Last week, Sony was forced to pull version 2.40 of its PlayStation 3 firmware after receiving reports that, in some instances, the update was “bricking” PS3 consoles, making them inoperable after users applied the update. Now, Sony has posted version 2.41 of its PlayStation 3 firmware, claiming to have solved the problem.
Sony describes problems with the 2.40 firmware as impacting a “limited number of users;” however, as yet, the company has made no public statement on how (or whether) it will help those users get their PS3s functioning again.
The new firmware update adds support for in-game XMB, enabling gamers to access PlayStation features (like their friends list) without quitting their current game. The update also adds Trophy support, a mechanism similar to Xbox 360 achievements whereby players can earn bronze, silver, gold, and platinum trophies in selected games and compare their collections with friends.