PlayStation 3 users petitioning for in-game XMB access

While current discussions for the PlayStation 3’s recent firmware updates focus on the console’s background download compatibility, a recent petition we picked up implies concern for the PS3’s XMB browser. This petition, addressed to Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA), requested the company to update their console with user access to the PS3’s Cross Media Bar browser (XMB) while they were playing any of the PS3’s games:

Sony, we want access to the XMB in game including custom soundtracks. At GDC 06 you showed access to the XMB, and so did early dev kits but they haven’t made it to the final console. Early research suggested PS3 reserves 64mb of the main RAM for the XMB, but we currently have no access to the XMB at all. Please add this through a firmware upgrade to the PS3.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

Given that firmware 1.6 has just been launched, and that there are no details for future firmware updates, we’ll just have to wait and see how Sony decides to react to this letter. Aside from other major additions, firmware update 1.6 gives the PS3 console the capability to do background downloads while users users played games on the console. The trade-off was that users would have to play offline.

Keep posted in case we hear more about this petition. For the moment, we address these questions to the readers: Would you like to have XMB accessibility while you play? Or, what do you think is the probability that Sony may be adding this feature in future fw updates?

Via Petition Online

While current discussions for the PlayStation 3’s recent firmware updates focus on the console’s background download compatibility, a recent petition we picked up implies concern for the PS3’s XMB browser. This petition, addressed to Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA), requested the company to update their console with user access to the PS3’s Cross Media Bar browser (XMB) while they were playing any of the PS3’s games:

Sony, we want access to the XMB in game including custom soundtracks. At GDC 06 you showed access to the XMB, and so did early dev kits but they haven’t made it to the final console. Early research suggested PS3 reserves 64mb of the main RAM for the XMB, but we currently have no access to the XMB at all. Please add this through a firmware upgrade to the PS3.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

Given that firmware 1.6 has just been launched, and that there are no details for future firmware updates, we’ll just have to wait and see how Sony decides to react to this letter. Aside from other major additions, firmware update 1.6 gives the PS3 console the capability to do background downloads while users users played games on the console. The trade-off was that users would have to play offline.

Keep posted in case we hear more about this petition. For the moment, we address these questions to the readers: Would you like to have XMB accessibility while you play? Or, what do you think is the probability that Sony may be adding this feature in future fw updates?

Via Petition Online