Sony Implements All-New PlayStation Network News Notification System [UPDATE]
While relaxing early this morning, I found myself cruising around the XMB when I received a message regarding the Earthworm Jim HD full-game unlock from a user with the PSN id: [PSN]. Turns out this wasn’t an actual user, but apparently a new method Sony has implemented to communicate with the PlayStation Network at large. Do we have a hidden, new firmware addition on our hands? It appears so.
Yes, it looks like this notification did indeed come from the head honchos on the PlayStation Network, as a way to now communicate with the community directly, instead of relying on hear-say, websites and the PlayStation Blog. The message read as follows:
The issue related to the full game unlock for Earthworm Jim HD demo has been fixed. You can now purchase the full game from the demo.
Not only did I find this message, but an attachment. Normally, it is only possible to attach images in messages on the PSN, but this message contained an attachment that actually took me straight to the Earthworm Jim HD section in the PlayStation Store, pretty cool eh? We’ve gone ahead and included pics below for your viewing enjoyment.
You can see that the ability to add [PSN] as a friend or check it’s profile makes this legit. Also, I am not a PlayStation Plus member, which makes this even more interesting. Apparently, not everyone has received this message, so you may have to have downloaded the Earthworm Jim HD demo in order to receive said message. Additionally, users are also reporting that similar messages have been tied to titles in the ‘Sam and Max’ series, which leads us to believe that, yep, PSN in-box advertisements, which some may consider spam, have arrived. For better or for worse? You decide.
[UPDATE] There have been reports that these messages are commonplace on the Hong Kong PSN. We’ll be fact-checking to substantiate these claims, as this does seem to be the case.
20 Responses to “Sony Implements All-New PlayStation Network News Notification System [UPDATE]”
That’s actually pretty damn cool.
Surprise!!
I like surprises!….only the good ones
very interesting. I’m on right now too. Where’s the love Sony?
i was really surprised when i got this message hopefully we more cool messages like this.
Handy!
Well this could be a good thing or a bad thing. For one, it can stop those stupid chain messages that some uneducated fools try to pass along, since it can’t possibly be legit if it doesn’t match the REAL [PSN] message.
At the same time it could be a bad thing because now people will try to make up those fake user ID’s that can read [PSN] just to continue the chain messages. (Although anyone with the know-how will see that it’s a fake once you can see their profile or add them as a friend) But then again, there are always people out there that will just pass it on anyway
I hope Sony didn’t just mess this up to show off their new firmware feature.
a solution to the whole chain message thing is simple: [PSN] should have a little PSN-only logo so you know that it’s authentic.
I’m waiting for you, my sweet Nigerian Prince…
They need to use this to let everyone know when there will be maintenance. Not everyone follows the PS Blog and Twitter and everything.
This is nothing new. I get a message from PSN every month telling me the new sam & max episode is on the store for download with a link.
Interesting. I didn’t realize there was a problem with the EWJ demo, I downloaded it and unlocked full game from the demo, no problem. Thats cool, as long as it doesn’t turn into spam. Notification for Sam and Max is cool, I assume since I haven’t seen them you only get them if you bought one of the episodes, or the whole package…
Yeah, the Hong Kong store has had those hyperlink text messages for at least the past year. I really don’t like the way HK’s store does that, though, because it’s pretty much spam to items I’ve already seen. Hopefully the US store won’t be the same way.
I have PSN+ & downloaded the demo and never got that message (or any from [psn] for that matter).
@darkangel269: Do you have automatic updates on??? This might be a sub-feature that only works if you have that feature turned on?
What would be nice is if that message or the friend ID [PSN] would show up on your friends list on the XMB. If it were not for this article I would not have found that message since I only check messages from friends.
@ATLRoAcH
great idea, but Sony is probably too stupid to realize that. Just like everything this generation, they have great ideas/products but lack aggressive execution of those ideas/products.
Just to confirm, Hong Kong PSN has been doing this for a long time, so I don’t think it’s actually anything to do with the firmware update.
The last one that they sent was a link to the PS Store for summer sale items. I haven’t seen it being used for anything other than minor spam though. Right now they don’t send them too often, but it could get annoying if they start to do it all the time
that’s a cool feature. l got one
Sweet.
and here i thought i was special….. no not that “kind of special” special. i know i’m that already. XD
Thats pretty wavy yo!