PS3 firmware 3.61 not crashing LA Noire

By Robert Purchese Published 19 May, 2011

Rockstar backtracks.

Rockstar has retracted its accusation that firmware 3.61 causes PS3 versions of L.A. Noire to crash and freeze due to the console overheating.

Sony last night condemned Rockstar's claim as "rumour" and "speculation". Rockstar has removed the offending post from its website.

Rockstar's support FAQ has been updated to offer routine troubleshooting steps for L.A. Noire owners experience problems on both PS3 and Xbox 360. There's no mention of PS3 firmware 3.61.

L.A. Noire will be released across the UK tomorrow. Eurogamer's L.A. Noire review was published yesterday.

The first 15 minutes of L.A. Noire.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (73) Latest comment 12 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • jag10 #1 1 year ago

    still sonys fault, because..........it...........was........lead platfrom.

  • midnight_walker #2 1 year ago

    Good that Rockstar have retracted it, but poor form for chucking baseless accusations in the first place. The absolute last thing Sony need right now is more bad press.

  • antikewl #3 1 year ago

    If it's using a similar engine to RDR I'm not surprised this is happening. RDR caused my fat PS3 to overheat and switch off, replaced it with a slim and never had a problem. Not the cheapest solution, but…

  • spiritsnake #4 1 year ago

    so whats the fix, a patch? how soon will it get out?

  • Golgo #5 1 year ago

    It's raining today...DAMN YOU SONYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!

  • streetmagix #6 1 year ago

    It's amazing what a quick phone call from Sonys Lawyers can do.

  • Widge #7 1 year ago

    Why let facts get in the way of a good SONYLOL

  • Mkwone #8 1 year ago

    Ok sony we take it back, can we have our kids back now.

  • Goodfella #9 1 year ago

    Where are all the anti Sony pricks now?

  • M_of_the_sys #10 1 year ago

    @antikewl

    Sounds like your fat PS3 may have been on it's way out anyway. RDR still gets game time on my fat without any problems.

  • SYS64738 #11 1 year ago

    R* should be handing out free copies to consumers for wasting their time calling Sony support now:)

  • onyxbox #12 1 year ago

    "Where are all the anti Sony pricks now? "

    busy writing the next Eurogamer 'news' article of course ;)

  • Xensor #13 1 year ago

    Shouldn't it be Eurogamer retracting the previous baseless tabloid snipe at Sony's expense? Why is the story still on the front page when it's complete bullshit?

    I've been a loyal reader of EG for over a decade but all this tabloid schadenfreude and quite frankly intentional mis-reporting is leaving a very sour taste in the mouth.

  • Beano #14 1 year ago

    Does the mean that the PS3 firmware is not causing the 360 version to crash either?

  • mss99 #15 1 year ago

    Sure Sony customer support is pretty swamped as it is after everything that has happened without a big name release piling all their problems on them.

  • knocker #16 1 year ago

    Reading the new support tips it looks as though there is a problem with their software/save files.

    The new firmware would have been the prime suspect at the time, they can't have had much time to test against it, but stupidly amateurish to point fingers without full analysis.

  • Beano #17 1 year ago

    In other news: Former Rockstar supporter now looking for new job. Spotted on sidewalk with "Will spread silly rumors for food stamps" sign.

  • HisDudness #18 1 year ago

    They still haven't addressed the allegations that Sony raped and murdered a young girl in 1990. I'm not saying it happened, but Sony isn't saying that it didn't...

  • des #19 1 year ago

    This is just sweeping under the rug,business as usual.Sony:"Maybe it will go away if the post is removed from internet"

  • thiagots85 #20 1 year ago

    SONY! YOU MANIAC! YOU BLEW IT UP! GOD DAMN YOU! GOD DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL!

  • knocker #21 1 year ago

    @xensor

    I don't know. One of the leading publishers stating that there is a fundamental problem with a new firmware release is news.

    On the other hand, I've been a reader for about that long too. And there's definitely been a shift to a more hysterical tone of late.

    Edit: Right, I see your point now.
    Edited by knocker at 19/05/11 @ 11:24

  • Xensor #22 1 year ago

    Sorry to belabour the point but i've noticed something else - with the Xbox360 firmware story, EG actually waited for a statement from MS before reporting anything. For Sony EG jumped on and reported a third party's accusation as fact. Why was the same treatment not afforded to Sony?

  • varsas #23 1 year ago

    Discounted exclusivity agreement for future Rockstar games for Sony as an apology for making stuff up?

  • oupe #24 1 year ago

    Shouldn't it be Eurogamer retracting the previous baseless tabloid snipe at Sony's expense? Why is the story still on the front page when it's complete bullshit?

    Well, theoreticly speaking there could be two different bugs. One that relates to something the FW update caused (or something else)and one that seems to be crashing the 360. Different machines, different code I'd say. It's highly unlikely a piece of code would overheat both systems, alhough it could stress them too much causing crappier machines crash. At this point nobody seems to know what's wrong, we'll just have to wait.

  • TheEarlOfZinger #25 1 year ago

    Well, well, well...how do you take your crow, medium rare?

  • Bonders99 #26 1 year ago

    @midnight_walker
    "Good that Rockstar have retracted it, but poor form for chucking baseless accusations in the first place. The absolute last thing Sony need right now is more bad press. "

    and happily fanning the flames is EuroGamer...It would not surprise me if in the future Sony give EG the 2 fingered salute to any exclusive coverage.

  • Zombie-Hamster #27 1 year ago

    My day one purchase PS2 (yes 2, not 3!) died the other day after gathering dust for a couple of years. Damn you Sony, it only lasted for 11 and a half years!!

    I've had the badge swiped of my car bonnet too, I'm telling the police on you Sony... :-P

  • Orleone #28 1 year ago

    My fat PS3 started crashing and locking up just after 3.61 went on it.
    Happens in lots of games, most depressingly in Demon's souls.
    I'm not saying it couldn't be a coincidence, but since i've got a cup of water and there's a rumor mill.
    Might as well pour that on.

  • Bigglesworth #29 1 year ago

    @oef!: appreciate what you're saying, but that's not really the point. Fred Dutton's article concerns an accusation by R* that FW3.61 is borked ("PlayStation 3's recent 3.61 firmware update is causing some consoles to overheat and shutdown, according to Rockstar Games.";).

    Not only was this factually incorrect in the first place (R* made no official comment, this was a forum post by a tech monkey, which you can only weaselly claim promotes an official point of view), the post in question was redacted shortly after it was posted, edit: yet the article remains, untouched.
    Edited by Bigglesworth at 19/05/11 @ 11:58

  • sybixsus #30 1 year ago

    Am I dreaming or didn't Rockstar have similar problems with GTA IV, which they also tried to blame on either Microsoft or Sony?

  • Tomnd #31 1 year ago

    So my choices are the 3 disc xbox version. Or the playstation version that crashes on my old machine. Hmmm choices, choices.

  • joelstinton #32 1 year ago

    the damage has been done now though. Comment sections on various website were clogged up with this and that and what not laughing at Sony even more.

  • Zozzilla #33 1 year ago

    Guess they stopped overlooking all the comments about the game being nigh on unplayable on the 360 and rethought their accusations.

  • fabiosooner #34 1 year ago

    Doesn't surprise me at all.

    Just head on to the Playstation support forums and search for all posts about system updates: every single time one is released, someone goes there to claim his/her old phat PS3 fried thanks to the update. It has become a regular gag there at this point, since they're all isolated cases and plenty of people testify they're still using their phat consoles normally.

    The catch here is that Rockstar support bought the consumer's story at face value and, in the wake of the PSN clusterf*ck, suddenly the old gag becomes news.

  • TheEarlOfZinger #35 1 year ago

    @fabiosooner

    My launch phat is fine. Still going strong.

  • randompanda #36 1 year ago

    TheEarlOfZinger - Don't jinx it for christ's sake!

  • PixelPirate #37 1 year ago

    The xbox also has this problem.

    Its down to the game not the PS3 -> says MCV

    Expect the same story to be republished here any moment...

  • Murton #38 1 year ago

    "and happily fanning the flames is EuroGamer...It would not surprise me if in the future Sony give EG the 2 fingered salute to any exclusive coverage."

    Nor would it surprise me. What I'd like to see though is Sony really punish EG, by not giving them review copies of first party titles in the future. Imagine the change in tone if EG were the only UK publication not to get a copy of Resistance 3 for review, the advertisers would not be so pleased by EGs questionable writing behaviour then.

    Won't happen unfortunately, the readerbase is too high to take the risk, would still love to see it though.

  • fabiosooner #39 1 year ago

    @Xensor
    About the different treatment for Xbox 3 firmware:
    It may be the case that MS was just quicker to respond. I don't rightly know, and I wouldn't be surprised that Sony was just unavailable/unwilling to comment.

    But try as I might to be fair to all involved here, I think that it's naive not to recognize that the American and British gaming press are noticeably biased towards the X360. In the American case it's easier to pinpoint why - MS is American, Sony and Nintendo are Japanese. I do not say it to imply they're xenophobic or whatever, just as an acknowledgement that MS is closer to home and therefore it is probably be more effective in their marketing and promotion efforts toward local press. It isn't any different in Japan with Sony, for example. This is also reflected by sales in both countries.

    But what blows my mind is to see the British press following the example, specially one dedicated to the whole continent such as Eurogamer. I can only suspect this has to do with the whole 'hardcore gamer' stereotype, with how the 'real gamers' need cross-game chat and to spend hours and hours insulting each other on online multiplayer shooters and therefore flock to the Xbox - and how these are the people who end up in the gaming press most of the time (they wouldn't be able to hold any other kind of job anyway).

  • Stepharneo #40 1 year ago

    People blame FW updates, but it was the Just Cause 2 demo that broke my launch PS3's back, when it's time to die anything can be that final straw.


    (...Stupid Just Cause 2 demo *mumble grumble*)

  • randompanda #41 1 year ago

    Just Cause 2 was pretty awesome though, so it's a good way for a PS3 to die.

  • kangarootoo #42 1 year ago

    Nincompoops!

  • TheEarlOfZinger #43 1 year ago

    The xbox also has this problem. Expect the same story to be republished here any moment...

    LOL - Yeah right.

  • azic #44 1 year ago

    On this link: [link url=http://www.mcvuk.com/news/44400/LA-Noire-overheating-issue-hits-Xbox-360
    ]http://www.mcvuk.com/news/44400/LA-Noire...[/link]
    I love the part that says "Create a temporary account"
    WTF would that do with Over Heating?

    PC gamers with top end cards have battled over heating issues for years now especially if they overclock their GPU.
    Seems consoles are now starting to suffer the same issues as newer games push them harder.
    Interesting times ahead!

  • joelstinton #45 1 year ago

    About two hours ago, the same time this article was published, IGN published the 3.61 breaking consoles story. What gives? The sheer ignorance is stunning. Don't companies do press releases no more? where do Eurogamer, IGN, 1up get there news? Its so inconsistant. How can one site post one story that is already a step ahead of another site? Surely everyone would be on the same page.

  • makeamazing #46 1 year ago

    Sony last night condemned

    I thought they just said they dont comment on it, thats not really "condemned" is it.

    Gaming sites are getting a little strange lately.

  • arcam #47 1 year ago

    Not only was this factually incorrect in the first place (R* made no official comment, this was a forum post by a tech monkey, which you can only weaselly claim promotes an official point of view)

    Maybe you were too slow. When EG posted the news, the post about 3.61 firmware overheating PS3s was an official support article on the Rockstar site. Later on it was repeated in the comments thread by someone named "Rockstar Support", not a tech monkey.

    Both those comments have now been removed, and EG have put up a new story to reflect that.

    This was EG gold dust, and expecting them not to post it is madness.

  • el_pollo_diablo #48 1 year ago

    So the truth is that Rockstar simply released yet another hideously buggy game, just like all the others.

  • Psiloc #49 1 year ago

    "This was EG gold dust, and expecting them not to post it is madness."

    It's not necessarily the fact things like this are reported, rather the spin and bias that's all over EG articles lately where Sony is concerned. The difference between something like this and the report of the 360 firmware problem is night and day, notably the fact EG didn't publish anything about the 360 problem until they could say "No no, don't worry, it's not MS's fault. Quick look at what Sony's up to again!".
    Edited by Psiloc at 19/05/11 @ 13:27

  • Psiloc #50 1 year ago

    "So the truth is that Rockstar simply released yet another hideously buggy game, just like all the others."

    Rockstar didn't develop it.

  • Dolihiotis #51 1 year ago

    My car broke down... Sony's fault...

  • blarty #52 1 year ago

    It must be all those Xbox owners who've modded their machines to run the PS3 3.61 firmware - 'Go internet, accusations....away'

  • arcam #53 1 year ago

    EG aren't protecting Microsoft - why would they? Assigning fanboy motives to EG makes no sense.

    They post what will be popular, and the spin on the story has exactly the same motives. At the moment, SonyFAILlol is a killer story that will guarantee you a ton of hits, especially if you post it quickly before the other sites (and before you have time to research it).

    Criticisms about the lack of verification or accuracy are well-placed IMO, but saying EG are trying to make Sony look bad while putting Microsoft in a positive light are well off the mark.

  • jefranklin18 #54 1 year ago

    I have got to say the only thing keeping me coming back to Eurogamer is that I respect the work of a couple of the reviewers and the occasional DF piece. The "news" items I tend to find annoying with either their sniping or bias. WRT to the original article about this non-issue, I actually thought Fred Dutton was the least likely to contribute in this manner.

    The fact that the sniping continues to exist and is getting progressively worse, means even if there is no official editorial policy towards favouring one console of the others, the tacit approval is pretty damning.

  • Walkerj #55 1 year ago

    jesus, blamed for portal adoption jokes, and LA noire crashes, yesterday was rough!

  • Sodding_Gamer #56 1 year ago

    @walker

    That was ridiculous weren't it?! Asking Sony to comment rather than the people who actually made portal 2 (valve as I'm sure you know)

    I feel sorry for Sony man. People are just pointing their fingers at them constantly now.

  • onyxbox #57 1 year ago

    Eurogamer has almost become a Microsoft PR machine IMO

  • M_of_the_sys #58 1 year ago

    "Sorry to belabour the point but i've noticed something else - with the Xbox360 firmware story, EG actually waited for a statement from MS before reporting anything. For Sony EG jumped on and reported a third party's accusation as fact. Why was the same treatment not afforded to Sony?"

    Because the comments thread for the xbox article is about 24 comments of virtual high fives and "LOL XBOX RULEZ" where as the Sony comments thread is 100+ comments of pure bollocks but hits all the same.

  • Bigglesworth #59 1 year ago

    @arcam
    Actually, you're correct: I wasn't aware of R* support article, I was going off what remained on their sites this morning.

    I take your point about "EG gold dust" too, with a certain weary resignation; as you say, this isn't about a perception of platform agenda here - I'd be writing the same thing under an Xbox article if Sony weren't the whipping-boy du jour. I'm not sure why but I just feel a bit let down by some of the very obvious tabloidy practices of late. It's not like EG owe me anything, despite the years of readership I've given them. I suppose its just a bit like finding out your old friend is no longer the cool guy he used to be =)

  • Psiloc #60 1 year ago

    @arcam #56
    Yeah, I think you might be right there.
    Edited by Psiloc at 19/05/11 @ 14:45

  • Architect_z #61 1 year ago

    PS3 is fine, its crashing on both consoles, so everyone shut up. It's Rockstars fault. Don't worry i'm sure it'll get patched.

  • mooseti #62 1 year ago

    "Eurogamer's L.A. Noire review was published yesterday."

    Was it? I seem to recall it being posted Tuesday evening.

  • Iakona #63 1 year ago

    I've been playing LA Noire for a few hours now, on my fat 60gb.

    Hasn't froze or crashed once and my PS3 isn't any hotter than usual!

  • modo_komodo #64 1 year ago

    Anyone else find it weird that R* would just come out and say something like that if they didn't think it was true?

    I'm not saying one way or the other here. Just think its odd coming from one of gamings most respected developers who have a long history of saying nothing rather than hype - the anti-Molyneux if you will.

    Also, would such a statement not have an impact on PS3 sales of the game? Their alleged platform of choice.

    "Our game will melt your console" - - Better fucking not buy it then!

  • Bigglesworth #65 1 year ago

    @modo_komodo

    Not at all. Assume for the moment that they released the game with no known bugs (cynics will say that's unlikely, but run with it for a moment). As soon as the crash reports start coming in, sure you don't just ignore them, but you start to look for other likely points of failure. If one lies outside of your jurisdiction, like the handy firmware update someone just released, and you're being pressed for a response by your customers, then the naive tech support worker might prematurely jump at the chance to divert attention.

  • Meh #66 1 year ago

    so what was the real reason for the game crashing.... or did they just want to join the sony bashing band wagon that roled past
    Edited by Meh at 19/05/11 @ 15:09

  • cen4pgb #67 1 year ago

    Theres a difference between the sony firmware story and the US one, xbox issue was a specificthing, that no major third party had any part in, wheras the sony/rockstar issue there was, rockstar.

    If all journalist waited for an official response from people on news then we'd hear little.

  • DigiChan #68 1 year ago

    Knew it. Fking media trying to make things worse. Look these things happen, sure Sony is stil recuperating but these rumors are getting silly. U MAD? :|

  • man.the.king #69 1 year ago

    @Xensor

    "I've been a loyal reader of EG for over a decade but all this tabloid schadenfreude and quite frankly intentional mis-reporting is leaving a very sour taste in the mouth. "

    Me too - I feel sometimes that Purchese and Yin-Poole are just plain 360 fanboys posing as "journalists" and they are the two most responsible for the anti-Sony rhetoric on this site.

    As much as I love the comments sections here (the comments, even from certain trolls, are far wittier and smarter than most other websites), this kind of biased "reporting" from EG tabloid "journalists" is turning me off EG now.

  • man.the.king #70 1 year ago

    @arcam

    "Assigning fanboy motives to EG makes no sense. "

    It does if you look at the profiles of the primary "news" "reporters" on EG - it gives clear indications as to which consoles they prefer. And it appears that they let this preference affect their professional work via their choice of words, actions, spin, reckless eagerness in reporting anti-Sony rumors and cautious fact-checking as regards MS-damaging rumors - all of these do serve to lend credence to the possibility that these "journalists" let their personal gaming preferences affect their professional "reporting".
    Edited by man.the.king at 19/05/11 @ 17:02

  • cyber_nicco #71 1 year ago

    They didn't say they were wrong, they just buckled under huge legal pressure (I'm guessing).

  • redrummy #72 1 year ago

    updated to 3.61 a few days ago, everything fine.
    got la noire yday, rlod hours later.
    i blame em both

  • fanboy_awe #73 12 months ago

    I KNEW IT