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Sony's PlayStation Home Expands Beta This Summer, Goes Open Beta Autumn 2008
Posted by Jason Chen at 4:01 PM on April 22, 2008
PlayStation Home, the long-awaited PlayStation 3 social networking app, is finally going to see open beta starting Autumn 2008. Before that, if you're one of the few lucky users chosen by Sony, you'll be able to participate in the closed beta expanding some time in Summer 2008. No other real features have been announced lately, but if it's still kept all the details announced back at GDC 2007, there's going to be customisable avatars, modifiable living and common spaces, accomplishment galleries and lots of branding/third-party products. It's basically a Second Life that doesn't suck, and isn't full of (as many) weirdos.
TOKYO, April 22 /PRNewswire/ — Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI)
announced today that it will expand the Closed Beta testing for
PLAYSTATION(R)Home in Summer 2008, inviting a further number of registrants
from the PLAYSTATION(R)3 (PS3(R)) users. Following completion of the Expanded
Closed Beta test, the PLAYSTATION Home Open Beta service will commence in Fall
2008.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020701/SFM066LOGO)
"We understand that we are asking PS3 and prospective PS3 users to wait a
bit longer, but we have come to the conclusion that we need more time to
refine the service to ensure a more focused gaming entertainment experience
than what it is today," said Kazuo Hirai, President and Group CEO, Sony
Computer Entertainment Inc. "Our overarching objective is to provide users
with new gaming experiences that are available only on PLAYSTATION Home.
Spending more time on the development and on the Closed Beta testing reaffirms
our commitment to bringing a quality service, maintaining the PlayStation(R)
tradition."
The PLAYSTATION Home Open Beta service that will become available in Fall
2008 will be built around providing new and fun community gaming experiences.
Details of the Closed Beta testing features, registration for the test and the
opening of the service will be announced as they become available.
Tags: games | gaming | home | home entertainment | networking | playstation 3 | ps3 | second life | social | sony
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
ittekimasu
Posted 4:41 PM 22/4/08
It would be unique if they released it sooner rather than later, thou if they don't move the open beta further it might still be a hit.
ittekimasu
JustEaton
Posted 4:37 PM 22/4/08
I read this on Kotaku as a delay, and got really pissed off. I come here, and it seemed acceptable. Shame, I was hoping for at least an open beta in the coming months.
Does Sony realize "open beta" means we can play around with it, while they further develop? They could at least open that up, I'm not saying it needs to be 1.0 or 2.0.
JustEaton
SnakePlissken
Posted 4:35 PM 22/4/08
Haha i was just on kotaku where they described the news as a delay, which it is, just funny how easily the wording can change the impact of the same story. Either way im bored of home already, in game xmb would really make this delay not matter.
SnakePlissken
daftrok
Posted 4:12 PM 22/4/08
Sweetness. This will really make the Playstation 3 unique, along with Blu ray, the Playstation Store and the XMB.
daftrok
neckarb
Posted 5:16 PM 22/4/08
okkie dokkie, but in this context, whens the beta going open?
neckarb
ittekimasu
Posted 5:13 PM 22/4/08
@neckarb: It's fall now in Australia.
ittekimasu
neckarb
Posted 5:09 PM 22/4/08
hi guys, for those who don't live in american what time of year is fall?
neckarb
OMG! Ponies!
Posted 5:03 PM 22/4/08
It would be unique if it was actually done on time. That is, of course, asking way too much from Sony, which has managed to be late on every other aspect of the machine.
Sony: We R Not Red E
OMG! Ponies!
Sergeant JoKer
Posted 5:35 PM 22/4/08
Everybody who's anybody will hang out at the Black Sun; Just make sure you don't take gifts from large Aleuts.
Sergeant JoKer
bosskev
Posted 5:20 PM 22/4/08
@neckarb: September 21st - December 20th
bosskev
PreachingLlama
Posted 5:54 PM 22/4/08
"It's basically a Second Life that doesn't suck, and isn't full of (as many) weirdos."
Surely you mean its *intended* to be a Second Life that doesn't suck and is not full of weirdoes. Give the weirdos some time would ya?
@ittekimasu: It's *autumn* now in Australia ;)
PreachingLlama
neckarb
Posted 5:51 PM 22/4/08
cheers bosskev
neckarb
OMG! Ponies!
Posted 8:27 PM 22/4/08
@neckarb: Autumn falls from September through November in Europe. And just because you're clever doesn't mean that you won't get screwed by the electronics industry.
While we Yanks, a fat lot of tax dodgers, have nothing against the bunch of criminals and Irish ne'er-do-wells that populate Australia, the electronics industry still thinks you all are lepers and treats you as such.
OMG! Ponies!
strider_mt2k
Posted 10:03 PM 22/4/08
@OMG! Ponies!:
You are so wrong.
My family wasn't sent there for being dirty lepers.
WE got sent there for STEALING SHEEP!
strider_mt2k
Michai
Posted 11:39 PM 22/4/08
What does this service actually offer? Is it literally just another 2nd life?
Michai
neckarb
Posted 12:39 AM 23/4/08
@OMG! Ponies!: ahh i see, so fall is autumn. I guess that makes a little sense...
neckarb
OMG! Ponies!
Posted 12:57 AM 23/4/08
@strider_mt2k: As opposed to those Irish tenant farmers who just couldn't pay the exorbinant rents and got shipped off. Makes me want to re-read The Great Shame.
OMG! Ponies!
Seiven
Posted 12:45 AM 23/4/08
OMG are these official dates? I know we have been waiting for literally years now, but I just want them to drop some official dates.
Seiven
shpanky
Posted 12:45 AM 23/4/08
Way to go, Sony...wasn't this supposed to be LAUNCHED, like, last year?
So I suppose this would likely double Sony's PS3 adopters...from, say 10 to 20! Hurrah! ;-)
shpanky
Mr.Wilson
Posted 11:03 AM 23/4/08
Second Life? Looks a bit more focused on a virtual house and chatting. I'm still thinking the ultimate game in stuff like this' yet to be made.
I'm thinking the building aspect should be focused on, what I'd do for a game that lets you build objects and use them (like cars, robots, why not even a Transformer?). But of course that'd take forever to make and have a terrifying price tag.
Mr.Wilson
SpyderMS
Posted 9:43 PM 23/4/08
I remember anticipating this, and LittleBigPlanet, which were coming 'last' fall/autumn/092107-122007
SpyderMS
DJTripleRRR
Posted 3:45 AM 24/4/08
@SnakePlissken: Wait ur one of the closed beta testers?
I'm so excited for home! YAY
DJTripleRRR
ThePhantomOfTheNet
Posted 10:16 PM 22/4/08
As a bona-fide weirdo, this PS Home is looking interesting enough that I might just have to pick up a PS3.
It will definitely enhance my online social life... which is, ummm, my only life.
ThePhantomOfTheNet
Guy-Fawkes
Posted 4:36 AM 23/4/08
Wonder what sort of surprises Sony will hide in Playstation Home... Will it be anything like the Sony/BMG rootkit virus they distributed on audio CDs, or the rootkit they distributed on USB thumbsticks? Or will they just go straight for the obvious and easy ID theft? Guess we'll jsut have to wait and see.
Guy-Fawkes