Rockstar has issued a blog post on their customer support website to let PlayStation 3 owners know that the latest firmware, version 3.61, is apparently causing “overheating” and “red light” issues.
“We have received some reports of PS3s overheating while playing L.A. Noire or beeping three times before shutting down/turning themselves off, mostly on older 60GB and 80GB fat models,” says the publisher.
“Primary reports seem to be that updating to firmware 3.61 will cause PlayStations to overheat.”
This isn’t limited to just Rockstar games, or indeed even L.A. Noire specifically. “There have been various reports of this on a few different games now,” says the blog, “all reporting their PS3s turning off or ‘Red Lighting’ after having installed 3.61.”
“This can range from games randomly freezing to PS3s turning off anywhere between 30 mins use to 2 hours. We have confirmed locally that multiple games (Rockstar and non-Rockstar) overheat or freeze only when 3.61 is installed. ”
Rockstar say they recommend contact Sony directly to report any issues, but confirm that they are “continuing to test L.A. Noire on all firmware versions.”
Our version of the game, which was running on 3.61, didn’t crash at all in the few hours we’ve played it so far.
Update: looks like Rockstar might have jumped the gun a little – they’ve retracted (removed) the original post and replaced with it one that suggests Xbox 360 owners might be experiencing crashes too.
That said, a support operative in the comments does reiterate the publisher’s original sentiments. “The issues of PS3s overheating appears to be due to the latest Sony firmware update,” it says. “We recommend contacting Sony if your console is shutting off during play.”
Our guess? It’s the game itself, not the firmware. We’ll see tomorrow when hopefully this is all cleared up.
A2J7C
I have one 40Gb and i am playing Mortal Kombat for the last 2 days, but not enought to overheat the hole system… damn it because i just got the damn game… so i will buying LA Noire and DiRT 3 for the Xbox360 becaus IT’S R* that says! xD
Gadbury
Rockstar have updated their support article: http://support.rockstargames.com/entries/20126677-what-to-do-if-you-are-crashing-or-freezing-in-l-a-noire
Xbox owners are also reporting freezing.
Don’t think Rockstar can single out the PS3, let alone its latest firmware.
colmshan1990
Sounds like they jumped the gun pointing at 3.61.
I agree with Watchful though, these reports pop up with almost every firmware update.
amiga_dude
Dont see it really being issue with PS3 and 3.61 as there is very same problem being reported on the XBox360.
cc_star
Freezing on both consoles, but over-heating & red-light on ps3 which they’ve claimed to only happen on 3.61 from their own testing.
ruinereraser
Freezing often happens because of overheating and system shutdown. Xbox360s don’t have the red light anymore. Stop hating Sony so much ;)
nofi
Post updated, thanks.
Greek-BBQ
Sort it out Sony! Surely it can’t get any worse for Sony…from security to hardware, what’s next, the software?! I do feel very sorry for them though.
Riffricular
Hey guys, just created an account to share this with you. I’m just in the process of backing up my hard drive in preparation for L.A Noire. The reason being is that about a week after the release of both GTA IV and Red Dead Redemption my previous 2 PS3 consoles died. Now with the emergence of this story I’m beginning to wonder if its Rockstar that are causing the problems. Hopefully my 3rd console will survive the past next week!
skibadee
this would have popped up before now if it was a firmware thing surely?
Reality Check
“Primary reports seem to be that updating to firmware 3.61 will cause PlayStations to overheat.”
What a load of BULLSH*T! LoL
Uhyve
I’m wondering if it’s combination of things. If it’s affecting both PS3 and 360, then I’d say it’s a pretty power hungry game, if this new firmware is doing a bunch of new security checks on top of that, I could see the firmware causing the issue to pop up more, but I don’t know if you could really call it the cause.
But then, I wouldn’t say it’s the games fault either, a piece of software shouldn’t be able to damage hardware no matter what. I mean, as a developer, you should be able to run hardware at full capacity without having to worry about it cooking itself.
Awayze
Now I’m scared to play this game on my 60GB PS3, it may get the YLOD again :(
The fan already runs at level 3 on MW2 and the PS3 gets hot! I have it stood up so the CPU and GPU don’t fall away from the mobo after heat and due to gravity and get YLOD lol.
If the game is a graphics extensive game, the 90nm GPU in the original PS3 60GB may give off A LOT of heat but the fan should just go higher and push more heat out, I’ve seen my PS3 go up at least to level 6 as though a jet engines about to take off. That only happened when I tried to jailbreak it on 3.41.
E8_BALL_
Regardless if true or not, my ps3 is in need of a good dust down, I heard (sure i’m not alone) using a vacuum tube, on the vents works wonders. Just hope when I do this, the suction doesn’t loosen any components lol.
sesameseed
I vacuum my ps3 at least once a week, it seems to work a treat as have had no problems with it *kupo*
E8_BALL_
Sorry Jumping Monks, just read your post. My bad.
tonycawley
Put a sock over the tube of the vacuum hose before doing it, this reduces the suction considerably yet still removes dust
E8_BALL_
Noted, thank you:)
cc_star
If it’s true, then its yet more bad news for Sony and if its untrue then someone has lied when they said “We have confirmed locally that multiple games (Rockstar and non-Rockstar) overheat or freeze only when 3.61 is installed.”
They specifically say they’ve confirmed it and eluded to the fact they’ve ran multiple games on multiple PS3s running various firmware versions.
The fact the game freezes on both consoles seems to point to R* diverting the flack, but actually coming out and ‘confirming it, only with 3.61’ is a statement that isn’t open to any doubt whatsoever.
Will be interesting to see what R* follow up with, either apologising for lying to their own customers or reaffirming their initial post exposing Sony as lying* to theirs.
*With regards to the fact they’ll no doubt say that hardware problems like over-heating and red-light are unrelated to the new firmware.
*gets popcorn*