The next system software update for the PlayStation 3 (PS3) system will be released on April 1, 2010 (JST), and will disable the “Install Other OS” feature that was available on the PS3 systems prior to the current slimmer models, launched in September 2009. This feature enabled users to install an operating system, but due to security concerns, Sony Computer Entertainment will remove the functionality through the 3.21 system software update.
In addition, disabling the “Other OS” feature will help ensure that PS3 owners will continue to have access to the broad range of gaming and entertainment content from SCE and its content partners on a more secure system.
Consumers and organizations that currently use the “Other OS” feature can choose not to upgrade their PS3 systems, although the following features will no longer be available;
- Ability to sign in to PlayStation Network and use network features that require signing in to PlayStation Network, such as online features of PS3 games and chat
- Playback of PS3 software titles or Blu-ray Disc videos that require PS3 system software version 3.21 or later
- Playback of copyright-protected videos that are stored on a media server (when DTCP-IP is enabled under Settings)
- Use of new features and improvements that are available on PS3 system software 3.21 or later
For those PS3 users who are currently using the “Other OS” feature but choose to install the system software update, to avoid data loss they first need to back-up any data stored within the hard drive partition used by the “Other OS,” as they will not be able to access that data following the update.
Additional information about PS3 firmware updates, including v3.21 (once it becomes available), can be found here:
http://us.playstation.com/support/systemupdates/ps3/index.htm
PS3 owners who have further questions should contact Consumer Services:
http://us.playstation.com/support/ask/
800-345-7669 (800-345-SONY)
@1723
I wouldn’t be surprised if the update forces you to have to pay connect to the network as well, which is why those who don’t update simply won’t be able to connect.
Why not create your own version of Linux and make that the standard instead of rid of this feature completely? This is ridiculous.
This can not be legitimate. Really Sony? You are going to take away more features from your console (while still in third place this generation)?
I was an early adopter of your system (60GB launch). I’m considered a PS3 fanboy. I have a PSP and Sony 50″ TV. I’ve been proclaiming the greatness of the PS3 since its launch, but now I have had it. You plan on disabling backwards compatibility in my system next?
This is the last straw. Consider my system officially unplugged. Honestly I don’t need for it to be online. I play mostly single player games anyways. I can live without DLC, network play, or renting movies from your store. I also don’t plan on purchasing any games new anymore (and I currently have a library of 35 games that I purchased new). If a game requires connectivity, I just won’t play it. If it is a game that will offer content online after the fact, that game won’t be for me. I will only rent games from now on prior to any purchases, which will now be from the used bin.
I hate you Sony. If you are truly worried about a hole in your hypervisor, why don’t you just patch the flaw!! Good job kick starting custom firmwares. Morons.
I really hope someone is filing a class action lawsuit.
This is bs! Instead of updating the FW with items people have been requesting for YEARS like cross game chat you take away items? Your system will still be hacked and we are not happy with you trying to implement these ALREADY DONE ITEMS like cross game chat as part of a scheme to start charging for PSN!
I want my money back!!! One of the reasons to choose PS3 back in 2008 was the Linux possibility. And this feature was well noticed from a sales perspective. It’s time to sue Sony for this ARBITRARY decision – I see strong basis for a lawsuit. In other hand Sony is kicking away the “supercomputing” use by many scientists around the world. It’s always like that – they restraint features and they don’t give anything in return… and this is done in the name of security or protection! Against who? The Nazis, Al Qaeda?? Invaders from outer space??? I just remember quote the astronaut Taylor in the Planet of Apes (1968) at the end of the movie: “Oh my God. I’m back. I’m home. All the time, it was… We finally really did it. You Maniacs! You blew it up! Ah, damn you! God damn you all to hell!”
i didn’t use it so i don’t care
I’ve been through two Blu-ray lasers on my 60GB PS3 phat.
How do I know that Sony didn’t screw with the Blu-ray laser voltage in the PS3 phat in a previous firmware update to get more people to (re)buy PS3 slims as an underhanded means of boosting revenue and increasing PS3 sales?
$599 + $299 = $898
$898 + Rebuying my entire PS2 library as “PS2 Classics” = $1000+
My PS3 phat had zero issues until the PS3 slim came out. Funny that.
Don’t trust your money with these thieves.
Who knows what they’re introducing in these mandatory “updates”.
What makes you think they won’t kill your console on purpose to juice more money out of you if they’ve proven they’re willing to retroactively remove an already paid for feature?
Buyer beware.
This is a joke. April 1st! No one else sees this?!?
1699 all this did was make matters worse because GeoHot has now said in intends on releasing a custom firmware. All Sony did with this JOKE of an update is egg him on. They didn’t want their system broken well to bad now every hacker out htere is going to put thier full energy into breaking it.
can’t exactly say i’m upset about it, but it does seem strange to be removing features in this grand push forward…
though it is on april 1st… so maybe the update will actually be something good?
^ Seriously. Stop looking soooo much into things.
That was to McDuck sry. ;)
Further more 1699 if GeoHot is the sole reason for this update then it proves a point that Sony is anti consumer. Do you really think that GeoHot is going to update…get real!!!!
Why to punish an entier loyal community SONY…as I said before, I am never giving more money to SONY. No more ps3 games, no more ps store content, no more blu-ray movies. I hope Sony takes a major hit for this in the form of public relations as well as in the form of developer support.
Microsoft you can send a thank you letter to Sony for all the new customers you are going to be getting.
Hey Sony, could you make it so that the updates are not mandatory?
You know, not make us install updates we don’t want to, like this garbage update?
oh dear Go over 1738 posts. This blog entry is filled with both epic win and epic fail
1729
I completely agree with you. When I bought my ps3 the ability to install linux and have a full operating system to mess around with was the main reason. If this feature was never included I would have never made the purchase. I want a full refund for everything PS3 related I bought, games, controllers, chargers, fans, external hdds, dlc, HOME content, movies.
1738
it wouldnt matter if it was mandatory or not, they are crippling your system if you don’t update. By not updating you can no longer connect to the PSN which means no HOME, no store, no online play, etc Not to mention they also stated that you would lose the ability to play future blu-ray movies thus killing it as a blu-ray player as well.
Either you upgrade or you cripple your system.
Goodbye Linux :*(
even thought I never used this feature, nor saw any reason to, I think is BS to not only do something like this, but if you don’t update to v3.21, then your PS3 becomes an expensive paperweight. as others have pointed out, what’s next you’re going to remove the BC feature in the older PS3’s?
this has to fake because sony would never change the second digit without setting the third digit to 0
easier way of putting it: 3.15 to 3.20 yes
3.i5 to 3.21 no
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@sicruise (1630) Facebook protest pages are a JOKE. They NEVER make a difference and especially won’t in this case,
****************************************************************
Except for that one time they helped elect a President.
…jackass.
@bikerman18
and 3.20 -> 3.21 yes
I’m disappointed in you, Sony =(
1741
That’s what I mean, why not let us go online without updating?
I’ve got to say, I’m very disappointed about this. I’m one of those people who actually use this feature. I bought a larger, faster hard drive primarily for the purpose of increasing linux performance. I also spent quite a few hours getting the right distro working well. I use this to play my SNES emulator. My wife enjoys playing super mario bro on the big screen with wireless controllers.
If you want to introduce this for our protection, at least let people opt out. Allow me to download an ‘update’ from the internet and install it off thumb drive to still allow me to access the PSN but not disable this feature.
This feature is one of the reasons I bought a PS3 and now I’ll be penalized for using it. Thanks a lot Sony.
This is brilliant! It’s just great going back through all Sony’s marketing BS, trash talking of XBOX, back peddling and feature withdrawal.
For the record, I have a PS3 slim and I love it as a media centre, but really, Sony, do you not get it? You are now basically perceived as a pack of liars by gamers worldwide. It started with the misinformation surrounding the PS2 and continued with the blatant misrepresentations when up against the 360. You talked crap, you got called on it, you talk more crap, walk around like God’s gift to gaming and you got slapped down. Don’t get buyers started on the extenstive feature list removal and multiple versions (Wait, didn’t Sony slam MS for doing this right before doing it themselves? Do you think we forget these things?)
This update doesn’t affect me at all, but it really does raise questions about how Sony perceives its paying customers.
Time will tell I suppose.
Matt
I never knew of anyone who used the feature anyway, even my hardcore Linux friends. No big loss.
@1737 “Microsoft you can send a thank you letter to Sony for all the new customers you are going to be getting.”
…because Linux users are going to just run right over to Microsoft. Microsoft will never in a million years ever give you the option to install Linux on any of their products. And PS3 is still the most by far the most open console we’ve ever seen.
Not saying I agree with Sonys policy, but MS isn’t exact consumer friendly.
I don’t believe it. Long story short… I bought a CECHE01 for this feature. It suffered the YLOD after les than 2 years of use. I spent countless hours finding a CECHP01 in my area and bought 2. Yes 2. One is still NIB. I love linux and don’t own a computer. It really is my pc. I had it all… Now sony can just wipe it out?! Along with all my personal and work saved data?! That can’t be legal. Well, my lawyer should have fun with this. I’ll expect a full refund on these consoles. Don’t think I’ll be getting the slim. &%$#@soft, here i come.
1748
Yes you shuld be allowed to keep full functionality without updating but unfortunately this does not seem to be the case. The reason for this is because they know if they allowed you to use your ps3 as is without the update then no one would take it but by crippling your system then are forcing you to make a decission between using it as a gaming and entertainment center or turning it into a very very expensive paper weight. I have spent 1000’s of dollars on it between games and movies and dlc and hardware. I am EXTREMLLY PISSED OFF
Good bye Ubuntu it was nice while it lasted but we should of known corporate greed would take its place ahead of multi functioning hardware.
Dear sony,
Add new stuff instead of removing old stuff. In fact play a better game of catch up. The Mouse is ahead with the cheese and its almost back in the hole.
1752
You have an odd way of defining open. What is open about the company having the ability to remove what ever funcationalit it wishes at what ever time for what ever reason. I would say that is the exact opposite of open.
3.15 to 3.21? If it is a whole tenth of a number, it means a new feature is being embedded. Hundredths mean versions of the tenths. So what are we getting? If you are REMOVING a feature, it shouldnt even go up. SOooooooo, we BETTER get some reward for this nonsense. How about autosyncing trophies? 3-way calling for PS Home? Maybe a new Theme option? OR! How about a new app on the XMB that you click to get rid of features, such as….um….Other OS!
With all these complaints filed, I’d like to ask…who of you really us Linux on the PS3 ?
I think many people posting here just love to whine…they’re not actually using the other OS feature.
And yes they are making it safer for Sony, but also for us.
just as a joke… this stuff is like Obamacare LOL
Obamacare – forces us to get health insurance
Update 3.21 – forces us to downgrade or can’t play future games
DONT DO THIS SONY!!!!! players will turn to you competetor if you do so.
i bought a usb keyboard and mouse for linux but now i won’t be able to use it other than the broswer and home
The ps3 never needed another OS feature, the xmb works great. I had my PS3 since launch day and never considered using it
I don’t support companies that screw me over.
Sony you have lost my business.
Time to sell my PS3 all of my games and put the cash towards a new video card and blueray player (it wont be a Sony product) on my PC.
Bye bye Sony.
Good luck with the lawsuit.
over 1700 comments and not a single reply by anyone with Sony…
Still advertising the “Open Platform” Sony? Are you going to use the last 3 days of PS3 linux to lure in a few more suckers?
http://www.playstation.com/ps3-openplatform/index.html
I paid the ridiculous price of $500 for a console to get 1) Linux 2) PS3 Games 3) PS2 backward compatibility. These were the major factors in my decision. It is wrong to remove a major feature after you’ve got my money.
This doesn’t effect me any, but I can understand peoples concerns with it. Still, I’m pretty sure there’s fine print somewhere that says Sony can disable a feature such as Other OS if they have to due to potential problems it can cause down the road.
DON’T BE LIKE OBAMA, YOU’RE BETTER THAN THAT
@1764
LOL, they are probably in Shock and Awe.
Can someone lay out a clear argument for how this makes all ps3 owners safe? What are they trying to keep us safe from…exposure to Linux lol Maybe Sir Howard is afraid of penguines…I had no idea lol
This update does nothing to keep anyone safe expect Sony employess but if there is an honest backlash over this then even them won’t be safe. I think they should start by firing the idiot that came up with this idea.
You are forcing me to choose between two features that I pay for, and use.
This is totally stupid, a upgrade that remove features that works perfectly. When I buy it the box said that I can run Other OS. And I must be able to do it in all the lifecycle of the product.
Please Sony return me my money I will buy an HTPC and a XBOX360 with that.
I have one more thing to say. Because of how much I like this product, I have convinced no fewer than three people to purchase PS3s, and I never would have bought a PS3 in the first place if it weren’t for the Other OS feature.
This is more like update 3.14, considering it’s a step backward.
1764
There has been movement over on the Sony forums too (not as much as here though) but no resopnses from anyone from Sony either as far as I can tell.
For those saying this is a joke you would think that there woudl be people over at sony monitoring these sites and if so crush this right away if it was a rumor.
I think after this update…Sony should just jump to firmware v. 4.x.
The entire 3.x line of updates has a lot of stink on it.