PlayStation 3 Firmware 4.46 Released, Fixes Consoles Bricked By 4.45

Last week’s 4.45 firmware update for the PlayStation 3 left a “small number” of console owners unable to use their system after it caused the XMB to simply vanish from their screen. As promised, Sony has released the 4.46 update today and detailed how users with bricked PS3 consoles can restore functionality.

The process for fixing a 4.45-bricked PlayStation 3 is broken down into a three-stop outline. First, you have to manually download the 4.46 update to a USB flash drive. After that, you will need to activate safe mode on the console (which is itself a rather complex nine-step procedure involving pressing and holding the power button for specific lengths of time). Finally, the USB drive containing the 4.46 firmware will need to be used to manually update the PS3 software.

Sony has laid out a full step-by-step explanation for the entire process, so make sure to head over to PlayStation Support for all the details.

For the rest of us who never lost access to the PlayStation 3 XMB, you should see a notification to download 4.46 the next time you boot up your console.