PS3 trophies, in-game XMB due July 2

Sony officially outlines medal-based leveling system for its console; trophies not retroactive, background music game-specific; full video demo inside.

Following a spate of leaks last week, Sony has officially announced that the PlayStation 3's trophy system will arrive on July 2 as part of the 2.40 firmware update. As had been rumored, the system will eschew its Xbox Live-style cumulative numerical score, instead adopting a four-tiered approach that bestows four kinds of awards: bronze, silver, gold, and platinum.

PS3 Firmware 2.40 Demo

Eric Lempel shows off how trophies and the in-game XMB will work.

The trophies will be assigned by each game's developer, not Sony, and will be associated with a task of relative difficulty; bronze medals will be doled out for easy feats, and gold for harder objectives. "The platinum medals will only be given when all other tasks are completed," Eric Lempel, director of PlayStation Network Operations, told GameSpot.

Each trophy will have a numeric value associated with it, and this value will contribute to an overall leveling system, much like those in role-playing games. However, the user will be unable to see how much each trophy is worth, and instead will see only a completion percentage for each game and each overall level. When asked why Sony was avoiding tying a visible score to the PS3's trophy system, Lempel said, "We don't know why our users would be interested in a numeric value... We think the medals best represent one's progress."

Although trophies will become standard in all games in the future, they will be added to only a few existing games, including Super Stardust and Warhawk. Other than BioShock, Sony said that it could not confirm trophies for any existing or future third-party PS3 games, including the wildly popular Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. However, it did announce a spate of upcoming first-party games that would include trophies, including LittleBigPlanet, MotorStorm: Pacific Rift, NBA 09, Resistance 2, and SOCOM: US Navy SEALs Confrontation.

Part of the new in-game interface.

Unfortunately, PS3 trophies will not be retroactive. For games that have already been released, players must first download a patch for said game, and will then have to perform the feats to receive the trophies as if they were playing the game for the first time.

Players' PS3 trophies will be viewable via a new profile window that will be accessible via the XrossMediaBar (XMB), which, as rumored, will be available in-game. The XMB will offer access to at-a-glance trophy tallies, a more detailed breakdown of medals, and a side-by-side comparison of a player's trophies and those of any friend.

The new in-game XMB will offer a host of other new features as well, including the ability to send text messages to friends in-game and to jump to other PS3 services. However, many of said services--including Web browsing and voice chat--will force players to quit their game and then access the XMB traditionally. The rumored customizable in-game background-music feature, which will let players stream music from their hard drives while playing a game, was also confirmed. However, the feature will be game-specific, which means that it is up to developers to enable the functionality or not.

857 Comments

  • pat007dude

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 7:37 pm PT

    'RSebire: In GTA4 to access the map press start, much easier.' Update worked fine although there is now 2.41, for some minor bugs in 2.40 probably, just got cod4, awesome game, but not very good at it yet, i hope the new update for burnout has the trophy feature.

  • Nathan-Hale

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 8:57 am PT

    Akth8r im not sure if it's true but my 60 gb ps3 is around 2 years old now and im the second-hand owner of it and the updated is working fine for me still. However i hate that no games support in game music yet. Wanna listen to more techno while i race in Gta 4 lol.

  • nightmareticket

    Posted Jul 5, 2008 10:12 am PT

    wow, this update is so sweet. I got a few trophies from super stardust

  • RSebire

    Posted Jul 3, 2008 1:28 am PT

    It let me update to 2.40 from uk.playstation.com.
    I have the 60gb, and I had no istall problems at all, its annoying for me because when playing GTA4 you have to press the ps button to get to the map, but off course it now brings up the XCB.
    I have not really noticed any difference in the resouloution of the games or their stability.
    And for the life of me getting the custom deblocking to work on films on the harddrive, is a mystery.
    The blue ray upscaling is another mystry,? Blue ray ouputs at 1080i on mine, so how does it upscale it even more.
    Even on .mkv /.mov (blue ray rips stored on the hard drive) custom debloking + upscaling has made absolutly no difference on my system.
    And as for the trophies - no really, they are aimed in my opinion at children. There are no games supporting them at the momment, and anyway, I play a game cause i like it not because i want a trophy to say i got 5000 points, if you want to show of your skills to your friends, complete the game, dont show them your trophies.
    The ps3 is constantly eveloving, Im going to have to get a 320gb harddrvive this month, as 60gb goes real quick.
    I might wait until the do a 2 an a half inch 500GB HD (the 320's on ebay are around 60 pounds now).
    All in all the new update doesnt really make any difference in my opinion. /but nice try sony and thanks.

  • devilscry

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 3:14 pm PT

    ok, it says theres nothing to update....where is it?

  • devilscry

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 3:02 pm PT

    when does it update, it won't let me update anything?

  • JKehr

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 2:46 pm PT

    Problem. Can't update Super Stardust HD to 4.0 after the new firmware update. It makes the PS3 beep, then reboots and doesn't allow the download. Nice, Sony. Real nice.

  • Akth8r

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 2:27 pm PT

    Dont get me wrong but Sony copied Xbox achievments. Is it true but i heard the 2.40 update freezes ur console at the wave boot up on the 60 gig version dont know about the other versions. Im not a fanboy i think both consoles are great.

    Link: (If it dont work sorry) http://dus01.ps3.update.playstation.net/update/ps3/image/
    us/2008_0702_96e9def601672c5abcbb46
    04bb2346f1/PS3UPDAT.PUP

  • Sparky2002

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 2:17 pm PT

    when does the pal one come released?????????

    i have version 2.36 & when looking but wont let me download 2.40

  • NandoSupes

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 1:37 pm PT

    this the best update that Sony has ever made,why?,because it really puts the rest of XMB together ,think like bread and butter,thanks Sony.

    PSN ID: nandosupes

  • akiwak

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 12:20 pm PT

    I like this new update. The only thing I was looking forward to was the in game XMB. I don't have to get out anymore to view a message. I can send invites now while I'm in game to have friends join me. The other stuff is just gravy to the meat and potatoes of the actual update. Thanks Sony, my patience was running thin.

  • Apocolypse_Cow

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 12:16 pm PT

    Hopefully a bunch of games will get patched to support trophies tommorow, during the weekly PSN update. I don't imagine this caught any developer off guard; they must've been working to create trophies for a while now.

  • Isayama

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 10:53 am PT

    360 Achievements>>>>PS3 Trophies, mainly because you need to wait for ps3 developers to update games to have add in trophies.

  • razgriz_101

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 10:18 am PT

    hope that EA do patch skate for trophies and at the same time patch it as to make the FPS drops less common.
    anyway lets hope devs keep them challenging and make them feel like a goal to get to.
    anyway COD4 has it easy with its own IG award system so i can see a lot being based off that.

    i just hope there are devs like EA who will go the extra bit to put in the trophies and at the same time sneakily fix their games.

  • kos1085

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 8:43 am PT

    That is definitely good news dmish82.

  • dmish82

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 8:19 am PT

    Well, the great news is that a LOT of developers are going the extra mile and will be delivering trophies for older games. Even better, online components, since they're linked to your PSN ID will be getting retroactive trophies. Warhawk devs announced they will be retroactively awarding 10 trophies along with a ton of new ones for gamers! This is great!

  • mikewalsh69

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 7:52 am PT

    it's out and it feels so good!!!!!!!

  • mullen1200

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 7:23 am PT

    well pain is a win for me

  • CreatureRising

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 7:04 am PT

    Wich games Have Trophies

  • rastaboi618

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 6:17 am PT

    this update is great for future games.... any game that came out before 2.40 the update is useless

  • RSebire

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 5:51 am PT

    Please somebody post a link here to where these update is, the official uk ps3 network is only giving me 3.26.
    Were are you all getting it from?
    Somebody please help out here.
    Thanks

  • vbdevpro posted Jul 2, 2008 5:39 am PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    vbdevpro

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 5:39 am PT (hide)

    I just downloaded it... and it's freaking useless. NO GAMES support trophies yet. No In-game music... I guess games have to have the support for them. What a let down. It sounds like Sony is only planning on back-patching a couple of games to support trophies.

    "Super Stardust HD, so that game will include Trophies from Wednesday," Lempel told Next-Gen. "We're also patching Warhawk and PAIN, while Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, "

    What a crock. Sony stumbles again...

  • dread666

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 5:20 am PT

    funny how people diss xbox for copying,,, hehehe

  • Tebbit

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 4:31 am PT

    cotterell55, make sure you just tap the PS button to bring up the xmb, otherwise it'll just open the usual menu. Its a nice change, and trophies (and leveling up particulaly) seem like a more entertaining way of extending a games life than achievement points are, less hardcore in terms of number-crunchin' fun, and more visual (well, with home anyway).

  • Ranteal

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 3:58 am PT

    Wow. What a letdown. Until home comes out, or they get some patches out there for games already out, whats the point. Leave it to Sony to mess this up to. Ya gotta give Micro$oft this, they make things easy. Why does is seem like everything is such a effort for Sony?

  • RSebire

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 3:57 am PT

    July 2nd 12"oclock. Official PS£ (UK) website is only offering me version 2.36 - How did you all get the update - I will only use the UK update.
    Not the US - Compatibility problems if you read the small print.
    Somebody please respond.

  • SaitouZero

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 2:58 am PT

    I'm glad this update is finally here, i really want the in-game custom soundtracks. Still it's kinda sad that it took Sony this long to do stuff the 360 was doing 3 years ago, these features should have been there at launch. Oh well, they're here now, better late than never is always my motto.

  • tyzwain

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 2:00 am PT

    Got the update, its different. But the trophies aren't really significant atm.

  • cotterell55

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 1:49 am PT

    folks I know its early and Im not all there this time in the morning but is there a way to enable the in game xmb? I have updated to 2.40 but my xmb wont come up in game. is it only on certain games or is it not released yet? lol

  • nickkcin10

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 1:10 am PT

    is there any current games that have the trophies?

  • haj01

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 1:06 am PT

    ITS OUT AND IT ROCKS

  • Killer_Prey

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 11:51 pm PT

    Anyone that did get the update already, do you guys see a question mark icon where the trophies are?

  • GIF

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 11:49 pm PT

    I have an Xbox 360 and a Playstation 3 so these idiotic circle jerks about which system is better is silly. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Get a summer job kids and buy both instead of bickering on a corporations behalf for no good reason.

  • Lamb0fFilth

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 11:48 pm PT

    no games support music yet wtf or trophies wats the point godamn it sony!

  • tacomonster3000

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 11:26 pm PT

    the update is out now for those who dont know

  • ZEALOTzeus

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 11:23 pm PT

    ....."achievements"

  • painpas

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 11:20 pm PT

    This is a needed update and I love it. However where is my ability to choose what ever hd format I want for every game I play I don't like to fiddle before each game just let me upscale everything. 2nd I want something more done for PS2 games and PS1 games. Don't get me wrong they look good but could be better like all PC emulators you can do it Sony don't play dumb.

  • Becent

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 11:09 pm PT

    " I just don't get the whole system war thing, it is the stupidest thing I have ever heard of, instead of everyone being happy they have such awesome games and systems, they fight over them. I would love to see the day when Sony loyalists and MS loyalists alike can play online together regardless of their chosen system, but that day will never come even if the companies would do it cuz of stupid things such as this console war."

    Agreed. 100% agreed. You deserve a cookie my friend.

  • pugsy44

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 11:05 pm PT

    Done, its awesome, but no Trophies

  • RaptorVenom

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 11:01 pm PT

    YourDaddy88 said:
    I agree. Let's start using Cell processors with a 33% failure rate. Then we'll be the same as the crap box. Muwahahahahahaha. Ok, first that comment was retarded when U decided to end with the Muwahahaha crap. Second, I wasn't dissing PS3, I was dissing this lame attempt to compete, all I said was they should have came up with something better. If it is such a "crap box" then why do U want your POS3 to have similar features. (Ok, that was a jab at PS3, but only cuz U deserved it) I just don't get the whole system war thing, it is the stupidest thing I have ever heard of, instead of everyone being happy they have such awesome games and systems, they fight over them. I would love to see the day when Sony loyalists and MS loyalists alike can play online together regardless of their chosen system, but that day will never come even if the companies would do it cuz of stupid things such as this console war.

  • Lamb0fFilth

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 10:58 pm PT

    theboss try reboot lol mines downloading as we speak yes!!

  • dirty55409

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 10:33 pm PT

    3 words: About - Damn - Time

  • pugsy44

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 10:27 pm PT

    So, no trophies till later today?

  • SPD_WeBmAsTaH

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 10:26 pm PT

    No I'm fine. The patch is done and running like a hooker on her first day of the job. So I guess now the messaging will be so awesome, I hated quitting the game to answer one frigging message. Thanks Sony.

  • theBOSS6362

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 10:23 pm PT

    "kbmj2324

    Is anyone else experiencing difficulties after the installation, like your PS3 wont start up?"

    Yea -- my PS3 is stuck at the wavey screen after startup, no XMB at all....GREAT FIX...just got rid of my XMB alltogether!!!

  • combatsoldier

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 10:19 pm PT

    im going right now. thanks guys i appreciate it.

  • SpartacusXX

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 10:14 pm PT

    score! downladed and installed rather quickly. I like the features so far, and it makes sense that the older games dont have trophies or custom BGM yet. I'm sure those patches will be out soon enough.

  • Becent

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 10:08 pm PT

    combat the update is out.....

  • combatsoldier

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 10:08 pm PT

    i cant wait and am so excited. only 2 hours and counting until the update. feels like waiting for the ball to drop on new years lol.

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