We recently noted how Microsoft’s XBox Live community had a player rankings system built into its online community, full with roaming controller configurations and so on.

Sony have announced today that they will be releasing a new hardware upgrade v2.40 for the Playstation 3 to keep up with this, pretty good, idea.  Patch 2.4 is primarily allowing access to a PlayStation 3 online database of player information, friends lists custom game settings and game rankings.  The full list of released upgrades is as follows,

• Friend category
• View, send, receive messages via your Playstation 3
• Manage downloads
• Set the vibration feature of the PS3 controller
• Sign in to PlayStation Network
• Register friends
• Manage Bluetooth devices
• Terminate the game
• Music category
• Use the system BGM
• Work the system BGM operation panel
• Settings category
• Assign PS3 controllers
• View profiles
• Game category
• Set audio devices
• Use the voice changer

While these may not seem like massive changes it is pretty good news for all the PS3 gamers out there who have been dieing to prove their skills ona  league table against other PS3 players!