Hi everyone. We’ve been listening to all of your feedback about the PS3 and PSP, and with these next firmware updates (coming soon), we’ve added a number of new features and improved some existing functionality to make your PS3/PSP experience even better.
PSP (v5.00) update
Let’s start with the v5.00 update for PSP. In this version, you’ll notice the addition of the PlayStation Network icon on the XMB. You can now sign up for PlayStation Network, manage your account and access PlayStation Store directly from your PSP – meaning you can download games directly to your PSP while connected via Wi-Fi. Getting games, demos and trailers while on-the-go has never been easier! Check out the screen below.
The current PlayStation Store on the PC will be down in the interim as we take some time to revamp. Don’t worry, it will re-launch soon after we’ve made some tweaks. Please keep in mind, if you already have a PlayStation Network account, simply sign in on your PSP using your existing information. The same account and wallet can be used on PS3 and PSP. You will be able to check out the PlayStation Store on the PSP soon, as we’ll have a video demo featuring Grace Chen posted soon on the Blog.
Update v5.00 adds a sleep timer option that can be used while you are playing music on your PSP. In addition, we’ve added a full screen keyboard option for text entry and have redesigned the background of the XMB. You’ll be able to find all of the information on Firmware v5.00 here once it goes live.
PS3 (v2.50) update
Now on to the PS3 v2.50 update. The latest features/enhancements include:
- Support for the PS3 Official Bluetooth Headset – we’ve told you about the upcoming Bluetooth Headset and SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation Bundle on the Blog. This latest firmware installment enables High-Quality (HQ) mode, which delivers clear and wide-band online voice chat. On top of that, an added on-screen indicator shows battery status, volume level and use of HQ mode.
- PlayStation Trophies interface enhancements – I know that many of you are busy collecting trophies and raising your PlayStation Trophy level. This update makes sharing and comparing your trophies with your friends even easier. On 1st part of the profile page you’ll see a symbol under level that represents level and the actual percentage towards the next level along with the existing level meter. The level symbol carries over to the trophy comparison screen where you will now be able to see your level, your friend’s level and the percentage towards the next level for both users along with all of the game by game comparison information you see today.
- Friend status – Offline friends on your Friends list will have information below their avatars that will indicate how long it has been since they were last online.
- Video – This update adds the Scene Search feature similar to the feature on the PSP. Activating this feature while viewing a video on the PS3 will break the video up into scenes that you can quickly access by pressing the X button. You can break the videos into one, two or five minute intervals. In addition, you can now choose to have all of the videos under the video section of the XMB play in sequence. Go to Settings then Video Settings to turn this option on.
- PlayStation Store – We’ve added a redeem codes option right on the store to make it easier to redeem your PlayStation Network Cards and promotion codes. In addition, PlayStation Network Sign Up and Account Management have been redesigned.
- Power Save Settings – You can now set your PS3 and wireless controllers to turn off automatically after set periods of inactivity. Go to Settings then Power Save Settings to turn on these features.
- Background Downloading – You now have the option to set the PS3 to turn off automatically after a background download or installation of content has completed. This option is available when you turn off the system from the button under [Users] while content is being downloaded or installed.
- In-game Screenshots – this tool will allow everyone to capture, share and in other words, immortalize their favorite gameplay moments. This will be supported on a game by game basis. Please check back to find out which games will support this feature.
- In addition to all of the features above there are some additional features and enhancements included in 2.50. Once the update launches, you can read all of the details here.
The support for the Bluetooth Headset will be of particular interest to all of you SOCOM fans. With the “Proximity Chat” feature, SOCOM: Confrontation gameplay is intensified as it allows you to experience high-quality voice playback in full surround sound. Whether the action is near or far, Proximity Chat clearly matches distance to sound effects and voiceovers within the game, putting you in the heart of the action.
Enjoy and please share your thoughts with us.
Hello Eric,
Here is the only thing I’d like for the PSN: PS2 games. I’d like for the beginning Ico, Shadow of the Colossus, Metal Gear Solid 2 (and then 3), and then you put titles that people want.
all need now is..
Password Protect User Accounts
Ability to NOT change System Settings without entering a System Password first (my kids like to change stuff around)
Add Playstation Home to the PSP
Nice update!
I hope though that Sony is really working hard to get direct voice chat enabled. I found it cumbersome to coordinate with my friend a few times on games like WarHawk and SOCOM where you must select what server your going to join.
I’m assuming the plan would to be meet and then exceed that of your competition. Which for the most part is happening but I would like to see the “meet” happen a bit quicker :D.
What a great time to do it with the new headset coming out !!! hehe
Sony you rock!
Keep up the good work.
PSN online status; There are 2 settings. Online and Unavailable. Online is self explanatory.
Setting yourself to Unavailable does not make you appear offline. Instead your blue dot turns orange and shows “Unavailable”. People on your friends list can still see you and what game you are playing.
Wow, wonder how many people have been telling their friends they weren’t online when their friends could actually see them playing…
i cant wait maybe itll come 2nite
And when are they going to upgrade the Ps3 to make it possible to read NTFS external drives?
this update is not bad at all but i like wat ross_k have in mind also… those are some pretty good ideas
Num:12
Thank YOU! :D
very excited for all the new features and i can’t wait to download them.
also what about screen shots for videos?
that would be a great feature for a future update.
Wow, lots of utilitarian goodies, I would only ask for in-game/cross game audio and video chat and the ability to scale images in the PS3 to allow them to be sent via a PSN message. Press triangle on an image preview, select Scale for Message. Then a message box would open with a scaled down version of the image, and you would just need to add a recipient. Oh, how about the ability to send a message and let it go out in the background? I send messages to a list of friends, and sometimes i have to wait a few minutes for the message to complete sending.
Well, I like the update; I really enjoy the different things Sony Playstation has brought to us. From what I’ve read on here, most of the complaints are from people who want an Xbox 360 that has a playstation symbol on it. Aren’t these two different companies making two different systems, I mean thats what i see it as; their are so many differences between the two. Why should companies make the game just like each other, in-time that will become a problem, if you want the Xbox just get that, dont bash playstation because they decided to come out with a different type of machine/system. Okay, I do agree when the PS3 first came out it definitely had some like qualities w/ the other system, but the thing w/ that is non of us works for them and none of us knew what they had in mind b4 it came out. It was all HEAR SAY…. That has continued to this day, with people hearing this person say this, this person say that and its suppose to be true when the creator hasn’t told anyone anything….
Point being PS3 has definitely lived up to expectations in my book; hopefully these PS3 bashers will end their Hatred and stop wanting the PS to be (xbox) something it is not.
P.S. thanks for the update…. Loving every minute w/ my PS3
wow awesome and unexpected update!
full WMV is only going to come when MICROSOFT, MAKES ALL WMV CODEX FREE!!!
(NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN, UNLESS SONY PAYS MICROSOFT A HEFTY BUNDLE OF SWEATY CASH…)
Well color me surprised…most of the community is NOT complaining. :D
Also, nice update.
A “play all” feature! Praise Sony! I’ve honestly been hoping for that to be implemented for ages. But as somebody else said, Skype on PS3 would rock, and if you could use it in-game that’d be totally frickin sweet!
Anyways, thanks for supporting my favourite console.
p.s.
In-Movie-XMB please!
Awesome! Can’t wait.
@teb_60
Obviously you haven’t noticed that the ps3 is supposed to compete with the 360 so Sony can get more people playing the ps3. Most of the features are things that the ps3 should be able to do given all the rhetoric about it being the most powerful system of this generation. Given this talk it’s natural to infer that the 360 is not as powerful as the ps3. But if the 360 is not as powerful as the ps3, then how come it can do things the ps3 can’t do even to this day such as give the user access to music during any game, let them create folders to organize data stored on the drive, chat to friends who may be playing a different game, or invite friends to play a particular game. It’s people like you who complain about complaints who are the true xbots. You want to render the ps3 as the inferior console and allow 3rd party developers more reasons to abandon the ps3. Look at what happened with DMC4, Final Fantasy XIII, and more recently Tekken 6. These developers have turned to the 360 because there are more users in the U.S. who buy their games on the 360. The ps3 needs to get the useful features of the 360 so they woo more customers to ps3. If this happens, hopefully Sony will have an easier time locking down exclusives from 3rd parties, thereby allow the 3rd parties to fully use the ps3’s capabilities instead of dumbing things down to make a ps3 game comparable to the 360. Xbots like you are the ones who have no reason to talk.
the screenshots sound fun.
and nice work on the PSP store. sounds good.
for a system that is said to be very powerful, i find it ridiculous while installing a game or whatever, we can not do anything else during that time, and why is everyone so happy for background downloading when that has been around for quite some time now, power saving, now was that one of the most requested features? i don’t need it. this update is not so much about new features it’s about tweaks and fixes, i’m about to put a sledge hammer through my ps3 if that’s all you got sony.
here i am thinking this update will surely do some competition with microsoft, nope just tweaks and fixes, anybody want to buy a ps3?
Awesome update. Shame the screenshot feature couldn’t become mandetory for all developers.
One small feature that I’d like from the PS3 though would be the ability to display 16:10 resolutions. It sucks having the sides of my screen cut off because I’m on a monitor :(
How is in-game screen capture an update? I’ve been able to do this in Mainichi Issho for a long time now. I didn’t need an update for that. It seems to me that the ability to take a picture in a game and have it saved in your photos has always been built in…otherwise how would you be able to do it with MI?
Thank you for the update, I had a good feeling there was going to be firm ware update for the new mic,,knowing that it is confirmed now I am for sure going out and buying socom to get that headset!! woot.
cant wait.
Sweet update i can not wait for it.When the update coming out anyway ^^.
@S-E-G
I agree with some of the features that you mentioned should be standard by now. However, I would urge you to stay vigilant and keep requesting them on this blog regularly. If more people like you remind the firmware developers of what work they need to do each week maybe in a short while it will happen.
@S-E-G
Just look at in-game xmb. Lots of people consistently complained that it was missing thereby reminding the firmware developers of where there priorities should lay.
Hey this might be kind of off topic but i am a MAJOR killzone fanboy and i want to get into the killzone 2 beta BADLY. so when are the beta invites being sent out?
i hope i get in early :(
who ever wants to know my sad story about killzone 2 and my relationship with it, just respond.
Skype, Skype, Skype, Skype!!!! When will we get Skype for the PS3. There already exists Skype capability on the PSP, though the PSP camera attachment has yet to be released in the U.S. Why on Earth do we not have access to Skype of the PS3. Please, please, please Sony, give the PS3 Skype capability!!!!
@ 522 S-E-G
You are very right my friend. I feel the same way. At least we are getting updated slowly =}. Eventually we will catch up to the 360. Don’t forget our 10 year plan. 8 more years to go.
Thank you for the update guys. When can we expect to download this FW update?
I have a theory that the PS3 2.50 update will happen either sometime tonight or tomorrow. I believe this because the update allows the new headset to work and Socom comes out tomorrow with the headset. So I doubt they would release a headset that is not functional with the PS3.
@530
The perfect thing to do your right. Is a win-win situation for both and will be more successful than in the psp.
Ah, I like the auto-shutdown update, and the screen shots depending on which games utilize them. A welcome update!
sleep timer, heck yeah needed one of them, friend info, awesome, let’s me keep record and see if my friends are just dodging me, lol, video skipping and continuous playlist, very hand indeed! In-game Screens!!!! Very awesome in deed, but the downer is it’s looking like that’s up to the devs like in-game music? which really hasn’t taken off, like the work continuing on trophies, breakin it down some, awesome! Anyways always love me some update news!
Thanks for the update Eric.
Very nice updates coming and also glad you’re listening to us and adding this stuff.
So when do we get Skype on PS3? (like skype on PSP) And after that, when do we get in-game skype on PS3?
This is really great news. A new PSP plus new firmware to access the PSN all in one week. Good work guys.
@530:
Nice to see someone els strugeling for a PS3-skype feature!
Can the next firmware update add PS2 backwards compatibility to all PS3s? K thanks.
p.s. SOCOM!!!!
awesome update, probably coming out tonight? or is it out already?
[quote]All games will have the capability to support in-game screenshots. It’s up to the developers to offer this feature, and we expect that they’ll want to do so for new titles. Some developers may decide to patch previously released games as well.[/quote]
Well that’s kinda stupid. Why can’t you make it so you don’t have to leave it up to the developers let alone you did it that with the in-game music. What’s next, it’s up to the developers if they want you to play their game!? I am not trying to be rude and this is a nice update but, doing that really suffocates this kind of feature. Especially for older games that are not going to get patched.
What a good update! I can not wait to download this system update.
How about some more new functionality with the PlayStation Eye Camera (moving the xmb around with your hand, use voice commands to control the xmb, etc.)? I think that I am getting bored of the camera right now.
P.S. I have a question. If I am doing a system update and the lights suddenly go out, a blackout…will I be able to turn on my system and do the system update again, since it says do not turn off the system during update.
Sorry if this has been asked before but does the PS3 have sequential playback of videos stored on the harddrive/external device? If so, where?
Well I know I’m way late in this reply.. I couldn’t reply when this was posted.. I don’t know if this would need a firmware update, but I’d like the option to buy games from the PSN for other people.. like have an option to enter their PSN ID and maybe get a code for them to redeem it or maybe even have it show up in their download list.
Que buena Actulizacion… pero aun les faltan muchas cosas:
This is what we are missing:
(some have just been added in FW 2.5/5, so check out the rest)
PS3 features:
– Ingame XMB for PS2/PS1 games
– Playstation Movie Store
– Ingame Playstation Store
– Ingame music [music accessible from XMB anytime with any game]
– Cross-game invites
– Appear Offline feature, allowing us to appear offline to friends
– Ability to change the font color on the XMB [with no background interference]
– Password protection on PS3 system startup / USER login
– Send more than 1 picture to a friend
– Voice messaging / Voice Recognition
– Skype on PS3
– Radio on PS3
– Avatar of our choice
– Ability to send PS3 messages from PC, PSP or Cellphone (Sony Ericson). Additionally the ability to send video, audio files and themes to PSN friends.
– Sound notification when receiving a message, friend signed in, chat invitation..etc
– Multiple internet configurations/connections
– Audio and video chat in-game
– Ability to continue a download while watching a bluray movie / playing a game / playing a ps2 game / ps3 is on standby mode
– PERFORM DOWNLOAD AS BACKGROUND for every single download, from firmwares to game patches
– Auto-install completed downloaded demos
– Auto-PS3 shutdown once a download is over / Auto-standby after _ minutes
– Sleep timer
– Turn off the controller after a certain time of inactivity
– Personalize tune at startup/shutdown login/logoff
– Screen and video capture
– Additional Video and Audio format support
– Web browser: Ability to copy-paste
– PS2 games purchasable via the store and/or installable from our discs to the PS3 HDD
– Ability to download GAME patches from PC, just like FW updates
Online Features:
1) Be able to watch a friend play, from your screen
To make myself clearer, let’s take an example: JUSTIN.TV
You play, recording yourself with your webcam and broadcasting your gameplay to the entire world. Anybody coming on your channel will be able to see you play. So basically, what i am saying here is a concept pretty much similar. When online on PSN , it would be great to have a feature that lets you connect to your friend’s game and watch him play….In other terms, i would be a ‘Spectator’.
2) Take in-game videos screenshots, and being able to host them online directly from the PSN
The PSN lets you (although still very limited) upload in-game footage directly to YouTube. Well, that’s good for a start isn’t it, but i mean….YouTube? No. Just no. SCE need to set up a private video sharing website, in which all content would not only be in HD, but also uploaded directly from our consoles.
3) Stuck in a game? Meet the Virtual Walkthrough!
Let’s admit it folks, we’ve all got stuck in games..and still do. One of the game i most used a walkthrough was Zelda: Twilight Princess. I can vaguely remember the number of pages i printed off the GAMEFAQ walkthrough, but it certainly was above 30. Aren’t you fed up with that? Moving to your PC to look for the solution ; Making sure you always have papers and cartridge ready, cause if you don’t you’d have to constantly come-and-go from console to PC ; Reading the walkthrough while playing..well believe me i am. I believe it is time we have a Virtual Walkthrough. In other terms, an in-game walkthrough that would help us in our ’stuck’ situations, and lead us to the solution.
4) Not an online feature, but a feature in general..a really important one: Game Cutscenes accessible anytime
Am i the only one who wishes i could re-watch all cutscenes from the games i play? I’m sure i’m not. I believe this is a game developer decision, and not a console manufacturer’s, but whoever it is they must hear us: We want to watch all cutscenes from the games we’ve completed ANYTIME. Whether it’s on the Disc itself (unlocked after completing the game maybe), or an option to have them all transfered to our HDD, we want it!
5) Organized Clan Management System
Clans Clans Clans..Numerous clans exist for nearly every online game available today. A great feature would be the integration of an Organized Clan Management System. The use of such a system would basically let console users to not only group the clan members, but actually manage the entire clan overall: Have a motto, a logo, statistics, …etc
In other terms, Clan Identification. An mIRC equivalent would also be a critical addition, as it could offer the following features:
*Finding scrims
*Communicating with other teams and league officials pre and post match
*Score bots. Dump live match information from match servers into an irc channel
*Finding ringers
*Finding PUGS (Pick Up Games)
*Recruiting
6) Eliminate P2P ; Dedicated Servers ONLY
The majority of console games today use P2P for online play. P2P is not only cheap, but so terrible that it makes the online experience virtually unplayable. Eliminate P2P ; and let the console online experience expand through Dedicated Servers.
7) PSN Game Reviews
You know how when you play a game, the titles displays under your PSN username? Well, the game review feature will follow the same concept: you will be able to review only the games that you play. Rate the game out of 10. Then Sony could do an official user rating list, which will basically be an official list made out of all user ratings, and that could be checkable by all ps3 users anytime.
Trophy Ranking
The title says it all. A worldwide / Regional trophy ranking list.
9) Official Sony Calendar
Basically, a calendar created by SCE, available on the PSN and accessible at any time. The calendar will offer numerous features, such as:
*Video games and BluRay release dates [according the region you live in]
*Events dates [E3, GC, TGS, CES]
i think they know what we all want by now, they are just not getting it done or saving it for ps4, right now they are just trying to catch up to uncle bill, it’s frustrating really, if it’s really that big of a problem adding in-game chat, just package the ps3 with a psp and a skype headset and a psp cam, problem solved, that’s the only feature i really want is in-game chat,other features are minor, i want to be able to invite a friend to chat and not get cut off when exiting a game, this has to be THE top requested feature of all for ps3, i’m thinking it’s not possible for them to do it with the current XMB Dashboard cause it looks like they will be giving us that feature only in HOME,so maybe you should scrap the XMB and replace it with HOME if that would help solve that issue. and please put more people to work on this, i’m really close to trading this dusty machine off for a 360
Hopefully in the next update:
1)USB controller charging during PS3 standby
2)In/cross-game voice chat
3)Be able to listen to your music even when going through the settings column in the xmb
4)Better text messages management (maybe -something like aim?)
5)The ability to send voice messages to our friends
6)Support for all wmv videos
Other than that this update is really great. Looking forward to getting it on my PS3.
Additional USB Stick support????
I bought a 16GB USB stick to eventually backup my HDD and install a larger drive.
It does not recognise the drive but the 1 GB sticks I have work fine.
Any ideas on additional USB stick compatibility???
@549…did you format the USB stick as FAT32?
@550.
Yes…! :)
Done all that chief…Added PS3 folder and all that stuff too…just thought it was weird.
I love it all, especially the friend status and in-game screenshots. PS Store on PSP looks great too. Very well played.