UPDATE: The PS3 Firmware (v3.00) update is now live. You can use this update to upgrade your system software to version 3.00.
Just in time for the official launch of the 120 GB PlayStation 3, PS3 Firmware (v3.00) will be available shortly. As detailed during gamescom 09, 3.00 will introduce a number of great features, including “What’s New,” a redesigned status indicator and Friends List, and support for new avatars and dynamic themes.
We look forward to your feedback once the update goes live.
I like the new update.
The XMB is still the same. I won’t use the dynamic themes, but I like the new friends list.
The dynamic themes seem like a cool idea, but more themes should have been included to see what the new interface is capable of rather than just displaying glittery dust. It would also be nice to have the option to turn off the ticker or hide it because it looks very gaudy. The game and video PSN store icons should also be removed from those categories. They are very out of place and needs to remain back in the Network category. I don’t claim to speak for everyone, but I don’t think many people complained about there being only one PSN store icon before, as it also wasn’t hard to navigate once in the store. It’s redundant to have multiple icons that ultimately go to the same area.
And lastly, the gray boxes around your friends’ display seem silly and unnecessary. What would’ve been cooler, if you have to do those boxes, would be to allow customization, by allowing you or your friends to customize those boxes with a custom theme, pictures, or something; rather than just a plain gray box that doesn’t add anything, besides adding clutter to the once clean look. Please consider my opinions. I have been a devoted Sony fan for many years since the launch of the original PlayStation and wish to continue. I never once complained about any decisions Sony has ever made regarding pricing or anything else until the new firmware has affected my day-to-day navigation of the UI that I once loved.
Devoted Sony Fan,
Mikey Mui
You should hire me for UI design. And I am DEAD SERIOUS.
This new XMB is ugly as hell. I would like to meet the designer that actually worked on this so I could rip him apart for his crappy work.
Who the hell approved the new look of the buddy list? The person who made that should be slapped. That is the ugliest thing I have ever seen. AND IT DOESN’T MATCH ANYTHING ELSE IN THE XMB. Gray BOXES??!! Are you serious??! GRAY BOXES?! ::throws up::
Um, why are the fonts so HUGE?? I am 27. I don’t have coke bottle glasses and a hearing aid. But what I do have is a 40 inch HD TV about 2 ft away from me.
I don’t need my damn text to be so huge! It’s ugly and annoying. Give us the option to keep it the way it was. If you are going to change something like that, don’t remove the ability to revert back to the way it was.
CAN NOBODY AT SONY wrap their heads around the concept of “consistent UI” anyone??! BUELER?!
Good god. You’re ugly…scratch that…HORRID and inconsistent UI design is LAUGHABLE. You guys call this professional?
Get your crap together Sony. People actually DO CARE about design.
PLEASE GET REMOVE THE STUPID GRAY BOX AROUND YOUR FRIENDS NAME. IT IS SO ANNOYING. AT LEAST GIVE US THE OPTION TO CHANGE THE COLOR.
ALL THE AVATARS ARE THE SAME ANS THEY ARE ALL SUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE WANT NEW ONES!!!!!!!!!!!
RE: post 1300 (continued)…
That blank space on the new friends tabs is a bit misleading. I would imagine that space is reserved for something forthcoming? Perhaps a recently played icon or recently obtained Trophies? I think if we had a grand picture of what’s in the pipeline it might quell the fears/complaints of the masses here.
As for everything else, I actually love it. The Store Fronts for each section offer a nice glimpse of what’s new without having to launch the respective Store applications. That was a well thought out decision that I fully support. I also like the What’s New portion of the XMB…but…how about adding a Recommendations box that feeds user-specific title suggestions based on recently played PS3-BD/PSN titles?
Great job Eric & team! I can’t wait to see where we go next…oh, and that Sackboy Dynamic Theme is beautiful. More for Thursday’s Update please.
@ Comment 1319
I WOULD LOVE TO MULTI TASK WITH MUSIC ON, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO PLAY MY MUSIC IN GAME LIKE THE XBOX 360. BUT NO, SONY IS ALWAYS A DISAPPOINTMENT.
Sony, Your missing alot of other things, your just beating around the bush guys.
COMON SONY! This is a horrible update, the only good thing you changed was the new clock and loading icon, thats it, the rest is junk, and the new information ticker is ANNOYING. Why would you just take the old one and not let anyone be able to turn it off? I DONT WANT HANNA MONTANA PSP, I KNOW HOW TO USE THE PSN, I KNOW WHAT HOME IS, AND IVE ALREADY SEEN THE PSPGO WOOP DE DO! Its really annoying, thats why i turned off the old information bar the day i got my ps3. Im sure the same old crap information will stay up there for a month, btw the videos they link to load SLOW the videos the the playstaion blog load faster, horrible update, u should have just called this one THE BIG CLOCK FIX
RE: post 1300 (continued)…
Forgot to mention this:
Another user here suggested a grouping or sorting feature for Friends. I agree, I have plenty of friends on my list, in fact I think I’m about tapped at the limit and I’d love to sort Family, Friends, and Colleagues into groups if possible. That’s a minor gripe but it sure would be nice to prioritize the placement and organization of my friends.
PLEASE GET REMOVE THE STUPID GRAY BOX AROUND YOUR FRIENDS NAME. IT IS SO ANNOYING. AT LEAST GIVE US THE OPTION TO CHANGE THE COLOR.
PLEASE GET REMOVE THE STUPID GRAY BOX AROUND YOUR FRIENDS NAME. IT IS SO ANNOYING. AT LEAST GIVE US THE OPTION TO CHANGE THE COLOR.
PLEASE GET REMOVE THE STUPID GRAY BOX AROUND YOUR FRIENDS NAME. IT IS SO ANNOYING. AT LEAST GIVE US THE OPTION TO CHANGE THE COLOR.
PLEASE GET REMOVE THE STUPID GRAY BOX AROUND YOUR FRIENDS NAME. IT IS SO ANNOYING. AT LEAST GIVE US THE OPTION TO CHANGE THE COLOR.
PLEASE GET REMOVE THE STUPID GRAY BOX AROUND YOUR FRIENDS NAME. IT IS SO ANNOYING. AT LEAST GIVE US THE OPTION TO CHANGE THE COLOR.
is there a reason why I can’t output music at a higher frequency and browse the xmb at the same time? I gues I’ll go w/ 48KHz but I would’ve liked the other option.
my feedback?
for the long awaited 3.0… this is very meh
Bad timing with the price cut. Don’t think this will hurt the sales but is this what Sony really wants right now, bad press on an update tempering excitement over the slim and price cut? It takes a little bit of steam off.
Sony,
Either utilize the space of the giant gray boxes on the friends list by putting trophy information in them, or please change the friends list back. Either way is fine with me.
Also, an option to change the font size back to how it was before would be nice. I appreciate that you made the XMB easier to read for those with SDTVs, but on my HD set the font is gigantic and really looks ugly.
Is there any way I can NOT do this update? I like my current XMB, which is uncluttered with ads and PS store links…
But seriously, guys, who signed off on the grey boxes?
Did someone actually think they were aesthetically pleasing?
Was there a meeting?
Even if the empty space is to be filled… grey boxes and a ruined look to the XMB?
“We look forward to your feedback once the update goes live.”
Besides the inclusion of dynamic themes, 3.0 is unsightly and just plain awful. What happened to the award winning XMB? As it stands now everything looks so cheap and dated. I understand you are trying to make new users feel comfortable in navigating the PS3, but this is a step back for most current users and long time supporters. Why can’t there be an option for font size AND color???? Why does my next-gen, super sophisticated PS3 now looks to display in SD on my HD TV? I cannot comprehend how anyone would think this looks better than the previous 2.8.
-I don’t like the PS Store bags everywhere, but I can deal with that.
-The “news” ticker needs to have a disable option as it is completely worthless just like the previous version. What can you possibly put in that scrolling text box that can’t be put in the “what’s new” section?
-The font, XMB size and friends list is unconscionable. I can’t even look at the friends list now without wanting to faceplam myself in disgust. Yes, it is THAT bad. The new aesthetics seem like a big joke and I can’t believe it passed testing and design.
This is intended as feedback. Sorry if all these comments come off as complaining, but this update made the Playstation experience just plain ugly. Can we just have an option to turn off all that crap, or resort back to 2.8 with the inclusion of dynamic themes? ICK!
I’m glad this udate is finally here, the whats new section is pretty sic, they havent added new avatars yet, they will probably wait to do that when they update the ps3 store this thurday like usual. i just wish they added a little more to this update. overall im happy though!
I have to say I’m really disappointed in this update as it removed a lot of quality things from the system.
First, it added some sweet things like the copy/paste feature and the message notification is nice. I most likely will never use a dynamic theme, but nice work.
Now, the rest is bad. That ticker is so intrusive and ugly up in the right corner. PLEASE GIVE US AN OPTION TO DISABLE. That Information Bar in the last firmware was the same way, useless. THIS IS A BIG DEAL TO ME. It’s a reason I got the PS3, was to avoid advertisements and to have an elegant system that I can leave on even when I’m not jusy playing games…. “It does everything” right.
@1320
Sony made you pay? I didn’t realise they had a gun to your head and ordered you to the shops to hand over your benifit money.
Sorry pal but Sony didn’t make you do anything, it was your choice to buy the console.
The FONTS are huge. It shouldn’t be hard to add an option to go back to the original size. I’ve never had a problem reading the text and now I can read it from my car, through the window, as I’m pulling into the driveway.
Please remove all that extra information from under all the menus. Anyone who has used the system knows what’s under each menu and if you don’t, you guys give us a manual when we buy the system. System Options “Changes system options” ok thanks.
Friends List, IDK, I can maybe live with it but I don’t understand why you lost transparency in the boxes completely. I understand having some sort of background color on top of the user selected background, for ease of reading, but why are they so big and solid?
Not a big deal, but why are there STORE ICONS everywhere now. I’ve spent lots of money in the PS Store … It’s not hard to find, it was in the perfect spot where it should be before. Why is it getting shoved down my throat now?
WE NEED NEW ADVATARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AT LEAST XBOX 360 UPDATES IT SO WHY CANT PLAYSTATION???? WE ARE NOT LITTLE KIDS THAT NEED KIDDISH ICONS NEXT TO OUR NAMES EITHER MAKE SONY PLAYSTATION LOOK CHEAP AND STUPID FOR KIDS!!!!! “GAY”
I LOST 50 IN MY WALLET!!!!! D=
i want t now…. i cant wait my ps3 is just ready for the update!!!
WOW, such a short post and this is how many comments you get! WOW!
Adjustable text size for the next firmware update would be a good idea.
There’d probably be 1000 less complaints here from the people who act like the world is coming to an end. Actually there’d still be complaints even if the PS3 spit out real money. Bunch of crybabies.
@1331 xXAirForceOne
I cannot tell if you are making fun of me or if you are actually agreeing with my post.
Update looks great. But, what happened to the Playstation 3 splash and sound when launching games? thats a Playstation staple since PSX. 2 things I would like is a All Backup tab for Save files and Skype
The XMB looks pretty disgusting now. The large font scale makes it look very kiddy.
It would be nice to offer the option to return the XMB to its original scale, and to also allow us to change the friends list back to the old way too.
As for the whole of the update? Disappointing.
All fluff that didn’t improve, but detract, and no real substance to be had.
Honestly, is it really that difficult to get some level of functionality added, as opposed to giving us half baked aesthetic upgrades, which end up looking worse?
Dynamic themes are nice, but the only way to make use of this, is to pay a premium price, or make a JP account. Seriously, 3~4 should have been added with the update, for free, to allow users to see how they actually look.
Get some GAMERS trying these updates, since whoever is doing it right now, doesn’t know a damn thing about what we want.
Oh, and Cross Game Voice Chat. Where the devil is it? EA holding it up, or was that all just a rumour? Either way, sort it out, and don’t ignore it for -another- year.
I think the big box in the corner is too big and we should have a choice of font size. Also…not sure why there are big boxes on our friends names?
-Please get rid of the gray boxes. They are blocky and just get in the way.
-There is no need for 3 Store icons
-Allow the text size to be changed in the settings
-Go back to the old sound of the orchestra tuning please
Take that all the people, that was saying the update was great and Bc and cross chat aren’t needed ..YOUR NEW F 3.00 SUCKS!! LIVE WITH THAT.
“I am beginning to wonder just what is going on with the people who ‘beta test’ this stuff out on behalf of Sony?”
I’m guessing either Sony rejects most of their suggestions just as they’ve been for oh, forever now. Either that, or most of the beta testers are Sony die-hards afraid to give an honest opinion.
Seriously, who thought the THREE STORE LINKS and clunky “what’s new” section were good ideas? If they were going to dump all this crap on the XMB, they should’ve taken a few more pages from MS’ playbook and revamped the entire thing.
Sony 0 – 1 Microsoft
where are the new avatars?
where are the new themes some war asleep when they let this update out!! this is a fail now show me the next small update with the items that was stated on the video for the update. and push up the update for party chat..thank i love u sony!!
hey can’t we go back to the original booting up noise instead of the crappy new one for the slim.
just a word: worst update ever, just horrible!!
3.0.1 needed now. Features:
a. Option to adjust the size of the fonts.
b. Option to take out the gray box behind the friend list.
c. Take out the store icons from everywhere.
Please implement what we are asking since 2006!! CROSS GAME CHATTING!!
What the heck is the new update about..?
I did the update and my ps3 wont go back into hd mode.. it is still in sd mode..WTF..?? Help anyone..??
The new firmware is killer! Thanks!!!
OMG Sony what have you done???!!!
This new Firmware is VERY disapointing!
We new a new firmware to change the bad stuff :
– The friendlist is UGLY, and it’s too big the old one was better…Why big grey squares?!
– Why the hell a PlayStation Store icon in the game menu, there is already a PlayStation Store icon in XMB, it’s pointless and a mess
– OMG where is the PS3 boot sequence when we start a game? it disappeared…What a dumb decision! I understand the PS3 logo changed with the Slim PS3 but we loved the chime when we started game, we want it back!!! (You can make a new one with the new PS3 logo anyway but this black wide screen OMG it’s ridiculous)
– The font is too big we are not blind we need an option to permit to disable it
– The blur/vagueness in the XMB menu is not nice at all, it was better before the update
– I like the music of the old startup why did you have to change it?
I really hope Sony will hear customers because more than 80% of them are disapointed by this Firmware 3.0
Suggestion: Under the ‘Games’ column in XMB, you should have a section similar to the ‘What’s New’ section (in appearance) that displays all add-ons and updates for the games that have save data on the unit. That way, the user doesn’t have to navigate through the store to find them.
Okay, I’ve always appreciated firmware updates, and this one added some cool features, but it took away some very basic ones. It might not seem like a big deal but it was for me: When listing to music you can no longer hit the PS button and go to browse the internet, nor can you listen to music and go through my photos. I thought that was always such a cool functionality, I don’t understand why you would take that away. Please fix this.
Things that need to be fixed:
1. Revert font sizes to old size or at least allow font size to be changed. It’s too big now.
2. Fix the Friends list, it’s just plain ugly now.
3. Add the ability to disable the scrolling ticker in the info box. I already know Fat Princess was released, I don’t need to be reminded of this over and over again.
4. Ditto with the PlayStation Store icons in the Video and Game menus. I already know how to get to the PlayStation Store for games and I never buy videos because of the horrible restrictive license. These are a major annoyance.
5. The “What’s New” screen is pretty useless. Add the option to hide it.
Can someone from Sony please respond?
Do you have reasons for the changes you made that seem a bit odd to long time PS3 owners?
Does it bother you that so many people are responding negatively to this Firmware Update?
What, if anything, will be done to address the issues in the massive amount of feeback you solicited?
@1364 – You can listen to music in the background, but you need to change the Music Settings->Output Frequency to 48 KHz.
For the most part, I like the new update. I only have a couple of minor complaints…
-it would be nice to be able to turn off the ticker in the top right corner.
-the new Friends List is so-so. The gray boxes would of been okay if it actually had better or more information in it? Also the option to turn the boxes off or maybe even make them semi transparent would be better.
I do like the new theme and I’m waiting to see the new avatars. The font size was an improvement. But all in all, good update. I’m looking forward to future updates with new features. Thanks Eric. :)
I am still very appreciative for what sony has done! Awesome job guys Keep up the good work!
I am very displeased with the annoying scrolling ticker that I cannot turn off. Please fix that, as I was able to disable the previous information board and not be bothered with it. The sooner, the better, it sucks…A LOT.
I also agree with the sentiment that the friends list does not look good, please fix that too.
Thank you for fixing it so that the battery indicator no longer covers the clock.