PlayStation Comes Home Tomorrow

Ars Technica reports:Sony's Home service for the PlayStation 3 has suffered delay after delay, but it finally looks like gamers will finally get a chance to try this virtual world. Today, the company announced that Home will be launched worldwide tomorrow, December 11.

Home is a mixture of Second Life and Xbox Live; gamers create an avatar and are given a home in which to keep their virtual possessions and throw virtual parties. Other areas will allow you to socialize, play simple parlor games, or set up multiplayer sessions of PS3 games.

Sony has provided some details regarding the game spaces that will be available at launch. "For users in North America, Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) will launch game-themed, high-definition virtual environments, including the Uncharted: Drake's Fortune and Far Cry 2 spaces and the soon-to-be-released Warhawk, Resistance, Guitar Hero, and SOCOM spaces," the company stated. "In these environments, users will discuss specific games, plan strategies, and access content and clues that will enhance their gaming experience.

While the service is free, Sony is hoping to profit from microtransactions and marketing. Players can buy new clothing to customize their avatar, new furniture to customize their personal spaces, and even brand new locations for their Homes. There's also a significant sponsorship angle. When the service launches tomorrow, you'll be able to fly Red Bull planes in a themed area, buy Ligne Roset furniture for your home, or wear the finest in Diesel clothing. More sponsorships, mixed with items you buy with real-world money, will be added as time goes on.

The other aspect of Home that will be monetized is the Club system. For a price, Clubs allow users to group together into the Home equivalent of a guild or a clan. These small groups are given their own clubhouse which can be decorated and shared; it's a social hang-out for a close-knit group of individuals, be it a SOCOM clan or just a group of PS3-owning friends.

The last update provided to users of the Home beta was impressive; after discussing the service for so long, it will be refreshing to finally be able to explore Home with other gamers and see if Sony is on the right path. This is a very different experience from anything Nintendo or Microsoft offers and, if gamers are willing to pay for virtual sneakers, Home could provide Sony with another opportunity to offset the cost of its consoles.

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