Watch as all your PS3 dreams come true in this 2.40 video

by Jem Alexander { Jun 30th 2008 at 3:06AM }

See the guy in the video above? That's Eric Lempel and he's about to show off the number one requested feature for the PlayStation 3; in-game XMB. This feature is only half of what we can expect in firmware 2.40, which is due out "soon." Watch as Eric effortlessly receives and responds to messages whilst playing a game, swaps immediately from GT5:P to PixelJunk Monsters, switches in some background music from the PS3's HDD and ... searches on google.

There's more to come in another video later today, which will show off the trophy system. Not only that, but keep your eyes peeled right here for more detailed, exclusive info on what's to come.

Tags: 2.40, eric-lempel, firmware, in-game-xmb

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Shaun @ Jun 30th 2008 3:12AM

Stayed up at GT.com all night for this. Time for bed.

bboston7 @ Jun 30th 2008 4:10AM

haha, I stayed up at the playstation blog!

Hashbrown Hunter @ Jun 30th 2008 7:24AM

haha that's sad!

Calvin @ Jun 30th 2008 3:13AM

Woo. I posted a heads up about this before in your "Contact us" section, glad i woke up earlier for school today haha.

Calvin

DankandSticky @ Jun 30th 2008 3:13AM

"later today"...doubt it...

Mike @ Jun 30th 2008 3:16AM

Wonder what the Sony haters will complain about now???

Martez @ Jun 30th 2008 3:26AM

No cross-game voice chat.

deusmecha @ Jun 30th 2008 4:01AM

If you look closely during when they guy is in the XMB during GT5:P, you can see the little symbol used for video chatting.

So, I'm assuming that you can also access that during gameplay.

Rowdehaj @ Jun 30th 2008 4:30AM

Well, the voice/video chat feature is another full-screen application, so it's likely that they'll ask you to quit the game to access it. Also, if it did work like you say, wouldn't they demonstrate the hell out of it? I think this would be a good feature for 2.50. When that comes out in like 2050.

;) I kid... I kid... But we're already complaining about features missing in a much-clamoured for UNRELEASED update!

ChiefBroady @ Aug 15th 2008 7:09PM

Well, I am no Sony hater, i love my PS3. But Stutterfree mp4 playback over wireless again would be nice. This worked grate some Updates ago. No it's just no good any more.

Dustin @ Jun 30th 2008 3:16AM

what a birthday present from Sony to me! yea! cant wait. In the leaked Bioshock version, when the ps button was press, the game auto paused. now it doesn't, but that's ok.

sibbor @ Jun 30th 2008 3:49AM

"In the leaked Bioshock version, when the ps button was press, the game auto paused"
It's up to the game developers to choose whether to pause or not pause the game when the Home button is pushed. For example, GTA IV is paused, but many other games is not. Although GTA IV in this particulary case doesn't un-pause the game when you push the Home button to get back to the game. That's a feature I would love to see in more games.

Now let's just hope we see a lot of small game patches in the very near future to take full advantage of 2.40+:

* Allowing support for pause functionality (no doubt Sony could implement this themselves though)

* Options to automatically turn off game music once XMB music starts playing

* Removal of already existing friends list in the game (for example, Burnout Paradise - no need for friends list integrated now when it's an XMB feature.

* Support for trophies... there's always these rumors that games already got support for it, so just hope that's true. We'll see more trophies in the feature - also no doubt.

Only time will tell. Good work Sony, this is an awesome update!!

benny boy @ Jun 30th 2008 6:45AM

Notice at 5:09 he says it only "supports the majority of games on the PS3".

Does that mean that some games don't support in-game XMB, or just certain features of it. That really would suck. Let's hope it's only a small minority of games that don't support it.

Solid_Snake @ Jun 30th 2008 3:25AM

this is fantastatic. Pretty much everything I wanted shown in one video. Hmmm, that guy who released the photos of the trophies said that unless no other delay, to expect the firmware update July 1st or 2nd. I think i'm going to have to believe him. :-)

NotSafe4Work @ Jun 30th 2008 3:28AM

Looking good. Can't wait for this.

PirateKitty @ Jun 30th 2008 3:40AM

What's with Sony and The Go Team? First they're in LittleBigPlanet and now this.

Asher @ Jul 2nd 2008 9:37PM

haha yea i cough that too. It seems they are getting more and more exposure.

TriFF51 @ Jun 30th 2008 3:45AM

do you have some inside info that part 2 is later today? Cause he said in the next few days right.

Rowdehaj @ Jun 30th 2008 3:46AM

Absolutely awesome! I was totally not expecting this! :D

*Scurries over to the PS blog for praise and worship*

Alex @ Jun 30th 2008 3:51AM

i wanna be able to talk to just my friends in game, like in warhawk, do you think this will happen?

or would that be only a feature built into games, or not

Id hope you could set up a chat room and continue the chat in the back while you played a game. This could also technically work between two different games.

*crosses fingers*

A1 @ Jun 30th 2008 3:54AM

So how do you quit a game now? It was used when you pressed the PS button...Maybe holding the PS button for a couple a seconds?

Rowdehaj @ Jun 30th 2008 3:59AM

That sounds about right, although there is an icon under the Game category now that will allow you to quit the game.

Riley Freeman @ Jun 30th 2008 8:03AM

they said that when u hold down the ps button it will give u the regular options were used to. but pressing it once gives us in game xmb

Archon @ Jun 30th 2008 4:01AM

Yes! I just can't wait for this Google search thingy!!!!!111

Dwag @ Jun 30th 2008 4:01AM

I'm not gonna jump up and down until I see the Cross game chat feature and voice message feature but from the looks of it they are probably gonna include it so and maybe they might let me use the browser in game.

and if its not in there now there is always 2.45 and 2.50.

Just to say this Home starting or been in my case a waste of time from the beginning all I needed was this.

360 best to step your game up

Mod support(kinda the same as generated content but still wanted to add it in it makes the list look bigger)

Internet Browser(cool feature and plus you made IE or should I say Internet explorer ad plus both of the competitors have it and make it free and available to silver members)

Community Generated content(hacking happens to everyone M$ so that excuse can't be used)

being able to transfer songs from my PC to my 360(I hate having to either leave my PC on or burn songs to a Cd just to get them on my 360 hardrive)

L.M.O. @ Jun 30th 2008 4:15AM

Ok. The new update is great and so on.... But what about the feature as private chat like on Xbox 360. It's so frustrating when you can chat only in that " white chat room". If you,and your mate want to chat, and are playing two different games,it's impossible. Do anyone have any opinion on this? Personally I think it's quiet important feature that PS3 is lacking of. I want to be able to chat with my mates outside that chat window!!!!!!!!!!

Scott(Smallville123) @ Jun 30th 2008 3:55PM

Dude he didnt show off everything. If you can send a message in game im sure you can cross chat too.

Dwag @ Jun 30th 2008 5:30AM

I like it better though because I can four chat but with my 360 I have to be shifting between chats When really I want four of my friends talk and we all talk to each other.

L.M.O. @ Jun 30th 2008 6:04AM

Yes. It's true.I'm not saying that they should take away this feature that you can chat four persons in the room. I'm just saying that it would be great if they would ad the feature something like on 360. Private chat in cross games.

CATCHORA @ Jul 1st 2008 4:49AM

You can chat while playing in 360 O_O ???

L.M.O. @ Jul 1st 2008 5:02AM

Yes you can.

les.beales @ Jun 30th 2008 4:44AM

This looks awesome cant wait

Livi70590 @ Jun 30th 2008 5:17AM

NO WAI!

Sony have actually listened?

Mothwings @ Jun 30th 2008 5:34AM

well my ps3 dream didnt come true, as he didnt say anything about XMB Voice Chat. IMO sony has left out the most important XMB function, but lets see, there are still a small chance.. still crossing my fingers though

Dwag @ Jun 30th 2008 5:51AM

I'm hoping too but the reason I'm doubtful is because of what L.M.O. said Chatting always goes to that room and if you have to leave your game in order to see pictures its likely you'll have to leave to chat but Voice messaging looks like it has a very good chance of showing up.

but this is only the beginning we still have more left to get.

and don't forget we still have more updates to go but likely Sony won't start until like 3.0 but hopefully sooner.

Pavel @ Jun 30th 2008 6:03AM

So, I believe that in terms of Sony "soon" means tomorrow (Tuesday), it was true for 2.36 FW, for example.

shadow @ Jun 30th 2008 6:05AM

lol whats wrong with some pllz get in game xmb now find some thing else to complain about lol

klexam @ Jun 30th 2008 6:17AM

I love it! Now, since there is an obvious attention push to the browser, when will we get an updated Flash plugin so Flash 8 vids are viewable?

lord_of_valhalla @ Jun 30th 2008 6:21AM

this looks soooo good. The in game music will be a great feature for games like GTA IV, but it could be annoying as it is a greater excuse for chavs to play crappy dance music down their headsets.

Atarikid @ Jun 30th 2008 6:30AM

The biggest update for sure!
Great features making XMB more complete then ever and imo finally overtops the X360 dashboard.

Can't wait ...

biggrapp @ Jun 30th 2008 7:42AM

so much for Microsoft's patent, eh?

blowe419 @ Jun 30th 2008 8:08AM

Now we just have to work on join game in session

Tim Parsons @ Jun 30th 2008 10:35AM

F#$4ing awesome I didn't stay up at all LOL,. i just found out about 2.40 release like 30mins ago and crap it's like winning the lottery (i assumer I havent ever won the lottery so dunno the feeling for sure LOL)

Tim Parsons @ Jun 30th 2008 11:28AM

Sweet Video awesome, I wonder when he says about will support most titles does he mean the in game music or in game XMB,. I wonder how Oblivion will handle this, it has a habit of freezing as it is, I'd be afraid to bring up the XMB while playing Oblivion LOL