If you’ve checked your PS3 you’ll have noticed that the 2.30 firmware update enabling the newly revamped PlayStation Store has already gone live here in the wee hours of the morning. While there are currently issues with some of the images not loading properly, the store itself is up and running just fine, and the new interface has already proven itself to be a top class upgrade. The home page’s eight menu categories — New Releases, Downloadable Games, View All by Title, Add-ons, Demos, Videos, Themes & Wallpapers and Featured Items — make tracking down choice items a breeze, and the whole interface itself looks a lot slicker and loads like a million times faster than the old store. Another small touch that I really like is this little red shopping bag icon that is placed in the corner of the menu tiles marking items you’ve already downloaded. Nifty stuff.
On a side note, the free Lair add-on pack that adds analog stick controls (and a few other goodies) has snuck its way onto the store a little early. I have it downloaded, but haven’t had a chance to fully test out how it works. I’ll be back to post up some impressions later today once I get around to tinkering around with it all.