PS3-firmware posts (Subscribe to this feed)

Many readers have been sending tips to Joystiq about a new PS3 firmware update. In actuality, this is not a new update at all. Firmware 3.15 was released on December 9th and introduced the ability to play PSP Minis on the PS3. While this update was originally optional, the powers-that-be at Sony are now making it a mandatory update. "We have found out that users will not be able to acquire trophies on some game titles," we were told by a SCEE representative. "Users can avoid this problem by updating the PS3 system to firmware 3.15 and therefore we've made it a mandatory update. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and appreciate for your understanding and continued support."

If you haven't updated your PS3 yet, make sure to allocate some time before attempting to jump online to install this mandatory update. You don't want to be late to your MW2 party, do you? [ProTip: Save yourself some time by downloading the update now on a USB flash drive.]

Looking to try out that PSP Mini on your preposterously sized high definition television? Though we can't promise the results will be particularly gorgeous, we're pleased to announce that the option is now available to you. Sony just launched PS3 Firmware Update 3.15, which allows you to play PSP Minis on your decidedly un-Mini console. In addition, the patch makes it easier to transfer files between PS3s using only a LAN cable. Read here to learn more about this functionality, and simply go to the System Update option on the XMB to get the patch!

PS3 is getting yet another firmware update -- this time optional -- "very soon" according to a post on the European PlayStation.Blog. The pre-Christmas update brings a feature we reported on earlier: support for PSP Minis on the PS3. Like PSone classics, a single purchase from the PlayStation Store will work on both platforms. If you've bought a Mini and want to play it on your PS3, you'll be able to access it from the Store's archived Download List.

In addition to adding Minis support, update 3.15 will simplify the process of moving data from one PS3 to another. For example, if you own both a PS3 Phat and Slim, you'll be able to connect the two systems via a LAN cable and transfer data from one system to the next. For more details on how to do just that, visit the PlayStation.Blog.

As promised, firmware 3.10 is now available to download for your PS3. Navigate to System Update from the XMB to download this update. Included in this package:

System changes

• Added the ability to access some Facebook features from the XMB.
• The [Friends] list has been redesigned.
• The user is now able to change the color of their [Profile].

Media changes

• Expanded [Photo] folders and playlists are now displayed in a grid, rather than a list.
• Added various TV website shortcuts for users in Europe under [TV]. (For more details, visit PlayStation.Blog.Europe)

We'll be testing the Facebook integration later tonight. Stay tuned.

[Thanks, Levi!]

Netflix was kind enough to answer a heap of nitpicky questions following the announcement that its steaming service would soon be available for PlayStation 3. Certainly, question marks hovered over the application "disc" and whether or not it would have to always be in the PS3 to use the Netflix streaming service. It turns out that Netflix won't have an integrated XMB solution just yet -- but it's coming.

Check out our interview with a Netflix representative for the full details:

Joystiq: Was the PS3 application developed internally by Netflix?

Netflix: Yes, with the help of the Sony team.

Can the Netflix application be installed to the PS3 hard dive from the disc? Or must the disc be inserted every time a user wants to access Netflix?

Update: Sony says: "We haven't made any announcements on upcoming firmware and don't comment on rumor or speculation."

In a PlayStation.com Forums thread about the existing Uncharted 2 chat system, a Naughty Dog staffer with the handle "ReklissAbandon" reportedly said that "the next PS3 firmware update is going to allow cross game chat."

Currently, that alleged confirmation is "deleted" (presumably by ReklissAbandon), but the text reappears as a quote a couple of posts down the thread. We've got the full quote after the break in case all record of the statement should meet with an unfortunate accident, and we've also reached out to Sony for comment. In the meantime, please temper your excitement over hearing your friends' voices with a bit of healthy skepticism.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

What's New? For one: a class action lawsuit filed by John Kennedy, who accuses Sony's 3.0-version PlayStation firmware update of breaching implied warranty and signaling an act of negligence (among other complaints). As detailed by Courthouse News Service, the suit alleges that "thousands" of PS3 owners downloaded the update, only to find that it caused the system to malfunction and suffer damage to hardware.

While Firmware 3.0 was reported to be problematic (particularly in unison with Naughty Dog's popular action game, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune), Sony soon issued an update to quell concerns. The manufacturer was also quick to separate hardware failures -- such as disc drive errors -- from the firmware update. It's the resulting $150 repair fee that provided impetus to Kennedy's suit, which aims to determine appropriate restitution during trial.

[Via Gamasutra]

If you've had troubles playing Uncharted since the arrival of PlayStation 3 firmware 3.0, you and Nathan can finally get back to business with the now-available 3.01 update, which Sony says addresses the issue. However, if you were one of those complaining about your controllers not functioning properly after the update, it would seem that you're still out of luck.

So, that's the news, you can finally play Uncharted again. But jeez, could the timing be any worse?

Though the PS3 Firmware Update 3.00 failed to bring about the grand, sweeping changes that most of us are waiting for, it's apparently been a boon for PSN developers. In an interview with GamesIndustry, Doublesix claimed that sales for Burn Zombie Burn jumped 40 percent following the update -- largely due to the fact that the downloadable title was featured in the What's New section, which is now the first thing that appears when the PS3 is turned on.

According to Doublesix studio head James Brooksby, the PS3 start-up screen has always had a "40 inch advertising space waiting to be used," and that the introduction of the What's New menu is "a major step forward for the entire industry and the digital distribution sector." Obviously, Brooksby completely overlooked the true highlight of the console's latest update: The sparkles. Oh God, the sparkles!

Firmware 3.00 brought many changes: some good, some bad. The good? The removal of the PS3 logo at a game's launch, which "makes the loading time a bit quicker than before." The bad? A few aesthetic changes, most notoriously the redesigned Friends list. Inexplicably, the latest software update added large gray boxes around each individual user ID, making for a cluttered look that simply didn't jive with the elegance of the XMB. SCEE's PS3 Brand Manager appeared on the EU PlayStation.Blog to admit that "updates to firmware don't always suit everyone's tastes."

Thankfully, the Friends list is something Sony is "looking into based on your comments." Mark Bowles added, "We really do appreciate the feedback you guys give us, both positive and negative."

Sony, may we recommend you take some inspiration from the mock-ups (seen above) created by Steven Shaw? The "box" idea works really well, when implemented correctly. Above, Shaw uses the box to highlight the selected user, and then takes advantage of the screen real estate to provide instant access to useful information. We're quite fond of his work -- you should definitely check out more.

Players frantically mashing buttons on their unresponsive controllers, wondering why all action in Uncharted has come to a bizarre (albeit visually stunning) standstill, may have become victims of the PlayStation 3's "isolated" Firmware 3.0 issues. Writing on the PlayStation Blog, Sony's Patrick Seybold has assured readers that Sony is aware of the complaints.

"Rest assured that we are looking into the matter and will provide an update here as soon as possible," Seybold wrote. "We apologize for any inconvenience, as it's our mission to deliver the best consumer experience on all PlayStation platforms."

Hang in there, Nate, help is on the way!

A growing thread on the official PlayStation 3 forum alleges the recent hardware firmware upgrade to version 3.00 has spawned a host of controller connection issues for PS3 users. According to the forum, various wireless controllers -- some users specifically naming DualShock3 model CECHZC2H (Ceramic White) -- are unable to connect to the console. When turned on, users claim the controller LEDs for ports 1 and 2 activate, but the controller remains inoperable.

Users attempting to troubleshoot the problem claim that resetting the controller (through the built-in pinhole reset function) and plugging it directly into the console (via USB) do not correct the error, with one user going so far as doing a complete system restore to no avail. The issue, however, appears to be isolated, but is still a concern for a number of gamers.

Update: Overnight, the issue has spawned an interesting development. Users are pointing out that the problem may be isolated to "knock-off" PS3 controllers. Joystiq has contacted Sony for an update to see if XMB 3.00 targets these fakes or if the controller issue is simply a byproduct of the controllers not being able to catch up with the new firmware.

Aside from sparkly background support and an expanded XMB interface, we've yet to point-2 many of the smaller differences between the PlayStation 3's 2.8-version firmware and its latest 3.0 update. Thankfully, we have the internet for that, and it's given us some new pedantic comparison videos to mull over and possibly dispute!

Youtube user "PS3slimComparison" has documented console startup times, Blu-ray launch times and video game loading times on his PS3 Slim, first equipped with Firmware 2.8, and then Firmware 3.0. Waiting times appear to be shorter with 3.0 (and who doesn't want to get into Arkham Asylum as fast as possible?), but we were curious to discover if there would be a notable speed improvement on a 60GB PS3 with the latest software. Based on our informally derived test results (see them after the break), the answer appears to be a curt "no." It's possible that 3.0 is tailored to take advantage of the Slim's newer hardware, excluding longtime owners from any supposed speed gains.

Speculation aside, we were shocked to find just how much quicker 3.0 is when it comes to Uncharted -- on 2.8, the game takes forever to freeze.

[Via PlayStation forums; thanks, Garrett]

Is your clicky, drab Cross Media Bar in dire need of a facelift? Is it sagging around the Video tab? Got some unsightly varicose veins in its Network section? You can give your XMB the overhaul it so richly deserves with the recently released Firmware 3.00 System Update, which adds the "What's New" section, a status indicator, a renovated friends list, PlayStation Store shortcuts, and animated backgrounds to your PS3's main menu screen. Check out these features in action in the video posted after the jump.

To install Firmware 3.00, just hit the "System Update" icon under the settings menu. To update to Firmware 4.00, you'll either need to acquire some sort of time-traveling apparatus or become the president of Sony R&D. Good luck with that!

[Note: Flame-free comment thread here; thanks to everyone who sent this in!]