Microsoft says Sony 'underestimated' Home challenges

by Jason Dobson on Sep 21st 2007 6:00PM

With Sony's social MMO Home now a more distant prospect following its most recent delay, Microsoft's UK boss Neil Thompson has come out saying he's disappointed, adding that he feels Sony "underestimated" the challenges associated with creating a virtual world like Home. Given the progress report sent along by an anonymous Home tester in late August, which indicated that testing had fallen behind schedule, we're inclined to agree.

However, despite being pushed back, Sony executive Phil Harrison, who debuted Home earlier this year at the Game Developers Conference, seems steadfast in his belief that the initiative remains on target for a public beta roll out in late November/early December, with a commercial release to follow in 2008.

Will Home, whenever it's finally released, be anything like the online utopia promised by Harrison in March? It's all guesswork at this point, though Thompson notes interest in seeing "what they wanted to deliver against what they can actually deliver, because I know they generated a lot of interest based on what they said last year." We'd love to hear how the service is shaping up, should anyone currently enrolled in the beta like to come forward.

Read - Microsoft disappointed
Read - Harrison confirms public beta

Tags: delay, home, philharrison, PS3, underestimated

Reader Comments (92)

Well, it takes time to build a full-scale online community, and i would assume that the recent delay came from the reaction against the announcement that the app would come without some of its more killer features (namely direct-to-game loading)

I love the MS/Sony pissing contest. If the 2 were competing for 1st place, it would be Nintendo v. Sega redux

Its funny how Nintendo stays out of it, but yet is taking both of the two over for top spot. Guess Nintendo should say they are disappointed too :)

"Well, it takes time to build a full-scale online community".

No, Mr. Khan, you haven't been paying attention.

The Sony Defense Force has clearly explained that every time a game is delayed, or underperforms, for the PS3, it's because the developers are lazy and stupid.

cept that during the Sega vs. Nintendo period, us gamers won since some of the best games came out of that war. Now, all we get are pissing matches and add ons. I luv the next generation.

The Sony Defense Force has clearly explained that every time a game is delayed, or underperforms, for the PS3, it's because the developers are lazy and stupid.

HA!, I can't wait until the 25th when Halo 3 is released. You Xbots are in for a shock and not a good one either.

ummm what? I'm guessing your implying that Halo 3 will suck? I hate to break it to you, but Halo 3 will be good. I mean I don't give a shit if you don't like it, it's still going to be a good game. And everyone who wanted it will enjoy it.

wait it's sarcasm isn't it?

DAMMIT!!!

if it isn't and you are clearly retared, please disregard this post.

It's not really a "full scale online community" either - it's limited lobbies. What's the max...64 people? It's more like an upgraded Phantasy Star Online lobby, minus the combat, than a MMO or anything of the sort.

"Now, all we get are pissing matches and add ons."

Sega never released add ons?

It's just like how they hyped PS3 at first and failed to deliver. Now they hyped Home a lot and seems like they're failing to deliver.

Nevertheless, the Home idea is pretty cool.

Why is Microsoft disappointed? :S Its none of their business, I think they only said that out of spite. Lol. Disappointed my ass! Its like two enemies at school, and one saying to the teacher "I'm disappointed my worst enemy didn't do well on the test paper, oh well..."

I think they're eager to get some online competition. Right now all they can do is say "we're better than whatever it is they will eventually have", which only goes so far.

Feigned umbrage.

"with a commercial release to follow in 2008"

I'm confused... Is it going to be free or not?

Yeah, I remember being confused about whether GT5 Prologue was free or not.

http://www.psu.com/Gran-Turismo-5-Prologue-will-be-free-News--a1105-p0.php

Yeah I saw that too. hmmm....

They are doing the open beta later, then they will offer the full version of the finished product to everyone. The idea is the "commercial release" = post beta release. Its still free.

aaah I gotcha. Ok.

Of couse it's not free.. it's Sony!

-Wait.. what's that.. -footsteps.

The SDF is coming...

IT'S THE SDF!!! RUN FOR YOUR MOTHERFUCKING LIVES MOTHERFUCKERS!!!!

They should just buy Linden Labs and get it over with.

PS3 + Furies = Priceless

That would triple their install base. /joke

Maybe they should start making good games instead on focusing on a Second Life ripoff.

and maybe you should get a life instead of making stupid comments on every PS3 posts.

Its a constructive criticism.

more constructive then any of the 900 posts you made here anyway.

Fernando Rocker I'd tell you to just piss off but I guess about 900 people have already told you that and that's why you are here, writing lonely and sad posts on the internet.

Oh don't worry marcandrer he will get a life on HOME that's why he is so mad about the delay.

Yup and like most constructive criticism yours isn't wanted or needed.

Leave Fernando Alone, leave him alone he is just a human he has ideas that he knows no one gives a damn about You are lucky he even replies to you but what you want is only to bash him more more more *sob.

(Stops to apply mascara)

He has been through a lot of shit, I mean he has wii, leave him alone *Sob

*uck you Sony fanboys he has the right to say whatever he wants and he loves his grandmother *sob

If you want to make fun of him you have to go through me (I regret that ,big time) so leave him alone *sob

(Ok now where’s my *ucking TV show)

hahah Harrison is confident? The minute that hole spouts one word of truth i swear the earth will shatter (and ps3 will finally be 4D)

As a fan of the 360, I say shut up Microsoft.

Sony never hears the end of it when they make comments like this, and neither should Microsoft or Nintendo for that matter.

If you want to make competing companies look bad, make a commercial with a clever slogan like "Genesis Does What Nintendon't."

Don't make comments like this.

Read the review, he even calls Sony a bright bunch!

And what he says is true, it's not a dig, and he didn't say "omg end xbox live is liek way better lolz"

slaziman is right. MS reps would know. They've got live up and running pretty smooth now..and it took a lot of work. They've been in the online networking game for a lot longer than Sony and probably had a damn tough time. If anyone is in the right place to criticize a project such as this, it's MS

agreed. Microsoft has every god damn right to criticize Sony as they please. They're the ones that are setting the standard for online gaming, so they should be able to voice there opinions on other people's version of online play. As long as it isn't a stupid rant, then Microsoft has every right to criticize Sony.

This is surprising to me since sony has so many MMOs already, you's think they's know what goes in to it.

Home does look interesting though.

Well the Truth Hurts!

I can't believe they are having a hard time with this. I mean Sony is the company that brought "real time weapon changing" to the gamming world.

LMAO

oldie, but goldie

Truth Hurts Baby!

They've said it will be, but it wont' be, you can bank on that. Whether you pay up front or pay in a gazillion micro-transactions, you will still pay. It just shows how Microsoft knew what they were getting into and they knew the costs involved. You can't run a big, reliable network for millions of users for free, you have to get revenue somehow. Although Sony does likes to bleed cash...

Minute amounts of research shows that the payoff is through its freedom; the non-existant pricepoint and community features give little reason not to use it. With advertising from companies such as EA or Ubisoft getting displayed to various Home users, it's hard to argue the point that it won't be successful from a monetary standpoint.

And yeah, there will be microtransactions. But thankfully, one can (gasp!) refrain from purchasing them. Exercise your freedom of patronism.

Maybe instead of being "disappointed" with the delay, Neil should worry a bit more about how to fix the constant stream of RRoD's that are pouring in from upset 360 owners. Talk about disappointment...

Douché!

aah RROD. cute.

The problem with doing something like this so late after release is: its supposed to be a sort of gateway application, people are supposed to load up home, mess about, play the mini games, chat with others, and load their games from within home. But people have had a long time to build up a routine in how they use the console, and I predict that most people will just bypass home as just a gimmick, since they've also got used to putting in a game disc and loading straight into it.

mhmm. Unless it's implemented into every single game that's release, (and I'm not talking about trophies), then I don't think Home will be as big a hit fanboys claims it will.

You're seeming to classify it as some kind of dramatic system moving appendage that's going flaccid.

It's a community-inspired feature, designed to help users communicate with one another. It's quite literally that simple; how it's anything but a positive is beyond me.

But the problem is is that if that's all it is, than how can sony expect it's online to be better than the xbox live (no being free does not mean it's better). What sony should do is have Home implemented in every online game in some way. For example while waiting for a mp game to load up, instead of waiting in a regular lobby, the game can load up a room in home made specifically for the game where every player's home avatar is present. Shit like that would make home awesome.

It's not surprising that a system that should have been delayed to improve on build quality (360), has representatives for it that like to make disparaging comments when delays do occur. They must really hate quality control.

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Microsoft says Sony 'underestimated' Home challenges

Reader Comments (92)

Posted: Sep 21st 2007 6:06PM Mr Khan said

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