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PlayStation 3 Gets Software Update On Launch Day

narramissic writes "Just as the long-awaited PlayStation 3 games consoles go on sale in Japan this Saturday, Sony will also be offering the first software update. The firmware update, offered as a free download, adds support for the PlayStation Network online service." From the article: "In late November the company also plans to offer a firmware update for its PlayStation Portable (PSP) games device. The update will bump the firmware to version 3.0 and add PlayStation Network support. With the new firmware in both devices the PSP will be able to access contents stored on the PlayStation 3 via a wireless LAN connection using a system Sony has dubbed 'Remote Play.' It will also make it possible to purchase and download PSP games content."

27 comments

  1. cool by thejrwr · · Score: 1

    Good, i think SOny is staying on the ball with this, hopefully this network will live upto what they are clamming

  2. Rebate? by hoy74 · · Score: 1

    Sony giving money back for supporting their dieing company? Or just good will to get some games sold?

  3. Good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Shows Sony cares about its consumers and is willing to keep the console up-to-date software wise so as to provide the user the best gaming experience ever. Just like the HMDI 1.3 port will allow the best gaming experience.

    Bill Cable
    creaturecantina.com -----------FUNNY!

    followups to: alt.games.video.sony-playstation2

  4. Good and Bad by MeanderingMind · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The Good News: Sony will have an online network for their PS3. Single login makes life easier.

    The Bad News: The firmware needs to be updated to use Sony's online network. That this was not pre-installed indicates the network only recently was finished. The possibility that the network will have issues and growing pains is thus much more likely (though not a certainty).

    The Bottom Line: Something is better than nothing.

    --
    Thunderclone: ONE MAN ENTERS! TWO MEN LEAVE! ONE MAN ENTERS! TWO MEN LEAVE!
    1. Re:Good and Bad by twistedsymphony · · Score: 1
      The Good News: Sony will have an online network for their PS3. Single login makes life easier. The Bad News: The firmware needs to be updated to use Sony's online network. That this was not pre-installed indicates the network only recently was finished. The possibility that the network will have issues and growing pains is thus much more likely (though not a certainty). The Bottom Line: Something is better than nothing.
      I fear there will be a lot of growing pains with this network. MS when through substantial public beta testings before Launching Xbox Live, same thing goes for most worthwhile MMOs or other large online services... It scares me to think about how little this new Playstation Network will have been tested before released.
  5. PC Style by KDR_11k · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Release first, patch later? I hope they don't expect everyone to have their PS3 hooked up to the internet, would suck to need a patch you can't get.

    --
    Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
    1. Re: PC Style by thejrwr · · Score: 1

      This patch really depends on a network anyway, so its just really a add on no real bug fixes

    2. Re:PC Style by PSXer · · Score: 1

      Yeah, the fact that people who don't have their PS3 hooked up to the internet won't be able to download the patch that lets thm use the playstation network totally sucks.

      Don't worry, I'm sure all the important "security" (keeping the system secure from homebrews) updates will come on game discs as well.

    3. Re:PC Style by The+Other+White+Boy · · Score: 1

      but..the patch is to add support for the online service. if you're not going to have your PS3 hooked to the internet, i'm not exactly seeing the problem in not being able to get it.

  6. Good news from a bad company. by CCFreak2K · · Score: 0

    I dislike Sony for some of the things they've done and some of their sub-par hardware, but if this pans out to be what the summary (RTFA? Never!) supposes it might be, it could be a Good Thing. Usually, companies like to lock up their software on a physical piece of media, but the ability to purchase, download and wirelessly play games from a PS3 to a PSP sounds really neat. Kudos to Sony.

    --
    "Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master."
  7. This by itsatraptroll · · Score: 0

    has got to be a trap. The consoles being manufactured right now and the PNP hasn't even been locked down, yet. This will either end up being a major kludge or a trainwreck. We'll have to wait and see once it's in the hands of the consumers, but Sony really hasn't inspired me with much confidence that all the sound and fury we've been hearing will suddenly became harmonious on November 17th.

    Undoubtedly, the last half of November will a very significant time in this generations console war.

    --
    couldbeatrap
    smellslikeatrap
    itsatrap

  8. Tremble at the sound of my silence by Control+Group · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Before yesterday, this would have surprised me more.

    Why yesterday? Because yesterday, I picked up Gears Of War. When I got home and tore the shrinkwrap off to put it in my drive, as soon as it loaded I was disconnected from Live.

    I was like, "WTF, mates?"*

    Then I was politely informed that there was a software update for the title. This came as something of a surprise, seeing as how I got it barely 24 hours after it was released. I have no idea what the update did, of course.

    Anyway, I was surprised at this yesterday. But I am now inured to this tactic, so I find this news completely boring. In fact, my first response is "figures."

    --

    Reality has a conservative bias: it conserves mass, energy, momentum...
    1. Re:Tremble at the sound of my silence by GrayCalx · · Score: 1

      Same with Tony Hawk which i picked up yesterday. I dunno, at first it made me feel kinda of icky, but it was painless enough.

    2. Re:Tremble at the sound of my silence by chrish · · Score: 1

      XBox 360 - bringing the PC gaming experience to consoles!

      --
      - chrish
  9. Ahem by ZakuSage · · Score: 2, Informative

    A quick fact: Updates will be provided on game discs (just as with PSP), so you won't need a connection to the internet to get this.
    Why this is good: Adds new features.
    Why this is bad: Will likely remove software exploits to allow unsigned code to run (happens each firmare update with PSP).

  10. DUH by hurfy · · Score: 2, Interesting

    They DID say this was the equal to a computer didn't they?

    Hey slashdot, nice to know the verizon ad is more important than this headline that got covered by their ad :( Not everyone has 193737x23789 monitors yet...or we must use a business app that doesn't scale ;/

  11. The headlines write themselves by interiot · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Maybe I'm still in the mindset of the political elections, but I see the headline "PS3 network service added as an afterthought" out of this. I'm sure Sony didn't want to release it until it was thoroughly tested. But the Xbox 360 network service really seems like it was standardized early on (so games knew how many achievement points they had, they knew they had to send the achievements text and icons to xbox networking, they knew how much CPU drop they had to deal with when you start IM'ing friends in the middle of a game, etc). How much game integration is there if the networking service is offered as a patch?

  12. Since the threading's busted... by thatguywhoiam · · Score: 1
    ... I'll answer the update question.

    If you don't have a net connection for the PS3, I imagine they will be distributing updates with purchased game discs, like they do with the PSP.

    --
    If Jesus wants me it knows where to find me.
  13. can't wait by j00r0m4nc3r · · Score: 1, Troll

    for the official Playstation Rootkit Service software upgrade.

  14. Wow! It really IS a PC! by amuro98 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Sony's right, the PS3 isn't a gaming console...it's a PC.

    After all, what veteran computer user doesn't immediatly check for updates upon booting up a new computer for the first time??

    --
    Win cash and giftcards just for clicking your mouse!
    http://www.netwinner.com/?signupCode=amuro98

  15. Correction - They found a security hole by tlhIngan · · Score: 1

    And decided to fix it before people exploit it like they did on the PSP...

    Can't have people running Linux on it for free now, can we? Especially of the hundreds of dollars Sony must lose on each PS3.

    1. Re:Correction - They found a security hole by Aladrin · · Score: 1

      So, your theory is that they found a security hole in a not-released product and to cover up their mistake, they quickly finished the online system they've been working their asses off to complete. Somehow this security hole was able to get them to hurry up when even the imminent release of the console wasn't enough to spur them on.

      Put the tinfoil hat away.

      --
      "If you make people think they're thinking, they'll love you; But if you really make them think, they'll hate you." - DM
  16. Microsoft did the same thing last year. by DeeDob · · Score: 1

    Just so people remember,

    The 360 released with an update to the dashboard in november 2005 that needed to be downloaded, on it's launch day.

  17. Re:Wow! It really IS a PC! by ^Case^ · · Score: 1

    Easy question: Non-Microsoft veterans.

  18. Positive: That's Good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I would assume we've all had experience with buying PC games and getting them home to find a patch available on the developers site on day 1.

    What almost everyone overlooks is that, without the patch, they wouldn't have the game that day. The developer would have to update the software before distribution. This is why console titles are notorious for long delays; they (used to) get only one shot.

    I believe this actually demonstrates good planning on Sony's part (for once). By making this a post-release update, they bought time to get the systems ready for the shelves while another group finished out the online service.