Sony's PlayStation Home Won't Make It This Spring Either

By Dee Chisamera
10:38, April 22nd 2008

Once again, PlayStation Home didn’t make it for this spring’s release, as Sony Computer Entertainment announced it needs a bit more time and we can’t expect the open beta before fall. Its original release date should have been the fall of 2007, then the spring of 2008, now next fall…

Sony Computer Entertainment’s President and Group CEO Kazuo Hirai explained at the Tokyo Game Show: “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 that what it is today.”

What this means is that more users will have access to the now Closed Beta service starting this summer, but at the same time, there’s no chance of seeing a PlayStation Home release in 2008. The company didn’t provide any precise release date so far.

“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.”

Details on the Closed Beta testing features haven’t been released so far, and the registration for the test and the opening of the service will be announced as they become available, the company said.

It seems that the Tokyo Game Show brought bad news for Sony in two consecutive years, as they had to delay the release of Sony PlayStation Home again.

Back when it was first announced, in the first part of 2007 at the Game Developers Conference, PlayStation Home has been described as a mix of Second Life and Nintendo Wii, in which the avatars are very customizable and designed to look like real life humans.

PS Home was intended to stimulate users into buying and playing new PS3 games, which will lead to the unlocking of different items within the virtual world. Sony said Home will have a “Hall of Fame,” where users can display their 3D trophies, unlocked through in-game milestones in PS3 games.