PlayStation 3 owners may be getting a long-requested feature with the console's next firmware update: cross-game voice chat.
While the feature has been rumored to be in development for months, a post on the official PlayStation forums today may have inadvertently confirmed its imminent release. "Naughty Dog Dev" ReklissAbandon wrote in response to player requests for enemy spectating in Uncharted 2: Among Thieves that PlayStation 3 cross-game chat might make that request unfair.
"But I will suggest it anyway," ReklissAbandon wrote. "Not to mention that the next PS3 firmware update is going to allow cross game chat. So if players use that instead of in game communication then they would also be able to communicate enemies positions."
That post was quickly deleted, leading some posters to take that as further confirmation that cross-game voice chat was coming, but not yet ready to be announced.
Cross-game text chat was added to the PlayStation 3's firmware earlier this year with version 2.70. Cross-game voice chat was said to have been ready to go earlier, but falsely rumored to have been held back by one publisher in particular.
We contacted Sony Computer Entertainment to verify that slip of the keyboard, and received the following response: "As you know, we haven't made any announcements on upcoming firmware and don't comment on rumor or speculation."
Re: Elimination suggestion [PlayStation Forums - thanks, Edwin!]