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PS3 OS Wasn't Final at TGS

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the doing-the-update-dance dept.

LifesBlood writes "The PlayStation 3 operating system used at the Tokyo Game Show was apparently not final. Sony confirmed to GameDaily BIZ that the company has been in the process of finalizing it and that just like the Wii's OS, it will be upgradeable in the future." From the article: "We were told that this should not affect PS3 production whatsoever. Moreover, SCEA does not believe that the state of the OS at TGS had anything to do with the system resets or other glitches that some witnessed. Sony reiterated that it was the confined cases and other unfriendly trade show conditions that caused problems with the consoles. In addition, Sony said it has the capability to upgrade the PS3's OS after the console launches through its online network, memory stick files or Blu-ray discs."

9 of 81 comments (clear)

  1. Sony copies Nintendo... again by Veilrap · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Nintendo's controller is better than ours... SIXsux Nintendo's OS is better than ours... um Lets upgrade too!

  2. Is it just me... by varunnangia · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...or wasn't the entire point of video game consoles to avoid the hassles and pains involved in ensuring everything was up-to-date on your computer? As far as it goes, Microsoft's Xbox update process is pretty painless, and if Sony learns from that, theirs should be as well. That said, I really liked not having to update my Famicom's OS.

    1. Re:Is it just me... by Babbster · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Hardware returns (for at least a month at decent retailers) are pretty easy in the US, too. And, yes, there will be many ways to update the OS (as Sony indicates) besides the Internet. It just seems like another bad sign for a console that already takes an Internet PR beating every week. I would also wonder whether this non-finalized OS affects developers. I'm not sure how Sony is handling their interface, but on the X360 there are parts of the Dashboard (such as music playback, XBL messaging and such) that are available at all times. In fact, with Dead Rising (one of the three "big-box" games I've played so far) the game "knows" whether or not you're playing music and will mute the cutscenes (while retaining subtitles) if you're on either play or pause in the music player. It could be pretty ugly if game developers use an aspect of the OS that turns out to be buggy or changed when their game actually hits the streets.

      Ah well, as with anything, we won't know jack until people actually have the boxes in their homes. Release week will be a lot of fun for we onlookers, and hopefully for the people who buy the system, too. :)

    2. Re:Is it just me... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      I really liked not having to update my Famicom's OS.

      As it has become possible to update computer games via the Internet, computer games have become steadily buggier. I don't think this is an accident.

      Expect plenty of shoddy work and disappointment in the next generation of consoles.

    3. Re:Is it just me... by sqlrob · · Score: 2, Insightful

      More my concern is that console developers will get the "ship then patch" mentality that pervades the PC realm. It already looks to be happening (King Kong too dark on SD, unreadable Dead Rising fonts on SD, Oblivion problems)

  3. Re:Sony vs. Nintendo. by brkello · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Uhh, I am sure both Sony and Nintendo have this ability to release feature updates and fix bugs. There were some OS issues with some PS3s that were on display, so it is logical that they presented this ability in that context. Or are you saying Nintendo is implying that it won't fix bugs? You fanboys make no sense.

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  4. Unification of PC and console by suv4x4 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I'm afraid that while the new consoles brag how adaptable and updateable they are, they'll lose the very advantage of being a console (no need to reiterate, you know the story).

    At the same time Vista is going full-speed into unification and standardization of game interfaces, technologies, ratings and even unification of the hardware (you know DX10 is much stricter and there's no "we support 80% of DX10" - you either support all or none).

    Xbox 360 has for it media center hub functionality, slick integration with Windows CE mobiles and XP/Vista (Live Anywhere), and sane price.

    Wii has a unique approach to gaming and control interfaces.

    I wonder what PS3 has. Fast processor and updateable OS? Well I have this on my PC.
    The thing that keeps PS3 going (I hope) will be the brand loyalty, and, with some luck, some good exclusive games.
    Tough call for Sony, but I wish them good luck with it, if even only for the good old times.

  5. Re:Sony vs. Nintendo. by nog_lorp · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Parent has a good point. Are you claiming Sony cannot introduce new features, and will not have an "Whole entertainment system setup"? It seems you are implying that only PS3 has bugs, and only Wii can have new features.

  6. Re:Sony vs. Nintendo. by Babbster · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I won't pretend to be able to speak for the OP (or his "gaming politics") but my inference from what he said is that Sony is putting a spin on this that is unnecessarily bad. While Nintendo announces that their OS is upgradeable so that consumers get new features, Sony announces that their OS was a) not final at a very recent trade show (with only about 2 months to launch) and b) upgradeable to fix potential problems.

    It would be like me running a deli and telling a customer that it'll take me about 10 minutes to make their sandwich because I have to finish some fresh meatballs, while the guy running the deli next door tells the customer it'll take about 10 minutes because he has to make sure his meatballs haven't gone bad. :)