The much-awaited firmware update 2.40 for the PlayStation 3 has arrived. As previously reported, this latest enhancement to the gaming console will finally introduce in-game XMB support as well as a new 'trophies' community feature that mirrors the achievements system used by the Xbox 360.

With the trophies addition, PlayStation 3 owners will get a revamped version of their user profile that displays how many trophies they've earned for their achievements in games, how many of which type (bronze, silver, gold, or platinum) they have, and what their current gamer level is.

As for the in-game XMB feature, perhaps the most notable aspect is the ability to communicate with other PSN users on your friends list without leaving the game - though it is not possible to send game invites (it's up to developers to build that feature into their games) or engage on a private voice chat while playing games as on Xbox Live. Firmware 2.40 is now live and available via a system update, be sure to check out the FAQ for more information.