Rumor: PS3 Firmware 2.4 adding in-game XMB, trophies

by Jason Dobson { May 30th 2008 at 5:00AM }

After all of the fuzzy promises, teasing, and schoolyard taunts, rumor has it that the PlayStation 3 may soon be getting a number of long overdue upgrades, from trophies (read: achievements) to the hotly demanded in-game XMB, all as part of the console's upcoming firmware 2.4.

Originally reported by videogaming247, we followed up with our own sources who, while not wanting to be named, likewise confirmed the rumor. However, even if true, the timing of the impending update remains a mystery, much like the Bermuda Triangle, crop circles, and Home.

Tags: psn, rumor, sony, xmb

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

DrXym @ May 30th 2008 5:16AM

I've never understood what the fuss is with in-game XMB. At most it might let you message friends. It's not going to provide you with unfettered access to the regular XMB.

Bellerophon @ May 30th 2008 5:29AM

Yes but I think you'll agree that it's a big omission if you compare it to the Xbox 360. Coming late to the game you would have thought Sony would implement it already, but yet like with background downloading it came after launch rather than as an out-of-the-box feature.

I'm hoping this will eventually pave way for the use of custom soundtracks as well, but baby steps, baby steps...

DrXym @ May 30th 2008 6:04AM

The number 1 rule of project development is you don't throw the kitchen sink into version 1.0 of anything.

Make 1.0 "good enough" and rock solid and then follow-up after with incremental updates based on priority and complexity. We've seen a pile of functionality added - background downloads, DIVX playback, PS2 game upscaling, DLNA streaming, PSN store update, various Blu Ray improvements, themes, new visualizers, BC updates and a pile more besides. At the same time, Sony are reducing the OS footprint freeing up memory for games but still giving themselves the space for future functionality.

In-game XMB is a frequent requested feature but I suspect Sony are holding back because Home will require a massive infrastructure build out and messaging will be part of that. They probably rationalise that if they're ripping up all the backend hardware there is no point adding a new dependency to it. So they're waiting and in-game XMB is probably the first part of the Home rollout.

seefresh @ May 30th 2008 6:13AM

Sure would be nice to change mp3's, chat, check friend invites, play with yourself, and so on without having to quit the game.

superaktieboy @ May 30th 2008 8:34AM

well sometimes i don't really care about it.. tho sometimes it can be annoying, e.g. somewhere in march, i was playing CoD4 and a friend messaged me, and i was just in a game where i was kicking ass.. if we had ingame xmb i wouldn't have to shut down the game to view the message, but i had to switch off the game to view it .. so i'd rather have it than not!!

felixlighter @ May 30th 2008 8:40AM

Calling friends on the telephone to organize an online gaming session is, at this point, completely ridiculous, especially on a closed network like the PSN. If in-game XMB can provide the ability to message friends playing different games or, even better, allow chatting across games, it will improve the online experience on the PS3 immensely.

John @ May 30th 2008 3:54PM

Make 1.0 "good enough" and rock solid and then follow-up after with incremental updates based on priority and complexity. We've seen a pile of functionality added

Know what else is good?

Not having to install a system update every time you turn on your console because it gets more updates than games released.

el serpiente @ May 30th 2008 4:18PM

http://www.us.playstation.com/PS3/About/SystemUpdate/history.html

There have been only 2 in 2008. I guess you only turned on your system twice all year, eh johnny?

Your hate makes you stupid.

John @ May 31st 2008 5:52AM

Yeah, because I never want to play it.

I used it a bunch when my elite was in the shop and when I got HS golf and Sega Tennis, but that's it.

Keep in mind we are all of 5 months into 2008 and there have been 2 updates and we are hearing about the third next month retard.

el serpiente @ May 31st 2008 3:14PM

5 months is nearly half a year! Whatever the case, your hyperbole has been shot down and your ignorance exposed. But, I do it because I care John, not to make you feel stupid, although that may be an unintended consequence.

If all I had was HS golf and Sega Tennis, I wouldn't turn mine on much either.

Brodie-san @ May 30th 2008 5:18AM

Do we know a date for 2.4?

Bleu @ May 30th 2008 11:18AM

In game XMB would be great but I don't think its a necessity. But if they were to release it on June 12th chalk up another win for sony because people would go crazy....me Included.

Brodie-san @ May 30th 2008 5:22AM

Ok, so the "timing is a mystery." But the rumour is June, right?

Mromson @ May 30th 2008 5:29AM

June 12th....? :D

Mr.ESC @ May 30th 2008 12:05PM

Wait MGS4 is going to have achievements.F*ck yeah!

tmacairjordan87 @ May 30th 2008 12:58PM

I could die happy if that happened Mr Esc

well ok maybe not die...but i'd be happy

Brodie-san @ May 30th 2008 5:44AM

12th would be awesome. In-MGS XMB FTW.
:)

CGamble20 @ May 30th 2008 11:30AM

I love your Icon.

voodoo_craig @ May 30th 2008 6:02AM

The in-game-XMB is a lie.

PojoMofo @ May 30th 2008 10:20AM

in game XMB is waaaay better than cake

The Artist formally known as Jesus @ May 30th 2008 10:38AM

The man eating cake right now begs to disagree

Subleak @ May 30th 2008 4:16PM

Shouldn't that be a woman eating the cake? Since there are no men in Portal.

oliver balaam @ May 30th 2008 6:04AM

if that all ahppenes on the rumoured date (12th june-mgs day)
Then i will be one happy bunny

Hala Madrid!! @ May 30th 2008 6:32AM

My questions are:
Why did took Sony almost 2 years to do this?

And why they didn't implement this as an out of the box feature?

Ghen @ May 30th 2008 7:16AM

Why isn't the ps3 free? with a full body motion interface? and 20 cores? Why only 7? And a terabyte of storage? and a cupcake?

Kspraydad @ May 30th 2008 7:24AM

@ghen...

Shit...I don't think they'll EVER implement the cupcake.

roach @ May 30th 2008 8:02AM

@ Ghen,

That is the most stupid ass response I have ever heard. Nobody was asking why the PS3 wasn't free. They asked why it took Sony two years to have something comparable to the competition.

It was a legit question. In game XMB should have been something implemented A LOT earlier. One of the reasons the 360 is so popular is because of the integration of Live and the Blade menu at ANY time.

oZone @ May 30th 2008 9:10AM

Bullshit roach, no one buys the Xbox 360 because they can open up a pane on the left or right side of their screen in the middle of a game.

"OMG, look at that pane! I just came!" - roach

NATO_Duke @ May 30th 2008 11:14AM

Have to agree with oZone on this. Live's features are great as is the blade system, but that isn't the reason people got on board.

The 360 took some time to implement changes after its release too. I don't see why its so shocking that the systems are evolving to meet the customer demands. Saying they should have met those demands prior to release is pure hindsight.

The PS3 released with a functional operating system and they are just amping it up to best the competition. There was never a time that I said the PS3 was too gimped to use - these are all perks now. I’m happy they are coming as opposed to wasting time angry over not getting them a year ago.

CGamble20 @ May 30th 2008 11:32AM

Right on NATO

CGamble20 @ May 30th 2008 11:33AM

WOW. Talk about PK STARSTORM on Roach. Ouch.

why not the LS2LS7? @ May 30th 2008 11:43AM

The 360 online has evolved since it came out. At launch, it didn't support any kind of jump-in/jump-out game, all games had to have all their players in before beginning. This was fine for games with rounds (like Halo), but Burnout:Paradise and Gears of War wouldn't be nearly as good without it.

It was implemented for Test Drive:Unlimited and used to great effect by Gears.

So 360 also was missing important online features at launch.

But, all in all, the 360 online was far more advanced at launch than PS3 was at launch (a year later) and even was more advanced in many ways than PS3 is now (hence the need for in-game XMB). So saying PS3 doesn't measure up technically as a total online system is fair game to me. But in many games it doesn't matter one whit (like Burnout:Paradise), so it isn't like the PS3 isn't fun.

I don't know who buys a 360 because those blades are there all the time, but I think those that do buy 360s are probably pretty happy they are there once they have it.

Marty @ May 30th 2008 12:59PM

Because they rushed the PS3's firmware out the door?

Marty @ May 30th 2008 1:06PM

"The 360 online has evolved since it came out. At launch, it didn't support any kind of jump-in/jump-out game, all games had to have all their players in before beginning."

That's a software feature, not a particular function of XBL. Why would the XBL network care if the game is already started or not, since online games are hosted by players, and not a centralized server?

why not the LS2LS7? @ May 30th 2008 1:08PM

No Marty, it was an update to the software on the Xbox and to the XBL servers.

Unlike on the PS3 where the developer can code what they want and talk to any servers they want, there are certain constraints on Live, and they didn't allow jump-in/jump-out type online play. But they do now.

Vcize @ May 30th 2008 2:07PM

Weird, I've had my 360 since launch and don't remember that LS2, but then again I didn't really play many 360 games online prior to Gears. Interesting little tidbit though.

I think being able to bring up the blade while in game is one of those things where you really don't know what you're missing until you've used it. I think if I had owned my PS3 before my 360 instead of the other way around I would be a lot less frustrated with the PS3's online interface.

I just can't go back now, everything is so much smoother and easier with everything integrated so well. I'm salivating at the thought of the PS3 catching up in this regard this month so I can play PS3 games online with friends without planning ahead and without wanting to pull my hair out.

If they have it before SC4 I'll be ecstatic.

Primateoverlord @ Jun 19th 2008 1:11PM

you don't have to pay 60 simoleons for the online ¿what do want for free?

Wes @ May 30th 2008 6:42AM

What really concerns me is if in game xmb will require some additional memory, some additional cpu power, some additional memory, express bus or powerpc bandwidth or other resources to be maintained/accessed or to have that feature available than Sony's operating system currently uses.

I know some games(See: F.E.A.R as an example off the top of my head) on the ps3 will studder during intense fight scenes and fire effects. If in-game xmb takes away say 2% of the ps3's resources(a small process), would it make that game studder 2% more frequently due to 2% less fps? Cause some games to take about 2% longer to load, etc etc?

Hyams @ May 30th 2008 6:47AM

This is probably why it's taken so long: Sony's probably been trying their best to find a way to get in-game XMB to work without affecting game performance in any noticable way.

DrXym @ May 30th 2008 6:50AM

One SPU is already reserved and probably some % of the main CPU is too. Games would already be required / compelled to work with those restrictions by the system TRC. The 360 has similar requirements.

Any new features added by Sony would also have to work with those restrictions to ensure existing games don't break. So I wouldn't worry about it too much.