Sony launches PlayStation virtual community

It's finally here, Wired.com shares Sony's thoughts with us.

[Jeff222]

finally no more delays.... I hope this is ready for download when i get off work

[jamesrocks3147]

and still is not ready for download yet under the PSN icon but hopefully it will come up in the next few mins

[acedoh]

I think this is just the beginning of the media onslaught towards HOME... Features like this well do a better job of attracting mainstream media attention over games.

[Aquanox]

If the NPD November launch date was the correct timing for launching Home.

Microsoft and Nintendo will steal a lot of attention with their performance in America.

[SL1M DADDY]

And now, rather than the nay-sayer articles about Home delays we can start reading the articles that bash the free service for its shortcomings. Don't get me wrong, I want Home and will enjoy it no matter what but you have to admit, the Sony bashing articles are rather prevalent these days and it makes me wonder how fast it will be before we see the first Kotaku, Edge or other crack journalistic site post up a negative article about the new, free download - Home.

[gonzopia]

It's funny, I came to N4G today to find all these stories about Home finally being released. This particular article would have been the hottest in the PS3 section eight months ago. I wonder if Sony has squandered an opportunity by delaying it so much. Granted, if it wasn't ready - it wasn't ready... and I'd rather have a polished Home than a crap one. Still, it seems like there is far less enthusiasm than I would have expected.

All that being said, I'm also really excited to get home after work and try it out. It will likely be a bit laggy at first, and I don't expect a ton of content yet, but I'm interested to meet the virtual incarnations of my extended PS3 playing family, and to see exactly how communal this becomes.

[Anon1974]

Aquanox said "I'm not sure. If the NPD November launch date was the correct timing for launching Home. Microsoft and Nintendo will steal a lot of attention with their performance in America."

I highly doubt that. Your average gamer doesn't care a lick about game sales, let alone game sales in one region. Which do you think will attract more attention? An article giving monthly sales data, when monthly sales data doesn't actually mean squat in the long run anyway - or articles in TIME, Wired, on the BBC about this new, free 3D interactive online community that people can experience, NOW! It's a tough call, I know. Free 3D interactive, connected online world or Nov sales data in the US? Oh my. Both sound so compelling! Home sounds interesting...but not as interesting as sales data that doesn't mean a thing! I'd love to try Home, but the PS3 was outsold in November, so I won't.

[kingOVsticks]

after the constant delays,the "its coming in the next FW" bs, and me never being invited into home beta( ;_;) Im pretty meh on it atm. But im still pretty excited and I also expect it to be something I've never experienced before, but now it doesn't interest me as much as it did two monthes ago

[Aquanox]

I'm not sure how it works though. It's integrated somehow in the dashboard? (Like NXE, which is actually, a whole new dashboard) Or you have to launch it from there and only then use it?

If it's the first, then it sounds good, if not, I'm not sure how many people will be willing to get through all the pain before, lets say, launching a game, watching a trailer or talking to friends using home.

[ThaGeNeCySt]

you launch it from the XMB... it's below (or above) the Playstation Store, can't remember...

I snatched up all the free clothing and couches as well as the summer home... hopefully it remains free when everything goes Live

[SL1M DADDY]

In other words, it comes second. You turn on your PS3, then are prompted to the XMB. The Home logo and access are in the XMB and is an option tool to enter into the community features or join your friends in a game or chat session. The two best features of Home for me are one) it's free and, two) it's optional.

Two years in the making gets you a virtual world with a huge feature set and free lobby games. A few months in the making gets you Mii's...

All serve their purposes but only one looks a bit more adult like.

[d2dahoopa]

Way its finally here,, is it worth the wait though?!?!?!

[Aquanox]

Though I'm not really sure if today was the correct timing to launch it.

Nintendo and Microsoft will steal a lot of attention with their performance in November.

For those who don't know, NPD numbers will be released today.

[Hellsvacancy]

Theres a Home symbol above the Playstation Store u access Home the same u do with the Playstation Store

I havnt figured out how to launch a game from yet i may not b able to yet

[Trollimite]

i cant wait

[KYU2130]

Home is what you make of it... instead of just using the XMB to chat with your friends you can see visual reps of them.. which is actually fun.i can't wait to check out the spaces that they will be adding. and see whats new in the Home shops. They should have made it so you could jump into the Playstation Store from home. maybe later?

[Zerodin]

It's not going to be nearly as good as it was hyped to be.
Things from Japan are so underwhelming now adays.

[SONYSLAVE]

PS3 DOLL HOUSE?! no thanks.

[Sir_Ken_Kutaragi]

HOMELESS FOREVER!!! ;-D ;-D ;-D

Take a Walk in the PARK Freaks!!! ;-D

[DeadIIIRed]

Finally, I only have to get my hands on Killzone 2 and everything I waited for two years for will be over. Does anyone know what time its supposed to be released in the States? I figured 11, but nothing so far...

[kingOVsticks]

yea its not up yet, I heard somewhere that it should be up by this evening tho.

[ClockworkSatan]

Yeah, well... It's about 16:45 here (I'm in the UK) and there's still no sign of it on the PS Store or anywhere despite everything saying that it has been released.

[REPLOID24]

home. we'll see what all this talk about, yo.