Tuesday, April 22, 2008

PlayStation Home Not Launching till Fall 2008

Sony Computer Entertainment has confirmed today that PlayStation Home will not arrive until Fall 2008, delaying it from it's already delayed Spring release.

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) announced today that it will expand the Closed Beta testing for PLAYSTATION®Home in Summer 2008, inviting a further number of registrants from the PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3®) users. Following completion of the Expanded Closed Beta test, the PLAYSTATION Home Open Beta service will commence in Fall 2008.

“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® 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, such as connecting PlayStation games with Home and providing places and items from the games.

Details of the Closed Beta testing features, registration for the test and the opening of the service will be announced as they become available.

We understand you need more time and all, but can't you throw us those Home features for use in the XMB so we can actually do something on the PlayStation Network while we are waiting?

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Actually do something"?

Give me a break.

incredibilistic said...

Sony didn't need this. At this point it would've been better to launch the service with bugs and holes and fix it along the way rather than continuing to delay it as you only build unrealistic expectations and ultimately it will suck even if it's really good because of the delay.

I already know that 360-exclusive "Too Human" is gonna suck. First off, almost a year ago when EGM covered the game on their cover they slammed it on the next issue. The game had a horrific showing at last year's E3. All of this is because the game has been delayed for almost 10 years. You can't work on anything that long and expect it to work out for you.

Home developers will be so burnt on out launching it that they probably just don't care anymore.

Overall, this is horrible news but as you say, onAxis, we should at least get some of the basic features that Home will bring such as in-game XMB and entitlements/trophies.

xbandaidx said...

You know I was interested in Home and the special features it will bring to games. Now I just don't care anymore, keep Home sony we don't want it anymore.

Just give me my in-game xmb now, and it'll be done with.

Anonymous said...

PS3 needs some good news, cause all these delays are bummin me out.

Anonymous said...

Again, more smoke and mirrors from Good old Sony.

I knew there was a reason i rarely play my ps3 - its just full of holes and so many 'coming soon' it just gets old.

They have been doing this for years now. promises promises promises. I'm sorry but it is getting tiresome.

Im guessing if they released home right now, it would kill any hope of people wanting it and I am also guessing it is not just content and bugs but probably something to do with the network also.

I always wondered what would happen if you give 5-10 million people access to wondering around a virtual world playing together talking together etc. It has to tax the heck out of the back end.

BlackIceJoe said...

Well I am happy because I am a beta tester and let me tell you Home right now is nothing like Sony said it would be. There is no chance it is like Second Life not even a little.

Let me say the beta is at patch 8.6
and the magic is to happen at 1.00
and when the patch was 8.3 it took four months to go from 8.3 to 8.6.

So there was no way Home would come out in the Summer if it take four months to go up three little points.

Now the idea of Home let me say is great but none of that is even added yet. I want Sony to give me a reason to want to fill my room with stuff right now I have nothing in it because I feel like there is no need.

So I can't tell you how happy I am to see the delay it can only help.

Anonymous said...

At this rate home will come out on the ps4.

thehosh said...

this is written in my college book about project failures, one of the bullet points says: "A project fails if it is not released on time"

FAIL SONY!!

Shibbs said...

Ooooohh sony, how you trite us with your fancy programs.