PS3 Firmware Update v2.17 Adds Stability Improvements

Sony has revealed details of the recent PlayStation 3 firmware update, version 2.17, on its official blog, explaining that as a result of the update, "the operating stability of some online PS3 titles has been improved." Users who logged into the PlayStation Network on the evening of March 12th were prompted to initialize the firmware update. Sony has given no details on specific titles affected by the new update. The update also appears to contain no other usability upgrades or new features. When Gamasutra spoke to Sony exec John Hight, he said that the next major update for the service in April would include user-requested updates to the user interface, promising some "pretty big" changes. Said Hight in the interview, "We give [Sony's interface team] a lot of feedback based on how our customers are reacting to things, and I think you will see a pretty big change in the PlayStation Network in the early part of April, where we roll out some new interface stuff largely based on customer feedback. Simplification, cutting down on the number of mouse clicks, making it easier to find stuff that you want to find... that's kind of an outgrowth of us having more content now, so we have to make sure that you can get at it easily."