We know you’re all patiently waiting for the next PS3 firmware update, v2.40, which includes XMB access in-game and Trophy support. The good news is that it’s coming soon, and you can now see how accessing the XMB from in-game will work in this video demo.

Shortly, we’ll be posting another video here on the PlayStation.Blog that shows the Trophy feature in action for the first time. At that time we’ll provide even more details on how firmware v2.40 will enhance your PLAYSTATION 3 experience.



Check it out PS3 firmware v2.40 FAQ
News Source: blog.us.playstation

According to a German site, a contact has revealed that the 40GB PS3 will soon be able to achieve backwards compatibility. It will do so through the use of 100 percent software emulation which will come by way of a new firmwae. However, we'd take this with a pinch of salt for now for obvious reasons...

In a discussion between us and Sony an import merchant from the USA, which import to Germany, we experienced that the 40GB is to become downward compatible variant of the PS3 in October PS2 plays. The whole is to go via firmware an update of.

Thus our contact man added joking that he had get rid now immediately all 60GB of models, which he has still on supply, since they would suffer a noticeable depreciation after publication of the firmware. This sounds quite plausible, since many seize to around some more expensive 60GB model only due to the downward compatibility, which with same functionality of the 40GB of model then would become void.

On the question, how this from technical side will look, us it was insured that this was to take place “to 100% by means of software emulation”. According to the dealer is planned the firmware for October, to one hundred per cent it cannot assure this however.

We can likewise no warranty for the correctness of this message give to want to drive the fact out however that Sony announced recently, also PS2 of plays over the PSN make this step nevertheless very probably.

We hold you with new information up to date.

Sony were apparently talking quite a lot about community websites at Sony's 'Pre-E3 Judge's Event in LA' and it seems many PS3 games will be getting Bungie.net style community sites. Those confirmed to be getting community sites include Motorstorm: Pacific Rim, Resistance 2 and SOCOM: Confrontation. Killzone 2 already has a site for Killzone: Liberation but will add "rankings and statistics" for Killzone 2. Also, LittleBigPlanet should be getting some kind of community site but Sony have not decided on how to integrate the game with such a site.

• LittleBigPlanet – While they're "not decided yet" on exactly how to integrate the game into a community website, if any mechanic seems ripe for such a project, rankings and stats for LBP's user-generated content seem like a sure bet.
• Killzone 2 – There already is a my.killzone.com site for Killzone: Liberation, but adding "rankings and statistics" for Killzone 2 is the plan.
• SOCOM: Confrontation – They plan on launching a community site – think "My SOCOM" – on SOCOM.com. There's nothing there now, and MySOCOM.com is taken.
• Motorstorm: Pacific Rim – The Motorstorm representative wasn't very interested in providing any details, but she told us that they would have a "community website" as well.
• Resistance 2 – Insomniac has perhaps the most ambitious plans for community content, dedicating an entire development team to the task. They're "overhauling" MyResistance.net, adding things along the lines of "facebook-like features."

The Japanese Playstation website has revealed that the Playstation Store will be reopened with its new look on April 25th. Firmware 2.30 will also be released on the same day to allow access to the store. To celebrate the launch of the store, Sony will be running a "PS treasure hunt" from April 15th to May 12 2008, giving every 50th member the chance to download a hidden application or game. It has been assumed that the new store will also launch in N.America and Europe on the same day too.

Sony PlayStation 3 online service will be renewed on April 15th, 2008 (Tuesday) evening. This will renew and expand the store by adding functionality described below:

* New interface and navigation improvements
* Preview video content using still images
* New download categories added

After the update, PS3 System Software 2.30 will be available.

To promote the new store, SCEJ will be offering a "PS treasure hunt" running from April 15th to May 12 2008. This will allow every 50th user to the store to download a "hidden" application or game, most likely for free. Maybe this is the suprise SCEE/SCEA mentioned upon release of the new store.

Scott Steinberg, VP of Product Marketing at SCEA, has said that they underestimated demand for the 80 GB PS3. He said Sony were wrong in thinking that the price of the 80 GB was a big factor and that consumers would prefer a cheaper 40 GB. Steinberg said that we will now see Sony replenish the 80 GB in the marketplace.

BIZ: Regarding the PS3 SKU strategy, there's been some talk about the 80 GB model possibly being phased out from some of the rumblings we've heard and that Sony is looking to possibly put some more distance between the 40 GB and some new model that might come out, maybe packed in with the Dual Shock 3... but it seems like there's been so much change over the last couple years; first you had the 20 GB and the 60 GB and the 40 GB and the 80 GB. Doesn't that lead to consumer confusion to have so many different SKUs out there?

SS: It hasn't hurt Apple. Our strategy at the end of the year was to offer up a $399 40 GB, which we thought was the magic price for a Blu-ray machine and then a $499 80 GB. What we were surprised to see is that $100 really didn't matter to a certain customer. Our sales were fairly equitable according to TRST and our internal numbers through the holidays and even into January; we're pretty dry on the 80 GB as a result of us underestimating the demand for the 80 GB and thinking that most folks, because the price message was such a big part of the pundits and the analysts decrying the differences between the 360 and the PS3, [would prefer the 40 GB]. Reality is the price wasn't that big of a deal and $499 sold a lot more than we thought, so the 80 GB got dry at retail not due to us artificially compressing it but the demand became greater than we thought. So you'll see us replenish these in the marketplace. We're still committed to our current strategy and there is much to do about nothing, I think is the way to think about it.

BIZ: So the 40 GB and the 80 GB... those are the two that are going to stay on the market, and there's no plans to swap one out for another?

SS: I don't know about the long term. We're looking at the marketplace and I think if the business can support two, we'll continue to do that but what we're seeing is that the hardcore guys have gone to the 80 GB and they value that extra hundred dollar worth of features and the more casual consumer, we think has gone to the $399 because they're a little bit more price conscious. We're still talking to our retail partners, we've got a big retail meeting next week in Scottsdale and we'll continue to take our learnings from the last couple months and we're formulating our strategy on how the hardware roadmap looks for the balance of the year.

MTV have found out that some Blu-ray games require installs to the hard drive because Blu-ray drives can only read at one speed. "When this is combined with the extremely large size of Blu-ray discs, and simply dumping existing DVD data onto a Blu-ray disc will inevitably result in longer load times."

The issue arises from differences in the reading techniques of DVD and Blu-ray. By nature, the outer and inner parts of a disc move at different speeds while a disc is spinning, regardless of format (CD, DVD, Blu-ray, HD-DVD, etc.). While DVD drives can read data at those differing speeds, Blu-ray reads at one speed. Combine that with the extremely large size of Blu-ray discs, and simply dumping existing DVD data onto a Blu-ray disc will inevitably result in longer load times.

Installations are a way around this issue.

When a publisher asks you to install a game on PS3, it’s because they’re moving some of the disc data to an area of your console that has much faster read access: the hard drive. You get vastly reduced loading times, but have to sit through an installation.

According to PC World, the PS3 firmware update v. 2.20 that is expected to be released in late March, will expose the ability to "Portable Copy." The say that "Portable Copy" will enable PS3 users to copy a standard-definition version of a Blu-ray movie to a PlayStation Portable (PSP). This is not mentioned in the firmware update v. 2.20 press release, only that you can you can transfer music and photo playlists from the PS3 to the PSP.

Original Press Release
Press Release

PS3(TM) Owners Will Soon Enjoy Downloadable Movie Content, Games And More With Blu-ray Disc(TM) Profile 2.0; PS3's Interoperability With PSP(R) Will Also Be Enhanced

Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) today announced that the next system software update for PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3(TM)) computer entertainment system, slated for release in late March, will add Blu-ray Disc(TM) (BD) Profile 2.0 or BD-LIVE, enabling PS3 owners to experience interactive features, such as downloadable video content, ringtones, games, and more. In addition to BD-LIVE, the system software update (v. 2.20) will enable photo and music playlists on PS3 to be copied to PSP®(PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system, among other new features. These updates demonstrate how PS3 continues to evolve as a home entertainment hub with the flexibility to deliver the newest technology innovations that benefit PS3 owners.

"With Blu-ray established as the high-definition optical disc standard, more consumers are ready to jump in and take advantage of everything the format offers," said Scott A. Steinberg, vice president, product marketing, SCEA. "Whether you want to download movie extras, send ringtones to your phone, or play interactive games, BD-LIVE will offer exciting new ways to enjoy a Blu-ray movie. With these regular firmware updates and future-proofed technology, SCEA is making the 10-year lifecycle of PS3 possible."

BD Profile 2.0 requires an Internet connection and at least 1GB of local storage. The following features have all been demonstrated as possibilities with BD-Live and will vary by movie title.

-- A variety of downloadable content can be offered, including bonus scenes, shorts, trailers, subtitles, ringtones that can be sent to mobile phones, images, and more.
-- Interactive movie-based games can pit players who are sitting in the same room, or are across the world and online, against each other.


In conjunction with the PS3 firmware update, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) is pleased to announce two BD-LIVE enabled titles to be released on April 8 - Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and The 6th Day. Both titles will include exclusive downloadable content that goes beyond what is available on the actual Blu-ray discs. These initial releases preview some of the exciting new developments that will soon be available from BD-LIVE on Blu- ray disc.

Beyond BD-LIVE, the new system software update enhances PS3 system's interoperability with PSP system, enabling users to take their favorite music and photo playlists with them on-the-go with their PSP. To copy a playlist, PSP and PS3 must first be connected with a USB cable, and the PSP must be in USB mode. Then, on PS3, select "Copy" in the option menu of each music or photo playlist, and choose PSP as the destination. Now the playlist order, and the songs or photos themselves, will be accessible on the PSP's Memory stick PRO Duo anytime, anywhere. This new functionality makes it easer than ever to share media content between the two systems.

The following new features will also be included in the system software update.

-- "Resume play" will enable PS3 system to start playing a Blu-ray disc and DVD at the point it was stopped, even if the disc had been removed.(*1)
-- "Audio Output Device" will be a new Remote Play setting, enabling PSP to serve as a remote control for music played through PS3.
-- PS3 system's Internet browser will be enhanced: Video files directly linked from a Web page will be able to be streamed, and the browser's view speed will be improved.
-- DivX and WMV format videos that are larger than 2GB will be playable.
-- "Mosquito Noise Reduction" will be added as an AV setting in the
control panel of the DVD/BD player for improved movie playback.(*2)

*1 BD-J format disc is not supported.
2 BD discs recorded with BDMV format are not supported.

SCEA today announced that the next system software update for PS3 computer entertainment system, slated for release in late March, will add Blu-ray Disc (BD) Profile 2.0 or BD-LIVE, enabling PS3 owners to experience interactive features, such as downloadable video content, ringtones, games, and more. In addition to BD-LIVE, the system software update (v. 2.20) will enable photo and music playlists on PS3 to be copied to the PSP, among other new features. Check the forums for the full release.

Press Release

PS3(TM) Owners Will Soon Enjoy Downloadable Movie Content, Games And More With Blu-ray Disc(TM) Profile 2.0; PS3's Interoperability With PSP(R) Will Also Be Enhanced

Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) today announced that the next system software update for PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3(TM)) computer entertainment system, slated for release in late March, will add Blu-ray Disc(TM) (BD) Profile 2.0 or BD-LIVE, enabling PS3 owners to experience interactive features, such as downloadable video content, ringtones, games, and more. In addition to BD-LIVE, the system software update (v. 2.20) will enable photo and music playlists on PS3 to be copied to PSP®(PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system, among other new features. These updates demonstrate how PS3 continues to evolve as a home entertainment hub with the flexibility to deliver the newest technology innovations that benefit PS3 owners.

"With Blu-ray established as the high-definition optical disc standard, more consumers are ready to jump in and take advantage of everything the format offers," said Scott A. Steinberg, vice president, product marketing, SCEA. "Whether you want to download movie extras, send ringtones to your phone, or play interactive games, BD-LIVE will offer exciting new ways to enjoy a Blu-ray movie. With these regular firmware updates and future-proofed technology, SCEA is making the 10-year lifecycle of PS3 possible."

BD Profile 2.0 requires an Internet connection and at least 1GB of local storage. The following features have all been demonstrated as possibilities with BD-Live and will vary by movie title.

-- A variety of downloadable content can be offered, including bonus scenes, shorts, trailers, subtitles, ringtones that can be sent to mobile phones, images, and more.
-- Interactive movie-based games can pit players who are sitting in the same room, or are across the world and online, against each other.


In conjunction with the PS3 firmware update, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) is pleased to announce two BD-LIVE enabled titles to be released on April 8 - Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and The 6th Day. Both titles will include exclusive downloadable content that goes beyond what is available on the actual Blu-ray discs. These initial releases preview some of the exciting new developments that will soon be available from BD-LIVE on Blu- ray disc.

Beyond BD-LIVE, the new system software update enhances PS3 system's interoperability with PSP system, enabling users to take their favorite music and photo playlists with them on-the-go with their PSP. To copy a playlist, PSP and PS3 must first be connected with a USB cable, and the PSP must be in USB mode. Then, on PS3, select "Copy" in the option menu of each music or photo playlist, and choose PSP as the destination. Now the playlist order, and the songs or photos themselves, will be accessible on the PSP's Memory Stick PRO Duo anytime, anywhere. This new functionality makes it easer than ever to share media content between the two systems.

The following new features will also be included in the system software update.

-- "Resume play" will enable PS3 system to start playing a Blu-ray disc and DVD at the point it was stopped, even if the disc had been removed.(*1)
-- "Audio Output Device" will be a new Remote Play setting, enabling PSP to serve as a remote control for music played through PS3.
-- PS3 system's Internet browser will be enhanced: Video files directly linked from a Web page will be able to be streamed, and the browser's view speed will be improved.
-- DivX and WMV format videos that are larger than 2GB will be playable.
-- "Mosquito Noise Reduction" will be added as an AV setting in the
control panel of the DVD/BD player for improved movie playback.(*2)

*1 BD-J format disc is not supported.
2 BD discs recorded with BDMV format are not supported.

Sony’s Scott Steinberg has commented that developers are now waking up to the idea of creating their games on the PS3 primarily first, then porting them down to the Xbox 360 as the game will look better this way. He also indicated that the Xbox 360 has failed to go beyond its core audience of FPS fans, just like the original Xbox.

Here he is on PS3’s alleged technical superiority to Xbox 360. “Third parties have started to move from the de facto 360 SDK. Of course people designed their next-gen games on it because that was the only one there. The PS3 shipped and so they said, ‘let’s port our 360 games to the PS3.' But now companies are recognizing that ‘hey, if I start on the PS3 and then port down to the 360, my 360 game is going to look better than if I had just designed it for the 360.' So the pendulum is swinging. The heads of development thinking ‘what’s going to show off my next-gen game that much better?’ It is to lead with the PS3 and then to port to the 360.”

“Well no, but we do look at how closely 360 is indexed off of Xbox and for the good chunk of 2007 it was fairly close to where Xbox was year to year.

“The time that they had to create huge distance and build a massive install base before the PS3 could really take root; that opportunity is over and there’s no real capitalization of it. They had a great crescendo moment with Halo and it helped catapult them into a pretty strong position towards the back end of last year, but they were still within a stone’s throw of where they were with the original Xbox.

“To me that speaks of a failure to broaden their reach beyond the core first person shooter player who was in their back pocket for Xbox. The question for us is ‘are they really going after the PS2 demographic? Are they stealing share from us?’ And the answer is no.”

Sony's UK boss Ray Maguire recently mentioned that in-game communication would be introduced to the PS3 this summer. Daniel Dawkins, editor of PSM3 Magazine, has since said that this will bring the PS3 up to parity with Xbox Live but that the key difference is that it’s free.

TechRadar can only suppose that Maguire is referring to an extended and improved in-game comms service. Though whether or not this refers to in-game cross media bar (XMB) instant messaging and/or voice-chat with other friends anywhere on the PlayStation Network is yet to be revealed.

Dawkins added: “Sony is working its best to respond to what gamers want. The amount of evolution in terms of the firmware updates over the last year has been phenomenal.”

Japanese stores are buying back used backwards compatible PS3's for over double than they did last year due to Sony dropping backwards compatibility from new consoles. A year ago, 20GB PS3s were being bought back at ¥15,000 (US $145) for 20GB and ¥20,000 ($194) for 60GB. Now however, the 20GB can go for up to ¥40,100 ($388) and the 60GB for ¥46,000 ($446).
News Source: kotaku.com

Darren Waters of the BBC has confirmed that Motorstorm 2 will feature a four player split screen option, thus fixing one of the key missing features in the first game. Waters goes on to mention the game is months away from completion, but the engine looks superb and the graphics as you'd expect were very impressive.

Motorstorm 2 is due out in time for Christmas and moves the action away from the desert locale of the original. Gamers will be able to race around a lush island environment, full of interactive vegetation.

The game will feature four-player split-screen action, righting one of the obvious failings of the first game.

The title is some months away from completion but the game's engine looked rock solid and the graphics were as impressive as one would expect from one of the best-looking racing franchises.

The creative director of Sony's Home project has said that they have made it the best-looking multiplayer world and the most user-friendly. He said he is aware of the comparisons people make between Second Life and Home, but looking at Second Life, he is amazed at how many people go on it. He said the Home virtual world doesn't "have anything in there that's appealing to that kind of geeky audience that you might find in Second Life."

And Venables, who's worked on the Home project since its first concept on the PlayStation 2, agreed that it's important for Sony's virtual world experience to keep a high "quality bar", but pointed out that the Second Life creators, Linden Lab, had a more difficult proposition in terms of PC compatibility.

"Essentially, with the Second Life example - and partly the disparity of the graphics, because you have to cater for the lowest-end PC whereas on the PlayStation 3 it's a level playing-field - with something so organic as Home, with features being added, it's difficult to set that benchmark of how many polygons to throw around, and how many to save for future things that we may or may not want to do," he said.

"I think the PS3 platform has given us an advantage in terms of keeping a polished look, and it not to look like Second Life. I don't want to dis Second Life, obviously they've been successful and they have to cater for people with old Pentium IIs and whatever, so I can understand why it looks the way it does.

"So it's not to criticise them, it's just that as a PlayStation 3 online space it was very important that there is a quality bar that we want to hit."

Sonu unveiled PhyreEngine at the GDC yesterday, a new "free to use graphics engine" from Sony Computer Entertainment. It seems as though the engine is cross platform as out of flOw, GripShift and DiRT that were developed using the engine, only flOw is exclusive to PlayStation. Sony say a simple recompile is all that is needed on make games run on the PS3 and they promised ongoing development and support for PhyreEngine.

But why make it potentially easier to make games on a competing console? Well, it's undeniable that developers are increasingly focused on multiplatform development. It's been rather commonplace for developers to neglect PS3 with inferior and oftentimes delayed versions of multiplatform games. With PhyreEngine, Sony is making a much more attractive plea: make games on PS3 first, guaranteeing high quality games that will not only match their 360 counterparts, but in many cases can exceed them. Sony's message is clear: start games on the PS3, and they will be better for both PS3 and 360 owners. It appears to us that PhyreEngine is a crucial part of that plan.

Toshiba announced today that it was joining forces with Sony and has agreed to pay $835 million for Sony's semiconductor operations. Toshiba will now own operations in the western Nagasaki prefecture that makes advanced semiconductors such as the Cell processor for the PS3. Toshiba will apparently loan out chip lines to Sony in the joint venture. The sale of the chip lines should help reduce production costs for the PS3.

Sony first announced in October a basic agreement to sell the chip facilities to Toshiba as part of efforts to streamline its operations.

Under its first foreign boss Howard Stringer, Sony is seeking to shed non-core assets and revive its mainstay electronics business amid brisk sales of flat-panel televisions and digital cameras.

The sale of the chip lines also aims to reduce the cost of producing the PS3 as Sony struggles to recoup its huge investment in the console, which is facing fierce competition from Nintendo's Wii.

Toshiba meanwhile is looking to increase its focus on other growth areas such as production of semiconductors, including memory chips used in portable music players.

Sony has revealed that Playstation Network downloads surpassed 7.9 million in January 2008 and that in North America there are over 2.9 million registered PSN accounts and over 52 million downloads in total. Tretton rounded off the facts by stating that 2008 is shaping up to be the breakthrough year for the PS3.

Additional color and detail was brought via a Sony announcement following the NPD results, in which the firm revealed that PlayStation Network downloads exceeded 7.9 million in January 2008, well above the 6.6 million in December 2007.

In addition, it was noted that currently in North America there are more than 2.9 million registered PlayStation Network accounts and more than 52M total downloads life-to-date from PlayStation Store.

Jack Tretton, CEO of SCEA, commented of the results: "Coming off a great holiday sales season we see strong momentum behind PS3 in 2008, and feel confident about the year ahead... we have Blu-ray emerging as the de facto high def standard, the developer community is hitting their stride, consumers are recognizing the tremendous value and innovative services such as PlayStation Home are all in the works, so this is definitely shaping up to be a breakthrough year for us."

Sony's official Playstation blog has confirmed that the Lost Planet demo was pulled from the Playstation Network in order to resolve issues which have arised. They are working overtime to resolve the issue and a new fixed version of the demo will hit the Playstation Network as soon as possible.

The multiplayer demo for Lost Planet: Extreme Condition is temporarily being removed from the PlayStation Network in order to address issues that have come to light. We will be working overtime to correct the issue and expect to upload a new version to the PlayStation Network as soon as possible that accurately reflects the incredible online features of the game. For those of you who have already downloaded the demo, the servers are being taken down until the new version is ready to go. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience and your interest in Lost Planet!

Earlier on it was revealed that Echochrome for the PSP would cost twice as much as the PS3 version. However, it has finally been revealed why there is such a price difference. The PS3 version only provides a sample by giving a taster of 50 puzzles, while the PSP version includes 100 puzzles and multiple modes.

Yes, the PSP version of Echochrome costs twice as much, but there is reason for the extra cash. Walaber’s comment (thanks!) prompted immediate research and all of the answers are found over at Impress Watch. The PlayStation 3 version is actually Echochrome: Jokyoku or Echochrome: Prelude in English. For 1,800 yen ($17) you get a get a sample of Echochrome by tasting 50 puzzles. The 3,980 yen ($37) PSP version contains 100 puzzles and multiple modes including a variation where you have to avoid walking dark echoes. Fortunately, both versions come with canvas mode, which lets players create and upload puzzles on the PlayStation Network or transfer data via the PSP's Ad-Hoc mode.

With this new information the PSP version is more tantalizing. However, the cheaper PlayStation 3 version supports users created content, which devalues the addition of the extra 50 puzzles.

Patrick Seybold, Playstation's Director of Corporate Communications & Social Media has pointed gaming folk to the latest issue of EGM which gives 8 reasons as to why the PS3 will rock in 2008. Seybold insists that the article is definitely worth a read and supports Sony's view that it is the best value gaming console you can buy.

We spend a lot of our time (well, nearly all of it really) explaining why the PlayStation 3 is the most powerful, best value video gaming console you can buy. Well, the March issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly helps further the cause and explain what’s in store this year, with a cover story on why “2008 will rock” for the PS3 and its owners and fans. We, of course, agree. Covering off on subjects such as the amazing software line-up this year including LttleBigPlanet and MGS4, Blu-ray, PlayStation Network, and PSP cross-functionality, this is a pretty comprehensive article that is definitely worth a read. Subscribers should have it already, the rest can pick it up when it hits shelves next week.