2008 debut for PlayStation 3 Home

[steve10574]

bored now!



Sony is delaying the launch of the Home online world service for its PlayStation 3 console.

Originally slated for an autumn launch, Home is a virtual world in which owners of the PS3 create avatars and socialise with others.

The social networking system is a key plank in Sony's strategy to win customers for its game gadget.

Sony said Home would now be launched early in 2008 but gave no specific date for its release.

Console crowd

Sony said the delay to the Home service was needed to improve the quality of the finished product.

"This is going to be a worldwide service that needs to offer a wide range of functions required in Japan, in the US, in Europe and in Asia," said Kazuo Hirai, Sony Computer Entertainment head, in a speech at the Tokyo Game Show.

Mr Hirai also remained tight-lipped about widely expected price cuts for the PS3 but said it was improving the line-up of software for the console in a bid to attract customers.

With Home, Sony hoped to cash in on the wave of interest in online communities that have made successes of websites such as Second Life, MySpace, Facebook and many others.

Via Home, PS3 owners could socialise with other console gamers and acquire and decorate their own virtual home.

The news is another blow to the fortunes of Sony which, until the launch of the PS3, dominated the console game market.

Now it trails third after Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii. Figures released for US sales by the NPD Group show that in August Nintendo sold 404,000 Wii consoles, Microsoft sold 277,000 Xbox 360s and Sony sold 131,000 PS3s.

[fin23]

Oh FFS, i was banking on somthing new coming in october, i.e Home.

This PS3 is gonna be goingi think... That just sucks.

[eboy]

even more reason to hold off getting one until the middle of next year.

[Mario87]

I was looking forward to Home, but today I packed up my PS3, PS2, and Wii, and put them all under my bed, because I'm going back to uni soon! And I cant afford to mess about this year (final honors year)! So I'm not all the fussed, cos I wont get to use my PS3 till xmas now! But hopefully GT5: Prologue will have come out just as I get back on the 14th of December!

And I'll be packing up the 360 in a couple of days too!

[{{909}}]

i dont think that many people were actually aware this was coming anyway, its a shame tho as theres hardly anything due for the machine anytime soon and this would have been a good start.

[whatnow]

The lights are on, but nobody is home.

[steve10574]

i dont think that many people were actually aware this was coming anyway, its a shame tho as theres hardly anything due for the machine anytime soon and this would have been a good start.

its one of there "big" selling points i think a lot of peeps know its coming..........at some point