Hi everyone, PlayStation 3 (PS3) firmware update (v3.00) adds a number of great new features that we’re excited to share with you. The latest update incorporates changes that improve navigation on your PS3. First, you’ll notice some cosmetic changes to the design of the XMB (Xross Media Bar). We’ve enhanced the look and feel of the XMB so that it’s easier and even more intuitive to use. We’ve also added network improvements and personalization options to help enhance your PS3 experience.
Additional highlights from update 3.00 include:
- “What’s New” – The “Information Board” will be replaced with a “What’s New” section, which allows you to enjoy interactive PlayStation news every time you start the PS3 system. Located under the PlayStation Network icon, “What’s New” displays the latest and greatest game, video, PlayStation Network and PlayStation news and releases, as well as your recently played games, in a sleek, new animated format.
- Status Indicator – In the top right corner we’ve added an indicator bar, which displays your user icon, friend icon, the number of friends you have online and a small message icon to let you know if you have any new messages. The indicator also includes a scrolling ticker that features the latest news from PlayStation Network. In addition, when you press the PS button, the battery life indicator will no longer cover up the clock.
- Friends List – Now your PlayStation Network friends will appear in a slightly redesigned format on your Friends List. Also, messages will now be viewable from each of your friends’ respective profiles.
- PlayStation Store Shortcuts – We’ve added a handy shortcut icon to the PlayStation Store under both the Game and Video categories so you can access the latest content quickly and easily.
- Personalization – Personalize your PS3 with new dynamic custom themes and avatars. Dynamic themes as well as free and premium avatars will be available through PlayStation Store. A dynamic theme takes your screen to a whole new level as it incorporates animated objects into the background.
- Trophies – Showcasing your hard earned trophies just got better. Update 3.00 gives game developers the ability to modify how they display trophies for add-on content. Base and add-on game trophies will continue to be combined into a single list so you can see where you stand in a game as a whole. Within that list, trophies will be broken out into subcategories—base trophies and add-on trophies—that way, you can easily view the percentage of your base game trophy collection, and separately track your trophy progress in add-on packs. Look for this enhancement to be included in upcoming games.
To get a preview of what’s coming in update 3.00, check out the video below:
We’re looking forward to releasing firmware update 3.00 soon. As always, we appreciate your feedback.
come on sony, youve had plenty of time to catch up to the Xbox 360… give us at least SOME of these features (believe me, adding this will get you more support than adding new freakin avatars, although its still a nice gesture)
***!!!- CROSS GAME CHAT (VOICE CHAT PLEASE, NOT JUST TEXT) AND INVITES!!
11!!!***- SOME KIND OF PARTY MODE, SO YOU CAN PLAY AND TALK WITH YOUR FRIENDS AS YOU ALL MOVE FROM MATCH TO MATCH, OR GAME TO GAME.
**DOWNLOAD GAME PATCHES IN THE BACKGROUND!!
**FASTER LOADING WHEN VIEWING PROFILES
*NETFLIX SUPPORT (not crucial, though it would be cool)
everything else that i forgot..
I beg you. please add this stuff SOON!!!!! It would be the icing on the cake to the ps3 slim and the price cut and stuff!!!! im not trying to sound ungrateful for all the free updates that you’ve already provided, but PLEASE ADD THIS STUFF QUICK!!!!!!!11!!1!
the new heads up display is a great idea and the moving themes i have wanted for a while now great job guys new update is the best out there
excellent!!!!!
I have no respect for Eric at all. We are screaming Cross Game Chat and he doesn’t even talk about it like we are dumb and ignorant. Screw these people.
I surely hope that most of these new features include the ability to turn them off like the old information bar. I understand the want to have the store in the forefront but I much preferred it when it just started the user off in the game section. I have other ways to find out what new games are comming out and don’t need it cluttering my XMB.
One little thing I would like to see again is changing a feature back to pre 2.40. I used to be able to press the PS button while watching a movie on a hard drive and the movie would still play while I did other things on the XMB. I liked that feature, but since 2.40 it pauses the video.
WHEN CAN I LISTEN TO MUSIC WHILE I PLAY VIDEO GAMES??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
OH MY GOD
NOW ITS EASIER FOR ME TO WASTE MORE MONEY!!! YAAAAAAA
john: whats up dave?
dave: nothing much man, lets get chris in this party and play some games!
john: dude…. were on psn
FIX THAT
I wish further firmware can be “a little open” to let “people” to write “plug-ins” to play more formats of video, such as rmvb, etc.
With all the complaining going on, it will be really funny if they released a update stating in game chat and cross game chat are also in teh update.
i want it as much as everyone else, i’m sure they are working on it.
people want chat and invite improved. they want in game music. they want ps2 support. they want more codecs. they want more personalization (NOT paid avatars, more like uploaded JPGs), maybe more visualizers and whatnot.
aside from nicer themes (congrats, this could be nice, if logo soaked in most cases) and a trivial repair (battery status), these are all designed to sell us more stuff and add clutter instead of improve our experience. not cool.
The only thing I would like to see is A PS2 emulator for the new Ps3’s. They could make one if they wanted too, but it not important to them. My thing is on the last price cut they pulled the ps2 chip. Just makes wounder what they pulled from this new slim model doesn’t it.
for the people asking for custom avatars, there will most likely nover be a feature. there is no way for them to filter inappropriate content other than people spamming complaints. i say most likely because things to change over time. Maybe they will find a way. it’s not an important piece of the ps3 puzzle.
why the hell is fw 3.0 coming out on sept 1st? So screw the people who have ps3s right now…huh sony
378 more comments to go
Where da hell its in-game cross chat and invite? OMG!!!!!!!!!!I’M DONE XBOX 360 HERE I COME. I’m not spending a dollar on Sony products ever again. PSN it’s all you guys care about.
What about the ability to lock our user accounts from the start up screen with a password. Something like what windows does at the start of the operating system?
i’m loving the next level.
This is a great update. I can’t wait till it goes live! So? When???!!!
Hey, I like the fact that we finally get new avatars. Can’t wait to see what they look like.
Big old ‘meh’ from me. Still needs a lot of improvements to even get close to the ‘other’ guys online system.
Sony i <3 you!!
My jaw dropped, cant wait.
Only one more feature and that's Cross Game Chat, and thats it! :D
I like it so far but.
Are there other animation options for the audio play then the globe , sparkle and that other one. I also want the option for personal msg on friends bar be a few word longer , Hope the new avatars are much cuter then the current options. Can I press the PS button while watching a dvd or blueray without exit and check some msg cuz I miss that right there. Love the new theme animation by the way can’t wait.
All this time waiting for the next update to find out it’s PS Store short cuts and glitter in the background? :'(
Now this is why I’m a proud owner of the PS3! Keep up the excellent work Sony…luv yuh!
Where is cross game voice chat?
Why cant we send voice messages?
FAIL
PSN < Xbox Live
I agree with RMONTER. You guys should really make this user’s protection with a password and i wanna listen to music while i play games.But it stayed really nice.
But why there is no PS2 B/C ? ;(
Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy ????????
good news. we are slowly catching xbox live.. keep it up sony, glad to hear you addressing servers with the network improvements.
You can tell they don’t read the forums too see what the customers want. :(
Still no cross game chat??? wow that is lame. no ps2 bc either
What about in-game voice chat
Honestly I am a little disappointed. For a full digit advancement on firmware I was expecting something more, I know everyone wants everything, but I was just really expecting something more. No Backwards Compatabiltiy, not even a PS2 PSN. Thats what I was hoping most for. No cross game chat, no voice mail, you know Sony/Eric, one of the most BASIC things I would like to see on PSN, and frankly I’m surprised its not there yet is the ability to sign in as invisible onto PSN. You know like on a chat/messenger service? Now don’t get me wrong, I love you guys, and ALL our free firmware updates, I think you are doing a great job improving things constantly for us, I’m just saying it seems like nothing anybody asked for other than the battery symbol covering the clock is being implemented. Thanks for dynamic themes though, that will be cool if we can maake our own, if its just a way to get more of our money though count me out. Whatever happened to being able to watch our movies and share our pics and music with friends in home anyways? Anyhow, I am very excited that the new slim unit might expand our base, and bring us all more friends to play with. Thank you Sony for all your work.
this is great. thanks
cross game voice chat is taking a while tho i think its the most wanted feature
oh and will you announce Canada video store soon?
Awesome more stuff for us to buy! How about Cross game voice chat like we have asked for for 3 years.
Yea teeli maybe by the time the 10 year cycle is up they will catch up to live. At this rate anyway.
awsome hope you can be able to change your online ID
OMG i cant wait for this!!!
Awesome update.. but where is cross game chat?!?!?
Least we are getting new avatars thank god!
Fluff.
Add this Sony;
Better party chat system (cross-chat) etc. like 360.
BC
Mw2 vids, avatars, themes.
something new, like gamepoints.
PS2 Backwards Compatibility. PLEASE
LOVE the new XMB and themes and PSN intereface!
I just want an option for activate new message display and deactivate friends connection/disconnection display.
So seriously..
What’s happening with DIVX7 and MKV support.
PS3 is supposed to be Divx Ultra certified..
i want DIVX7! i think my main usage of the ps3 is to watch divx on it.. please bring us DIVX7 support with MKV containers and H.264/X.264
What I would like to see it the possibility to custemise the XMB while in a game. like removing all unneccesery things, like in the setting tab. I don’t need to fixs date and time setting while in a game. get my point?
Thanks once again Sony for adding more useless CRAP to the XMB and not focusing on something you idiots touted as a ‘major selling point’ of the PS3 at launch(backwards compatability).
I wish you morons would make these updates OPTIONAL for those of us who don’t want to be bothered with this garbage you always seem to focus on.
Now….if you added software backward compatability into the newest FW patch, I’d gladly download it. But this is just going to be a huge waste of time like always for junk that some MAY utilize.
However, I don’t care about trophies or any of the other rubbish you put into this.
So thanks again….friggin’ idiots.
These are all great COSMETIC improvements, but I’m still looking for xross game voice chat. Perhaps soon?
Outstanding. Thanks for continuing to improve the PS3.
come on still no cross game invite and chat. SONY this is just unacceptable now. How many years now and we don’t have these two features that most ps3 owners want. I don’t want any other features until this one is taken care of first.
I WANT Cross game voice chat!!!!!
I WANT Voice messages!!!!!!!!
THIS UPDATE IS GARBAGE