After reports circulated that some older PS3 consoles were overheating while playing L.A. Noire and updated with the latest firmware, Sony and L.A. Noire publisher Rockstar Games put out a joint statement declaring neither the game nor the firmware contribute to overheating consoles.

The statement:

We have received a very small number of customer support questions about PS3s overheating or shutting down while playing L.A. Noire. At this time, Rockstar Games and Sony can confirm that neither L.A. Noire or firmware update 3.61 are causing the PS3 hardware to overheat. We are both committed to working hard to find solutions to this and any issues that may arise. If you are experiencing any issues with L.A. Noire or your PS3 hardware, please contact technical support using any of the means provided below:

Rockstar Support: www.rockstargames.com/support
Rockstar Support on Twitter: twitter.com/RockstarSupport

PlayStation 3 Support: http://us.playstation.com/support/

Well, that’s a relief. It’s good to know that while PS3s are overheating while playing the game, it’s not the fault of either the system’s mandatory firmware or the game.

What mysterious outside entity would you guess is causing this problem affecting a “very small number of consoles” that’s large enough to merit an awkward joint statement?

Rockstar Games and Sony Joint Statement on L.A. Noire [PlayStation Blog]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.