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)
@improperlyaged what a fitting name you have. They can block you from using PSN if they want. You agreed to the agreement and you did not buy the PSN when you bought your PS3. They are LETTING you use it as a service and hold the right to end the service whenever they want.
You can do ANYTHING you want with you PS3. However there are alot of things that violate the terms from Sony and if you violate the terms you lose any support and most features that come with it. Thats the price you pay.
I still am not convinced that this will effect very many people. I understand that a lot of you are just backing “your rights” up and you like knowing you could install another OS if you wanted but right now you still run the official Sony one. The sky is not falling, games will still work. Chillax already.
@techie those examples will be patched. This OtherOS feature is a minimal loss and isn’t required to do what the PS3 is avertised to do.
Also did someone really use Warhawk as an example of a game that requires online? WARHAWK? Do people play that $hit?
“They are LETTING you use it as a service and hold the right to end the service whenever they want.”
If they do it for the hell of it, that’s called “false advertising” and is also grounds for a Class Action Lawsuit.
lol, epic is still getting out-smarted on everything an hour later.
@EpicNotion
“Also did someone really use Warhawk as an example of a game that requires online? WARHAWK? Do people play that $hit?”
Oh, so legit examples aren’t GOOD enough for you?
Clearly you are not interested in discussing this issue and are merely looking to get people riled up like a little troll.
@bridgerbot
dont get me wrong i do understand that they did advertise the “other os” as a selling point for ps3 and i am against what CLAIM to be an update. i bought a 60gig paid 750 for a month after they came out. never used other os didnt know how….still dont but that was 750 i paid for the complete ps3, other os ,backwards compatibility, memory card slots 4 usb slots ect…that what i would like to keep
i know i will be able to access teh internet but i wont be able to play my games online. this is obvious since i wont be able to sign on to psn. since all my previously purchased games and my system clearly state psn access they cant remove my ability to sign in based on what firmware i use. Technically any ps3 running version1.00 should stil be allowed psn access as nowhere in any eula or tos or on any ps3 box does it state that you cant use the psn without current firmware. this is y almost any firmware update is actually illegal. this one is “optional” but restricts ur system’s functionalities. read people that is an illegal business practice. any after market update made by a manufaturer can’t hinder previous functionality without consent of consumer. common law.
“1) There is a very very good posibility that OtherOS is built into it, Because it has been in All firmware up to this point, but is being blocked by the Software checking what version of Hardware it is running on. Sony, in their blind rage, has given fuel to the hackers that will try to open up the software lock on this feature, and then ALL PS3’s will be able to run OtherOS. Sony shot themselves in the foot.”
My understanding is that it, as well as a few other features like software PS2 emulation are simple software switched functionality. They could just as easily switch those features on on the new slim models as they could switch them off on the older phat models.
Alright I have spent 2 hours debating this, that is 1 hour and 59 more minutes then I would of liked. Well best of luck to you all, personally I don’t care either way but I can see the good and bad from both points of view.
Keep in mind what you are doing though. By refusing to support Sony from this point on, you are helping them go out of business and then the gaming world loses a game console. Is that what you want? You really want Microsoft to be the only company with a viable HD game system? That would be the beginning of the end for true gaming. Show some trust already, Sony has given you a lot of good gaming experiences…give them the benefit of the doubt here.
Actually I have GT5 Prologue for DRM my PS3 must be connected to PSN even for start the game.
I will not update, but a game that works before the update will not work after it… what about that, it’s clearly illegal or not?
Re: the EULA. They can’t just put whatever they want in the EULA and expect it to be ok. They could write that they reserve the right to your first-born son if you access PSN. Wouldn’t make it legal.
Re: not updating. I think they do owe me the ability to play any PS3 game that’s released. I don’t think they told me anywhere that a condition of playing certain games is accepting newest firmware updates. They certainly didn’t put it anywhere I could see it before buying the system. Even if they somehow are allowed to do this, I’m fairly certain that there have been several times where I’ve fired up Rock Band and it tells me I need to update my firmware in order to continue.
“By refusing to support Sony from this point on, you are helping them go out of business and then the gaming world loses a game console.”
Supporting Sony doesn’t mean letting them get away with this kind of crap. This will not put them out business, but it will cost them a lot of money, and it will make them think twice before doing this crap ever again.
“give them the benefit of the doubt here.”
Sure, when I call them about this for the second time (as I will on Friday) they better have a better settlement answer than they did for me last time.
Of course Epic!
WE ARE ALL SONY FANS!!!
that’s why we are posting here, and bought Ps3’s
ever since my Psone i have been a Sony Fanboy!
I flipped my lid when the 360 got FF13 and all that rabid fanboy stuff.., and always defended Sony in the past, even though i have a 360 and a Wii also..
Now, we are being screwed over by our favorite company, yet again!
bridger, just called, really….the techs are saying that it’s a couple of bigwigs that are only thinking of hackers. THEY don’t even think it’s right, and with the exception of one really rude guy, everybody at least listened and was pleasant about it.
@PAID-ASSASSIN
under stand completely
@everyone
im sick of everyone talking about MS this xbox that it makes nosense to me xbox sucks worse than ps3 even with what there doing.(sony) to the comsumer it wong. im not a legal person so im gonna leve that along.
Also certain games require psn access to even start. PAIN and gt5 prologue are just two examples. they arent just restricting me from playing them online but at all. again illegal business practice. they can’t mandate that u update just to have access to psn. ILLEGAL> ILLEGAL> ILLEGAL.
It seems they have forgetten about the Sony BMG CD copy protection scandal in 2005. They were sued, and lost the lawsuit. They needed to pay each customer like $150 dollars for compensation, plus providing removal kits and etc. Not to mention a big loss of reputation, so that many people won’t even buy Song CD’s anymore. It appears the idiots have not learned their lessons.
@Epic
I’m willing to see your argument. But using the PSP as evidence there is nothing I have seen so far that would indicate they are going to put firmware warnings on games. I have yet to ever see a notice on the box (psp or ps3) that indicates that firmware version 6.20 is needed to play Persona PSP. It’s not there, once I open the software and try to play something I can’t. I can’t get a refund. You are right, if the disclaimer is there then I can avoid the purchase and have nothing effect me.
As for PSN games. We have to wait and see about that. remember the Apocolyps3? I had several games that would not run at all. It’s possible it might do the same thing. I can’t recall what happened last time I didn’t update the firmware. It’s been a few months.
“Show some trust already, Sony has given you a lot of good gaming experiences…give them the benefit of the doubt here.”
Any company that wants my continued business needs to earn, and maintain, my trust. This move by Sony puts a serious dent in that.
@ epicnotion
“I still am not convinced that this will effect very many people. I understand that a lot of you are just backing “your rights” up and you like knowing you could install another OS if you wanted but right now you still run the official Sony one. The sky is not falling, games will still work. Chillax already.”
Tell that to the poor college student about 65 pages back who has his thesis in the linux partition of his PS3
This poor guy runs the risk of losing his dissertation because chicken little tactics by Sony and scumbag hackers who ruin a good thing for all of us.
What if he didn’t read this?What about others like him who don’t read this, or know what this garbage patch does?
You think they should just Chillax when they lose their data?
That would go over like a turd in a punchbowl if it were me.
it is 558(jst) right now
Guys a game requiring a firmware update has nothing to do with sony. that is a decision by the publisher. sony restricting you from using features advertised previously and working on previous firmwares is highly illegal. they can not hinder u from using any feature you already paid for because you choose not to update. that why if they do go through with this “optional” update they will put out another mandatory one(which in essence is also highly illegal in itself) which includes this one packed into it so they win anyway. Dont let this happen.
@EpicNotion
“those examples will be patched. This OtherOS feature is a minimal loss and isn’t required to do what the PS3 is avertised to do.
Also did someone really use Warhawk as an example of a game that requires online? WARHAWK? Do people play that?”
What was the PS3 advertised to do? They clearly marketed it at the time to be a linux computer. Now they don’t. So it’s not advertised now.
Is MAG a better example?
has this update been released in japan yet
How do you know they’ll be patched Epic? Sony was too lazy to patch an OBSCURE crack. I’ll bet not too many people outside of the tech boards even knew about this and no one’s going to even try soldering their system unless they’re also a tinkerer.
And Sony helps themselves lose money, they’ve made bad choices on many products.
And yes MSFT has many faults too and it’ll only be a matter of time before they also piss off one too many customers. PC gaming is going to seriously restrictive DRM, screwing over legit people. Except maybe for Steam, but it’s still DRM. I agree with an article that said gaming was better in the 90s.
So, let me get this straight, we ask for cross-game chat, and we lose backwards compatibility. We ask for the ability to play music while we play games, and we lose Hulu support, and now, we lose Linux compatibility?? Is Sony just completely ignoring the people that spend their hard earned money on their products?? I refuse to download this update, and if any future updates remove OtherOS support, I will never download another update (from Sony anyway, maybe from GeoHot). This is quite possibly the biggest mistake Sony has made with the PS3. I can see them losing a very large part of their customer base with this stupid decision.
I seriously plan on not updating and attempting to play online this weekend. If i am denied access based on my choice of firmware i plan on getting a refund on my system and all 57 games i own. thats y i always use a credit card. i can prove the full value of each and every purchase i made. since they were all working prior to this update and sony DOES NOT state that u need current firmware to play online or use the psn in anyway in any advertisement, eula or tos they will have no choice but to allow me access or be legally obligated to refund the entire purchase amount of my system and game library. remember the ps3 box and games all clearly staet psn access but nothing says you cant have access if u dont update ur firmware. sorry sony you lose. put up or pay up.
““Show some trust already, Sony has given you a lot of good gaming experiences…give them the benefit of the doubt here.”
Any company that wants my continued business needs to earn, and maintain, my trust. This move by Sony puts a serious dent in that.
”
THIS
@gregstone
Not trying to deflate your argument. But when I was writing my own dissertation, I would have 20 copies of that thing in many different location. I shipped a CDR to my parents to keep in case of natural disaster, I had it on a memory card, a CDR, the university LAN, my personal system and I gave it to a friend to hold. I wasn’t leaving it to my luck for a loss. I have read to many horror stories to not have a “Plan B”.
PS. I heard stories in the day about college students who programmed there work on punch cards. Only to trip and lose the stack on their way to turn it in.
If you want to use Linux — don’t update. If you want to use your PS3 as a gaming console/Blu-ray player — update. Simple really. The choice is yours. Sony never guaranteed in writing that you would have both a computer and a gaming console in one. It only guaranteed that it had those capabilities.
But I’d like to see this class action lawsuit take place. I good like dramas.
err “like good dramas”
@ achan1058 | March 31st, 2010 at 12:54 pm
It seems they have forgetten about the Sony BMG CD copy protection scandal in 2005.
The rootkit. I was well aware of that and had I think 3 CDs with that on it. I don’t think it had a long term effect, just a short term boycott. I think the economy has done more harm then the rootkit fiasco.
Hey, Sony– I just bought a 4000 point XBLA card from Amazon for the pretty good price of $41.54. I probably haven’t spent $40 on XBLA since it came out since I’m not a fan of their DRM but given that it appears my access to PSN will be cut off in a few hours since I won’t be upgrading for a while, I figured I’d better stock up.
That’s money you would’ve gotten for PSN purchases.
Just thought you’d like to know.
@TwinDad
The case was actually thrown out because the PSN is a privately owned network. At least I am farily certain thats why it was tossed out.
@Buzzy42
Kind of a childish attempt at a jab eh? You think Microsoft is any better? If you do, you are a seriously deluded individual.
“I like class action lawsuits because” the lawyers bringing the case get $5,000,000,000 and everyone else gets $2 in credit towards a future purchase within 90 days.
3735
I am totally with you. I am going to take it a step further and demand full refunds on any and all purchases made related to my use of the PS3 this includes but is not limited to hardware purchases (system itself, controllers, cables, chargers, cooling units, ect.), blu-ray movies, ps3 games, dlc, psn store purchases, and home purchases.
Welp, I’ll enjooy my settlement check from the class action, thank you Sony.
3741
I’ve never owned an xbox product in my life but can you cite one example in which Microsoft has taken away an xbox or xbox live feature or service that was available at launch with the console?
@TigerLust Ain’t that the truth. I’ve been in 3 winning class action lawsuits, and all I have to show for it is a free month of Netflix, a $30 voucher for Windows OS, oh and my girlfriend got some free makeup from the department stores. Win-win. ;)
@dinkin-flicka
“If you want to use Linux — don’t update. If you want to use your PS3 as a gaming console/Blu-ray player — update. Simple really. The choice is yours. Sony never guaranteed in writing that you would have both a computer and a gaming console in one.”
wrong. care to see my original manual? it quite clearly describes all these capabilities.
@LegendaryPhoenix
That is what I stated. The judge dismissed the case as 1st amendment didn’t apply to the privately owned PSN. It’s only applicable to public owned spaced and to the government.
I think he is refiling the case for a different reason, I don’t recall what it is at the moment.
Buzzy: Like if Sony cared about your 40 bucks.
Lawsuits are crazy and the lawyers get rich. Boycott Sony Products. I already have a Sony Reader I was going to buy is going to another brand as well as a Sony TV sale lost.
Backup your PS3 hard drive and get the 3.15 update and you are safe if you want to restore the system to the last update or go one step further and buy a new drive restore the system to the new drive and put your Sony drive away.
It’s not hard to swap drives out and I think some will make a new cable that even makes it easier to do this. I need my Linux
And there is still no update, so basically all of you are making fools of yourselves by getting really angry over something that has yet to actually happen.
I will be amused when nothing actually happens, and you all have egg on your faces.
@fmalita Isn’t that what I said? It has all those ‘capabilities’.
i still think that this is an april fools joke
LegendaryPhoenix : why bother posting if you have nothing to say about this other then to bash people. If it doesn’t happen all the people posting here and other places helped and also if it doesn’t happen Sony has lied to their customers again. As they are saying it will happen on the 1st of April.
3738
Your an ass, simple as that. Update or not update is a false choice.
I purchased a product when I bought my ps3. If it wasn’t for Linux I would have never made that purchase.
Those of you defending Sony are saying it is OK for a company to sell you a product with a serious of features and then at an indeterminate time of their choosing they can fundamentally change the product that you purchased.
I don’t think anyone here would believe this to be a legal thing for Samsung to do.
This would be like Samsung selling you one of their 3D TVs and then after the purchase Samsung disables your TV’s ability to display 3D content.
ryanrossiter: if it’s an April fools joke the on fool is Sony as the tech support is saying that the OS is gone in the next update.