On September 1st, Sony will release firmware 3.0 for the PlayStation 3, evolving the look and feel of the primary interface for its console. Firmware 3.0 completely revamps the information board, a feature most users ended up turning off, introduces premium avatars and animated themes and a variety of other tweaks broken down into great detail at the PlayStation Blog.

While firmware 3.0 is the last major update the PlayStation 3 will see during 2009, I recently asked Sony if this was the last update period for the calendar year.

"You know, I wouldn't say that or sure just yet because we are working on some things," said PlayStation Network operations director Eric Lempel in a phone interview following Sony's GamesCom announcements. "But this is a big and significant update, so you would be correct to assume that [it's the last major update for 2009]."

I asked Lempel whether the number of feature being packed into firmware 3.0 signaled Sony could be taking a more Microsoft-like approach -- fewer updates with bigger feature sets.

"We try to release updates a few times a year and try to put as much as we can in them and depending on the different schedules and what we have ready at a certain moment, it may or may not make it into an update," he explained. "We do want to continue to evolve the PS3, continue to go along our road map but also listen to what the users are saying and making the necessary enhancements to make their experience better."

Any requests for the rest of 2009?

[image credit: flickr / wlodi]