PlayStation Home is still on schedule to release the PlayStation Home Open Beta this fall. In an interview with Next-Gen.biz, Eric Lempel, director of PlayStation Network Operations, said, "The home open beta is still on schedule for release later this fall". Despite numerous delays, Lempel assures gamers that Home will be worth the wait. In addition, Lempel also mentioned that Home will be a fully robust service and will be representative of what the virtual world will ultimately offer.

Eric Lempel also said,

"I don’t have any more specifics right now, but like Kaz [Hirai] said, it will go live [in the US] this summer and I think it will offer consumers everything they’re looking for from us. It will offer everything they expect from us and probably a little bit more."

When asked about a European and Japanese launch Lempel said that he couldn’t "speak for the other regions at this time".

[Via: Next-Gen.biz]

The first PlayStation Store update for July is in, and what a nice big update it is. Both stores have received a number of new add-on packs, including content for Buzz!, Guitar Hero 3 and Rock Band; a selection of videos and trailers and also a number of new wallpapers and XMB themes. Europe has received only one new playable demo this week, and the US has received none. The new episode of Qore is also available to download from the US store. Check out the complete list below.

European Additions:

• Game
  
  • Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3 (£6.99)
• Game add-on Content
  
  • Guitar Hero 3 – July 4th 2008 Holiday Single
  • Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas 2: Gift Pack
  • Buzz! Australian Culture Quiz (£3.49)
  • Buzz! UK Culture Quiz (£3.49)
  • Buzz Rock Legends (£3.49)
  • Buzz Sci Fi (£3.49)
• Video
  
  • Movement – Movement Ep1 ‘Lets hit the road’
  • Movement ep2 ‘Paris Respects to Jim’
  • Movement Minitel Rose Be with you
  • Movement Minitel Rose Continue
  • Movement Minitel Rose Interview
  • Movement Pravda Interview
  • Movement Pravda ‘Je suis french’
  • Movement Pravda ‘Tu es l’Ouest’
  • BIA HH Ubidays Trailer
  • Haze Launch Trailer
• Wallpapers
  
  • Top Spin 3 Wallpaper
  • Elefunk Forest Wallpaper
  • Elefunk Circus Wallpaper
• Themes
  
  • MGS4 OTC Theme
  • Elefunk Theme
  • Echochrome Theme

US Additions:

• Qore Episode 2
• Game add-on content
  
  • Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock July 4th 2008 Holiday Single
  • Rock Band
    
    • "Promised Land" – Vesuvius (free)
    • "Who’s Going Home with You Tonight?" – Trapt ($0.99)
    • "Time Is Running Out" – Papa Roach ($0.99)
    • "Down at the Whisky" – Motley Cr?$0.99)
    • Cr?est Pack 1 ($2.99)
• Game Videos
  
  • Killzone 2 Trailer
  • Valkyria Chronicles Teaser Trailer
  • Battlefield: Bad Company Bad World Trailer
  • Battlefield: Bad Company Rainbow Sprinkles Trailer
  • Battlefield: Bad Company Snake Eyes Trailer
  • Dead Space Animated Comic Issue #2
  • Dead Space Animated Comic Issue #3
  • Tiger Woods ’09 Course Video
  • Vampire Rain Altered Species #1
  • Vampire Rain Altered Species #2
• Movie and Blu-ray Trailers
  
  • Lakeview Terrace
  • John Mayer Live In Los Angeles
  • Vantage Point
  • Persepolis
• PS3 Themes
  
  • Woodward Theme
  • Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution Theme
• PS3 Wallpaper
  
  • Top Spin 3 Wallpaper
  • PSN Theme
  • Woodward Theme

Following the release of the highly anticipated PlayStation 3 firmware 2.40 yesterday, many gamers rushed to update their consoles only to find that the installation failed and bricked their consoles. After installing the firmware, gamers will simply presented with the XMB wave with no icons and controller functionality. The problem has been affecting all PS3 models, though we were lucky to update our one successfully. One solution to the problem was removing your hard drive and formatting it. Sony have now released a official statement on the matter.

PlayStation.Blog post by Patrick Seybold,

"As has been reported on many gaming blogs and websites, we have temporarily taken Firmware v2.40 offline. We’ve received a limited number of calls from consumers experiencing an issue with installing the system software update on their PS3. While our consumer services department has seen a low volume of calls on this topic, we are committed to providing the PS3 community with XMB access features delivered in the v2.40 update. We are working diligently to isolate the problem for those few consumers and to identify a solution before we put the firmware back up."

The firmware update was taken offline yesterday to prevent any further problems. If you have successfully installed the firmware update, then there is nothing to worry about. According to Jeff Rubenstein, "We’ve [Sony] received no reports of hardware issues following a successful install."

If you have had any problems, whether it was successfully installed or not, please post a comment below. If you have managed to solve your problem, please share your solution with others.

An official video walkthrough of PS3 Firmware 2.40 has surfaced (included below), showing how the new features work. This video is different to the two walkthroughs we posted earlier this week by Eric Lempel, and is likely to appear in tomorrow’s PlayStation Store update. The video takes you through the in-game XMB feature, trophy support and the new PSN profiles.

Dylan Jobe has posted a message on the Official PlayStation Board regarding Warhawk and it’s upcoming patches. According to the post, the Warhawk v1.5 booster pack will support trophies. There will be 56 trophies in total, 10 of which will be retroactive (providing you have met the requirement to get them). Patch v1.5 won’t be released any time soon as v1.4 hasn’t even been released yet. But Jobe did say, "the v1.4 Patch is very, very, very close to being released".

The 56 trophies are broken down into three categories:

• There are 10 trophies based on the Warhawk’s current stats/rank/awards system. Like getting all your Bronze badges, attaining a specific rank, or earning a number of medals.
• There are 34 trophies that are entirely new rewards based on Warhawks core game and not based on our current stats, ranks or other awards.
• There are then 4 trophies per booster pack that are, of course, completely new awards.

Board Post:

Hey Everyone!

Sorry I’ve been MIA — we have been just cranking on our new updates for all of you; the v1.4 Patch, the v1.5 Patch and yes…our next booster pack.

The team and I have been watching the internets light up with discussions about the trophies in 240 and we thought it was good idea that you got an update straight from the horses mouth…me being the horse I guess 🙂

So…YES, hot trophy action for Warhawk is on the horizon!

Since Warhawk released almost a year ago now, we will be patching-in support for the new trophy system. The reason I mention this is because there has been some talk about Warhawk trophies super-auto-magically going LIVE late tonight when the firmware is released. This is not the case. I know the press release stated that Warhawk trophies were going to be patched-in, but I just wanted to clarify for everyone.

We are right on the cusp of making some big announcements for Warhawk, including our upcoming patches and new booster-pack and while I can’t talk about any of those right now (you will need to wait like a week or so) I can talk a bit about our trophy support in the v1.5 patch.

First off, there are 56 trophies included in the Warhawk v1.5 Patch. These are broken down into a couple of categories:

• There are 10 trophies based on the Warhawk’s current stats/rank/awards system. Like getting all your Bronze badges, attaining a specific rank, or earning a number of medals.
• There are 34 trophies that are entirely *new* rewards based on Warhawks core game and not based on our current stats, ranks or other awards.
• There are then 4 trophies per booster pack that are, of course, completely new awards.

Developing 56 new trophies was a really fun part of the v1.5 production cycle…but 10 of them are based on stats and awards that you, our community may have already earned — so that’s why we made sure that those 10 trophies based on our core stats system would be paid out retroactively. Meaning, that once the v1.5 patch is released, and if you’ve already earned the requirements for those trophies *bling*bling*bling* Warhawk will pay them out to you!

Lastly, cause I know everyone will be asking the obvious question, when is the v1.5 Patch coming out…we haven’t even *officially* announced the v1.4 Patch!!!???

All I am allowed to say is that the v1.4 Patch is very, very, very close to being released and we actually developed the v1.5 Patch in parallel, but staggered, with the v1.4 Patch. The reason we did this is because there are stuffs in the v1.4 Patch that we wanted to get out to everyone ASAP…but the v1.5 patch isn’t that far behind!

Hopefully that clears things up!

[Via: US PlayStation Board]

PlayStation 3 Firmware 2.40 is now available to download. The latest update to the system software includes in-game XMB and trophy support among other additions. The update is available to download in all regions, but due to high demand you may have trouble downloading the update. In addition to the firmware update, a patch for Super Stardust HD is also available to download and includes unlockable trophies.

Screenshots:

Official Changelog:

Overall

• You can now see the system clock on the PS3 Home Menu screen. The date and time that were set under Settings > [Date and Time] are displayed.
• When using a keyboard, you can now clear the entire text entry field at once.
• An icon is now displayed when you press the PS button for an operation that cannot be performed.
• You can now access the PS3 Home Menu screen while playing PLAYSTATION 3 format software.

Users

• You can now turn off the PS3 system from the PS3 Home Menu screen using the [Turn Off System] option.

Settings

• You can now set the PS3 system to turn off automatically after updating the system software.
• [Reassign Controllers] and [Controller Vibration Function] have been added as options under [Accessory Settings].

Photo

• You can now print images from a playlist.
• You can now sort items that are grouped in a folder by month or year using the [Film Date] options.

Music

• You can now use a mini-size control panel while playing music.
• You can now play music content encoded in MP3 Surround format.
  • MP3 Surround can only be played in Linear PCM output.

Video

• You can now use the [Frame Noise Reduction] and [Block Noise Reduction] settings for video content that is saved on the hard disk or storage media.
• You can now play upscaled video content that is saved on the hard disk or storage media. When the video content is played, it is upscaled automatically to fit the screen size.
• Upscaling of Blu-ray Disc (BDAV) video content is now supported.
• For DTS-HD playback on DVD-Video and Blu-ray Disc media, DTS-ES and DTS 96/24 for DVD-Video and DTS-ES Matrix for Blu-ray Discs are now supported.
  • "DTS" is a trademark of DTS Inc.

Game

• The procedure for quitting PLAYSTATION 3 format software has been changed.
• You can now collect trophies in games that support the trophy feature.

Network

• [Search] has been added as an option in the browse mode menu of the Internet browser.

Friends

• The number of Friends who can be added to a Friends list has been increased from 50 to 100.
• The [Information] screen has been redesigned and renamed as [Profile].

If you are still unclear about what PlayStation 3 Firmware 2.40 offers to you in terms of in-game XMB access and Trophy Support, then look no further. Eric Lempel, Director of PlayStation Network Operations, has posted a comprehensive FAQ list on the PlayStation Blog detailing exactly what will be supported and what won’t. We’ve included the FAQ below for you to look at.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Will voice-messaging/private chat be featured in 2.40 as well? If not, can we expect to see this feature added in the future?

We are evaluating the opportunity to offer voice chat, but for this update, we wanted to focus on text messaging as the key priority for communications that our users have asked for.

Can you use the web browser in game?

No, you must exit the game before browsing the internet.

Will In-Game XMB come up during playback of PS2 games, Blu-Ray discs, and DVDs?

The XMB is an exclusive feature for PS3 game titles. Accessing the XMB during gameplay was the top request from our users, which we focused on for this update. However, we continually engage PS3 owners for feedback and will evaluate the opportunity to offer XMB access during movie playback in the future.

Can we go to the display settings and change anything there in-game (resolution, input, etc)?

No, you must exit the game before changing these settings.

Will it be possible to change in-game the sound output?

Yes, sound output changes are supported.

Will we be able to access the PLAYSTATION Store while in-game?

No, but you can view your downloads in progress.

Will we be able to stream music (either via media server or USB drive) for custom soundtracks or is it relegated to music stored on the HDD?

Currently only music stored on the HDD is accessible in games that support this feature. We’d also like to reiterate that Firmware v2.40 merely enables custom soundtracks. It’s up to developers to include this feature in upcoming games (or to patch existing ones).

Does 2.4 enable cross game invites? Will it down the line?

No, cross-game invites are not available in this system software update. We are evaluating opportunities to expand on the new features delivered in 2.40.

Will trophies be mandatory for all games release here on out?

We are working with developers to ensure that Trophies are supported across the board in the future.

Where is each player’s trophy stat info held? I am going to upgrade my hard drive and I don’t know if the trophies will still be on my account if I earn some and then get a new hard drive.

Trophies will be attached to users’ PSN ID. Trophy data needs to be synchronized to the online account on PSN to be transferred to the new PS3 system.

Will the patch automatically allocate unlocked trophies according to your saved files or would you have to do it again?

No, Trophies aren’t retroactive.

Can we view PSN profiles/Trophies from a PC using a Web browser? Will there be an API for web developers to access the PSN data, so online profiles can be created?

We’re evaluating these opportunities to expand where Trophies can be experienced.

Can you only compare trophies with friends that are online?

As long as a friend has a PSN account, you can compare trophies with them regardless of their online status.

Is there a limit to how many trophies the devs can put set by Sony?

There’s not a limit on number of trophies, but there’s a value assigned to each trophy. Developers must balance out the trophies that are available to stay within an overall value based on whether the game is considered large-scope or small-scope. Essentially, a user that has unlocked every trophy in one game would have the same level as a user that unlocked every trophy in another title, all titles (depending on scope) have the same overall impact on a users’ level.

Will new games have a cool little icon on the back saying “trophy compatible?”

We’re currently working on how Trophy support will be messaged to the consumer on our software packaging.

When you get a trophy, does it make a noise?

Currently, no. How quickly things can change – there *will* be a sound effect when you unlock a Trophy.

The second part of the Firmware 2.40 video walkthrough is now available to watch. In-game XMB and various other features were shown off in part I of the walkthrough, and part II shows off the trophy support. Super Stardust HD will be the first game to support the trophy feature. We’ve reported most of the features in our earlier articles, but it’s still useful to watch the video (included below).

Some games that will include Trophy support include (some games will require a patch):

• BUZZ! Quiz TV
• LittleBigPlanet
• MotorStorm Pacific Rift
• NBA 09 – PS3
• PAIN
• PixelJunk Eden
• Resistance 2
• SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation
• Warhawk

[Via: PlayStation.Blog]

­

In yet another press release today, SCEE has confirmed that Firmware 2.40 will be available to download on July 2nd 2008. Firmware 2.40 includes XMB access in-game. This means that you can access the PS3 menu at any time while playing most games, simply by tapping the PlayStation button on your controller. With 2.40, you can check if any of your friends are online (thanks to their own user profile), read and send messages, change some settings for games, all without having to quit the game you are playing. While you can’t pause an online multiplayer game involving other people, you can rejoin play at any time when you’ve finished browsing.

Press Release:

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe today announced new online gaming functionality for PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3), which will become available on July 2, 2008 with the 2.40 enhancement, an automatic firmware upgrade that delivers several of the features most requested by gamers. Combined with PLAYSTATION Network’s unique service of free* online gaming, the enhancement makes PS3 an even more attractive platform of choice for the online gamer.

Firstly, the 2.40 enhancement allows XMB (XrossMediaBar) access in-game. This means that you can access the PS3 menu at any time while playing most games, simply by tapping the PlayStation button on your controller. With 2.40, you can check if any of your friends are online (thanks to their own user profile), read and send messages, change some settings for games, all without having to quit the game you are playing. While you can’t pause an online multiplayer game involving other people, you can rejoin play at any time when you’ve finished browsing. Along with these enhanced communications features, the Friends list capacity will double to 100 Friends.

2.40 also delivers trophies to recognise players’ achievements in the online arena. Other competitive activities recognise winners with trophies – so why not gaming on PS3? Many online games will have gold, silver and bronze trophies – with platinum available for those who snag all three – all displayed on the XMB for everyone to see.

Super Stardust HD, a PLAYSTATION Network-exclusive released last year, will be the first game to leverage the Trophies system and will offer a variety of trophies**. The following first-party games are also slated to offer Trophy support:

• BUZZ! Quiz TV
• LittleBigPlanet
• MotorStorm Pacific Rift
• NBA 09 – PS3
• PAIN**
• PixelJunk Eden
• Resistance 2
• SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation
• Warhawk**

The 2.40 enhancement is just one more reason to join PSN, the online network for PS3 users that lets you game online for free*. All you need to do to join is connect your PS3 to broadband and register, or go to the connection guide at www.eu.playstation.com to find out more.

Once in, you’ll find online matches and leagues for all of your favourite games – whether that’s MotorStorm, Resistance, Warhawk or Gran Turismo5 Prologue – absolutely free (although users are responsible for paying their broadband fees) and at any time of the day or night. You’ll also find PLAYSTATION Store, where you can download entire games as well as extra levels, content for your existing games plus internet browsing, video chat thanks to PLAYSTATION Eye and much, much more.

* No subscription required, broadband fees apply
** Requires a game update to be downloaded and installed