PS3 firmware update 4.45 pulled amid complaints of ‘bricking’

Sony has pulled firmware update 4.45 for the PS3 following user complaints that the latest update has caused their system to become unresponsive and, in some cases, "bricking" the machine.

“We are aware of reports that the recent PlayStation 3 system software update (version 4.45) has caused the XMB to not display on a small number of PS3 systems," Sony confirmed. "We have temporarily taken 4.45 offline and are investigating the cause of the problem. We will announce when the system update is available for download as soon as possible. We apologise for the inconvenience.”

According to complaints on the PlayStation forums, following the update users have seen their console freeze on the dashboard without the XMB menu appearing. The hardware also becomes unresponsive to the power button. There doesn't seem to be any official solution to the problem as of yet; no amount of rebooting and file restoring have been able to fix the issue.

This problem couldn't have come at a worse time for Sony which has been riding a wave of positive momentum heading into the next-generation. Gamers have flocked to the PS4 due to less restrictions, a willingness to support used games, and a more open relationship with indie developers. This snafu could cause some of the early PS4 adopters — particularly those switching from Xbox to PlayStation — to rethink their next-gen console of choice. Hopefully, Sony's decision to require a PlayStation Plus subscription for the PS4 will help avoid problems like this from occuring in the future.