PlayStation Home Open β opens to all December 11th!

[Shin-Ra]

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 world¹ 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 “Club²” 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 download³ 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 charge⁴. 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.

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.”

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.

[jamclaur]

Awesome. I haven't really liked beta. I should have traded my code. I hope the full thing is better!

[Shin-Ra]

PlayStation Home Open Beta Launches Tomorrow
Posted by Jack Buser // Director, PlayStation Home

The day we’ve been waiting for is here! And this is just the beginning…

Today we announced that PlayStation Home will enter into open beta, and will be available to everyone tomorrow. This milestone represents the very beginning of a long journey together, as PlayStation Home is an ever evolving, always changing, organic experience — full of new friends to meet, new events to enjoy, and new content to explore.

If this will be your first time in PlayStation Home, be sure to talk to folks that have been around for a while, as they can show you the ropes. We also have a tutorial built in that will get you started with the controls, as well as help menus for you to reference in the Menu Pad. If you don’t have a USB keyboard or Bluetooth headset paired with your PlayStation 3, now is the time to do so – either option will allow you to easily talk and meet everyone.

One of the first things that you’ll notice that there are always things going on – parties, tournaments, events – some of which will be announced, and some of which that will just happen. You’ve got to be there to be a part of the party, so make sure to log in often to see what is going on.

If you want to know what’s coming up, check out the PlayStation Home forums, as we will be announcing events, tournaments, content updates, and feature revisions there, and by actively participating, you will be the first to know. You’ll also find that the PlayStation Home forums are alive with conversation from the PlayStation Home community discussing everything from feature requests to new clubs to join.

Many of you will have already seen the news regarding participation in PlayStation Home from your favorite game publishers and brands, including Activision, Disney, Eidos, Electronic Arts, Lucas Arts, THQ and UBISOFT as well as Sony Pictures, Paramount, Red Bull, Ligne Roset, and Diesel. As you can imagine, with this many partners already on board, PlayStation Home will grow rapidly, so you’ll need to check back often to see what is new. We’ll do our best to keep you informed on what is going on, but with so much happening in PlayStation Home, there will always be new surprises and secrets to discover. If we simply told you about everything, then it just wouldn’t be as fun for you to discover…

[VIDEO]

For those of you that have been in PlayStation Home for a while, I wanted to take a moment to discuss something very cool that you will notice right away. Once you get in, you’ll see that a redesigned Central Plaza is there to greet you - we’ve made major upgrades as a result of your community feedback. Thank you!

First of all, the Central Plaza now features a new 4 player mini-game called “Saucer Pop,” where each player launches a flying saucer from a take-off pad and flies around popping bubbles. These bubbles contain stars that have points attached, but watch out for the bubbles with bombs which will take you out if you’re not careful. You also must keep an eye on your saucer’s fuel gauge and collect bubbles with fuel cells or else you will quickly meet a watery fate. Success is all about the high scores, so good luck out there! I’ve been playing for a while now while we’ve been developing the game, so I’m getting pretty good…for those of you that know me, prepare to pop!

Secondly, you will also see some changes to Listen@Home. Now, you’ll be able to select from a number of songs and vote on your favorites. Which ever song gets the most votes plays for everyone, so be sure to get your voice heard and get down on the dance floor.

I could go on and on about all the cool new things you are going see and find in PlayStation Home, both on day one of open beta and beyond. The important thing to remember is that PlayStation Home will continue to evolve and change overtime, so be sure to get in often so you don’t miss out…

See you in PlayStation Home.

[doctorD]

Awesome. I've been waiting to be able to try this.

[BergerForLife]

So what does this mean for everyone who already has the beta? Will we need to dl home again? I'm going to guess we don't and that we will just be getting an update on Thursday. Anybody know?

[STARSCREAM]

YESSSSSSSSSSSS! I have been wanting to try HOME for a long time now and never got a beta key.

[RealSkyDiver]

I knew I got the PS3 at the right moment. Just powered it up for the first time 2day and now its playing my breal-in DVD for the Panny. I'm still kinda disappointed that its still beta though. How can this take so many years??

[EvolutionCherry]

Originally Posted by RealSkyDiver

I knew I got the PS3 at the right moment. Just powered it up for the first time 2day and now its playing my breal-in DVD for the Panny. I'm still kinda disappointed that its still beta though. How can this take so many years??

No one was more impatient than me before the firmware 2.40 incident that bricked some PS3's this past summer. Basically these things take time to perfect and stuff to make sure the thing works at peak efficiency at the same time to make sure all PS3s can handle it without bricking them.

[xtop]

Secondly, you will also see some changes to Listen@Home. Now, you’ll be able to select from a number of songs and vote on your favorites. Which ever song gets the most votes plays for everyone, so be sure to get your voice heard and get down on the dance floor.

sweet!

so i didn't have a chance to read all of it, but how is it being released? download in the store?

man i'm real pumped for all the new content!

[bhampton]

Interesting,

Guess I'll check it out.

-Brian

[NARMAK]

You will have to pay to run a clubhouse it says in the small print but does that mean anybody with one now can keep & also our summer houses & clothes

[xtop]

ok cool i was right, the home icon will just be there when the service goes live and you start/restart your ps3

[dpomp]

well this is awesome! of course it will happen when i can't get online w/ my playstation.

i burned out my router (i was rearranging my living room and accidently plugged in the wrong adapter to my router) and for some reason, i can't get it to conect by just plugging in straight from my cable modem. i wasn't planning on buying a new router until i get back from a christmas vacation but i might have to go buy one for this reason.

[xtop]

so is this the new home thread, or just an announcement. because we'll have to figure out the club now that we know it costs money to open.

shame the trophies haven't kicked in

[Marine Mike]

This is great news!

[Blurayne]

Nice, can't wait.

[garlad]

super stuff!! cant wait for tomorrow!! and i am off work on Friday and Monday so plenty of time to get used to it

I wonder will there be problems downloading it tmrw with so many people trying to download it too??

[xtop]

haha..my phone wont letme copy/paste the whole thing. somebody help

awesome details here..

http://www.ps3fanboy.com/2008/12/10/...don-media-day/

home trophies sounds very interesting. as does the treasure hunt. so far everything i've read is stuff i had hoped they could do

[Cyorg]

Originally Posted by RealSkyDiver

I knew I got the PS3 at the right moment. Just powered it up for the first time 2day and now its playing my breal-in DVD for the Panny. I'm still kinda disappointed that its still beta though. How can this take so many years??

I think it's going to remain in beta for a long time. It's going to be constantly evolving, so there won't really ever be a finalized version of home.... Besides, I think that gmail is still in beta, and I've been using their service for years... Beta doesn't mean that it's going to suck.


P.S. - That article said that SCEE is getting the new spaces and clothing right away, but will that apply to SCEA as well?

[SillyMammo]

And how fast will the Sony servers crash tomorrow with everyone d/l this?!?

I haven't really been following the development of Home, but I'd like to check it out.