PS3 Blu-ray issue not firmware-related

Sony has told Eurogamer that a firmware update cannot affect the Blu-ray drive on a PS3.

The problem that PS3 owners are reporting following 3.01 is "not an issue with the firmware".

Most, if not all, claim to have had no previous problem with their console, but having applied the firmware update discovered Blu-ray films and PS3 games froze and could not continue.

Sony customer services have been telling sufferers that they must send their machine back for repair, which costs £128 if out of one-year warranty, but there's still no real explanation for what's happened.