Sony’s released PS3 Firmware 2.70 – you can download it now.

The update adds text chat and a bunch of other features you can read about here.

There’s an SCEA video through that link detailing everything for you.

Get to it!

Sony’s confirmed some of the features of the upcoming PS3 Firmware 2.70, including text chat, some movie playback and storage stuff and the fact your Friends list’s going to be seen on the XMB.

Get full details from the PS Blog.

There’s a video of PSN director Eric Lempel talking everything through after the break.

Expect the download “soon”.

Eurogamer’s just posted a story based on two different dev sources that says PS3 Firmware 2.70 will launch in April, not this week as we were told last night.

Sony’s made no official statement on the matter as yet.

We were told that developers now have the update and it would launch “this week”.

Resistance 2 developer James Stevenson said overnight that his shooter’s latest patch wouldn’t work without the Firmware release. The patch was supposed to hit on March 26, tomorrow.

There’s no clear indication as to what the update contains as yet, but Stevenson said dual PSN log-ins was the feature needed for the Resistance 2 patch.

Joystiq’s backed up a claim we were told last night that Firmware 2.70 will release this week, reporting that Resistance 2′s upcoming patch and the hardware update will arrive together, most likely today or tomorrow.

“Resistance 2 is the first game to fully log-in two PSN accounts. LBP only logs you in locally, and does not register both accounts as online through PSN,” Insomniac Games’ James Stevenson told the site.

“This is a big difference, and what is required for split-screen online co-op with other folks.

“And it was dependent on a Sony update, hence why it wasn’t in when the game shipped.”

The Resistance 2 patch launches tomorrow. Hold onto your hats, Firmware fans.

Just got this from a prominent PS3 developer at GDC: “PS3 Firmware 2.70 definitely this week. Developers got it yesterday.”

The update was rumoured to have gone live this afternoon, but was apparently withdrawn.

This source is concrete, kids. Watch for an announcement in the next few days.