The PS3’s been going for a while now, and whilst most of us know the console is regularly updated few of us have ever looked back at what those system software changes were, and which ones could be considered ‘the best’. Well, we’ve come up with what we reckon are the top 5 PS3 firmware updates (if indeed you can ‘rank’ such entities) along with some real stinkers afterwards.
See if you agree…
1. Version 2.40, July 2nd 2008
Has it really been over two years since the PS3 got Trophies? Sure, it didn’t go exactly to plan (with the update getting pulled within hours) but firmware 2.40 brought, finally, some way of digitally quantifying your in-game achievements. Trophies changed the face of PlayStation 3 gaming forever, and we were there at the start cataloging every game that featured the new system. 2.40 also brought Blu-ray upscaling, in-game music and the ability to access the XMB whilst still playing a game. The update of kings, then, and definitely the best one we’ve ever had.
2. Version 1.60, March 22nd, 2007
The one that came with European PS3s, at least some of them, was the first firmware update most readers of this site will really remember. Basically, its primary goal was to enable backwards compatibility on those first capable consoles, enabling your PS3 to play PS2 games (and PS1, of course). 1.60 also introduced Folding@Home, QWERTY keyboard options for entering text and support for Remote Play and keyboard and mouse controls. Perhaps not the most dynamic update, but it’s there for nostalgic reasons at least.
3. Version 1.80, May 24, 2007
Version 1.80 was the first update I actually had chance to look forward to. TheSixthAxis wasn’t live then, but had the site been running we’d have jumped all over the update’s upscaling abilities, bringing regular old DVDs bang up to date with some wildly impressive graphical techniques. Upscaling’s improved since, but 1.80 meant DVDs could output at 1080p and, perhaps more importantly for anyone with a 1080i TV set, Blu-rays could be downscaled to 720p using the PS3. 1.80 also allowed you to Remote Play over the web and do much more with your photographs.
4. Version 3.40, June 29th, 2010
PlayStation Plus means different things to different people, but to most the relatively inexpensive annual fee brings lots of exciting new features including discounts on PS3 and PSP games each month, lots of free demos and time-based exclusives and the cool ability to download patches and updates in the background without interrupting your gaming. 3.40 also brought user ratings to the PlayStation Store and Picasa and Facebook image gallery browsing, useful if you’re of a social nature. Check out ‘Deep Colour’ under the display settings too if you’re HDMI equipped.
5. Version 3.30, April 22nd, 2010
The one that sent a DTS surround sound signal through my humble Dolby Digitial setup. Seriously, there was very little else about 3.30 that excited the gaming community just yet apart from some subtle Trophy list updates and some initial preparation for 3D games, but the addition of the Direct and Mixed Bitstream channels brought crystal clear DTS surround sound through the PS3’s optical cable and into pretty much any amp capable of pushing out sound. A personal favourite, perhaps, but one that cements the PS3 as a truly wonderful media device.
And the worst? It’s got to be 3.21 (released on April 2nd, 2010) which removed the ability to use Linux on your PS3, creating all kinds of excitement, discussion and – yes – law suits, some of which are still ongoing… There’s also been a few that do little except ‘improve the playback quality’ of your games, including 2.42 (July 30th, 2008) and 2.36 (June 18th, 2008), but on the whole, despite the seemingly constant flow of updates, Sony have, on the whole, made the most of the PS3’s ability to continuously evolve.
Long may it continue to do so.
gazzagb
You forgot the update when the moved the battery icon! That was by far the best! :P
3shirts
Haha, that was a ridiculously long time coming
Apnomis
Agree with most of them apart from number 5, for me the biggest improvement in sound came when they added support for DTS Master Audio for those with HDMI based surround sound systems…
I think number 1 for me would definitely be the addition of trophies, for me they completely transformed how I play games (for the better) and was a huge step in the PSN’s progress to being a true Xbox Live competitor (and IMO the implementation of Trophies beats the Achievement system).
Does anyone remember the brief period just after Trophies launched when the Platinum trophy was a crappy pink crown instead of the cool futuristic World Cup style design we have today?
Charmed_Fanatic
2.40 is THE best update for the PS3 so far!
jamess109
Tbh every update from the say i got my ps3 has been dissapointing pretty much. I had it since Feb 2009 2.08 ver i think.
Real in-game music and ps2 compatibility would make up the wait and the loss of other os option!!!!
TSBonyman
It was with the advent of trophies that i discovered the sixthaxis!
One other feature that improved things for me but i can’t remember which update was the ability to use dual audio outputs – no more quitting a game because i forgot to change from HDMI to optical output.
Origami Killer
it has to be trophies, i loved that day when it went up and running and i updated uncharted and got my first trophies, 1200 trophies later and i still love that sound and the feeling you get frim getting one,
in game music?? that didnt happen
Apnomis
Well technically it did – they never promised global in-game music. They promised the ability to allow developers to give the option to have in-game music, which the PS3 does have and many games use it – it’s just that very few actually publish the fact.
In general I don’t like using my own music anyway as developers go to a lot of effort with their soundtrack. But things like puzzle games it’s a good addition (Flight Control HD and many other PSN games), and party type games (HV Bowling), and racing games (Motorstorm:PR), and sometimes even during multiplayer (Killzone 2 allows it in online matches only).
It’s always worth going into your in-game XMB and trying to select a song on the off-chance it’s supported…
mcphatty
I wish I had taken photos of 1.00 (or 1.10, whatever they came with a month after launch), it was so different from the look and feel of todays machine! I almost prefer the tiny font and minimalism of it back then, but who can complain at the upscaling, bbc iplayer, video chat and remote play. Magic.
justboy
There has been so many updates recently, they start to merge in to one…
Grey_Ghost13
And I can see us getting more and more to combat the hackers now that the code is out there!
Danza Di Fuoco E Ghiaccio
The one’s that upgraded flash!
Awayze
I never really cared or noticed new features in the updates and yes I’ve had my 60GB PS3 since launch.
Although my favourite was the one that brought huge grey boxes around your friends name and the sparkly background xD