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.
Christina Lee =]
Great update, but I think that you need to add these ten feachers…
1) Party Chat
2) Multiple Login in
3) Backwards comparability
4) Better, faster, and more affiant web browser
5) More additions to the Playstation store
6) Faster download times for movies in the PS store
7) Some new USER icons (offline ones)
8) Some sort of subscription fee for movies
9) Ability to watch movies with friends
10) Ability to appear offline
I am waiting for MULTI-USER sign in like I have on my 360. My wife hates to play on the PS3 with me because she can’t sign in at the same time and earn her own trophies. This was possible on the 360 from day 1. What’s the deal, Sony?
when is dis out man its sick still
Great concept for What’s New and the Playstation Store. No more wasted minutes spent opening, browsing, and closing the Store to see what’s new.
I also like the improved Playstation Network corner. Themes? Sorry, but that doesn’t enhance my ability to communicate, nor do I even use any other theme other than the original Playstation theme. I am very disappointed to see no improvement on the ability to communicate across PSN and with friends. 3.00 will be seen as a major let down for many.
I am wondering how user created themes will work with this new dynamic theme. Ever since the blog released that article on how to create your own PS3 Theme, I have been doing just that. Now I’m wondering if you guys can show us how to make our own dynamic theme?
Wow. Really exited for this update. Wish I could go to sleep now and wake up on the first.
People who enjoy this update must have been dropped on their heads when they were born.
all we need is for phone compatibility via bluetooth. that would be siick!
I don’t really like the idea of having a playstation store symbol under everything, and that dumb ‘what’s new’… but what are you going to do? Guess we’re stuck with it.
Unfortunately I and I’m sure everyone else are still looking forward to cross game chat, such as X-Box 360. Still, it looks like this update is worth the wait
PLEASE, copy from media servers on the background!
The Status indicator is the most needed feature for this upgrade.
Is Software BC still on the todo list? I hope so.
Whats new is also good, I just will like to know when a game goes free in the psn store!
meh , now who wants cross game chat with the new price tag should come cross game chat huh whos with me
I thought v3.0 was suppose to be huge? Moving themes and a ticker? Noboby asked for that. People have asked for the SAME things over and over and over. Maybe it is time Sony did actually read the responses instead of saying they. This is BS
FORGET THESE LOSERS. THE MORE THEY ASK FOR CROSS GAME CHAT, THE LONGER I HOPE ERIC LEMPELL AND CREW WONT EVEN LOOK INTO ADDING IT. THX FOR THE NEW FIRMWARE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. OH, AND IN GAME XMB MUSIC WOULD BE APPRECIATED!
I just wonder. If Sony is listening to us PS3 owners, then how many folks demanded that we get sparkles in the XMB background or we wouldn’t buy a PS3? Which customers did you listen to when you came up with adding more PS store marketing locations to the XMB?
I don’t see this as anything but a Sony Marketing driven update, and not a customer requested update. It almost seems that version 3.0 (usually implying a major update) is primarily to support the Slim PS3 hardware, with a few sparkles thrown in ;-)
I’ll throw in my feedback for what I would like in a future update (besides the cross game chat), which affects at least 10% of the population… How about letting us customize the controls within the PS3 Operating System (XMB) so us left handed folks can swap buttons and sticks around as we please? Heck even the right handers would love this feature, because then they could customize their controls too, regardless of what customization limitations the game had. It would make it EASIER on your developers, because now they don’t code in any customization routines for the controls, and the PS3 core handles it consistently across all games. You just need to add an efficient and simple translation layer in the hardware drivers – if I move the right stick, tell the game it’s the left stick moving… You could even allow each game to have it’s own “profile” of controller settings.
This is awesome! It really is!
But really, please, please, please, PLEASE.
Cross. Game. Chat.
I’m beggin’ you here.
Oh one quick question though, how do we get to the email from there? Just like normal, press the PS button and scroll over to the mail box? Or will there be a special option? Like pressing SELECT while in the XMB or something? We don’t use SELECT for anything, right? That’d be pretty cool, instant friend/mail access.
The really big thing that us PSN users are waiting for is In Game Voice chat, and make it to were we can invite and talk to any of our friends at anytime.
When are they going to add that DTS–HD Decode? At least Bit rate compatible?
The Themes are Sweet, i just can’t find them on the PSN
I am pretty excited about new avatars… the ones on there now are just kinda eh, disappointing. I hope all of the new ones aren’t just based off of the games. I hope there are more girlish ones..lol. :P
The one thing that bugs me about this update is how it will automatically load and open the “Whats New” section. I really hope there is an option to turn it off because I don’t even use the XMB right now. I like how my PS is now, simple and clean. I don’t need something thrown in my face everytime I log in. I like being logged in then being able to choose where I go after that.
The PS store icons under the game/video sections seem a bit cluttery and out of place to me. Just my opinion.
Something I would like to see is a better profile system. What can you really tell other people about yourself in 26 (is that it?) characters? I would also like to see more status choices available, such as Invisible, or Busy. :)
Ha, didn’t mean I didn’t use the XMB, I meant the little Information Board.
gonna sell my glossy 40gig with updated 320HDD. Put the 320HDD in the new slim and put the slims 120HDD in my old PS3 and sell for $225…now all we need is a firmware update for backwards comparability for all non-backwards compatible PS3 and the slims plus the ones that are not will sell like hot cakes…duh SONY!!!
Hey, the new update looks awesome, but I’m guessing the video store is still only in the US. Bring it to Canada please! Now that Europe also has a video service, we Canadians really feel left out.
man i want this update when is it coming out it looks so cool
I like it. Looks like it will make things easier for us..
Sweet
Hello, I would like to make you aware of a problem that exists for people who own HDTVs that only do 480p and 1080i.
People who have 480/1080 only TVs are forced to play any game that only supports 720p in 480p. Is it possible for Sony to add support to scale all games to 1080i/p like the Xbox 360 does? I currently avoid buying games that do not support 1080 resolution, which is sadly quite a few of them.
It is a major fail for Sony to have a “High Def” system that has this type of issue.
See Forum Theads:
http://forums.littlebigworkshop.com/lbp/board/message?board.id=pod&thread.id=347&page=1
and
http://boardsus.playstation.com/playstation/board/message?board.id=ps3&thread.id=1543693&page=1
(550 pages!)
For more details.
I’d LOVE to have a statement from Sony regarding this issue. They seem to have buried their heads in the sand over this.
More links:
http://www.1080ps3.com/
http://www.criteriongames.com/article.php?artID=70
http://www.beyond3d.com/content/articles/16/1
Sad face still no cross game chat or voice messaging
Dear Sony, please don’t turn the PS3 into the equivalent of a teenage girl’s cell phone. Thanks.
thank you sony.you guys are badass as always
@1193
:QUOTE:
Another suggestion. Can you Please make a back up method that allows you to choose what info you wanted backed up. Maybe a check box method whith categories such as Game Save Data, Videos, Music, Games & Demos, etc.
:END QUOTE:
I would like an option for backing up saves only as well.
I hate trophies and want the option to opt out. If I wanted achievements and much of the other crap shown in this update, I would have just bought a 360.
The only thing I do want is cross game chat… you keep giving us games with broken voice chat (UT3, Battlefield 1943, Sacred 2) and we can’t play online and actually talk to other people. If you can’t make devs ensure voice chat actually works when releasing a game then give us XMB based voice chat we can use! Everything else is just a waste of time.
Also, I hated the information board and don’t want a scrolling advertisement of what’s new… there better be an option to disable it!
Please quit trying to be Microsoft… I bought Playstation for a reason… to play games… games that should work. Spend your time, R&D and money on that instead of crap.
Sorry if I sound harsh… but I would just love to actually play BF1943 or Sacred 2 and actually talk to my friends without voice chat failing… was hoping 3.0 would fix this but apparently not. :(
Will the BBC Iplayer feature also be available for the US?
another Awesomeness !!!! hope it comes out soon ! =D
Good one Sony keep up this great work and don’t listen to these sick people that just complain.
the only thing that i actually enjoy with the fw 3.0 is they moved the battery status icon, good work.. only took you like 1 year to do.
@1190
never complain for something that you get for free. I suppose you would feel a little bit more grateful if you ever consider the possibility we may one day have to pay these.
sony cant make everyone happy any time they update the firmware.what the hell is wrong with people like you.
Do you know Sony’s policy on feedback and suggestions:
http://www.sony.com/faq.shtml
I’ve got a great idea. How do I tell Sony about it?
It is the policy of Sony Corporation of America not to accept and/or review unsolicited ideas not covered by issued patents.
That’s why they don’t read or listen to our feedback… it’s company policy so as not to have Legal issues on implementing new features. I hear that their developers are pretty well isolated so as not to violate this policy.
I wonder if the developers even know we want these features? The last line of the article is likely only soliciting feedback for implemented features in 3.0, and not new feature suggestions like cross game chat.
sounds great and everything but i think yall should include an automatic resolution detector… I KNOW i’m not saying it right so here’s my problem, i have 2 hdtv’s. 1 is 1080p and d other only supports 1080i and so whenever i want 2 move d ps3 from my 1080p tv to the 1080i i have to turn it on and take it off 1080p switch it to 1080i and i think that sucks and takes up 2 much damn time!!!
Is it true that the linux function are disabled on all PS3 with the FW 3.0?
Looks amazing! Hope there’s cross game chat..Notice how he doesn’t go into/demonstrate the friends trophy row.
Doesn’t talk about it that much either..Maybe there’s a lot more too it? Maybe they’re keeping some stuff secret =D
Lookin Forward to the new system update, gona be even easier to use the xmb, besides that lovin the new loook makes the background look alive and the animated themes awsome..hope the we get cross gamin vioce chat soon
I seriously think you guys should hire the PSP homebrew teams out there to work for you guys. They’ve made more progress on the PSP then you guys ever will. They have custom soundtracks! No matter what they play. They had PS1 emulation MONTHS before you did. You know its bad when a bunch of hackers make more progress then you. Wake up!
One thing that would be really nice is a Skype application added on. Maybe next update Sony?
version 3.00 looks awsome. I cant wait for it!!!
we don’t need sparkles. we need software-based emotion engine emulation (which we know you’ve already patented), more supported AV codecs, game upscaling, and cross-game chat.
good but when are u going to make it we can play games and listen to music whennnnnnnnnnnn
Wow,
First off I want to say thanks for the firmware updates. It really shows how you guys are trying to improve your console and show the amount of support you give us.
However, I think it is time Eric Lampel have a PSBlog interview. I mean he is the Director, PlayStation Network Operations, so I think it is time he answers some of our questions.
Let us know that you are working on these features, and the community as a whole can relax. We are all used to having instant gratification. But, when you continue to what we we believe you ignore, our requests it really hurts the community.
Eric Lampel, I asking you to do a PSBLOG video interview. Answer some of our questions. Or you can ask the community to think of a feature you would like to have on the PS3. People can then cast in their suggestions and the community can vote on it. People would have to either log into HOME or can select a choice on the PSBLOG.
I mean the community is waiting, you’ve ask for feedback and you have 1245 of them so far. A reply back is all were asking for. To let us know the features we want are coming out soon.
when is this update going to be available?!?!?!
The linux partition will be blocked in this firmware to big-PS3?