They say that Christmas comes but once a year. How wrong they are…
Thoughts please. How excited are you? What are you going to do first? Anyone got plans for their apartment, or ‘flat’ as we call them?
We’ll be uploading a whole fleet of images soon, but for now click the link to get the lowdown from Sony…
PLAYSTATION®HOME BETA SERVICE WILL BECOME AVAILABLE TO ALL PLAYSTATION®3 USERS ON DECEMBER 11
Highly Anticipated Service Open For All PLAYSTATION 3 Users
Tokyo, Foster City, London, December 10, 2008 – Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) today announced that its highly anticipated PlayStation®Home Beta service for PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) will become available for all PS3 users around the world *1 on December 11, 2008. Following the successful completion of the closed beta service, PlayStation Home’s open beta service will continue to evolve with new features and functionality.
PlayStation Home is a ground-breaking 3D social gaming community available on PS3 that allows users to interact, communicate and share gaming experiences. By leveraging the power of PS3, PlayStation Home delivers overwhelming visual graphics and rich gaming social experiences only possible on the PS3 platform. Within PlayStation Home, users can create and customize their own unique avatars and explore the virtual community in real time where they can communicate freely through text or voice chat. PlayStation Home users will not only be able to enjoy variety of entertainment content such as mini-games, videos and special events along with their friends, but will also be able to create their own community by using the “Club*2” feature to create clubs with other PlayStation Home users who share the same interests. PlayStation Home also allows groups of users to launch directly into their favourite online games together from PlayStation Home.
PlayStation Home, available as a free download*3 starting December 11, will launch directly from the PlayStation Home icon on the PlayStation®Network column of XMB™ (XrossMediaBar) on PS3. Users will be able to experience basic features and services of PlayStation Home, free of charge*4.
PlayStation Home will allow open interaction among users, business partners and SCE, and will evolve with additional features including dedicated game spaces, special events and exclusive themed items, to further enrich the entertainment experience on the PS3 platform.
“PlayStation Home is truly a promising network community service on the PlayStation platform, made possible with the powerful combination of PS3’s overwhelming computational power and PlayStation Network that covers many countries around the globe,” said Kazuo Hirai, President and Group CEO, SCE. “We are committed to providing PS3 users with exciting gaming experiences with PlayStation Home and together with our partners and users, expand the new world of interactive entertainment as we move forward.”
For users accessing PlayStation Home in the Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) regions, themed virtual environments will be available to explore. Starting with a themed Far Cry 2 space, PlayStation Home will offer game inspired environments that allow people to discuss the specific games, plan strategies and access content and clues that will enhance the gaming experience. The number of gaming environments such as this will regularly increase, with spaces for Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune™, Warhawk™, Motorstorm and SOCOM following very soon. SCEE is working with leading publishers such as: Electronic Arts, UBISOFT, Midway, Sega and Atari to create engaging environments that will provide users with an on-going gaming experience.
“We are very excited to be bringing PlayStation Home to Europe and the PAL territories, offering users an interactive, social, gaming experience,” said Daniel Hill, Home Service Manager, SCEE. “PlayStation Home is unique to anything else in the gaming world and by partnering with both global and regional gaming and non-gaming brands, we are able to offer exciting and entertaining content that will enhance the PlayStation experience.”
SCEE today also announced the first partnerships with some of the world’s most respected lifestyle brands for the Open Beta. Fashion leader Diesel, contemporary furniture designers Ligne Roset, energy drink Red Bull, film studio Paramount Pictures and video content providers Hexus TV and Eurogamer are the first on board. They will offer resident’s virtual clothing for their avatar, virtual furniture for their PlayStation Home apartments, exclusive video content and a virtual flying challenge: the Red Bull Air Race.
Visitors and residents will be able to explore PlayStation Home with their avatar character and, thanks to Diesel, avatars can look great from the start with Diesel offering the latest men’s and women’s designer avatar clothing, with items ranging from free of charge to €1.50. So for those visiting PlayStation Home, they can dress their avatars in the latest jeans and jacket prior to getting out and about.
On the home front, PlayStation®Home gives everyone their own apartment to spend time in and entertain friends - who will now be able relax on exclusive Ligne Roset furniture. At the virtual store, people will be able to choose from a selection of the most popular Ligne Roset designs, including the iconic Togo and Facett upholstery collections. It will be possible to personalise furniture by selecting from a wide selection of fabrics and leathers allowing a unique and individual look. This is an opportunity to get acquainted with Ligne Roset’s cutting edge designs created by some of Europe’s most talented designers.
As the very first consumer brand space, Red Bull has created the Red Bull Island where visitors to the Island can interact and take part in many of Red Bull’s unique events. Initially there will be the opportunity to get inside the cockpit of a Red Bull Air Race plane and compete against the PlayStation community. The real-world Red Bull Air Race World Championship has become a global phenomenon in just four years, attracting millions of spectators. Now those spectators can leave the stands, become a pilot and tackle the Red Bull Island course themselves. The Red Bull Island will continue to expand, adding new and exciting content in early 2009.
Taking full advantage of the PlayStation Home Theatre, SCEE has partnered with various content providers to enhance the cinematic experience. Offering a wide range of content, the PlayStation Home Theatre will provide lifestyle technology programming from Hexus TV, gaming content from Eurogamer and exclusive film content from Paramount Pictures. Starting with the release of the highly anticipated film, Watchmen, Paramount Pictures International will use PlayStation®Home to promote its latest films. Initially, PlayStation®Home residents will be able to view an exclusive video greeting from Watchmen Director Zack Snyder as well as the latest Watchmen trailer. A selection of virtual Watchmen merchandise e.g. T-Shirts with the smiley face logo, Doomsday clocks and character statues, will also be available in the New Year, ahead of an exclusive Q & A event where cast and filmmakers will meet selected press and competition winners fans within the Watchmen themed environment.
PlayStation Home is exclusive to PS3, free to download and easy to join. It’s the ultimate online community – a place where you can meet friends, try the latest games, hear new music, watch videos, relax in the apartment of your dreams and much, much more. With more and more spaces being created and partners like Diesel, Ligne Roset and Red Bull coming on board, the PlayStation Home experience is just getting started.
SCE will vigorously promote the expansion of the world of PS3 by introducing new services that will open up new possibilities and enjoyment in interactive entertainment.
*1 PlayStation Home will not be available in some regions.
*2 To be a “Clubhouse” owner, user will need to buy the entitlement to run the club.
*3 When the service is available, PlayStation Home icon will appear after booting/ re-booting the PS3 system. To enjoy PlayStation Home, users will need broadband network connection and PlayStation Network account in addition to the PS3 system.
*4 Some content and services are charged.
For more information, please contact your local PR manager.
About Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE), based in London, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and sales of PLAYSTATION®3, PlayStation®2, PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) and PlayStation®Network software and hardware in 99 territories across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Oceania. SCEE also develops, publishes, markets and distributes entertainment software for these formats, and manages the third party licensing programs for the formats in these territories. Since the launch of PLAYSTATION 3 in November 2006, over 16.8 million units have been sold globally and continue to be sold at a record level. Maintaining its position as one of the most successful consumer electronic products in history, PlayStation 2 has sold over 137.7 million systems worldwide. Since its launch at the end of 2004, over 44.5 million PSPs have been sold globally, highlighting the importance of the portable entertainment market. With the huge increase in interest and accessibility of network applications and network gaming, over 13 million people have registered to PlayStation Network, the free-to-access interactive environment, and over 236 million items have been downloaded.
More information about PlayStation products can be found at www.playstation.com or visit the Virtual Press Office at www.scee.presscentre.com.
PlayStation and PLAYSTATION are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. PS3 is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. XMB is a trademark of Sony Corporation and Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
Any clues on how much it’ll cost to become a clubhouse owner? I have a basic one in the closed Beta, would like to continue it but hope it’s not going to cost me a fortune!
Comment by Robothamster — Dec 10, 2008 @ 10:39 am
I predict a lot of people moaning.
Comment by yxxxx — Dec 10, 2008 @ 11:12 am
I predict a lot of bored people…
Comment by NecronomiconUK — Dec 10, 2008 @ 11:19 am
Great. Maybe you can get Orange and Tiscali to stop traffic-shaping PSN traffic off at peak times. It is currently impossible for many to use PSN during the evening before 11pm if you are on these networks.
Comment by Mister Slimm — Dec 10, 2008 @ 11:19 am
The new stuff looks great. Been hanging out in the JP-arcade lately, and would love to get the Namco-classics in EU as well.
Also a shame that the LBP-space/game-launching isn’t the first to get out to us.
Comment by slickhenry — Dec 10, 2008 @ 11:28 am
It will be interesting to see how the PSN servers cope with this!!!
Comment by Apnomis — Dec 10, 2008 @ 11:30 am
I’ve not seen any game themed spaces yet, do we know where they’ll appear (shopping mall / up the closed off escalators?) It’ll be interesting to see how much lag (if any) will appear due to the ‘doors’ being opened to the rest of the PSN populace. I also hope they don’t go down the Micro$oft route of charging for everything! I’d like lots of free stuff please!!
Comment by Monkey Rimmer — Dec 10, 2008 @ 11:37 am
I met loads of people on Home, I guess it’s a really good way to meet new friends.
My only problem with it is the bowling alley is way too small. When Home is released it’s going to be packed, I wont be able to move.
Comment by E-ROLE — Dec 10, 2008 @ 11:53 am
Check out my boy Mittens’ Home experience at crookedconsole.com, it’s a riot..
Comment by MrJimmy — Dec 10, 2008 @ 11:55 am
@Hamster
It was my understanding that those that can grab the content within the Home Stores during the Beta get to keep them free of charge, carrying over into the Open and live thing?
Comment by JohnSketch — Dec 10, 2008 @ 12:04 pm
Am I the only person why thinks Home is pointless. Really do not see the point of it. I was invited to the Beta and very quickly got bored of it. Just to prove I know what i’m talking about I did my degree in virtual environments and how they both benefit and hinder the user.
I want to access content in the quickest way possible and found it stupid that I’d have to “walk” to a cinema to watch trailers. I also do not see the a point of having your own appartment which will be identical to everyone elses apart from the bit of wallpaper that Sony will have charged you to put up or that £5 tiger skin mat on the floor.
Then theres the fact that as Home evolves you have to install all the new sections to your hard drive. Hardly evolution is it. I think this idea was cool about 2 years ago when Facebook and MySpace were appearing but people want more than that now. I do anyway.
Comment by Terry — Dec 10, 2008 @ 12:29 pm
@E-ROLE #10:
It won’t be any more packed than it is now, as people are distributed on multiple instances (”servers”) of each area. One area-instance can hold a set number of people at the most (60-64?).
Comment by slickhenry — Dec 10, 2008 @ 12:37 pm
@Terry #11
I know where you’re coming from.
I was excited when I 1st got my PS3. The thought of Home was amazing. But as I’ve been waiting…. and waiting… and waiting… and waitig…. and waiting… the hype started to wear off.
Eventually I got into the beta and by then I thought… big deal. I’ve been on it a handful of times and although it is good, as I have enjoyed some of my time on there, it’s not as groundbreaking as I thought it would be.
Especially if it will cost 79p for a pair of virtual trousers.
I’ve just got that fed up waiting I’m passed caring.
In time, I think it will grow on me a bit more, but I’m not fully convinced.
I blame the waiting game!!!
Comment by ownjoouk — Dec 10, 2008 @ 12:51 pm
i been in beta for 3 months now. still loving it.
yes there will be moaners why?
- they didnt know it still a beta
- they didnt know that it is not a game.
- slow updates.
moaners are obviously kids or worse xbots who think they knows best.
Comment by PanixATK — Dec 10, 2008 @ 1:00 pm
@PanixATK
No need to be a bellend. I’m not moaning. I know it’s a beta and I know it’s not a game.
I never said it wasnt good, I simply said I didn’t think it was as good as the hype suggested.
It’s full of people chasing women about asking for blow jobs whic hI have seen on many occasions.
And using the word xbot actually suggests it is you with the problem as you need to bring that into the argument.
Infact this reply isn’t worth my time so I’ll stop here.
Comment by ownjoouk — Dec 10, 2008 @ 1:07 pm
btw: while threespeech uploads some images. check out 21 images here: http://www.joystiq.com/photos/home-launch/1213980/full/
Comment by PanixATK — Dec 10, 2008 @ 1:16 pm
@ ownjoouk: true i seen couple of peoples doing that. This is where “report” comes into play.
there are talks of “home jail” but i think it a rumour coming from the forum. But i like the idea of punishment.
Comment by PanixATK — Dec 10, 2008 @ 1:18 pm
Where is Street Fighter HD ??????
Comment by Gambo — Dec 10, 2008 @ 1:19 pm
All sounds good, its finally gaining ground.
My only concern is :
*2 To be a “Clubhouse” owner, user will need to buy the entitlement to run the club.
What about those who already have one set up?
Comment by SlapnutzUK — Dec 10, 2008 @ 1:34 pm
its almost the end of the yeah and i havent heard a single thing about vidzone for EU ps3 users.
is it real or was it a dream i had???????????????????
Comment by Phoenix2912 — Dec 10, 2008 @ 1:40 pm
@JohnSketch & Slapnutz
Yeah, Beta peeps can keep the things they already have, but when I started up my clubhouse the otherday it said ‘free for the duration of this Beta’. To me that reads that once either the public beta OR the final release comes out I will have to pay something to be able to still use the clubhouse.
Hope I’m wrong though, or it’s only 99p!
Comment by Robothamster — Dec 10, 2008 @ 1:45 pm
What bothers me is that an official blog is always the slowest to post the news.
what’s the use of spreading news if it has been out for almost a week already?
and again Home is shaped differently for every region,
didn’t sony learn anything?
Comment by t3rr0rt!me — Dec 10, 2008 @ 2:13 pm
@T3rr0rt!me,
“what’s the use of spreading news if it has been out for almost a week already?” Are you sure? I have seen news that it ‘could’ be out in 7 days time (from last Sunday) and that it was ‘imminent’ but it’s only been announced by everywhere that it’ll be tomorrow since early this morning I think you’ll find.
In fact, if you read the 1st paragraph you’ll see the announcement was made by SONY themselves this morning.
Comment by Robothamster — Dec 10, 2008 @ 2:26 pm
I never thought I would see the day!
Comment by reakt — Dec 10, 2008 @ 2:56 pm
Isn’t everybody in the beta already?
Comment by lxd — Dec 10, 2008 @ 4:11 pm
Seems Sony are quick to release the money making features, such as virtual clothing and decor and clubs.
What I am mainly interested in is the features for online gaming. Game configurations, launching, in-game chat etc. What about these features?
Comment by Obli — Dec 10, 2008 @ 4:33 pm
big whoop! i for one gave up hanging around shopping malls years ago, i don’t know about anyone else but that’s what HOME feels like to me. a big fat money making deal, well, tough Sony, you’re not getting a red cent out of me for any content. i shall run around tonight hoovering up all free content i can to keep for being a good little beta tester.
oh, and the treatment of female characters in Home leaves very much to be desired!! stop thinking with your dicks and start treating women as equals and NOT people you can go up to and dump friend requests on, A/S/L?s, get all up in their faces, make crude suggestions…
you know who you are. please behave.
Comment by MobileTone on IE8 beta — Dec 10, 2008 @ 5:55 pm
@Tone
YEAH!!!!! Woman equal online!!! Yeah!!!!
*goes to slanderise some gurz*
Comment by JohnSketch — Dec 10, 2008 @ 8:35 pm
Of course there are going to be regionalised servers.
I don’t want to buy all my store items in dollars, read billboard poster adverts in Japanese, watch trailers for movies that need subtitles, or watch videos for games that are unable to my PlayStation Store.
Communicating across Europe is bad enough & we’re all trying to do so in English… imagine the Americas Home users attempting to join in!
Awesome… Dude… word…. you do the math, etc
Regarding the packed bowling arcade (much like real life), if the Beta doors are going to swing from Closed to Open tomorrow I suspect I’ll not be able to get a seat at the single Chess table from now on, so apart from rearranging (free) ornaments & potted planets in my Summer House (whilst wondering if a bed is ever going to be available to buy, or even an air rifle to take shots at the passing wildlife… in the Home Square) there will be precious little for me to do
I have to say though, the Home Closed Beta has surpassed my expectations but I’m still unsure whether I will find the whole experience one to be involved with or just another virtual social networking site that will be popular for 7 days (like MyTwitterBeboFaceSpace dot com) then be “so last week”.
Heads-up to the Home development team:
“The Sims 3″ is out in February 2009.
Be afraid… The country needs fraids!
Until then the UK needs to have more Official PS3 Keypads available (that do not have a 2-5 week lead-time). Trying to type messages using the XrossMediaBar-based keyboard is snail’s pace tiresome.
The environment needs a music download Store, a virtual message board where you can post details about lost cats, yoga classes, or petitions that can be signed by passing users to provide in-game feedback & comments about upcoming features, and information regarding the size of Home Theatre downloads. But most of all, the environment just needs stuff to do by the visitors.
All this aside, I hope to see you all online tomorrow… well, we’re all online on Thursday evenings for the ‘Store update aren’t we?
I’ll be easy to spot In PlayStation®Home; I’ll be the one doing “The Running Man” when yet another person asks me where I’m from.
Oh yes, and watch out for the queues at the 8-bit arcade consoles… here you a captive audience for Johnny Foreigner juveniles passing lewd comments as they constantly harass the in-game female characters. If you wish to remain anonymous (well, in so much as everybody facially looks the same to an extent) go back to the in-game Wardrobe & return as a male character.
You have been warned!
BFN,
fp.
Comment by fanpages — Dec 10, 2008 @ 9:31 pm
@ JS - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=wT8T9umZblY
having fun dancing in HOME and goofing off.
tomorrow it all changes.. i hate change, i’m only just
getting used to being in Home as it is.
*sniffles*
anyways.. i went down partying -hehe-
i just hope the servers don’t ’splode.
Comment by mobiletone — Dec 10, 2008 @ 9:55 pm
Well, well, well. I thought for sure that this was going open on the 18th. A pleasant surprise by Sony, most definitely. We’ve certainly been strung along for a long while now, so it’s nice to actually see the finish is in sight.
Comment by DeeK — Dec 11, 2008 @ 1:53 am
be prepared to be bored, i’m in home beta and the loading screens are so slow and once heaps of folk log in it will be a nightmare
Comment by exprohound — Dec 11, 2008 @ 10:53 am
‘Mittens’ at The Crooked Console reports on an online encounter (that I see a number of Three Speech ‘regulars’ have already commented upon):
[ http://www.crookedconsole.com/2008/12/adventures-from-home-with-pics.html ]
Note: Not suitable for viewing in an environment with work colleagues (“NSW”), or minors (if we have any of those left these days now all the pits have closed), those with a nervous disposition, or anybody with good taste.
Probably for those who find Graham Norton funny.
BFN,
fp.
Comment by fanpages — Dec 12, 2008 @ 6:15 am
I manged to download and install Home last night, but could not get past the EULA. Is it working a bit better this morning?
Comment by CartBlanche — Dec 12, 2008 @ 12:59 pm
FYI:
Sony Answers Some Key PlayStation Home Questions, Dodges Others
[ http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2008/12/11/sony-answers-some-key-playstation-home-questions-dodges-others/ ]
—
Will all of us American PS3 users of Home be able to interact with PS3 owners from other territories?
Answer via Sony PR: “In public, shared spaces users are group together by territory. SCEA users will see other SCEA users in the Central Plaza for example. However, you may invite friends from other territories (SCEE for example [Europe]) into personal spaces such as your apartment.”
—
BFN,
fp.
Comment by fanpages — Dec 14, 2008 @ 11:39 am
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