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.
im gonna go with many of the other people on this one…
purely cosmetic, with more attempts to get me to spend my money in the store.
leave out the new store icons… i know where it is… if i want to buy something i will get there without the help of a store icon everywhere i look.
and as far as cross game chat is concerned, i could care less… but if are really as many people asking for it as ive seen… id listen sony.
Hopefully Sony will soon will enable a multi-user login feature. Still, this is a cool new update.
So can we know listen to ower personal music while playing games like kill zone 2 and stuff like that? Please reply =)
@M4XXi3_969
currently the ps2 price in Europe in 50€ which isn’t much more than $50, still why should we hve 2 consoles taking up space when it is possible to have it all in 1 single machine?! your comments are of an spoilled little brat. I payed for my 80gb the same as you paid for your 60gb, so why can’t I have the same?
We will keep on asking for BC updates, it’s on our right as customers, we do not need any brat to come and try to tell us off just because we ask for what we rightfully deserve.
@ #1605: You deserve nothing. Your sense of entitlement makes me lol. You chose not to buy a PS3 at launch, and the reality of the situation is that it no longer offers BC. Sony doesn’t HAVE to support it anymore if they don’t want to, or if it’s just not feasible.
By your logic, I have the right to demand that my toaster come with the ability to roast a turkey. Something it is not meant for, yet I want anyway. The PS3 is no longer meant to play PS2 games. We have dirt cheap PS2’s for that now. And besides, with the size of the PS3 Slim, you can sit a PS2 Slim beside it and it takes up just as much room (maybe only slightly more) as if you had the phat PS3 sitting there on it’s own.
Sony just doesn’t understand how many people want the game cross chat update.
This is a sign for me that sony doesn’t listen to us. Is it that hard to put a game cross chat in it? come on Sony what a let down.
Why more PSStore icons, I know where to find the store so what the hell is the problem?
Cross game chat please. But good update all the same. It’ll be nice to see when I have mail without having to go all the way into my mail box. Not sure the extra store icons are necessary cuz I already know where to go when I want to open the store… it’s just going to be another icon that I’ll need to skip over. Ah well. Dynamic themes and new avatars are welcomed. I can understand paying for those dynamic themes, but a premium avatar? That’s kind of silly, it takes no effort to create an avatar and thus should not cost anything. Everything else seems pretty good. But yes, party/cross game chat should be a priority on the next update. Anyways, there’s my feeback! I appreciate the update.
@#1606
well excuse me or even your welcome if my sense of entiltement makes you “lol”.
true that I chose not to buy a ps3 at launch, but what does that has to do with anything? sadly the country I live in, has no regard for gamers, and I mean no regard at all! most of the console versions we get must be the worst versions, imo? the versions are so good, that I can’t even find the model I got in here: http://playstation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/playstation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=232&p_sid=Jkh5-fGj
so yeah, I still think that in a way sony should care about if those who didn’t went almighty and bought the ps3 at launch should or not get BC. and I haven’t read anything official from sony saying that they won’t have all available models with a working BC.
following ur way of thinking though, I guess I should just throw out my current ps3, buy me a ps3 slim and use both my ps2 slim and ps3 slim instead?! now that makes sense….
not impressed…come on it’s almost 3 years give us something worthy
still any position or reply to voice chat, party or private or cross game.. anything.. and I really can’t understand why this silence.. indifference..
please let us know, the only thing and feature we’re asking you since many years now
there int no point of playstation store when there int much games on it. all the games A-Z should be in the store soo you dont need to go to the stores to buy a games thats what the store should be for, update and put in evry single game thats owt on ps3 old or new sum ppl want ps1 games an sum want ps2 evry single game should be in the store that should be updated so there int no need to go to the stores to buy a game, since they update the store and the network features they should change the online status so you can appear ofline an other options, we should now be able to send an recive video and music files from the message box, the web browser should be updated there still alot of things that need atention for sony all this should be in this update when it releses
THE MAIN THING THEY REALLY NEED UPDATING IS THIS, THEY SHOULD LET U SEND AN RECIVE OTHER FILES LIKE MUSIC AND VIDEOS I MAINLY GO ON MSN FOR THIS AND IF THE PS3 HAS THIS THATS ALL I WANT UPDATE IT PLEASE
ok now this what they need.
1. cross game chat
2. better text chat features
3. better web browser
4. to be able to send other files like music and videos.
5. msn, aim. facebook etc, on the xmb,
6. to be able to do downloads for games etc while playing a game or when its on standby,
7. to be able to download all the games for ps3 etc from the store,
8. chat rooms for psn (home abit boring)
9. to be able to use the headset while lisnin to music and browsing the web etc,
10. should let us conect any bluetooth device e.g mobilephones etc to the ps3
11.should be able to sonnect any wireless keybored to ps3 if not done oready.
11. different types of chat rooms to meet new people.
this update mainly for the store an shortcuts, we really didnt need this update but the icons on the right thats the best thing about this update, sony needs to put all these features in soon as they can alot of people will be happy
copy an paste the comment i just sent an add you own to it sony int gonna be readind over 1000 comment about this update but if you all copy this an add your own its gonna be hard for them to miss it soo all the best copy an paste :)
1) A unified invite system so that when I accept the invite it takes me straight to the game. If that feature is already there for developers to use then they really should. If it’s not, it should be and it should be made mandatory.
2) Party system – so we can join up with our mates no matter what games we are playing and chat/jump into games together.
3) When an XMB message pops up (Chris is online, You have a message) and you click the guide button – it opens the message or profile. Also be able to leave voice messages.
4) Not cutting the signal to my TV when booting into a game. It doesn’t happen on the 360, I don’t know why it does on my Playstation but it’s annoying.
5) Forcing developers to put a trial version of their PSN game on the PSN.
6) Instant Messenger support. The 360 has MSN, why not support something similar that works cross platform so we can talk to our PC/360 friends. This would help advertise the PS3 and their exclusives because people would be able to see that we are playing Heavy Rain, LBP, Resistance 2, etc.
that’s all great but where is:
-cross game chat
-party system
in other words, where are the features that makes your strongest competitor’s online experience so much more worthwhile than psn’s?
-Some nice addtions there, but they hardly seem worth of a jump to version 3 of the firmware.
-MKV support is long overdue?
-Ability to change the font colour would also be nice as sometimes the white fonts make them hard to see with a light coloured wallpaper.
-The info thing in the top right looks like a bit of an after thought and lacks and integrated apperance.
All in all I’m pleased that the PS3 firmware is constantly being improved, but I think you can still do better Sony..
Oh, and it’d be great if I choose to turn off notifications during movies but still have them on while gaming. I couldn’t give a monkies who’s online while I’m watching a film. It’s a different story though when I’m gaming..
WHERE IS:
-Cross game chat
-Cross game invite
-Party system
-Use of Avatars outside of Home
-Demos for all PSN games
-Faster downloads
-Voice Messages???
maybe if you guys payed for psn maybe we would already have these features
why has sony blocked out over 10000 people or more on the PSP to use PSN (example hacked psp’s are blocked out) when trying to log on to psn playstaion store on psp it says your system needs a update,,, but none of these people will update back to official firmware because they aren’t stupid.
since we know by now your not gonna add Emulation BC. The least you could do is give Cross Game Chat and let us upload our own Avatars…. sigh
Party room, cross game voice chat? Please implement these features. WE NEDD THIS NOW SONY! >>>> DO IT <<<<
please,please,please,please,please,please,please,please,please,please SONY give us:
-Cross Game Chat
-Uploadable Avatars of Our Own
-In Game Music for Every Game
You can also benefit from this too.
PS3 has more exclusives,BluRay,and other things rhat Xbox360 doesn’t have.The only thing they have over PS3 are those things listed in almost every comment here.If you put these things on PS3 more people will buy it over 360.We all may appreciate the cool Firmware 3.0 update(I sure do),but give your fans what they really want.
Can you play a game on “What’s New” that you played from like a month ago? That’d be awesome.
RE: Demac212 also Sony if you can add Downloading games to the system so you never have to put the disc in.
i agree with 1582
Where is VOIP, I want skype!!!
I keep reading “cross game chat”, but I believe you mean to say “cross game VOICE chat”, because we already have the text chat feature.
wanna know y we dont have cross game chat? Its because u idiots have been asking 4 every thing but cross game chat since 2006. 3 yrs l8r and ur just now catching on?
I like the box showing all the friends and messages, thats a huge thing i liked.
please include cross game chat in a future update, maybe 3.1 PLEASESESESEASES
Looks good. What about cross game chat? In v3.10 if not in v3.00, pleeeeesse.
Sweet i like this alot whe will it be released?
(cross game chat would be awesome:D)
Can we have sorting/grouping options for themes? Another thing is multiple save data copying…
Dont charge for avatars!? Thats too much like M$ and trust me you dont want to be like them. Free avatars and free themes.
looks cool,animated themes look good.
Soooo….no cross game party chat? or at least one to one VOIP? Seriously use some virtual RAM (every ps3 has a HDD) if RAM is restricted.
It cant be that hard to create, if it is then sonys in house team need sacking.(i’d even pay a one off fee of £3/5 for it)
maybe sign a deal with skype n get VOIP that way.
Great trophy idea tho; hopefully means addon will not take the 100%/ platanum trophies away.
If this is Sony’s idea of a “number of great new features that we’re excited to share with you” then I’d hate to see the ideas that didn’t make it to this stage.
I am VERY disappointed with this. Its all cosmetic, essentially this is the same information / functionality presented differently and looks like a poor attempt to push the PSN store (which has its own issues around blatant over pricing, regional differences and lack of content)
Also heard Linux support is removed in this update? Hope thats not true
A real missed opportunity, why not have:
FLAC support?
A better browser, the current one is unusable on a lot of sites
This comment comes across as really negative, I think the PS3 is a great machine but it is capable of so much more and masquerading cosmetic tweaks as great new features does not help
ping – (bronze trophy for 1st post)
PS couldn’t give a [DELETED] about in game music (things called a ipod/ stero/ pc) and Backward comp…..shud of got a 60gb… and u’ll neva play ur ps2 games wen u get it….simple, plus most people still have there ps2’s on a dusy shelf somewhere
ok so when will we be able to play music from our hard drive while we’re playing in game. that and ps2 BC and i won’t complain ever again.
Is it right, that the PS3 slim has a new lettering when booting up? and if yes: does the fat one kepp their spiderman lettering?
WE WANT CROSS GAME CHAT!!!!!! NOW!!!!
Very nice update.
I have two recommendations and I am sure I am not the first
1. In game music
2. Search option for music & videos
(I have a lot of music and having to scroll through it all to get to the later part of the alphabet is very tiring.
Thank you,
Listen to the feedback, we pay your bills.
You call this a major update!
I’ve been highly anticipating this update, and what a let down it has been.
All i want is a private chat function, ie chat room which allows you in game! so i can talk to my friends and not everyone else in the games.
Im really losing patience now.
im quite dissapointed i thought more major things would been added such as backwards compatbility or something. The animated theme looks really good but as i was saying i really think more major things should be added
even in game music or something
It seems as though those of you who are whining about cross game voice chat have been whining for quite some time. While it would be nice for singleplayer mode, it defeats the purpose of the multiplayer portion of the games we play. That just means that you’ll be concentrating on chatting with your friends instead of working together with your teammates. That is the real reason Sony hasn’t implemented it by now.
As far as BC it’s not going to happen anytime soon. I think the PS2 was alot more complex than you can possibly imagine. So to try to build an emulator that complex is foolish to waste money on building. So please stop wasting blog space whining about backwards compatibility.
I would like to, however, agree with some of you who complain about the crappy browser for the PS3. I, unfortunately, have a 40gb PS3 and the browser is worthless on quite a bit of sites! Sony why would you put a crappy, outdated, and useless browser in one of the greatest consoles to hit the market???
THAT’S IT!!!!!!! what a let down….. the theme animation is great and all (probably the best sony has come up with) but I expected more from this update (considering it being the last update and all). instead of waisting their time on the playstation store icons, they should of put better things in this update. something like in-game chat with your friends. a private chat room while playing a game. Also, I would like to be able to post my own pictures for my Avatar. Furthermore, I would like to send voice messages to my friends or foes!! instead of texts(MY LIST GOES ON AND ON, BUT I’LL JUST STOP HERE FOR NOW)… Sony Sony Sony, why not get a pencil and notepad and take some notes and tips from Xbox….
yh ur ryt there mate but i think we shud give it a break even if they working on all this it will take time so they should atleast let us no what they working on and that
NO cross game chat cuz i wouldn’t want to talk to anyone while im playing a serious game such as batman. I dont need some one in my ear while im trying to concentrate i think sony is doing the right thing by not doing it. it would be hands down the dumbest thing. but what they do need is music over all games not just certain titles cuz i would much perfer that than some one talkin about nothing cuz they playing there own game anyway lol…uhh a better internet browser one that supports facebook and such…yeah thats about it