be team killed just because I dared to use the artillary in BF: Bad Company?!
Thanks.
My PS3 is working perfectly, better than ever. PS Store is really fast after the update. Icons pop up in an instant.
SDHD got new life, playing it a lot again. Been trying PAIN a bit too. My PS3 seems perfectly ok, music, streaming, USB, Guitar Hero, MGS4, external hardisk, Foldin Home, Video Chat, BD playback, etc. all work like never before.
I agree on one thing, the fact that a failed Update bricks a Console is BS. Why is there no stepping. Why is the Console Locked at the current highest update. Why is it that even if you Erase your HDD you Must install the Last Highest Version Number. On the PS3 the Firmware and the OS are pretty much the same thing and on every other device you can freely switch versions… I dont understand the issue. Except to say maybe its purely a matter of security.
Should there be a way to Soft test the Update first? To see that the update is running as expected. Then after restart the old version is replaced with the new one Permanently?
Im not going goofy over features but hey a little flexibility in the Updates would go a long way to Eliminate bugs.
Yes, a safe mode like boot would be cool to. Say make it the only way to Update the hardware. But let us download the update from the normal interface. From the safe mode side the system could also provide a few direct utilities to backup Personal settings and key data in an emergency as well as Restore backups after.
Hey i understand that updates take time. But the guy who wrote about the Clock is right. That doesn’t take two years. Much less, I think it that clock is an eye sore.
I’ll take back the PS2 direct interface anyway.
Infact I’m still waiting for some of the Cooler feature they never gave us on the PS2. Plus whatever happened to the neat stuff that was but into the Old PS1 and PSone hardware, the Sound effects and the Visualizers…
I just wont the function so that I can go to the XMB in game and send game requests there. also I would like the function to join other peoples game from the XMB in game. Because its so much easier to jump online and join one of your friends games. those features shouldn’t be that hard to implicate. (get on it sony)
I double Posted this because I really want these features
FEFFIN, Sony cannot control game behavior. You can simply block the player (assuming block works this way like XBOX Avoid Player functionality) I haven’t used block yet. My point though, online gaming is self controlled. You don’t like team killing, find another server. Having Game Developers (they would be the ones responsible anyways) police sites doesn’t work. It has been tried. Just avoid the player yourself.
Eric, please do some catching up. We need Voice Chat, Muting, In Game Invites, Join Friends, Avoid / Recommend Players.
Thanks for implementing these basic features in advance.
Also, please use YouTube videos from now on, on all of the sites. I cannot use your PS3 browser to watch videos you post using Viddler. Ooops!
Pay attention!!
I aint gonna download the XMB virus.. but its cool all you ” In Game ” bastards got it..
Today was a good day- IceCube
Loving 2.40, Kudos.
2.40 works fine with me
I wonder if the FW team was bigger they’d be able to produce some more of the features we wanted?
Sorry anyone who didnt manage to download it or had problems.
Mine worked fine… :)
I downloaded the 2.40 played 4 hours of call of duty sent friend invites and accepted some messed with my bluetooth and then my kids played on the ps3 for a while. No problems here. I am going to go home and back up my game saves just incase. But so far all is good. By the way I do have a swapped out HDD 250gb. And mine is a 40gb ps3
Everyone who wants GTA IV, Call Of Duty 4 should get it on 360, why? We can play custom music whenever we want and in game voice chat. In all honesty the 360 is the answer to PS3.
Also one question, what about the users who haven’t downloaded the v2.40 firmware, will they still be able to log on to the playstation network and view my message I sent them?