Sony's Home Shows It's Head - New Screens, Video and Space

I've never really been a fan of Sony's Home. I thought it was an unnecessary thing and really just re-inventing the wheel when there are already things out there like Second Life. With a recent Press Release they've come a little bit closer to winning me over, really. Last week sony allowed PS3 users to experience a sort of replay of the PlayStation Day which was held on 6th May. This allowed PS3 users to experience the event from the comfort of their own living room complete with all the sights and sounds from the vent. The new arena is the new PlayStation Media & Events Space. This arena will allow the likes of you and me to see new products being unveiled.

This area can be re-dressed and re-themed to suit the game or event. So if they're showing of Metal Gear Solid expect a darker theme than you would for Grand Turismo.

Check out the new video and screens below, fool!

[Ngai]

I think its looking pretty awesome!!
Its a great marketing and social tool.
I just can't wait to get my hands on it, since forever..

[pharmd]

fun times ahead!!!

[fusionboxer]

Ah you know i'm just playing! Ps Home looks like it's gonna be a lot better then our now low expectations of it. Reason is because it'll not only bring a party system to almost every online game, but also a way to connect with like minded gamers.

Who hasn't wanted to just drop into a place where you could just talk about games, walk about games, and debate about games? I know I haven't, but maybe you have?

(Naw i'm playin again!!)

[turbogeekx]

People will see what all the fuss was about once Sony releases it. It's one of the most awesome and innovative things ever done for a console.

[paul_war]

Meh, I'll wait and see.

I want it to be great, I'm just not getting my hopes up.

[Saint Sony]

"It's one of the most awesome and innovative things ever done for a console. "

According to that, there's not much done for consoles then.

[heyheyhey]

excellent

now can we please have the actual thing out before.... say, the next PS gamers day at least?

[pwnsause]

E3

[Premonition]

I agree its great for marketing games, seeing posters of upcoming games and a view tv's running trailers next to it might get people interested in really picking up the game, and 3rd parties can hold mini press events of upcoming titles or to help promote them.

[PoSTedUP]

as if my ps3's not already addicting.

[Maverick_]

LAWL who disagreed? PS3's aren't addciting??????????????/

hmmmmmmmmmmmmm yes they are. Mine is lol

[Leg-End]

yanks..

[dhammalama]

You can use it as a verb, as in, "Video games are addicting the youth of today."

..pommies

[VWGTI]

I'm still on the fence with Home. I have yet to feel a hint of excitement for it. Hopefully my low expectations will end up working in my favor when it's released.

[thehitman]

Cus your not using it. Trust me when home is released every1 will be jumping on it competiting for the coolest things they have in their pad and doing all the extra shyt Sony has planned for us within home. I can imagine ppl in home more than in a game when theyre on their ps3s when it gets a really big community.

[gonzopia]

I've tried not to get my hopes up for it either, but I think with the power and experience Sony Online Entertainment has in the MMO field, Home has a lot of things going for it. I have a feeling it could really jumpstart the PSN and help dispell the myths about PSN being a sub-par XBL.

[ericnellie]

I'm very curious to see how they're going to bring all this stuff together...my excitement level is going up =)

[Fallen_Angel]

They need to stop showing it and finish the damn thing already. Some how i doubt I'll really use it tho.

[Armyless]

and take the time to build it right the first time. I don't want to look at something like Home and say "meh, they could have done so much more with it..."

[DiabloRising]

They need to get all the basic features in like Trophies and Cross Game chat and lobby systems to join multiplayer together, and release this thing, instead of constantly tweaking it.

[solidt12]

Good Idea! Now roll it out to the rest of us.

[JackBauerIsHIGH]

Homeless! I wish it were this fall already.

So far it's looking good!

[BrotherNick]

That's a pretty cool idea, unveiling things like that. :O

[vegnadragon]

It better add a bunch of stuff to make out for its annoying delays.

[bourner]

sick sick sick . it looks so colorful and vibrant. i can see myself spending a lot of time in home

[kingme71]

My wife will enjoy it. She doesn't play videogames, but likes the social side of things.

I'm just hoping our Avatars can deathmatch. You think Sony will throw that in?

[Qbanboi]

They better do. Or i'll see some fans very upset. ^^

[tweaker]

Wow those look really nice. Sony will deliver when it's ready.

[Qbanboi]

Now, this is a good idea. They should focus less on player-meet-player and more on HOME-better-be-f*cking-fun. ^^

This is something i know i will use HOME for. I mean, come on, i better be a 3rd avatar walking through HOME, seen all those videos and sh!t, while lay down on my bed watching my 42' HDTV than be sitting looking at low resolution videos on my PC.

Kudos SONY.

[Close_Second]

...infrastructure in this part of the world then I dare say Home will be a major disappoinment. That is, the speed of getting content off the PSN in NZ is still rater disappointing. I can go into the Store and be waiting for 90 seconds before all icons for the new release items are displayed. However, when I sign into my US account the icons for all new release items display in about 15-20 seconds.

Obviously NZ is not a big market for Sony but at some stage we have to stop piggy backing off Australian PSN servers.

[Kaz Hirai]

You will have to remain HOMELESS, GAMELESS AND BRAINLESS!

17 days until Judgment Day, Nazisoft!

MWAH-HA-HA-HA!!!

[Sir_Ken_Kutaragi]

DON'T let them in to PS3's HOME!!!;)
If they pass by i will put a 'NOT WELCOME' Mat outside the door!!!
;-D

[xxx2007xxx]

I don't see anything new in this.. already done before.. Second life. And what does it do besides being able to walk up to the video you would like to download. ?? Pehaps it would be fun to send a message to a friend and meet him for at virtuel drink and get stoned on 0001101011001100 :-)

[clintos59]

If u are addicted to achievements then this will take that to the next level and beyond. So for all those iffy about home, all I can say when this comes out, xbox live will be a ripoff for users because by the time home comes out, we will already have in game xmb and alot of games will have the youtube feature and home will be there aswell to make community more user friendly and fun for ps3 owners and all this is free. So I dont see what all the retarded remarks are about home, maybe these are just jealous 360 owners trying to talk down on home but hey like I said if u want to have this, buy yourself a ps3 because this coming june 12th sony is going to do sum BIG THANGZ starting with MGS4 and there and beyond is when monster titles start hitting shelves and making the ps3 as sexy as it can ever be. It starts here on out with all the big hitters coming in and 2009 its a wrap, sony will start selling like the wii is now from then on. Other then that Home looks real good and cant wait to try it out. :)

[Boink]

you know all this because it's secretly been released and you've been using the finished product for months already?

seriously, it looks interesting, but i'm still waiting too see how home is going to massively change my online gaming. so far all I see is a fantastic lobby, which to be honest is where I would spend about 1% of my time, the rest is in game.

I am waiting for in game XMB, chat across games, and in game music more than this.

home looks great for those who want that type of thing, but I don't see an appeal for myself yet.

[Maverick_]

Just imagine how many poeple you will meet and Home just brings that to a whole other level. Imagine someone having a movie on their harddrive, you going to his home and streaming and watching it for free through his tv... in HD!!!

It's not like we know and have seen everything. Home is obviously taking forever because it's going to be HUGE.

I wanna make a like crazy fat dude or something and just walk around saying funny things and dancing LOL. I cant wait to see how many people are in one space at a time.

[xxx2007xxx]

But I dont see the innovative in being able to walk around doing the same things you can do just by cliking your way to it. It's the games that count not second life PS3 II...

[Bombomb]

how about get in-game functions in and having it work smoothly first...

second life ..meh

another gimmick while sony has issues with in-game functions

[xxx2007xxx]

Finish what you started.. make it good before throwing something new useless stuff at us..

[gunnerheadboy]

SWEET!!!

[xxx2007xxx]

WHY

1. More sales
2. More good games ... NO DOUBT
3. LIVE... Not secound LIF(V)E!!

[LenHart]

PS3 outsells x360 2:1 in WW sales every week

PS3 is just 4m behind x360 in WW sales even launching a year later in US and 1 .5 yeas later in europe

in europe PS3 has surpassed X360's LTD

x360 has no games except GYALO3 --gaygaylo3 at 640

PS3 has FF13 and MGS4 --which are bigger than x360's entire librray combined

[sabbath420]

it's a new thing to let the gamers c video from tech shows? 360 has been "bringing it home" for what 2 years now I Think. For those of you that don't have a 360 Bringing it home is a series of videos that show all the tech shows 360 attends. Nothing new sony. I have been watching things like that on my 360 from my couch for a while now.

[LenHart]

2D text achievements on GAYLIVE .

with a crappy low powered HW that cant even run games at 1080p native

x360 is nothing more than AN EXPENSIVE DVD player . It has just 1 game GAYLO3 at 640p

[heyheyhey]

yeah, but have you been in an environment where you can walk around a virtual space and watch all the trailers simultaneously

and then chat to friends about it?

bringing it home was the same as browsing the internet for videos

this might even let you chat to dev's while your in it

[PSWe60]

virtual Playstation Media space huh?

If the video is any indication, I wonder how the E3 Media space would look like

[proArchy]

That is an awesome idea. You visit the Event space for a game announcement. Maybe an exclusive first look at a trailer, even have an admin running around in a Kratos or Daxter costume, lol! They could even have a "ribbon cutting" ceremony for the game's official Home space! Imagine digital people crowding up on a digital doorway, the digital lights dim and a trailer starts playing. When the trailer is done the doors open and everyone rushes inside to get the first peek at God of War 3. Maybe there will be limited items (blades of chaos to run around with?) or clothing handed out to the first 100 people that stop by! Man, i hope Sony has at least as much vision for this as i do, this could be great.

[Boink]

just download the video than have to walk to it to watch it...

still looks pretty though.

[agent864]

what the heck is home supposed to be?? This is an entirely new feature never revealed before. It seems this product has lacked scope control and is suffering from feature creep. First it was social, then delayed because it was lacking features for core gamers, and now its a video conferencing application. It will never be finished. They should have picked a few core features, do them really well, and add new functionality in updates.

And i'm someone who wants to see this application succeed and be useful.

[LenHart]

where we get to meet other gamers and watch TROPHIES

we can play some casual games, watch movies etc.

Ur GARBAGE BOX 3 FIX ME cant have nay of those features since most x360s dont have HDD by default

It is on PS3 so it will succeed unlike XFIXME ---- a dead console worldwide

[ben806]

its so nice looking!

[RAM MAGNUMS]

I cant wait for HOME! Im gonna create some wicked Spaces!
My digital escape brought to me free will have all the features I want!
Forget Myspace, This is where all my friends will be socializing and personalizing our Social communtity!

XBOX live??? All they have is instant messenger? And you cant even have different color font to type with & thats soooo Lame!

XBUTTS ARe Stinking Up the Place!

[DARK-GRIM]

awesome

[Hollander]

This is so totally NOT going to be free...

[DJ]

Besides, who would actually pay for this. It should be something every PS3 owner can use out of the box.

[Hollander]

If this thing is as big as Sony would want you to believe then do you have any idea how much data has to be stored? How many data has to be transferred and handled at the same time? Why do you think WOW costs money to play?

Mark my words: "This will not be free"

Sony has lied about every thing else, what makes you think they would be honest about this? especially because it has been said for over a year.

Don’t get me Wrong I hope it will be free, I just don’t see that happening…

[proArchy]

the difference between WoW and this is:
Sony is a multibillion dollar global corporation, and Blizzard isn't.

Sony can afford to continuously support this. Once all these official Home locations are developed it will take very little to maintain it (besides bandwidth of course). After that its really up to other developers to decide if they want to include Home support or not. Sony doesn't have to do squat.

[Hollander]

Of course Sony “could” run it for free…
But apart from the obvious fact that Sony didn’t become a “multibillion dollar global corporation”
By giving things away.

In case you haven’t notice, Sony (as a hole) isn’t doing to well. Unlike what all you “Fanboys” would like to believe as of yet (and this may change) the ps3 is a complete disaster. There just not selling and there has been no reason to buy one yet. The format war’s may have been won by blu-ray but people just don’t want to give up there good old “Cheap” dvd’s and players for an over priced product which you need a Full HD TV for to get any advantage out off (and even then only slightly).

They had to recall a Billion dollars worth of laptops because there batteries where turning in to hand grenades.

There Billion Dollar project (the broadband Cell processor) is hardly being used apart from the ps3 (something it was not specifically designed for sins the ps3 only uses 7 of the 8 cores)

Should I go on?

[proArchy]

Yeah...Sony's really hurting.
12.94million PS3s sold to 360's 19.03million (with a year headstart) according to vgchartz. what a "total disaster"!
The Cell is being used in IBM servers, Sony televisions, Toshiba televisions, computer monitors, military applications, and the list goes on. If you honestly think that Sony is LOSING money, you are off your rocker. All these losses are absorbed by their movie, home electronic, and cell phone divisions. I can't speak for all the "Fanboys" but I made an educated consumer decision based on past reliability of products, and what features were available on EACH system. Yes, i am a fan of Sony, but my opinions are firmly weighed down by facts, reason, and logic. Why are you so sure that Sony will charge for this? PSN was promised to be free, and it is. Home is promised to be free to use, and i believe it will be. What's the big deal here?!

[Hollander]

I don't know whether you know this or not but Sony is still losing a lot of money on every ps3 soled. And without software to make up the ends. the ps3 has cost Sony (Development cost not included) About 1.2 Billion dollars. Now I am not saying that Sony will go bankrupt, of course not. But the company has defiantly seen better days. And if one part of your company has to make up for the loss of the other then… Well I think it speaks for it self.

[ApocalypseShadow]

if it stays free,then great.if sony asks for a dollar a month or $12 dollars a year,then cool.

"i'd buy it!"

all i know is that when it releases,if N4G doesn't have a home space to talk about games and game news about sony products,you won't be seeing me here any more.

this place will be boring compared to what home will offer.

megaton...................

[unbiased]

I can't wait. NO I REALLY CAN'T WAIT!

[uie4rhig]

oh so home is still coming then? or does it keep getting delayed until the PS5 <_< don't get me wrong, i've only got a PS3.. but Home delays are getting ridiculous.. honestly i would be surprised if it comes out this year!!

[Fanboy Slaughter]

Ok you guys, I've been on the Home beta since day one, and I feel it is my duty to let you guys know that unless some major changes are made, Home will be a SEVERE disappointment.

Granted, there's a lot more to do now than there was, but it's just redesigns mainly, (Home underwent a 100% makeover a few months back.) It LOOKS stellar, the visuals are outstanding, and the character creation is extremely detailed. You can use your mic to talk directly with other people and avoid using the PS3 on-screen keyboard to chisel out what you wanna say.

But now for the bad stuff. They REALLY need to find more things to do, because a virtual life sucks without a whole ton of stuff to do. As of now, there's the Home Shop, which looks like a 2-story mall, but only has 3 shops, An outside lobby area with some great visuals and chess boards. There's also a Home Game area where you can bowl, play pool, and cabinet arcade games, (the games aren't anything special, there's only 4). And there's your Home Space, which can be either a high-rise condo with one hell of a view, or a summer house with two floors.

Anything else, you ask? Nope, not really. Up to this point, Home is one of those things that people are screaming to get, but when they get it, unless they make some improvements, this site is going to light up the night sky with it's unparalleled rage and disappointment.

[Stinkinmushroom]

The trophies thingy and the Spaces per game will make it work ... and also ==> now it's a closed beta, with not much people..

[level 360]

Hope that Sony would update it from time to time to make Home more bigger and expansive so there'll be more virtual places and stuff to do.

Only thing for us is to resist buying too many items on-line that we may find ourselves in debt and not notice that we have emptied our credit card limits to the max.

[smurfie4]

No more delays please. Sony is pratically feeding people comidic material to use against them. Thats why people are calling the ps3 the delaystation because things keep getting delayed. Im still pro-sony but they need to stick with a date, and commit to it. Home has potential to be great, but it not if it doesnt see the light of day.

[DFresh]

That's f***ing amazing.
I can't wait to get my hands on this service in August 2008 Confirmed.
Sony is so cool and innovative it's insane.

[Ace-Jury]

thats all i got

[butterfinger]

to have a Home.

[fadeawayjae]

it seems it is going to be annoying running all the time