PS3 Firmware 3.00 features in development pre-NXE

"What's New" isn't really that new at all. In a conversation with Joystiq, SCEA network director Eric Lempel revealed that the feature has been in development for quite a long time, before Microsoft first revealed the NXE last year. According to Lempel, Sony "didn't want to do a big update," akin to Microsoft's total makeover. Why? "People like the XMB."

The Information Board, introduced in firmware 2.00, was always meant to serve as a placeholder for the "What's New" feature, Lempel admitted. This evolution of the PS3 operating system will make it clear to PS3 owners "what the latest and greatest is" on the PlayStation Store -- and yes, the system will continue to evolve over future iterations. One missing feature that might appear later on? The ability to see all DLC for a specific title, something NXE currently provides.

Firmware 3.00 will be available to download on September 1st and, while the PS3 Slim will debut shortly afterwords, it will not come preloaded on the hardware. Instead, new PS3 Slim owners will download a day-one upgrade to 3.00.