Firmware Update (v2.00)

787 1

Hi everyone. Here’s a preview of the next PLAYSTATION 3 firmware update (2.00) scheduled to release within the next few days. This update contains features that will allow you to receive news directly from us on everything PlayStation, enhance the way you access and organize your media, and allow you to customize your XMB in new ways.

Here’s a closer look at the new features:

You’ll notice this icon in the Network category of the XMB. This is the Information Board.

informationboardlogo

Once activated, you’ll notice scrolling headlines in the upper right-hand corner of your screen. We’ll be delivering the latest news on new games, PLAYSTATION Store updates, hardware, accessories and lots more through the Information Board. Click on the Information Board icon and you’ll be able to see all of the headlines and click through for more detail. The headlines and associated stories will be updated on a regular basis. You can choose not to display the Information Board, but you never know what you might miss, so I’d recommend keeping it on.

We’ve added a nice enhancement to Remote Play called Remote Start, to use Remote Play locally or from a Wi-Fi hotspot, you needed to make sure that your PS3 was on. With Remote Start this is no longer necessary. As long as your PS3 is in standby mode, you’ll be able to turn your PS3 on remotely via the PSP. You can then use Remote Play to access media on your PS3, and when you’re finished you can put your PS3 back into standby mode.

Another feature we’ve added with this update is the ability to set themes on your PS3. Themes will change the whole look of your XMB; the background, icons, and in some cases sounds on your XMB will completely change. We will be providing themes on PlayStation.com and through the PLAYSTATION Store. Once you have downloaded a theme, under Settings go to Theme Settings, select Theme and then choose a theme to display or install a new theme. We are also providing the ability for you to get creative and make your own original themes.

We’ve also added a new way to organize your photos and music on the PS3 – you can now create custom playlists for all of your music and photos.

Finally, regular readers of this blog may have noticed that I’m using a new avatar. You will see that logo above on your XMB representing the new PLAYSTATION Network category. You’ll find the PLAYSTATION Store and Account Management in this category.

We’ve added several other features in this update. I’ll soon be back with more details with a quick video demo of some of the new features.

As always thanks for all of your support and feedback.

Comments are closed.

787 Comments

1 Author Reply

  • @91.
    It’s not like I personally want 2.0, I just need my in game XMB. I could care less if that feature was in update 1.95 or whatever. But if they say that 2.0 would be different, just put whatever we all are asking which is access to the Cross Media Bar while playing games…that’s all

  • PS3 owners have constantly asked for in-game XMB. Who ever asked for a news ticker with Sony Propaganda 24×7.

  • All i see is people complain. The point is this update opens the door to many many more features. I think its a great update, and yes I will be disappointed if we dont see in-game XMB.

    For a feature that is soo hyped, it would not surprise me if they held back on that information until the FW actually came out. why you may ask, so that can laugh at all the idiots who rant about Sony sucking and how 360 xbl is better, etc…

  • dam, that was a fast 100 comments.

  • @81

    Maybe if it’s out to lunch, it will eat IN-GAME XMB.

    Damn, not even a response from Eric or anyone on the team. You know, it’s just sad, were obviously extremely loyal fans of Sony and all they can do is ignore. I cant even type anymore, it’s just sad.

  • No in-game XMB? Sony you lose… this one was really hard to screw up, you even have a GAP poll going yet you still manage to miss the easy one. All we need was in-game xmb or custom soundtracks and we got neither. No home, no xmb and no soundtracks…..2.0 BLOWS!

  • oh, and the in-game XMB is not as fundamental as many of you make it out to be.

  • @94: i agree, communication is important. but many games like warhawk have their own voicecom system, which works fine.
    voicecom the only solution, that’s a fact.
    chatting at the PS3 (or any other konsole) is bad, because without a keyboard it takes hours for a few words, so i don’t see any reason to access the friendslist/chat within a game. this would interrupt the game way to long.

  • 1. In-game access to PSN messaging

    2. Ability to play my own music from the XMB while in-game

    3. Larger buddy list and buddy-list features such as categorizing

    These are the things we want the most sony in that exact order.

  • Eric,

    Why have we not heard any information regarding Sony implementing in-game XMB access?

  • Eric can you at least talk to us and explain why the in-game XMB didn’t make the cut or why it’s taking so long?

    What happened here?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VszZ_63Ap8I

  • I have 4 friends that where thinking about getting a 40gb ps3 for christmass. Ill be sure to get them not to since we cant talk with each other in the game to find each other on games. Oh well the other system has the same games but look better and with better features. i was all ready to support the ps3 full speed but i guess its gonna be my useless media hub for my videos forever i guess.

  • I am very disappointed that there is no in-game access to the XMB. While it is very easy for you to ignore the number of people asking for it, it would be more respectable if you show the integrity that one would expect from someone in your position – anser the users hear and comment on why it has not been included and whther it ever will

    In the same breadth pleas please comment on whether there will be upscaling of 720p only PS3 games to 1080 for users with HDTVs that do not accept 720.

    The developer of Uncharted pointed out that he was embarrased that they did not know this is an issue.
    How can you guys expect to build loyalty if you don’t adress said issue either by communicating with users on these forums or letting all developers know to include the simple to add feature of upscaling a natively 720p game to 1080 if it is so desired by users.

  • Some of the new themes look beautiful and I cant wait to try them out. I’m glad Sony keep improving the Firmware. However maybe somebody on the Official PlayStation Blog can answer our questions instead of leaving us to guess and speculate. Please answer our questions. HELLO!

    1) Is in-game XMB possible on the PS3?
    If it isn’t, let us know so we stop asking.

    2) If yes, when is the likely release, Summer or Autumn 2008?

    3)Is Trophies, the PS3 version of the Xbox Gamercard tied into PS HOME? or can we expect a 2D version before the HOME release?

    4) Will the PS3 browser be updated?
    its brilliant watching YouTube on my TV, but the browser needs a Flash update, (i cant access the official PS website vids!) will there be more codecs for .avi 7 .wmv etc?

    5) Is there going to be a standardised in-game invite system?

  • Who reads these comments or thinks they know what the gamers want? I don’t know how much time they spent on this update but they keep missing the mark!

  • This update is fine, it’s just not worth the 2.0 version number. One minor change would make me happy: display a clock when you press the PS button. How can they miss that?!? i prefer to get the small things right before handling the larger problems. Granted in-game XMB would solve that problem anyways. Maybe when they rearranged the XMB, they also revamped the PSN store…maybe?

  • “We’ve added several other features in this update. I’ll soon be back with more details with a quick video demo of some of the new feature”

    Who knows maybe these other features include in game xmb and expaned video support. Maybe they imporved messaging between friends a messenger similar to msn rather than an emailing system that when you want to talk its like writing a email everytime.

  • would be great if we could get a reply from sony… but i think we will never get one :(

  • TO EVERYONE COMMENTING!:

    “We’ve added several other features in this update. I’ll soon be back with more details with a quick video demo of some of the new features.”

    There’s still hope for your f’ing Ingame CrossMediaBar! So shut up and wait and see!

    I hate whiners.

  • You know, I really think they are sitting behind theirs desk laughing at evryone that ranting off at the mouth about in-game XMB and in-game chat messaging. They know these features are extremly important, they know we want them. I think this update is great, its not going to have everything we want but the new features are exciting.

    Next thing you know we DL the update and bam we can access the XMB in-game. As stated they have been working on the FW for over a year. We have been ranting off at the mouth about in-game XMB for a year sooo lets just wait and see.

  • Please DONT give us in-game XMB until these silly little kids learn some respect i.e. stop crying you little bastards.

  • PS3 Hacks - Hacks, Cracks, Mods, Homebrew, Utilities. » PS3 Firmware 2.0 Due Out Very Soon! Hack Sony Play Station Portable

    […] source: blog.us.playstation.com Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and […]

  • Thanks Sony, great update

  • @ amras_telemnar

    Wanna bet that these “other features” are nothing other than security patches?

  • F**ck all of you wakers,
    I mean, they NEVER EVER said that ingame XMB would be included in the 2.0 update, NOW THOSE STATEMENTS YOU READ ON FORUMS ARE CALLED “RUMOURS’’ ever heard of that term?

    please, just enjoy the stuff you get and don’t be such an a**hole, i really do hope that you all got more to do than just playing your ps3.

    I really love the machine, been fan of the playstation brand since the first day i picked up a controller, so please don’t judge me for a fanboy or anything, some of you are just so god damn stupit, you’ll just have to do with the stuff you get. AND THIS AINT THE WHOLE UPDATE, as said, more info is released shortly so shut up

  • This is crap!! Where is the in game XMB ??? Come on Sony, this is by far the #1 want for PS3 owners!! For the love of God, it should not take a year to develop this! If microsoft can do it, why not you??

  • Will someone please at least have the decency to comment on the feature that we were all expecting, whether its good or bad news as PS3 owners we have a right to know surely.
    Even still the update is passable but not worthy of 2.00 status

  • the press release already said the extra features are minor i know 1 was the support of some additonal printers

  • But they did promised the features in this video 5 montsh ago…. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2N0K0EbdbWE they was prob just lieing to cover up that there system cant do it.

  • Amazing! I really don’t care for in-game XMB, it should be nice? yes, but that is a “necesity”? hmmm…. kinda.

    Still i love that you guys included the theme change a la the PSP, I also hope you guys will let us in the future to change the way the XMB look as a whole and not just the icons change. What I mean is that we will make it looks different completly and not look like and XMB at all.

    Anyways, good update, I hope you guys release it soon. Also I hope there will be a new way to organize our games, since that should be nice too.

    Thanks for the news!

  • AWESOME UPDATE! I cant wait. I for one DO NOT want in-game XMB so please dont add it.

  • @ Robin
    I agree that this is a major update and that the PS3 is an amazing machine. The best proof that you’re not alone thinking this is that we are posting here. This is precisely why we are expecting so much from the guys at Sony. If I had a Wii I would be too satisfied despite the limited number of features, because that’s what Nintendo promised. Sony offered much more with the PS3 and now it’s time to deliver: we want what the competition has and what they DON’T have.

  • Not exactly what I was waiting for but still good updates. I’m sure in-game XMB, messaging, and music are all on the way. Besides what’s the point of in-game music if you can’t create playlists?

  • @132 buy a 360 and then try to get use to ps3 online and you will want it. lol Your just saying you dont want it because it doesnt have it. lol

  • Sony tnx for the great update we hope u come soon with game xbm menu

  • This is just all the bad karma we are getting for not doing our homework when we were kids(I still don’t do homework but I’m about to start). Now Sony is not doing their homework and in the end they’ll just be getting a big fat F in customer satisfaction. Heres to hoping that 2008 is the year for playstation gamers. Wt# Sony!!!

  • Thanks for the update, keep up the good work making a great system even better.
    Gamesblow you come off as being quite childish, it one thing to let people know what you want and quite another to throw tantrums. What good is having in-game XMB while your staring at the red-ring of death. Good luck with that !!!

  • @138 im on my 9th 360 (great wannanty at best buy) and i still pick it over ps3 the games just look better and it has more features. if it dies i just goto the store and swap them. I have a warranty on all systems even my ps3.

  • @ slomo788

    So do I. I also what the competition has and what they do not have. It’s just that a lot of people who post here don’t see that playstation already has a couple of features that are better than the ones of the competition, there are not a lot i know that. But it cant come all at once, and as I said, maybe theyre just keeping the best for the last, you never know! :D

  • Lol, kids crying over a trivial ingame XMB. Just play the dang game isn’t that what a PS3 system is mainly for games and watch BR movies, the rest is just extra stuff Sony is doing for free. So you waist money on i-pods and cell-phones to not use it when you play games, lol.

  • I got to have my In-game music… This is a good update but not what i expected.

    I WANT IN-GAME MUSIC!!!!!

  • Yeah this is [DELETED]…… remote start and a updates box thingy? What kinda piss poor 2.0 update is that!? I’m just one more playstation fan thats pissed at Sony.

    HOW MANY TIMES DO WE GOTTA SAY XMB XMB XMB IN GAME?!?!?!

  • I want XMB in game! I registered just to post this.

  • Why do people act like Sony promised in-game XMB in 2.0? Go sell your PS3s if you think it’s the end of the world that it’s not included in this update. They said they are working on it. Leave it at that. Is it really that big of a deal? Just enjoy the new games that are coming out. Damn…

  • BtW…b4 I get flamed for my last post I still love the PS3 and I still believe in the end the PS3 will become the king of the console wars. It will also demolish the 360RRoDBrickBox….mwahahahaha.

  • Um… Where’s in-game XMB, where’s the Music while playing games.. Might as well, have called this 1.99 not 2.0. This is not what we were expecting, and hopefully you guys will deliver these things soon.

  • @metalhead32

    If everyone who wanted in-game XMB sold their PS3… who would buy them?

  • This update sounds promising! This is and will be a great month for the gaming world! Can’t wait till the update hits my XMB! I have been wanting a playlist and more theme options!

  • i don’t see why Sony will not at least address what the deal is. Everyone (except like two people) want in-game xmb. We were all expecting/hoping it’d be here with 2.0, not just on this blog, but on every other gaming blog I read.

    …if it truly is not in this update, Sony, can we please have some information about your plans for In-Game XMB?

Please enter your date of birth.

Date of birth fields