Key Takeaways
- The PS3’s XMB interface was lauded back in the day for its ease of use, and it still impresses PlayStation fans with hidden design features.
- It was recently discovered that the particles in the XMB interface react to physical movements with the PS3’s controller in real-time.
- While not a highly notable feature, it’s still a cool demonstration of the PS3 controller’s Sixaxis gyro controls.
A PlayStation fan recently discovered that physically moving the PS3 controller can affect the console’s home menu in a fun way. The PS3 is nearly 20 years old at this point, yet it somehow continues to be a source of cool Easter eggs for the devout PlayStation enthusiasts who still use the console in 2024.
Although the PS5’s slick and minimalist user interface is well-regarded by a lot of PlayStation fans, many argue that its roots lie in the PS3’s iconic XMB menu. An abbreviation of Xross (pronounced “Cross”) Media Bar, the XMB name may be a bit of an odd choice on Sony’s part, but its sheer usability is something PS3 fans swear by to this day. All the functions of the console, and their related sub-functions, are neatly laid out in columns that span horizontally across the PS3’s interface, making for a simple and effortless user experience.
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Despite many PS3 users loving its operating system, Sony unfortunately abandoned the XMB during the PS Vita’s development, and the PS4 and PS5 followed suit. While the XMB is relegated solely to the PS3, the 18-year-old interface has a lot of hidden design flourishes that fans continue to discover, even up until a week ago. A recent tweet from PlayStation aficionado realradec shows the user waving the PS3’s DualShock 3 controller in front of their TV, and the particles in the XMB’s background moving in the direction of the controller.
The PS3’s UI Particles Respond to Physical Motions of the Controller in Real-Time
Directionally controllable particles may not be a particularly helpful UI feature, but they do show how much attention to detail Sony packed into the XMB. Moreover, it’s a nifty showcase of the PS3’s Sixaxis gyro controls interacting in real-time with the PS3’s UI. Considering the PS5’s DualSense controller is compatible with the PS3 and supports gyro controls as well, it should be interesting to see if it could also control the XMB particles similarly.
It’s a shame that the PS3’s XMB interface may not ever return, and one can only hope that Sony uses it as a key source of inspiration while designing operating systems for future PlayStation consoles. Interestingly, the XMB still outclasses the PS5’s operating system in one big way: support for custom themes. Despite receiving a plethora of firmware updates since launch, the PS5 still lacks support for custom system-level themes. At this point in the PS5’s lifecycle, it’s unclear if Sony even plans to release themes for the console, but until it does, the PS3’s XMB remains superior in this one very specific regard.
PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 brought Sony into the online era, launching in 2006. Part of the seventh console generation, it went up against th Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii.