14 DAY TRIAL // A few days ago, we saw the first leaked images showing that Facebook integration was being prepared for the PlayStation 3. And, in an unusual move, Sony has not entered its usual denial tactics and actually put out a preview of the features set to be integrated in the 3.10 firmware update, which is said to come very soon but does not have a clear date attached.
Eric Lempel, who is the director of network operations for the PlayStation Network, has written on the official PlayStation blog that “This update also enables developers to set specific criteria in their titles to publish additional game information to your News Feed. You can then check out your updates, and those of your friends, on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media favorites through the PS3’s built-in web browser.” He says that Facebook and Sony are interested in a bigger partnership and that the PS3 will be getting a more complex integration as other firmware updates are released.
The new firmware update is also set to include a reworked Photo category for the XMB, which Sony hopes will attract more photography lovers to store their works on the PS3, and a redesigned Friends list based upon the feedback offered by users on the changes made in previous updates.
Sony has had quite a bit of trouble with the precious major update, firmware 3.00, with a lot of players saying that applying it made their console unusable. The company released a fix but a group of PlayStation 3 users has already sued it over the issues.
The Japanese firm is surely hoping that it will not be running into the same kind of problems when firmware update 3.10 is launched later in the month.