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Sony announces PlayStation Home
Author: Wil HarrisPublished: 8th March 2007
Sony PlayStation Home could revive the fortunes of the ailing PS3.
Speaking at the Games Developers Conference, Sony bigwig Phil Harrison revealed how the online community, which is it hoped will rival Xbox Live, will work.
Think of it as a cross between Xbox Live and Second Life. Each PS3 user will have his or her own online avatar, heavily customisable. The avatar will live in its own apartment, also heavily customisable - so you can pick your clothes, pick your decor, pick your wallpaper. In the apartment there will be various things to do - you can watch game trailers on your virtual TV, you can view your achievements in a big glass cabinet in your achievements room, and you can also see a massive room full of all the achievements for all the games you don't have - tempting into playing them, no doubt.
You will be able to invite your friends over to hang out and interact (voice, video and text chat) and, eventually, you'll also be able to venture out into the wider PlayStation world, where brands like Coke, Levis, AOL might have their own apartments for you to visit.
This sounds like a great attempt at bringing interactivity and community to PS3. But here's the only problem - the best thing about Second Life is the sex. And we suspect that there won't be sex in PlayStation Home - only far, far more cynical marketing. Which is not so much of a good trade-off.
But at least it's a piece of Sony news we can report on that isn't overwhelmingly negative/lame, and that's a good start for Sony's rehabilitation back into the next-gen console game.
There's more details on PSH over here, here and here. Let us know your thoughts on PlayStation Home over in the forums.
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So if you live in Japan: Brilliant
America: OK
UK: Oh ****
*Signs up
I get on an console to play. I dont want a 2nd life. I want fast online game matches...
It's quite worrying to see a console that isn't even released in the EU yet called 'ailing'... ah well.
It's kinda childish/sad though...I could see myself getting bored of it very quckly, seeing as I'm not younger than 16 (and you just know it's gonna be over-run with little kids trying to be cool). I can't even remember the last time someone asked me "a/s/l".
I've never even tried 2nd life, I mean the Habbo Hotel fad only lasted a few weeks with me. Not that this is anything like Habbo, but hey, you know what I mean.
You realise that 95% of PS3 players are male?
:)
Not mutch of an RPG fan are ye?
And as for the lack of sexual interface, I believe I heard a rumor of Sony making something with a USB interface for those who truly love their PS3.
It does seem a little pointless though, if it was a good way to organise games though - fantastic :p
Edit:
As for the backbone comment, i suspect it will be more a P2P system then a Client-Server one
The way their talking about "rooms" with audio and video makes this even more evident
Sony's getting their act together, so I would come to expect they'll be ready for it... or atleast I would hope so...
As for Sony making a USB 'attachment' I doubt it good clean sony won't even allow porn to be pressed their Blu-ray plants. USB 'attachment' maybe from sony, no.
And on topic, I doubt playstation home will be as big as second life to reiterate DLoney it's an extremely expensive games console if you want a second virtual life second life is free(ish)
EDIT: I also hear that Linux is being ported to PS3 and WoW will most likely follow then who will want playstation home?
It also has a pretty good matchmaking mode, where you can invite your friends over to your "apartment" and once they are all there you can start up a game and play with them online. It looks really cool, to be quite honest.
You guys also didn't mention the COOOLEST looking original title at GDC LittleBigWorld http://www.gamevideos.com/video/id/9860
Watch that. It's really cool. You know, if you like games! Ignore the annoying Vizio ad.
You can already put linux on the PS3, sony worked with a company to get one that would work decently on the cell processor. Only thing is they have locked out the PS3's graphics hardware from everything but the PS3 OS, so games are unlikely.