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Sony pulls PlayStation 3 software update

Version 2.40 messing with gamers' consoles

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Sony has been forced to withdraw the anticipated 2.4 PS3 firmware just a few hours after the update became available, because the new code has apparently been playing havoc with consoles.

Patrick Seybold, Sony's public relations bigwig, last night posted a message on the official PS3 blog admitting that the consumer electronics giant has “temporarily taken Firmware 2.40 offline” just hours after the update was posted.

But what’s the reason for such a drastic move? Sony said that it had received calls from consumers “experiencing an issue with installing the system software”.

According to a report on Joystiq, some gamers have reported that, while trying to install the update, an on-screen message said the update had already been installed.

The pull will be very embarrassing for Sony, as 2.40 had been hyped-up as one of the most exciting updates for the console yet. The update, which was withdrawn on the same day it was released, allows in-game XMB access and features a trophies section to reward dedicated gamers for their virtual efforts.

For the time being though, gamers will just have to sit and wait for Sony to fix the problems.

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Latest Comments

Re: EA

As Abe says, EA is a big company and different departments are doing different things. I too have heard from a few people that some titles that aren't expected to make a profit on the PS3 have been dropped from that platform. Different consoles have different demographics, and there's also the question of counter-programming - e.g. going PS3-exclusive for a while wasn't much of a problem for Epic's UT3, when the original release date would have meant it would have been competing for 360-owners' money with Halo 3.

Just the other day they announced a whole new brand for EA Sports Wii exclusives, for example; meanwhile your more traditional ones won't be going there.

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@ Chizo

I didnt mean all PS3 development just certain titles that I could not confirm here.

The one I could confirm since its already been anounced would be red alert 3.

As for Mr Rockstar,

Your right mate I should deffo tell you my name and that I work on the 2nd floor of our guildford studios currently working on the next harry potter game I should also give you my NI number to make the job of my boss even easier I mean why wouldnt he mind me posting this stuff?

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@serrio

Pausing with the PS button is not recommended, it only pauses the game if the developers have put in support for it, which few will have.

MGS is not paused when you do that(at least not fully), so the drive is still busy.

As for the firmware disaster, latest theory is people using custom themes (of which there are hundreds) buggering things up as it tries to load the custom icons and fonts in on XMB startup.

Makes sense, and explains why Sony missed it, tough to test all those things.

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