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Sony pulls v2.40 firmware, denies full retro-trophy support

  • By Tor Thorsen, Tom Magrino, GameSpot
  • Posted Jul 2, 2008 3:04 pm PT

[UPDATE] Sony says it is "working diligently to isolate the problem," shoots down reports claiming all past games will get awards; Burnout Paradise first to give trophies retroactively, Uncharted next for prize patch.

As was announced Monday, today saw the launch of the v2.40 firmware update for the PlayStation 3. The long-awaited update--previewed by GameSpot Hardware--adds the ability to access the console's XrossMediaBar (XMB) and use select features from it in-game. (Players can also access other XMB features directly, but will have to quit gameplay.) It also came alongside a slight tweak to the PlayStation Store, which adds list views and caches images, preventing the need to load previously viewed art assets each time one visits the store.

PS3 Firmware 2.40 Demo

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

The v2.40 update will also launch the long-awaited trophy system, the PS3's answer to Xbox 360 Achievements. Though every game for Microsoft's console bestows awards, only three already-released first-party PS3 games--PAIN, Warhawk, and Super Stardust HD--will get the feature this week in the form of patches.

Sony also announced this week that a spate of upcoming titles will sport trophies from the get-go, including LittleBigPlanet, MotorStorm Pacific Rift, NBA 09, PixelJunk Eden, Resistance 2, and SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation. Speaking with GameSpot, director of PlayStation Network Eric Lempel also said that eventually, all new releases for the PS3--both first-party and third-party--would have trophies.

However, Sony today refuted a spate of online reports claiming all past, present, and future PS3 games would one day get trophies, dashing hopes that Lair completionists would be rewarded for revisiting their efforts. As Sony previously stated, it is putting the onus onto both third-party publishers and its own internal studios as to whether they want to take the time to add trophies to games already on the market.

While Konami hasn't said whether or not it will add trophies to its multiplatinum Metal Gear Solid 4, Sony today confirmed that a pair of PS3 hits--Electronic Arts' Burnout Paradise and Sony's own Uncharted Drake's Fortune--would soon be patched with their own awards. No date for either update has yet been set, with Sony saying both will get patched "soon."

The official Web site of Burnout Paradise's developer, EA-owned Criterion Games, also revealed the patch will be the first update to retroactively award trophies automatically. "Trophies will be awarded based on your progress in your existing save game," the developer said in a statement. "When the update arrives the trophies you have earned will reflect the progress you've made in the game at that time (so you won't have to replay the game again to earn trophies)."

Speaking to GameSpot last week, Lempel indicated no PS3 games would be awarded trophies retroactively, and no other such patches have been announced. It appears that Criterion was able to include the functionality by planning ahead for trophies' inclusion. "We can reveal that this is why your Burnout Paradise save game has always been locked to your PlayStation Network id--so we could guarantee that when PlayStation Trophies arrived that your save game would reflect your progress," the developer stated.

Unfortunately, it appears as if the v2.40 update wasn't available for long. A rash of complaints on the official PlayStation message boards claim the heavily anticipated update caused many PS3s to lock up when owners attempt to load a game. The problem does not appear to be exclusive to an individual hardware model, as owners of 40GB, 60GB, and 80GB consoles have all reported problems.

Sony did not respond to GameSpot's request for comment, but apparently took action by pulling the update from the PlayStation Network. Following reports from forum-goers, GameSpot attempted to download the v2.40 to a PS3 running v2.36 firmware--only to find the update is no longer available.

[UPDATE] Thursday morning, Sony posted a note on the PlayStation Blog explaining the situation. "We have temporarily taken firmware v2.40 offline," said Sony Computer Entertainment America corporate communications director Patrick Seybold. "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."

1055 Comments

  • bustap949

    Posted Jul 14, 2008 1:16 pm GMT

    when the hell are we going to be able to listen to side loaded music off of a hard drive or USB stick while playing a game? This update should have included that functionality. such BS...

  • Sparky2002

    Posted Jul 10, 2008 9:19 am GMT

    not shore buddy but they did say it is upto the game company to add in trophie's to thier games so maybe check out the game makers company for more infomation if & when they may or may not add trophies to thier game..

  • PiverSmine3

    Posted Jul 9, 2008 9:37 pm GMT

    wo wo wo wo wo wo wo, did they say this WEEK that wahawk will get trophy patches, please ANYBODY WITH INFO ON THIS MESSAGE ME

  • SSgt_Mapp

    Posted Jul 9, 2008 5:08 pm GMT

    Sony loves being behind the action if you all know what I mean! They lunch the console late and now this weak trophy system. They still don't have movies and TV shows to download. So Sony is still behind and will never catch up. The only thing they got is that Blu-ray thing and that is the only time my PS3 is turn on is to watch a BLU-RAY movie. I own no game for the PS3 but I got BLU-RAY movies....

  • Eliteman117

    Posted Jul 9, 2008 2:47 pm GMT

    PS3s DO SUCK WESDAWGS RIGHT

  • hammerman316

    Posted Jul 9, 2008 2:35 pm GMT

    Hey i'm not gonna deny it i AM a PS3 fanboy but i aint here to bash the 360 cus that would jsut be stupid and a waste of my time (sorry cheap shot) but could anyone answer me this ive got super stardust HD and i no its meant to be at version 4.00 before i can get trophies but my version is at 3.00 and ive downloaded an update, i have no idea what i should do cus i really wanna get a head start on my mates with this trophy business and whats this ive heard about pain making trophies on 2.40s launch cus i cant seem to get a trophy menu for that either .

  • akiwak

    Posted Jul 9, 2008 1:31 pm GMT

    I like the games I have enough that if I wanted to actually get the trophies I would be more that happy to play through them again just to get the trophies. Since I'm not the trophy kind of person I am currently spending all my time on MGO. I'll take a break maybe next month in order to play another game and maybe then i will focus on getting the trophies.

  • mosesdg2001

    Posted Jul 9, 2008 1:29 pm GMT

    Yes the point card matters to me for the simple fact that the pay is less than actually trying to buy massive amounts of points through the xbl. Two as I was reading through I saw a comment on how much it adds up to pay for xbl over the years if you look at what sony charges you and xbl charges you for dlc you would most definitely notice the drastic price differences. For example I am a huge RB fan and I went to see how much an album would cost to download from rock band on PS3 it was damn near 20 bucks and xbl it was only 10 so my point here is yes i still have to pay to get on line and pay for dlc but it it's about half of what sony is charging for psn dlc. This is pretty much my last comment and I respect the fact that you never used really or cared about the features dark so xbl really doesn't suit you so it's understandable. bilysmallz what the hell are you talking about xbox does not have two years on sony. Sony was out way before xbox was so for you to make that comment makes you look like someone who just talks to talk. They just had the right approach to it that's all.

  • combatsoldier

    Posted Jul 9, 2008 7:33 am GMT

    Urlacher54 the question i want to know is: Will retro trophies be automatically added when the update comes? Or will we have to play games over again in order to earn them? Which would be totally lame.

    ya that is a great question and i would like the answer to that as well my friend.

  • combatsoldier

    Posted Jul 9, 2008 7:28 am GMT

    I agree with you sparky. It is absolutely disgusting that we cant even have any decent conversation without someone coming in here trolling and trying to start flamewars.

  • JackCarver000

    Posted Jul 9, 2008 4:40 am GMT

    Yay, competition makes comanies push harder, which equals better products. I hope that microsoft is considering group chat now ^^

  • Sparky2002

    Posted Jul 9, 2008 1:41 am GMT

    please both over the top fanboys go away ok, I dont come here to read your garbage & or console bashing each other but for infomation about PS3 & news important to me , & honestly WTH is a xbox boy doing in A Sony thread anyway ??

    this is not a mutal game on both consoles thread this is PS3 Infomational thread nothing to do with xbox full stop...

    gamespot should invent a lock out system xbox speak with xbox sony speak with sony, & only have group discussion threads for mutal games on both consoles to stop filling threads with utter garbage talk, geez. //// Anyone know when virtual world home will be released???

  • PS3Champ

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 11:00 pm GMT

    FFS! All of the games better give trophies retroactivly. If they think all these people are gonna play through some of these games that take hours just to get some trophis then they;re thinking waaay off balance! C'mon!!! There's no way I'm gonna play through (for example) Guitar Hero on Easy, Medium, and Hard all again just to get the trophies. I'm tellin' ya I want Sony to win this console race but they can't if they keep on going slow like this. Sony took longer on their console... they had more time, and they shoudln't be this far behind.

  • tjoeb123

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 9:15 pm GMT

    Pirple,

    The 360 actually uses a lot of power. The only reason that MGS4 is not on 360 is due to the fact that it would be a huge case - and I mean HUGE - to fit the game in because it would take up like 7 discs. (since a 360 DVD can hold about 8 GB of data, and a Blu-ray disc can hold 50GB)

  • Urlacher54

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 9:12 pm GMT

    the question i want to know is: Will retro trophies be automatically added when the update comes? Or will we have to play games over again in order to earn them? Which would be totally lame.

  • smc_sewer

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 4:41 pm GMT

    My PS3 got bricked by the update and wont play anything at all now, sony australia stated in an reply email to me that it will have to be sent in for repair and will cost me $350aus to do so.
    So it's tough luck for anyone whose consoles stuffed up in some way after the update sony in short are saying they are not responsible and we will have to pay for their mistake.

  • bilysmallz

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 3:27 pm GMT

    klugenbeel

    The 360 is only doing better in the US, globally Microsoft is trailing both Nintendo and Sony who have bigger fanbases internationally. Also the PS3 has had numerous blockbusters in Japan. Regardless, I just dont see why fanboys keep looking for things to talk trash about.(I saw these ridiculous videos of guys grilling on Xbox 360s and PS3s) Just respect each system for what it got. And need I remind you who won the format battle for next-generation video. BluRay is partly sony owned. Here's a link to a wiki page on the Blu-ray Disc Association. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blu-ray_Disc_Association)

  • Pirple

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 12:17 pm GMT

    Ps3 is way better then the crap xbox-360.and you know why Mgs 4 is not on the 360 its because the 360 does not have aney power

  • klugenbeel

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 11:54 am GMT

    bilysmallz,
    Actually your wrong on the Xbox Live....Xbox Live has been out since Novermeber 2002, so they had 6 years head start...since MS knew that Gamers wanted their consoles to be Online enabled, just like PC gaming. I know, what jerks of Microsoft! LOL

  • klugenbeel

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 11:27 am GMT

    bilysmallz,
    Most Xbox Fanboys do it because since the original Xbox came out, we have had to hear nothing but crap from Sony about how the Xbox sucks, PS2 and now PS3 is better and yada yada yada. Well now that market trends, install base, and communities for the 360 are larger and better than the PS3...its kind of revenge in many ways. I am not going to trash the PS3 in this, i think that how poorly the PS3 has done for Sony both in community and finacial figures, i think Sony is digging its own grave. Sure they finally got a big hit blockbuister out for the PS3, and didn't flop, but isn't a year after the system has been out a little late to get a blockbuster exclusive rolling? I mean Xbox 360 exclusive blockbuster was Gears of War, but that came out only months after the 360's launch, and Nintendo had Zelda out either at launch or within a couple weeks...so Sony, software wise is just sooo far behind both Microsoft and Nintendo.

  • bilysmallz

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 10:44 am GMT

    As an owner of both systems I think most of these arguments are kinda pathetic. Why are all these 360 fanboys bashing sony for this small glitch, going on about how they shouldn't have rushed it, and how what the update adds the 360 had from the start. 1) Has anyone forgotten that microsoft rushed the 360 to release it two years ahead of PS3 ?

    2) Because of that rushing, there was a major issue with "The Red Rings of Death" (which bricked my first 360)

    3) Microsoft admits they have no way of recalling every system that may have this issue and you still have a 33% chance of buying one of the faulty 360's (getting the red rings of death).

    and finally which should be obvious to you dedicated fanboys

    4) Perhaps the reason why 360 has a better online interface is because it had a two year headstart and you pay for it. Just enjoy your system, they both excell where the other falters.

    GamerTag- BilySmallz

  • darkride66

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 9:22 am GMT

    Nathan-Hale said "...but you never fought for it and sometimes traded consoles for a week."
    I still do that. Only one of my friends owns a 360, all the rest own PS3's and I lent out my 360 as I'm not currently playing anything on it so my friend could try Bioshock. I offered it to a couple of others because Bioshock is a fantastic game but they're going to wait till it's released on the PS3 in the fall now. Interestingly enough no one wanted to play Halo 3, which I recommended. I guess if you never played the first two games there's no sense in starting at 3.

  • Nathan-Hale

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 9:03 am GMT

    What ever happened to the days when you owned a n64 and your friend owned a dreamcast... but you never fought for it and sometimes traded consoles for a week. Now if a ps3 owner asks his friend to borrow his 360 it's all full of crap and you begin trashing each console.

  • donalbane

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 8:58 am GMT

    It's not mute... it's moot, dmish. Mute means no sound. Moot means irrelevant.

  • Nathan-Hale

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 8:58 am GMT

    im still running on 2.40 but hey atleast i dont have to worry hopefully 2.41 will fix the problems and hopefully the ones that didn't get bricked stay okay.

  • dmish82

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 7:58 am GMT

    All of the below is now mute! 2.41 is now live and ready for download.

  • tru_dog

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 7:41 am GMT

    2.41 was released this morning. no more problems. thanks sony.

  • fullfatman

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 7:30 am GMT

    dude that sucks you think they would test an update before releasing it.

  • Shtinky

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 7:00 am GMT

    hope all is well now, now i really need to buy a ps3 >.>

  • nvfigueiredo

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 4:46 am GMT

    HELLO! An update would be welcome... Even amateur sites have posted that the (fixed) update was made available today.

  • ShadowOfKratos

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 4:35 am GMT

    ok, download from PC is now available too...

  • PuppetMaster786

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 4:23 am GMT

    just a late comment sony just made a mistake big deal, ifeel bad for those of you whose ps3s were damaged during the download process

  • ShadowOfKratos

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 4:22 am GMT

    so true Sparky2002, it's live but strangely only available from the PS3... you can't download it from the PC yet. (I'm gonna check again now though, to see if they have put it up for PC) ta...

  • Sparky2002

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 2:31 am GMT

    V2.41 is out dowload it,

  • MegadethAndy

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 2:26 am GMT

    I never had any problem with v2.40.
    does anyone else find the updates are slower to download than all the stuff on PSN? taken me like 20-30 mins just to get 20%

  • Sparky2002

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 1:48 am GMT

    batman17 you are the fanboy re-read you posted you are 1100% A Xbox fanboy, so please go away buddy, ta.

  • camian69

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 1:45 am GMT

    whatever.....downloading v2.41 now

  • batman17

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 1:40 am GMT

    Ive been reading posts left and rigth. Its a shame when alot of u just got 1 system and start braging wich one is better. Well to me none are beeter because 1 has something the other 1 dosent. Now would u get dsl because its cheaper than cable i wouldnt. Im not bragging but paying 50 a year for my 360 i cant complain. Now if i can recall When the xbox came out. The online was the same way it is now. the ps3 gotta be upgrading. Im not complaining but this update the ps3 is doing its just a copy of the 360. Why not do something different. Now if u wanna be a fanboy of the ps3 u goota ask urself, why put trophies on games. Thats because they see where xbox is going with it. Stop being a fanboy and just enjoy what u got.

  • ShadoweaverCode

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 10:42 pm GMT

    LOL, they couldn't even get in-game custom soundtracks, how lame

  • shadow9669

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 10:07 pm GMT

    i was playign little big planet all day yesterday playstation booth at summerfest still buggy like if you selected a map them clicked a buttin ater selecting map the game frezz up

  • TreMattic

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 9:51 pm GMT

    I second what Ace77765 mentioned. That $50 per year "service fee" does add up and will eventually surpass the $499 (and tax) price tag that PS3 presents. As a current college student, I'm happy to be getting the core online play for FREE!! I give Sony and the crew plenty of grace and mercy when little hiccups like this happen because after all.....its FREE!!!

  • acsam12304

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 9:27 pm GMT


    Hi im mosesdg20011224524674484


    i own a 360 , becuase i just want to watch HD DVDs ( that are dead now because Sony killed it WOOT.) Even tho i can get a Cheaper HD DVD player with out the extra gaming use. Also i pay $50 a year because i love making money sucking companys richer for things i can get for free. Yeah im a 360 fanboy ( even tho i said im not a 360 fanboy but i was liying. I am a 360 fanboy.)

  • acsam12304

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 9:13 pm GMT

    @mosesdg2001


    There are other Blu-Ray players other then the PS3 and that are cheaper too.

  • Ace77765

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 8:54 pm GMT

    Lol sonic...and unlike XBOX 360!!! which adds 50 bucks a year sony has free online play. Hmm see with the current times that adds up to something to people who are of the working class in society today as well as college students heh...fanboy is such an adorable word; however, they will fix the problem and it will catch up to the 360 and its features. Keyword is no additional cost for online activities, again fanboy is such an adorable word. Next year I'm curious what the new gamer word will be

  • darkride66

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 8:35 pm GMT

    nintendokid said about the PSOne "I just don't really see the need for my game console to be able to listen to music CDs."
    You know what's funny about this? A fellow broker, knowing I'm into games came across an article regarding early PSOne's being highly sought after by audiophiles and passed it along. Turns out the original Playstation (the SCPH-1001 model) is one helluva CD player. And to think, back when I was gaming on this I should have been using it to play my Slayer Cd's as well. Who knew? Mind you at that time I didn't have a proper stereo so I couldn't have really taken advantage of it any way. I still have fond memories of playing Jet Moto 2 and popping out the game disk to replace it with "Big Shiny Tunes 2". Hop up and listen to gramps, kiddies. That's how we did custom soundtracks in those days!

  • darkride66

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 8:21 pm GMT

    @ craftieman05. Thanks! Personally I think I tend to ramble, I'm overly verbose and sometimes I come off a little harsher than I mean but I'll take positive comments when I can get em.

  • Aka_Oni

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 7:36 pm GMT

    In my opinion it's great that sony is actually trying to bone up on it's online aspects and all, but personally I believe they should've spent more time trying to troubleshoot the new firmware for bugs instead of jumping the gun. I myself own a ps3 and am happy to know that they have gone at least gone to a length with their development.

  • craftieman05

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 7:07 pm GMT

    oh and another side note. i love darkrides post

  • craftieman05

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 7:04 pm GMT

    @ nintendokid

    I never said that when the playstation came out. But i was in the 4th grade and mario was really cool and playing him in 3d on the 64 was going to be freaking sweet. so in otherwords i didnt even know it existed back then. But that was irrelevent. My main point in my post was I was impressed at microsofts effort and focus. I would hate to see an american company rule the console world. I think us americans would f*** up the gaming world like we are kinda f****** up metal music right now.

    About console using things like cd playback or dvd playback is not a big deal I don't think. At least it isn't a big deal to me. I kinda see it as a natural thing to include becuase you are using cd's to play the games, why not use a popular media outlet why your at it.

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