Sony proves your PSN qualms don't fall on deaf ears

by Jem Alexander { Apr 16th 2008 at 5:00AM }

Sony may have already proved that they're listening to what we want with the redesign of the PSN Store, but there are plenty of other features people are clamoring for from the service. Peter Dille, Senior Vice President of the PlayStation Network, has written a post on the PS.Blog letting everyone know that they are listening and that features are coming. Specifically, he confirms that in-game XMB is coming this year, along with a video download service (for North America) and "other community-related services."

There's lots of exciting stuff to come this year then, not to mention Home which will (literally) add a whole new dimension to the PlayStation Network. Dille promises that more information on the video download service will be coming "very soon" and states that we should "stay tuned" for "more announcements on the expanding community functions within PLAYSTATION Network in the near future." Trust us, Peter (can we call you Peter?). We've been "tuned" for over a year now. Let's here more about those features ASAP, please.

Lastly, the PlayStation Network cards are finally getting released in the US. They're shipping out to retailers this Spring and will allow you to add either $20 or $50 to your PSN wallet. Handy for those of you who don't have a credit card.

[Thanks to everyone that sent this in!]

Tags: network, peter-dille, playstation-blog, playstation-network, psn

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

leighem @ Apr 16th 2008 5:15AM

sony has microsoft beat with all the new stuff coming out this year xbox 360 will stand no chance on winning

eugene @ Apr 16th 2008 9:12AM

hate to break it to you, but all this "new" stuff isn't new. The only thing that is "new" is Home, everything else just gets the PS3 to parity with the 360.

Thoas @ Apr 16th 2008 5:30AM

In-game XMB is what i want the most out of all that stuff.

Frankenstein Black @ Apr 16th 2008 2:23PM

I’m a geek just like the next one and I kinda know some stuff. So someone please explain to me why such a “Jones” for In-game XMB? Will it really add that much to the user experience? I rather they focus resources on getting HOME right and out on time?

never$$hort @ Apr 16th 2008 5:40AM

How about a simple:

Thank You Sony for listening! :)

madrabbit @ Apr 16th 2008 5:41AM

"soon", "stay tuned", "coming soon", "we're listening", "will improve", "potentially".....

Do sony ever actually get round to releasing ANYTHING?

never$$hort @ Apr 16th 2008 6:03AM

STFU you ungrateful little complaining b****!!

Dark Archon @ Apr 16th 2008 6:04AM

...said madrabbit the day after the new PSStore was released.

Nintendo is Fail @ Apr 16th 2008 12:05PM

He was most likely just being sarcastic, morons. No need to get your panties in a twist "never$$hort" or whatever your name is. I have one question though: whats up with Home? Is it just gay second life crap for the PS3? Maybe all the losers who want to try it so bad can buy shit in the game with real money, just like in second life haha

Lars @ Apr 16th 2008 1:59PM

Second Life is primarily a social networking service. Like myspace or facebook, but in a 3D world. Oh and you don't ever have to spend a cent in Second Life (even though they give you cash just for joining), there's tons of freebies everywhere. But the biggest attraction to Second Life was the ability to do ANYTHING. You can create anything you can imagine from scratch right in the game. You don't need to be a 3D modeler or need any extra tools. That's what made Second Life amazing. I doubt Home will be anything like that, but it should be pretty fun anyways.

Glyn @ Apr 16th 2008 5:42AM

PS3 + PSN + Google Apps

Complete gaming, media and communications/social solution.

Fraser JK @ Apr 16th 2008 6:34AM

All I want for X-Mas is In-Game XMB, In-Game XMB, In-Game XMB!

sibbor @ Apr 16th 2008 7:10AM

X-MAS!? It's a damn long wait. I really hope you meant to sing;
All I want for summer [choral singing: In firmwaaare 2.40] is in-game XMB, in-game XMB, in-game XMB!!

You stand corrected, right?

Thanks for your brilliant updates Sony! Keep it up.

Vincent @ Apr 16th 2008 7:13AM

Still no worldwide PSN, still rejects international CCs from countries that don't belong to that region's PSN.

Sorry but to me PSN still fails to deliver :/

Popfrogs @ Apr 16th 2008 10:28AM

Ideally, the PSN cards will get released to retailers worldwide eventually. At that point it shouldn't matter what region you're buying from....maybe.

Flicky @ Apr 16th 2008 7:55AM

FLAC would still be nice to have as a supported codec. It's can't be too much work to throw into the next firmware update, please Sony ?

kiwidust @ Apr 16th 2008 8:17AM

I just hope they're not forgetting some of the basic stuff. As interested as I am in all the whiz-bang elements there are still some foundational features missing.

Consistency is a huge one for me: why can I "Copy Multiple" music or video tracks but am forced to copy saved games (especially PS2 saved games) (laboriously) one and a time?

Hard Disk management in general is very weak - it's very difficult to figure out what's taking space and there are upwards of six or seven areas to check and delete from.

Backups are still weak: I don't much care about backing up videos or even downloaded games (since I can't really "lose" them) but I care deeply about backing up saved games and personal information. As of right now you can't just back those up (to a memory stick or card).

Finally I'd really like to see linked media available where local media is. It's frustrating that I can play any music from my DLNA server(s) on the PS3 but not in games which support custom soundtracks.

I'm sure there's more, but I hope I'm getting the idea across. I know I'm nit-picking (I'm a usability designer... that's what I get paid for!) but all of these little things pile up and detract more from an interface than any of the large missing features.

That said I really love the XMB in general... it just really needs a consistency review and a basic usabiity inventory. ;^)

rhythmatix8 @ Apr 16th 2008 5:59PM

um... actually u can back-up save games; gf did it the other day to transfer her heavenly sword saves to her own ps3

kiwidust @ Apr 16th 2008 7:26PM

You can COPY saved games (laboriously, one at a time). However the BACKUP utility is an all or nothing affair. You can't, for example, use the backup to say "Backup all game saves and downloaded content but nothing else.

You can't "Copy Multiple" save games. You can't copy whole PS2 memory cards, you can't choose to backup only certain items. Now consider a PS2 memory card with 20 or so FFXII saves. The only way to back those up to, say, Compact Flash or Memory Stick is to copy them one at a very tedious time.

jtedesco33 @ Apr 16th 2008 8:31AM

Meh to all that other stuff in-game xmb is what counts. I beta test for Home and haven't touched it since the last update. it will prolly appeal to fanboys but for me I just find it to be terribly boring.

Besides in-game xmb and custom sound tracks should have been features that were present at launch, it seems sad to me that we r still waiting on xmb.

Tony @ Apr 16th 2008 9:20AM

How's about releasing a decoder for DTS-MA HD that actually works correctly? DTS-MA HD 7.1 tracks for most Blu-rays are being downgraded to 5.1.

Getting the word out.

acefondu @ Apr 16th 2008 9:21AM

When are they going to release some decent PS1 titles?

robert @ Apr 16th 2008 9:30AM

fourteen years ago?

acefondu @ Apr 16th 2008 9:38AM

Ha ha...it is to laugh. I guess I'm just spoiled by the Wii's virtual console offerings. The only decent thing to get on the PSN is Stardust.

Dan Davis @ Apr 16th 2008 10:23AM

Acefondu, you should try Pixeljunk Monsters...

Rob @ Apr 16th 2008 9:54AM

Full MKV support, please

rgoff31 @ Apr 16th 2008 10:04AM

They need to fix the icon load issues with the new store.

Release a finished version of the XMB & Home.

Logan @ Apr 16th 2008 10:12AM

well call me an old fart, but i don't like the fact that there's no real form of hacker protection prevailent, and refuse to put my card info in untill there is. i've been waiting for these network point cards for a while and haven't bought anything from the store because of that.

Popfrogs @ Apr 16th 2008 10:46AM

Considering that it all takes place on a private connection between your PS3 and Sony's servers, which your PS3 has authenticated (and it's tied to your hardware MAC address), I'd say that's about as safe as it gets. There might even be some SSL stuff going on in the background that we can't see. Then again no matter how safe these things are, there are old folks that won't trust it because they have "read stories where people lost their credit cards to hackers" or whatever. For people like yourself, the PSN cards are coming in a matter of days, Sony said they're already shipping to retailers.

Ty @ Apr 16th 2008 10:15AM

I have had my PS3 since december and was never able to put money in my wallet. It always gives me the "invalid card" error. Does anyone know why this is? Literally since December this has been going on for me and my card(s) are valid.

Aclerok @ Apr 16th 2008 11:02AM

A friend of mine has the same problem. I've never had an issue with that though.

FixtSux @ Apr 16th 2008 11:09AM

Is your address on two lines for the billing address? I dunno if that is the problem, but I altered my billing address to fit on one line and that seemed to work. Make sure all that info is correct too.

PSN ID: FixtSux

never$$hort @ Apr 16th 2008 2:30PM

Thats weird, never heard of that issue, I use my wallet all the time

Draco @ Apr 16th 2008 10:51AM

"not to mention Home which will (literally) add a whole new dimension to the PlayStation "

I guess Sony wasn't kidding about 4D we just didn't know where to look.

Nerdkiller @ Apr 16th 2008 11:58AM

What I'm really getting frustrated about, is where are the network cards for Europe? I need them. Please Sony, I just want to download stuff without a credit card for god's sakes.

wisconsinista @ Apr 16th 2008 12:47PM

Waiting for this was sooo 2007. I can't imagine I'll spend to much time trying on outfits. I don't buy the "very soon" bit either. To commoners that means very soon, to Sony that means in this quarter we may release some news (the last week of the quarter).

Peter=fail at meeting deadlines