Minor Console Aggravation: Those Darn PS3 Installations

Kotaku - Download a game on the Xbox 360 or the Wii and you're good to go. You can play it. Download a game on the PS3 and you just might have to then tell the PS3 to install it.

You have to manually install any game that you have downloaded in the background. This is strange, sort of like the PS3 is getting back at you for being an efficient multi-tasker. By allowing background downloading, the PS3 is respecting your time and not forcing you to sit through a download. But by requiring you to find the bubble icon that represents the game you just downloaded, click it and install the game, it's just finding a different way to hassle you. Why do I need to tell the PS3 I want to install the game? What else does this system think I want to do with the game I just downloaded??

[JellyJelly]

I think it's good that they give us the choice of installing or not installing the game, unlike the 360 or the Wii that installs stuff without any approval.

[Nevers0ft]

That's all well and good but why would you be downloading the game if you didn't want to install it? It's like paying for a hooker then just spooning.

[WrAiTh Sp3cTr3]

"I think it's good that they give us the choice of installing or not installing the game, unlike the 360 or the Wii that installs stuff without any approval."

Wow...

[cpayne93]

@WrAiTh Lol it's funny the way some people will turn a negative into a positive.

[mayberry]

I download games pretty frequently that I dont install because my hdd is really full and ps+ free games get deleted at times. nice feature to have imho

[gaffyh]

It should just do it in the background, but obviously this is a RAM limitation of the PS3. One good thing though is that you can download multiple games, and then choose "Switch off PS3 after downloading" from the power off option, and when it will automatically download and install all the games. That's a pretty nifty feature.

[cpayne93]

Wow thats a lot of disagrees. :( I'm not trolling, I just thought it was funny the way Jelly turned that around.

[flyinrhyno]

Because unlike on Wii and 360 if you download and don't have enough space to install, you have a step in-between to manage your files and delete something to make room before installing. Sometimes download size and install size are different.

[knowyourstuff]

Really? If you're one of these people who can't wait a few minutes, get up off your a$$ and do something physical. Or go make a sandwhich. Or if you're a stoner, nailed to the couch with no hope of ever getting off of it, buy a 7200 RPM or more harddrive for faster installs. I never quite got why people complain about taking a break from staring at the tv for hours on end - it's good for your health to stop staring at it and do something else.

[SilentNegotiator]

You don't buy hookers for just a spoon sometimes? Guess it's just me.

[Blankman85]

Are you high?? Why did you download the game them if you didn't want it installed?? How is that a good thing? Your reasoning is weak. I know you love your PS3 and absolutely hate ANY negative talk about it but today you've just gone too far and way too lame.

[Outside_ofthe_Box]

***"I know you love your PS3 and absolutely hate ANY negative talk about it but today you've just gone too far and way too lame."***

Umm LOL.

Please look at jelly's post history and you'll see that he's on your side...

[insomnium2]

Sssshh Outside!

I was enjoying this. Jelly just trolled the entire internets.

[admiralvic]

You got to transfer install data to the PSP / Vita to install them on your system. For that reason alone, the choice makes sense.

Either or, you can select turn off button in the xmb and set your ps3 to install this stuff while you sleep or do something else. Really stupid complaint in the end.

[Servbot41]

Opposed to the PS3, which asked you if you want Singstar on top of your games menu. Oh, wait...

[dazzrazz]

WTF are you talking about op ??? 0_o

[wishingW3L]

there is no point to that choice....

[kreate]

I download and install software on my phone and my pc. So I'm use to this. Nothing wrong w ps3 doing the same thing.

Xbox is just more convenient on this aspect. But if ppl gonna complain about this on the ps3. Ppl should also complain about smartphone games and pc games. Some pc games requires 5 disk installation than update installations once u log on and forces u to watch the installation screen.

[JamieLeeC93]

You're fucking joking.. So you would rather download a game first then think whether you really wanted it in the first place in case you changed your mind?

[Oh_Yeah]

We already download the game...so obviously we WANT THE DAMN THING INSTALLED!

[humbleopinion]

Xbox downloaded games are not installed. They are plain executable so no install is required.

[GribbleGrunger]

Yeah, I have to agree that it isn't as good as it could be. I never understood why it was that once I'd downloaded a game it then had to install it too. I guess I just take it for granted now and accept it as a PS3 eccentricity.

[wenaldy]

Really, Kotaku?

[Tetsujin]

Slow news day, and grasping at straws at this point

[yess]

And so effing what, make a cup of coffea, drink a beer, do something else for a couple of minuts and you are good to go...

[karlowma]

The article is called Minor Console Aggravation. Minor. What were you expecting?

And it is annoying. The PS3 seems dead set against multitasking in general.

I use my PS3 a couple times a week, mainly for Netflix. It seems like every time I turn the thing on, I have to wait 10 mins for it to download and install a system update before I can do anything; the latest example being a few days ago, trying to start up Netflix and I have a painfully slow update to add Vita trophies or some shit? I don't even have a Vita.

[execution17]

O.o yours updates every time you turn it on?

[bub16]

this never bothered me until ps plus, takes just as long to install as they do download!!

[frjoethesecond]

Put stuff in your download list before you go to bed. Automatic update will download and install it.

[Hicken]

Hmm.. this article is in no way years late...

[Knight_Crawler]

Well to be fair this gen has long ran its expiration date and is really getting boring so gaming websites have to reset and restart from 2005.

6 years with the same hardware is starting to get to me and if MS or Sony do not announce a next gen console E3 next year for xman 2013 or early 2014 release then I am looking for a new hobby...I almost pre-orderd a Wii U for crying out loud, that how desperate I am getting.

[MetalProxy]

They know its late. Its just a fresh reminder. Gotta keep the fire going! *high five kotaku

[vikingland1]

I agree, it is minor.

[Myst]

If it means less in times of loading then I'm okay with them and usually do it as often as possible.

[jd666]

I'd fully install every PS3 game if I could!

[nevin1]

These minor aggravations better be ironed out when PS4 launches.

[hadouken007]

It's a minor issue I'd rather have it in stall when it's done downloading but whatever.
Freaking crybabies should be use to it by now.

[AngelicIceDiamond]

First IGN wrote and complained about PS3 now Kotaku. I hope these websites realize complaining won't help anything.

[GraveLord]

A little late to be complaining about this. But yeah, this is something that must be addressed with the PS4. We need multi-tasking, and that requires lots and lots of RAM.

[isarai]

Meh, doesn't bother me

[ILive]

Is this suppose to be a serious article. I swear some people complain about the most stupidest things. If it bothers him that much he might as well throw away his PS3 because I know many people in the world who would really like one. Outlandish!

[GTRrocker666]

I like seeing those PS3 install bubbles

[blahblah346]

What is the problem? On the PC, you have to install things most of the time. I like having the option so you can always delete files you don't want.

[Tetsujin]

Most people are whining just to whine, I bet most of the crybabies either don't own a PS3 or probably use it for netflix/youtube only.

[jocomat9]

well what else..

[Silly gameAr]

Damn, what is this? Turn minor complaints into articles day? It's been like this for over 6 years. Why gripe about it now?

[beerkeg]

I love waiting for games to install, and then waiting for the patch to download and install. It gives me time to watch my paint dry.

I've noticed that the areas where you cut in take longer to dry than the areas where you roll. Sony has enabled me to see this and for that I am thankful.

[beerkeg]

I've just updated my ps3 and Singstar is on my game menu. Why is that on there?

Edit:Why can't I delete it either? Must be a bug or something. That's really weird.

[JAMurida]

I use to hate, but if iirc, if it installs it runs somewhat/completely off of the HDD, which in turn is a good thing for someone who has a SSD installed into there PS3. I was going to wait until black friday to get a good deal on one, after seeing the goodness it does for your PS3. Nothing HUGE but I've heard/seen nothing but good come from it, which makes me look forward to games running off of the HDD.

[frozencasket]

To me, this is just being petty. Sure, I'd like for it to automatically install my background downloads but it's hardly an inconvenience. "Oh, no, I had to wait 42 more seconds for my download to install. How dare them!" This is just being whiny, especially since it's been that way for years and this article is just now bringing it up. Most of the talk is what features the next gen will have, not the petty things this generation didn't. Must be a slow news day for the writer.

[PurpHerbison]

Get a load of this bait article. Stay classy N4G!

[swat_teem]

really it takes like 2 secs to go and install it i never found it annoying

[DivineAssault]

Thats one edge i gotta hand to microsoft.. The UI is much more modern & user friendly than PS3.. But UI isnt why i buy consoles, games are.. I can tolerate one screw up since theyre making up for it by delivering tons of software.. Nx gen wont be so ancient in this category

[AIndoria]

*Sigh* Leave it to people to make a mess.
You know that you cannot transfer the data to a PSP/Vita system without having it in its original form which is NOT installed? (the bubble in this picture).

[sway_z]

I am a PS3 owner and am very happy with it....but truth be told, I too am peeved at the whole download/install thing on PS3.

I can see nothing positive about having to wait for the download, then waiting longer to install it...

...all I want to do is play tha dang game!!!

My only gripe, otherwise the PS3 rocks!

[sazzrah]

I always understood the 'installing' on PS3 to be simply another way of saying 'decompression'. I have no proof this is the case of course, but I presumed that PS3 games are downloaded compressed and that when installed they are decompressed.

Perhaps Wii and 360 games are downloaded uncompressed and hence do not need to 'install'.