PlayStation 3 "trophy" details emerge

Sony has finally fleshed out the details for its new trophy system, and it looks pretty similar to Xbox 360 achievements—with a few interesting twists, plus some annoying drawbacks.

First off, Sony announced that PS3 firmware update 2.40—which includes trophy support, along with in-game access to the console's main menu—will arrive July 2.

The new trophy system will let you compare trophies with your pals through the XrossMediaBar—but instead of just getting a raw number of achievement points, PS3 gamers will earn bronze, silver, gold, and platinum trophies; the bronze trophies will be the easiest to win, silver trophies will be harder, and so on.

Also, you'll only be able to earn platinum trophies once you've earned all the bronze, silver, and gold trophies in a given game.

Depending on how many (and what kind) of the various trophies you win, you'll be assigned a level, starting with Level 1. Your buddies will be able to see your current level—including the number of trophies you've earned, your most recent trophies, and your percentage progress toward the next level—on your PSN "profile," a badge that looks similar to an Xbox Live Gamercard.

For now, only one game will get trophy support—Super Stardust HD—while a handful of other games, including BUZZ! Quiz TV, MotorStorm Pacific Rift, NBA 09, PAIN, Resistance 2, and Warhawk, are "also slated" for trophies. (Check out the full list on the PlayStation blog.)

Unfortunately, GameSpot reports that it's not clear if other existing titles—including Metal Gear Solid 4—will ever get trophies. Even worse, GameSpot confirmed that trophies won't be "retroactive"—meaning that if you've already finished a game, you'll have to go back and play it again to earn any trophies.

Overall, it's a case of "better late than never" for PS3 trophies, but it's hard to understand why Sony didn't add some sort of achievement system—which, for me at least, has been a crucial part of the Xbox Live experience—for the PS3 at launch.

As it stands, all of us PS3 gamers—including those who bought consoles on day one—will have to start from ground zero, and it's a shame that such major titles as Resistance, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, and MGS4 might be left out of the trophy party.

Click here and here for official walkthroughs of the new firmware, including details on the in-game XMB.

Related:
Firmware (v.2.40) Walkthrough Part 2: Trophies [PS3 blog]