New features aim to beef up the way PS3 users play and interact with one another. Perhaps the biggest in-game experience additions are the XrossMediaBar (XMB) and Trophies. These were two of the most requested new features, according to Sony.

XMB lets PS3 users connect and communicate with other gamers and use other XMB features while playing most games. Trophies lets gamers tout their accomplishments via profiles, which also lets users compare their skills.

"Today's PlayStation 3 experience has evolved significantly from what we debuted at launch, and the 2.40 firmware update will drive the PS3 community experience forward at a time when the platform's momentum is stronger than ever, with the launches of several recent blockbuster titles and other exclusive content on the way," said Peter Dille, Sony's senior vice president of marketing.

Zooming in on XMB

XMB access allows gamers to interact through messaging. Gamers can view others' online status and profiles without interrupting game play. By pushing the PS button on the PS3 controller, the Home menu takes center stage over a game in progress.

Depending on the game, XMB access will either automatically pause the game or continue to run in the background. With these enhanced communications features for the PlayStation Network community -- which has more than 9.8 million registered accounts -- the Friends list capacity has doubled to 100.

With XMB access in a game, users can sign in to the PlayStation Network, manage PlayStation Store downloads, quit a game, and access options within the Settings category. PS3 users can also end their game and navigate directly to other PS3 system features by selecting to view content such as photos or videos stored on the system's hard drive. XMB access is available for most existing PS3 games.

A Step in the Right Direction

Adding XMB in-game is a step in the right direction for Sony and PS3, according to Mike Goodman, a video-game analyst at Yankee Group. XMB allows Sony to present a uniform user interface to the consumer.

"XMB is an interface PlayStation users are already becoming familiar with, so hopefully it will be very natural progression without a large learning curve," Goodman said. "XMB eases navigation, and it's also a branding issue. Consumers will associate the XrossMediaBar with Sony."

Goodman's question is: Does XMB become the user interface of choice across Sony's entire connected consumer-electronics product line? Conceptually, he said, it makes sense for that answer to be "yes."

"If Sony is trying to tie together your devices -- and one of Sony's goals is to create Web services and to tie their devices together -- having a common user interface would seem to be a step in that direction," Goodman said. "If the XrossMediaBar extends to other products, it would be a very telling sign of how successful from a corporate perspective Sony is in tying its divisions together."