PS Home announces 10 million users

By Robert Purchese Published 18 December, 2009

Ain't no place like it.

Sony's PlayStation Home trumpet is blowing as the company announces that 10 million users inhabit the virtual world.

This revelation coincides with the release of two new Home spaces, one for Uncharted 2 and one for Ratchet & Clank 2. Sony no doubt hopes developers other than first-party flock appreciate the value of displaying their game in PlayStation Home.

Despite still being in open beta, PlayStation Home is starting to gain traction, as Red Bull, Resistance 2, Buzz!, MotorStorm and SingStar areas attract attention. Plus, many of those key features promised when Home was announced are beginning to seep into the final build, such as game launching and media streaming.

Home may not be the runaway train of success Sony had hoped, but it's no turkey.

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.

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

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Comments (63) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • mcbi4kh2 #1 2 years ago

    Kind of true though, I wonder how many active user's there are? I would guess less than 1% of that total

  • M4RV #2 2 years ago

    ^ ^ ^ ^

    My thoughts exactly.

  • DoctorZoidberg #3 2 years ago

    They should have made it the start up. So you power on and boom, your in, with everything you need conveniently close, then the option to leave your "apartment" and seek further joys if you wish to. Thats what I would have done.

  • berelain #4 2 years ago

    Thats 10 million people who have ever used it, though. I hate stats like this, they're utterly meaningless, except for executive chest-puffing.

    Edit: @ DrZoidberg - the problem is Home takes so long to load new things and update that if they did that it'd take even longer to get into a game!
    Edited by 1 at 18/12/09 @ 12:05

  • mcbi4kh2 #5 2 years ago

    @DcotorZoidberg
    It would have had to been flawless and loading times next to zero for that to work, last time I used it took a good minute to go from apartment to cinema to square etc. Which would be far too long and be tedious after about 5 minutes.
    Edited by 1 at 18/12/09 @ 12:06

  • penhalion #6 2 years ago

    @svd_grasshopper

    I did actually use it exactly once, so whether such comments are predictable or not they are most definitely true in a lot of cases, mine included.

  • menage #7 2 years ago

    I never even bothered to visit it once. Too much valuable space wasted imo.
    Edited by 1 at 18/12/09 @ 12:07

  • oreillymj #8 2 years ago

    So that's 100million downloads of Home Square

  • Stomp224 #9 2 years ago

    I used it twice, best thing about it was reading the speech bubbles of other conversations. Best one I've seen was when I was just wandering the main plaza and a speech bubble appeared over a large crowd of peeps with the immortal line "but u r faggot?"

    Well, I LOLed, at least >_>

  • stampax #10 2 years ago

    Used once, and never again.

  • lockload #11 2 years ago

    @wile_coyote

    That's actually good ideas not that it will ever happen

    Ive used home a few times in the beta and a few times afterwards just dont get it all there was were people dancing and talking crap, i bought my ps3 to play games not waste time
    Edited by 2 at 18/12/09 @ 12:19

  • Darren #12 2 years ago

    @svd_grasshopper - Well I'm one of those people who tried the Home beta a couple of times and have never used it since (seems completely pointless to me) so I presume I'm counted as one of those 10 million users. Well... it sounds good, doesn't it, even if the truth is that a good number of those people probably don't use it at all. We'll never know for sure though but I don't suppose anyone is losing sleep over it! :)

  • Skurmedel #13 2 years ago

    Such comments are bound to come as these numbers are statistically entirely meaningless if you don't know where they come from. Console manufacturers love to dump them on us though, vague big numbers that doesn't tell us the whole truth. Probably good for the stock price.

  • M_of_the_sys #14 2 years ago

    @wile_coyote

    Really good idea. How about tying the points to your trophy collection with a system also set up to sell bought itmes for points at a future date.

  • kangarootoo #15 2 years ago

    @penhalion

    I apologise in advance. There is some serious pedantry about to follow. I wish I didn't sound so arsey, but I can't help it in this case, as you have really pushed my buttons :)

    Ok. Here it comes.



    "I did actually use it exactly once, so whether such comments are predictable or not they are most definitely true in a lot of cases, mine included"

    Good grief.

    The deep and comprehansive lack of any logic or fact in your leap from your own individual, personal and isolated experience to stating that "they are most definitely true in a lot of cases" is making parts of my brain feel ill.

    In summary "I didn't like it, so its definitely true to say that nobody likes it, myself included". Could you possible make a more factually unsafe statement. Seriously.

  • Skurmedel #16 2 years ago

    M: That is also a good idea. Maybe that could be extended outside of Home. A theme if you complete half the game or something.
    Edited by 1 at 18/12/09 @ 12:38

  • FogHeart #17 2 years ago

    I only used it once.

    (sidles up to penhalion and whispers "We can 'ave 'im, you and me...";)

  • Machiavellian #18 2 years ago

    I personally have no problem with Home. It is what it is and there are people that love it. I for one do not have time to play around in it. I barely have time to play the games that I have including all the games that I want to play that are coming up. When I want to join up with friends its usually to play a game. My life is way to busy to play around in virtual environment like Home. Instead I need something that is quick, simple and fast. Allows me to hook up with my buddies with no fuss get to the games we want to play. This is where Home fails for me and I hope Sony does not forget that there are people that just need something easy and simple.
    Edited by 1 at 18/12/09 @ 14:27

  • Vanmunt #19 2 years ago

    I used to like Home and popped in to see what was what quite often... however, the last update borked my Home app and it wouldn't load.. and to be honest I can't be arsed to download it again as I need the space (60g ps3!)

  • kangarootoo #20 2 years ago

    I've used it maybe twice. Perhaps even three times.

    I can draw no firm conclusion from that about anybody other than myself.

    I'll shut up now.

  • StooMonster #21 2 years ago

    Nielsen reckon that PS3 owners buy the most movie games, so I'm surprised there is more movie-tiein content on Home. Although perhaps that's coming?

    http://ww w.industrygamers.com/news/ps3-o...

  • miiiguel #22 2 years ago

    Having tried home, it has indeed atrocious loading times which makes ppl who are not realy into the virtual socializing thing not wanting to come back.
    I think it also have another problem, most likely Home was planned when 2nd life (it is a 2nd life, kinda a clone. No, really, it is!) was hip and cool and promising, now nobody wants to have nothing to do with 2nd life, let alone a clone.
    Edited by 1 at 18/12/09 @ 12:51

  • davisorle #23 2 years ago

    First of its not 10m users.. its 10m created avatars. So to skip the part that noone really keeps using it, the momment they stop calling it beta will be the momment they include iit in the subscription plans as a "bonus". Then you will see how they manage to fully make the small % of Europeans fully give up on it.

    @mcbi4kh2
    In order to be 1% there would have to be a total of 100.000 active. More than obvious.
    Edited by 1 at 18/12/09 @ 13:10

  • M_of_the_sys #24 2 years ago

    ^^

    ..."obviously".
    Edited by 1 at 18/12/09 @ 12:59

  • butler` #25 2 years ago

    this is more of a sony 10 million than a blizzard 10 million, put it that way
    Edited by 1 at 18/12/09 @ 13:08

  • M_of_the_sys #26 2 years ago

    this is more of a sony 10 million than a blizzard 10 million, put it that way

    Probably true but I think the figures are announced more to encourage developers to provide content for home as opposed to encourage people to buy a PS3.

  • cherryuk #27 2 years ago

    my Home account will remain deleted no matter how many times they expand it.

  • davisorle #28 2 years ago

    @M_of_the_sys
    Amazing how you made a whole comment to correct me when in fact the whole 4 word sentence was wrong.. Anyhow. Cheers.

  • WinterSnowblind #29 2 years ago

    @wile_coyote
    That actually sounds like a good idea, I like the way Nintendo runs the Stars catalogue.. giving you points for buying games to spend on junk. Unfortunately it only works with games published by Nintendo so it takes a ridiculous amount of time to save up anything.

    But something like that for the PS3 could definitely work and it'd definitely be big incentive to keep visiting home. I'm another one who's installed it, and never gone back to it.

  • Murton #30 2 years ago

    I used this a bit last year but kind of lost interest with there not being enough new stuff to do. The loading times are a non-issue, they're pretty long the first time you visit a specific area as it downloads the data for it, but once that data is saved it's as fast as any other game to load into a new "level" of course if Sony change anything in that area, anything at all, everyone has to download the updated version.

    Personally I'm a big fan of what Home is trying to do but the truth is, there's just not enough there to make people into regular users. That being said though, every time I have ever logged on to Home it has been packed with people, so there must be some repeat visitors.

  • M_of_the_sys #31 2 years ago

    @davisorle

    You've editted what you said now but I was infact quoting your use of the word 'obvious'. It seemed you were saying that it's obvious less than 100,000 people use Home.

  • chubster2010 #32 2 years ago

    re. 'That actually sounds like a good idea, I like the way Nintendo runs the Stars catalogue.. giving you points for buying games to spend on junk. '

    I think people are forgetting how much stuff Home gives you for free. All the spaces, all the free items, movie promos, mini games etc etc.

    I don't think it's unreasonable for Sony (and it's partners) to want to make some money from it as well....they are a business after all!.
    Edited by 2 at 18/12/09 @ 13:24

  • Fletche #33 2 years ago

    Playing PixelJunk Shooter you get free gifts for Home when you complete tasks, like collecting a certain amount of jewels. This is how it should be, so as well as Trophies you can get Home furnishings from games, would be win/win for Sony

  • Santino #34 2 years ago

    put me down for the use once and never again club, what a waste of 3 gigs, ive had more fun with a computer virus. seriously it is probably the worst piece of software ever coded, you can tell it was marketing people behind the concept.
    Edited by 1 at 18/12/09 @ 13:43

  • Arwin #35 2 years ago

    First of all, this article almost sounds like it came from a few months ago, what with the "one for Uncharted 2 and one for Ratchet & Clank 2" having been out there for quite a while. This week alone saw the launch of 3-4 completely new spaces (SodiumOne, the Gravity Crash themed Presentation Space that has a few fun games and an amazingly cool animated suit to win, a Christmas themed space, Audi space, etc.). The MMO game SodiumOne is a pretty big one with lots to do - among others there's a shooting game that looks, has website integration and so on. Worth checking out.

    Complaints about load-times are a bit out-dated imho - load times have improved considerably so that loading a space now takes between 15-30 seconds typically. Stores load their contents with multi-threading now and are much faster, and generally there's a tonne of content now of which the overwhelming majority is still completely free. I get most of mine through playing mini-games in Home, and occasionally through playing a regular PS3 game.

  • chubster2010 #36 2 years ago

    @ Fletche
    re 'Playing PixelJunk Shooter you get free gifts for Home when you complete tasks, like collecting a certain amount of jewels. This is how it should be, so as well as Trophies you can get Home furnishings from games, would be win/win for Sony'

    There are a few games like this. For example: Batman: AA gave you a free Batcave apartment, SFIV gave you 4 free t-shirts, Singstar gave you some t-shirts etc.

    It would be good if this was true of all/most games though.

  • TurboBailey #37 2 years ago

    Home is 1 year old, and still utter garbage.

  • merkdot #38 2 years ago

    come on people, it's still in beta! (forever)

  • TheDudesRug #39 2 years ago

    From what i gather, home is ghastly.
    Edited by 2 at 18/12/09 @ 13:53

  • chubster2010 #40 2 years ago

    @ Santino
    re. ' seriously it is probably the worst piece of software ever coded, you can tell it was marketing people behind the concept.'

    And...you say you've tried it once?

    A well informed opinion then! Well done.

  • BobsUncle #41 2 years ago

    I used it a few times. I 'talked' to one guy in the square about the 360 and he said "360 is for poor people". I gave up after that.

    I also found it hilarious how people would croud around ANY female avatar. I made my avatar look fat and old, and I remember one person calling me 'Fatty'. It cut so deep.

    And people complain about Xbox live being full of idiots...

  • Dizzy #42 2 years ago

    Reminds me of those incredible stats Second Life used to pump out.

  • StooMonster #43 2 years ago

    'That actually sounds like a good idea, I like the way Nintendo runs the Stars catalogue.. giving you points for buying games to spend on junk. '

    I do not like the way Nintendo runs the Stars catalogue.

    Stars time out. Did you know that?

    I entered a bunch of mine and kids Nintendo games into Stars system, actually got quite a significant balance up. But just as their new junk arrived, my Stars timed out and the balance was reset to 0; I hadn't previously wanted old junk.

    I complained to Nintendo, why do your Stars time out? WTF is the point of that? They could not adequately explain except to say "next time, enter the stars only when you want something". I said the only obvious purpose was to make me hate them, in an anthropomorphic way.

    Next time? They must be joking, I think not.

  • GamesConnoisseur #44 2 years ago

    Me too. I dont wish Home to fails and would be happy if its succeed against expectations, but I m another one of the 'I been there only once at beginning and popped in one or two more times since then' type of PS3 owner.

    What I promise you is that during Xmas break I will go back and give it a good try once again, but the limitation of the hardware in storing memory and seeing ghosts skins and loadings between levels is just a killer.

    Though if the contents is such enough that you would be willing to put up with those flaws. Go for it!

  • Skurmedel #45 2 years ago

    I would like them to add a bit more to the Folding@Home thing, I like that one, it's like an aquarium. It sits there and computes stuff and displays pretty information. You can take a look now and then... some new music or an MP3-player option would help.
    Edited by 1 at 18/12/09 @ 15:51

  • SeesThroughAll #46 2 years ago

    After so long, it still is an advertising hub that does not serve any useful purpose for gamers. I tried meeting other users, asking them which games they play online, and nobody seems to care. I only added a couple of people from Home to my friends list, and we never bothered to invite each other to any common game either. I never seem to meet people who already were in my friends list there either.

    I only go back there every now and then to check on new spaces, but then it's ages until I have any interest again... Boring.

    Re: Home as a Second Life clone.
    Absolutely. But at least 2nd life has decent (*free*) costumization options.
    Edited by 1 at 18/12/09 @ 16:06

  • kangarootoo #47 2 years ago

    "that does not serve any useful purpose for gamers"

    Well the people that use it obviously get something out of the experience. Is being entertained not a useful purpose?

  • SeesThroughAll #48 2 years ago

    The loading times are a non-issue, they're pretty long the first time you visit a specific area as it downloads the data for it, but once that data is saved it's as fast as any other game to load into a new "level" of course if Sony change anything in that area, anything at all, everyone has to download the updated version.

    Good grief, why don't they separate the download of the videos and the ads from the area data? Or even better, stream them properly?

  • SeesThroughAll #49 2 years ago

    Well the people that use it obviously get something out of the experience. Is being entertained not a useful purpose?

    Fine, if I look at Home as yet another game. But I never intended to use Home itself as a game. It was planned to be a social interactive space for gamers. Hence things such as the game launching functionality (which came very late, btw).

  • jag10 #50 2 years ago

    This looks pretty good tbh:

    http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=8MDm8pMW-hY

  • kangarootoo #51 2 years ago

    @SeesThroughAll

    "Fine, if I look at Home as yet another game. But I never intended to use Home itself as a game. It was planned to be a social interactive space for gamers."

    Well it was probably planned to be lots of different things. A game launcher is one, a social space is another. And its fine that it doesn't give you what you want or expected, but that isn't the same as "does not serve any useful purpose for gamers".

  • Windypops #52 2 years ago

    Never really understood the point of Home. If people want these "interactive spaces", then surely they'd play Second Life (while their first, real life falls apart through neglect). If they want to play games, they get games consoles.

    But, yeah. Meaningless statistic that looks good for the shareholders+1

  • Xerx3s #53 2 years ago

    How many of those actually returned even once?

  • EmiliasHorse #54 2 years ago

    Home is one long update after another; I log in from time to time and always regret it hugely. The whole experience is very much like PSN in general, slow, cold and depressing....But it is free!

  • Pedrolot #55 2 years ago

    @ Xerx3

    Me. several times.
    Edited by 1 at 18/12/09 @ 20:11

  • JamieR #56 2 years ago

    Home gets some good quick games every now and then they get boring quick but they are free and they can be fun for a while I do find the home software really slow to load i can never be bothered to play home because it takes so long to come on the hair on the characters is very funny looking and ugly the store is very slow to load also its so much a pain to use. its obvously is bringing fun to some people though and at times for me too.

  • RandomTerrain #57 2 years ago

    If my mates ask me to go on I do. It's alright, but last time I checked it still needs a lot of work.
    The whole launch into a game together thing after discussing it with friends sounded good, but doesn't seem to be up to scratch yet.

  • VMerken #58 2 years ago

    Well, what can I say?

    Used it once at during launch (I think my stay was shorter than the time it took me to log in), and am thinking about going in there a second time to see if I they managed to implement something which is actually interesting.

    The only positive things I remembered were: pretty zen, artificially clean, some kids garbling into their mic while I was watching the Watchmen trailer in the theatre and the billboards alerting me to Loco Roco 2.

  • Murton #59 2 years ago

    SeeThroughAll: I think you misunderstood me, I was talking about the area. Advertising content such as videos and posters are streamed into the areas, but if an oject is moved or has its texture changed then it is considered to be a different version and users must re-download it to ensure they're up to date with the game world.

    I actually signed back onto Home for the first time in ages today, I think the last time I signed in was in the early Xi days and there were a LOT of people around. I visited only visited maybe half a dozen areas but saw over 100 people easily, the bowling alley had every lane and every pool table occupied, the cinema and mall had plenty of people milling around, all of the poker tables at the EA Sports Center were full and there was a good dozen people playing the Club DJ game in the Fight Night arena, I didn't even look in on high content areas such as Xi or Sodium.

    From my brief wander back into the Home space I have come to the conclusion that it is clearly offering something that people want and is going from strength to strength as a result. I intend to go back over the next few days to see what other stuff I've missed, there may just be something in there that will make a regular user of me.

  • Mono_X #60 2 years ago

    If home does have a 100,000 regular users, then I'd say that's pretty healthy numbers. It's only a bit lower than most MMOs (except for WOW of course).

  • Stegofreak #61 2 years ago

    I tend to pop back to home every once and a while and really emerse myself in the experience. I even bought a Christmas hat yesterday but now my avatar looks like an old grampa with his santa hat, christmas jumper and pants.

    Also, it brings out the interior decorator in me. :-D

  • Ryze #62 2 years ago

    Turkey.

  • influenceuk #63 2 years ago

    Home has not changed much over here since the closed beta. However the US home has had a few facelifts! Why do we always get the short end of the stick over here!!

    Also pricing on items is a complete joke, 79p items here in the UK are like 59 cents in the US Bloody RIP OFF BRITAIN!!!! I always thought that once things start going digital download route the consumer would start to make savings, why the hell will anyone want to go digital when its so bloody costly another perfect example is the PSN versions of games, or games on demand on xbox live - Complete rip off