PS3 system software update 3.60 is rolling out today, and while Sony’s headline feature is online storage for game saves, a little digging shows the update carries a few extras the company only described as other minor features.
Cloud Saves Arrive For PlayStation Plus Members
The big addition is for PlayStation Plus subscribers. As Sony’s Susan Panico laid out on the PlayStation Blog yesterday, Plus members now get up to 150MB of online space per PSN account for save data, with room for as many as 1,000 individual files. Once your saves are uploaded you can pull them down on any PS3 by signing in with your PSN ID, which makes the feature handy for anyone who plays at a friend’s place or is worried about a failing hard drive.
The most interesting detail is that the service handles copy prohibited save data. Plenty of PS3 games lock their saves so they cannot be copied to a USB stick, which has left players with no way to back up some of their most valuable progress. Online storage gets around that, though there is a catch: restoring a backed up save is limited to once in any 24 hour period, which should stop people from abusing the system to reload saves over and over. Sony says most PS3 titles will work with the feature from day one, and future games will be able to support it too.
Controller Timers And Tighter Security
Beyond cloud saves, one of the smaller changes that users have spotted is a new option to set how long the system waits before switching off idle DualShock 3 and Sixaxis controllers. It sounds minor, but anyone who has left a pad on the arm of the sofa overnight will appreciate it, and it should help battery life between charges.
There is also a less visible side to 3.60. The update arrives in the middle of Sony’s ongoing battle with PS3 hackers, and early reports from the homebrew scene suggest Sony has reworked parts of the system’s security in this release. Sony has not detailed any such changes, so treat that as unconfirmed for now, but it is no surprise that owners who rely on custom firmware are being warned by hacker sites to steer clear of the update for the moment.
Who Should Download Update 3.60 Now
For everyone else, there is little reason to hold off. The download is free, and as with earlier updates you will need it installed to keep using PSN features. Online storage does require a Plus subscription, which costs $49.99 a year in the US.
Online save storage is one of the most requested PSN features, and with Plus already offering free games, discounts and early demos, today’s update gives subscribers another solid reason to keep paying. Let us know if you have found any other changes tucked away in 3.60.