PlayStation Home pushed back again

By Robert Purchese Published 22 April, 2008

Beta expanded to make it better.

Sony has stretched its closed beta for PlayStation Home so it will continue throughout the summer, nudging the open testing back to autumn and final release sometime after that.

"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 Kaz Hirai, Sony Entertainment overlord.

"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," he added.

PlayStation Home lets you make a little virtual avatar of yourself and potter around talking to other PS3 users online.

You get to buy a house, too, and display rewards earned from games there, as well as pictures and videos and music and mini-games and all sorts.

Pop over to our PlayStation Home page for some videos and screenshots.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (61) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • muscleblade #1 4 years ago

    What a shock!! Not!

  • boyakoosha #2 4 years ago

    Gee what a huge surprise!!!


    NOT

  • boyakoosha #3 4 years ago

    Ooo spooky!!!

  • Mildew #4 4 years ago

    Out on the same day as Alan Wake and Duke Nukem Forever then? ;)

  • Gaol #5 4 years ago

    By the time this comes out I will have had my import PS3 for two years. Very disappointing - they've been promising it for far too long now.

    If they can get in game xmb earlier then great, otherwise this makes me regret not getting a 360. Almost enough to buy one now.

  • the_dudefather #6 4 years ago

    @Muscleblade
    @boyakoosha

    lol good one
    not ;)

  • richardiox #7 4 years ago

    Gran Turismo Mobile

    Home was originally supposed to have its full launch last October. I saw artworks shots of the GT:M umd about 2 years ago.
    Edited by richardiox at 22/04/08 @ 11:10

  • redlander #8 4 years ago

    The PS3 has no community features at all, home is taking far to log.

    They could roll out a limited service.

  • anomagnus #9 4 years ago

    will you be able to make your avatar a robot ninja in home? or is it just normal, flesh bags?

    i really cant see the point of home. it sounds like second life.

    i hate second life. A lot.

  • boyakoosha #10 4 years ago

    In game XMB better be here soon, recently I've started using my PS3 more for streaming media etc, I love it, the interface is slick, nice and quick...but guess what...where's the community?!

    If in game XMB comes sooner (like has been rumoured) then fair enough, that will appease a lot of people. Don't get me wrong, I'm not massively waiting for home, things like LBP and MGS4 are far more exciting to me...and in game XMB.

    is it me, or has it been nigh on 2 years now and still I can't talk to a friend if I'm in a game?! can you say "That f***ing sucks?!"

    Come on Sony, sort yourselves out!!!!

  • agparrot #11 4 years ago

    It's going to be 2009, isn't it?

    "Sometime after autumn" could mean the winter of 2008 of course, and it might be a nice christmas gift to PS3 (and prospective PS3, what interesting language!) users.

    At least it should only be this year that we can keep saying 'next year will be the year of PS3', by the time we get to 2009 it would surely have arrived.

  • Anthony_UK #12 4 years ago

    Are people really all that interested in this?? From what I can tell, the 'having your own room thing', might be fun for a few days puting your own pictures and videos on the wall etc, but I can imagine getting pretty bored of it pretty soon. Home seems likely to appeal more to girls more than anything in my opinion........ as for the rest of it, Great!!! now instead of simply clicking on a demo in the store and downloading it no problem, I get to be some little avatar who has to walk through some ad infested virtual shop for a developer........

    I might be missing the point, but it doesn't sound that great to me.......
    Edited by Anthony_UK at 22/04/08 @ 11:14

  • DutchDemons #13 4 years ago

    i still don't see where the fun lies with this?

    is it purely to have some kind of online service, that the competition doesn't? so you have an avatar running around...while not playing games? what's the point of that? so you can chat....through an avatar? why not 'just chat' ....or 'just video chat'.

    it sounds very much like second life/ the sims. and while the latter is hugely popular, i can't see this becoming a huge hit, mainly because of that succes.

  • Darren #14 4 years ago

    LOL

    Typical Sony IMO... announce something exciting and then take absolutely ages bringing it out due to constant delays. Why on earth don't they wait until the product in question is well into development and almost complete before they tell the world about it? :?

  • Darren #15 4 years ago

    Sounds like Sony are delaying HOME until Christmas...

    ... Christmas 2009!!! ;) LOL

  • Dizzy #16 4 years ago

    "on earth don't they wait until the product in question is well into development and almost complete before they tell the world about it? :? "

    It is a classic marketing trick.

  • DutchDemons #17 4 years ago

    what trick might that be? make your customers lose all interest in your product and then....

  • bad09 #18 4 years ago

    They seem to be taking a lot of time on something that sounds incredibly niche.

    Spend your time on in game XMB,messaging and CUSTOM SOUNDTRACKS!!!

  • betahoven #19 4 years ago

    Post deleted at 09:36:16 17-12-2011

  • Olemak #20 4 years ago

    I don't think the delay matters even one little bit. Nobody's holding their breath for this feature anyway, but when it does hit, it could (potentially) have a huge impact with the teen market; hooked on instant messaging and community services like facebook etc. as kids semm to be these days.

    Actual gamers, such as the forumites here, are less likely to be interestind in this. But I do belive that Home could be this generation's Sing Star. And maybe "The Homies" will be getting into real games as a result of spending time with the PS3 - pretty sure that's a part of Sony's master plan here.

    Oh - will Homies be able to stream up media such as photos, music and video stored on their PS3 to (dis)play in their apartment? Could I visit a friends Home apartment and watch his pirated Spider-Man 3, for instance?

    Now that would be a feature worth looking into Home for! Unlikely, tho, due to DRM issues.
    Edited by Olemak at 22/04/08 @ 11:44

  • Moz #21 4 years ago

    I guess all the time they have a week to week sales lead over the 360 they're not going to rush anything.

    But feel that they need to get at least the open beta (which lets face it is just a way of excusing any teething problems) out before the year is out, my money is on September

  • mattigan #22 4 years ago

    "what trick might that be? make your customers lose all interest in your product and then.... "

    All the time your customer is holding off buying your competitors product while waiting for your promised 'next big thing' to arrive, means a few less quid in the oppositions pocket!

    It's a classic Sony tactic.

  • Moz #23 4 years ago

    @Olemak

    streaming video to a "TV" in your appartment as well as putting photos on your wall where both mentioned in some of the earlier reports on home, if it makes it into the final product or not is to be seen.

  • space_ace #24 4 years ago

    ps4 launch title - homelol

  • monkie_king #25 4 years ago

    Mattigan: it's also a classic Microsoft tactic in the PC operating system and apps market (remember that touch-screen PC-in-a-bathtub thing they were touting a few months back?). Although with the Xbox brand they have delivered on their promises, by and large.

  • alimokrane #26 4 years ago

    2009 Then for sure!

  • The_Programmer #27 4 years ago

    If it ever comes out it will be - Home Prologue. Then you'll have to wait another year for the real thing.
    Edited by The_Programmer at 22/04/08 @ 11:53

  • TripSkyway #28 4 years ago

    Damn.

  • monkie_king #29 4 years ago

    Olemak: what you're talking about there is streaming video across the internet, so expect something more along the lines of sharing short YouTube-quality clips.

  • paulf #30 4 years ago

    surely it's worth waiting for something if its gonna be great? (I'm not saying it will be - just saying I'd rather wait for a complete product rather than something that is rushed)

  • penhalion #31 4 years ago

    In computing there is a saying KISS or Keep it simple stupid. As short and sweet as that saying is, it's taken the best part of two decades for programmers to understand it. The more features they add to home the less useful it becomes. Even now, with all this going to peoples homes to see their tropies etc. etc. No-one on the beta does that anymore. Finding friends is impossible on the thing, the theatre is useless as you end up simply downloading the trailers anyway. It takes twice as long to do anything on home so seriously what is the point?

    Before the defenders of the faith come pouring in let me ask anyone who is actually on the beta like me. What do you do on it if you are even using it anymore?

    I stopped using it ages ago and only update it when there are updates, just to see if anything get's easier/better

  • monkie_king #32 4 years ago

    penhalion: i have to say, Home always seemed like an ill-conceived and ill-defined project from the start, and lacked any real focus. It was just one of those things where you read the feature list, and go "well, that's all very nice, but what is it actually useful for?". So it's interesting that your experience with the Beta is that nobody actually bothers with all the little features they've arbitrarily stuck in there.

    I can only assume Phil Harrison and his SCEE cronies jizzed their pants at all the hype there was around Second Life a couple of years ago, and decided that The Getaway team were somehow qualified to produce something so overambitious. And meanwhile it seems to be holding back the development of a proper integrated XMB, which is all people really want.

  • paulf #33 4 years ago

    @penhalion hopefully that is what they have realised, ie the 'more focussed' remark in the article - time will tell though

  • muscleblade #34 4 years ago

    The chances are they are saving it for PS4. They just dont dare to say it - yet.

  • miiiguel #35 4 years ago

    I honestly hope Sony get its act straight with PS4. The "delay/next-year-is-the-year" thing became a litle too much... last year.

  • hiddenranbir #36 4 years ago

    Mega fear of failing or what.

  • BadBoyBonner #37 4 years ago

    Maybe they(Sony) have realised that people will be much happier to hang out together in the GTA IV multiplayer world with their friends - than in Home - in GTA IV they can hang out, chat, cruise around in the car listening to the awesome radio channels, then suddenly decide to go car jacking, play darts, rescue a mob boss etc etc.

    Launching Home anywhere near GTA IV would be almost suicidle for Sony. I feel sure MS would be pissing themselves if Sony pit home against GTA IV extra chapters. Coupled with Gears of War 2 and other's, it seems MS's demise this year has been exaggerated somewhat by the analysts if not the press.

    More so when GT5 is nowhere to be seen and the creator of MGS 4 is on record saying his game isn't half as good as he was expecting (if taken literally by what he said it would be 10% ( one step forward instead of ten) seems even Kojima believed the hype. When the reality of the PS3's lack of power came home to roost - i.e. equivalent of 360 as opposed to blowing the 360 right out of the water).

    Shame the PS3 was sacrificed at the Blu-Ray altar as I believe it could have been amazing.

  • J.C #38 4 years ago

    PS3lol! again!

  • DutchDemons #39 4 years ago


    …All the time your customer is holding off buying your competitors product while waiting for your promised 'next big thing' to arrive, means a few less quid in the oppositions pocket!

    It's a classic Sony tactic.

    not really working out for them then. when people are buying wii's like crazy and ppl spending mad cash on 360 games. allthought tbh, this home thingy can't be considered to be a system selling feature....right? or am i completely missing the point here?

  • T4RG4 #40 4 years ago

    "but when it does hit, it could (potentially) have a huge impact with the teen market; hooked on instant messaging and community services like facebook etc. as kids semm to be these days. "

    Teens (especially girls) arent likely to splash out on a PS3 for this when they get all that stuff free already via the PC they didnt have to buy..

    It's probably delayed because some Sony fool up high thinks 'social networking ftw!' but when it filters down to the people who actually have to work out what to make of it... they realise it's pants ;)

  • phatb0y #41 4 years ago

    Couldn't give a shit about Home. It screams 'novelty value'.

    Its been said time and time again but if you want this sort of thing then get Second Life. I didn't buy my PS3 for furries, grooming pedalos or retards spamming /dance emotes. I bought it to play games on. The only thing I would like in this regard is an in-game XMB and the 50 friend cap removed. Other than that you can fuck your internet wendyhouse off thanks.

    Even my missus can't see the point of Home ('that looks proper wank') and she was/is a hopeless Sims and Facebook addict.

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #42 4 years ago

    If they're not careful they'll end up in this year's vaporware awards.

  • hannibaldave #43 4 years ago

    Just want it for the Achievements-like guff. Its mad how much Achievements on the 360 have changed the way I play and stetched the life-span of certain games for me. So much so that I don't care how empty a person that makes me ^_^

    Reckon we could potentially see Home debut on ps4. Could go so late into the ps3 lifespan that it wouldn't be worth (I'm talking man hours+ dev costs in relation to the money it could potentially encourage through new sales and no doubt things they'll flog you inside it) releasing and developing in its then current state on ps3. Perhaps better to evolve it a bit more for a new platform and premiere another 1 or 2 years on the next gen... Not saying its likely. It just might happen that way...

    edit1: talking 1 or 2 years from the point when it finally gets released - not now.

    edits: I speel
    Edited by hannibaldave at 22/04/08 @ 13:31

  • muscleblade #44 4 years ago

    Phatboy said: I bought it to play games on.

    If you didnt buy it to watch bluray movies on - you definently bought the wrong console.

  • moggsy #45 4 years ago

    Wasn't Home originally a PS2 project? If it was shifted to the PS4 it would have missed two generations!

  • anomagnus #46 4 years ago

    @phatb0y

    furries! dear god, i hadn't even considered that!

    You can also bet that the first time ANYTHING untoward happens, Fox news will be on like stink on shit

    'my son was virtually molested by cyber sex monster with super peepers' - sun headline

    PSex3 - Foxnews headline

  • belziah #47 4 years ago

    In-Game XMB makes HOME essentially irrelevant.

    Its currently being tested so hopefully we should see it by summer.

  • Psiloc #48 4 years ago

    Ingame XMB > Home.

    Loving these equation things lately.

  • dieseljunkie #49 4 years ago

    Post deleted at 14:42:38 15-12-2011

  • CrudMonk #50 4 years ago

    I'm sorry to be a sceptic but they can't even make the store cohesive and fill it with content.

    Should of just ripped off live instead of this BIGGER BETTER FASTER look mummy it's like real mentality.

    Of course I'm ready to eat humble pie if proven wrong.
    Edited by CrudMonk at 22/04/08 @ 15:15

  • sneetch #51 4 years ago

    I've always thought that Home sounded like a seriously pointless "feature" for a console; I can't wait to sit on my virtual couch, looking around my virtual apartment while sitting on my real couch. But wait, will my virtual self also have a virtual self with his own couch? I doubt this feature will sell a single PS3.

    Can you already browse peoples trophies/awards? If so what does this add?

  • GamesConnoisseur #52 4 years ago

    Majority of us gamers are keenly looking forward to in game XMB on par/ better the X360's quite successful intergrated system. Home... I never went into any of the Second Life things. Its a worrying sign that the Home Beta users such as Penhalion have said after the novelty value passed, pretty much worthless.

    I dont think Sony really going to pass this gen and push it back, as their currency would drop (further) and they will still release it with fanfare if this xmas season or in 09. Casual gamers (for wants of better term) will probably buy into this more and sure it can work but only to an extent. Sony aim is to create communities of gamers and for sponsors to rush in funding the PSN for captive audience.

    Money is to be made in there, so Sony will not write it off but as we are questioning what is easier to use, in game XMB or Home? Can both work in parrallel or will one burn down the home of another?!

  • ronuds #53 4 years ago

    Home does seem a bit pointless, but for Sony it's going to be a way to keep PSN free. If what they're saying turns out to be true, it should generate a decent amount of revenue for them.

    Let's not forget the money...doesn't matter if it makes sense!

  • 8bitMofo #54 4 years ago

    It's taking so long in Beta, beucase no fucker could afford a PS3 when they first came out to help test it.

  • Rash' #55 4 years ago

    I know we live in a mad world, but if this paying with actual money for stuff that isn't actually there takes off then I'll have to re-evaluate my definition of mad!

  • AOFanboi #56 4 years ago

    "PlayStation Home lets you make a little virtual avatar of yourself and potter around talking to other PS3 users online."

    NO IT BLOODY DOESN'T! If it actually was released - or at least in open beta - you might have a point. But it is wrong to use the present tense there. Or insulting... COME ON SONY!

  • Darth_Flibble #57 4 years ago

    "It's an option, FFS. If you find it 'pointless', just don't use it and don't wait for it. nobody is forcing you to. "

    true, but the spent of getting Home developed would be better off spent on developing some exclusive game that would sell more consoles. A 2nd life clone is not going to sell the console. I don't think the average casual gamer would be interested.

  • Ryze #58 4 years ago

    @richardiox

    2004 more like. GT Mobile was shown in the first official PSP shots in early '04 or maybe earlier!

    /searches for photos

  • Ryze #59 4 years ago

    16th May 2004.

    http://s238.photobucket.com/albums/ff208...
    Edited by Ryze at 22/04/08 @ 20:55

  • Stu #60 4 years ago

    Judging from some of the tossers who I've met online, the last thing I'd want to do is hang around and chat.
    Edited by Stu at 23/04/08 @ 09:16

  • Les #61 4 years ago

    "Why on earth don't they wait until the product in question is well into development and almost complete before they tell the world about it? :?"

    Astroturfing is a rather ubiquitous marketing technique used a lot by companies that have no/not enough confidence in their product as it is (Sony and MS are prime examples of this tactic, Nintendo and Apple do the exact opposite). I guess early last year Sony was scared shitless by 360 so they showed stuff like LBP and Home to keep people interested in their machine and thus away from the competition. Pretty ineffective against the Wii and in hindsight not really necessary against the 360...