Kaz Hirai, Sony Computer Entertainment's "Big Boss," tells MCV that the company is taking its sweet time to make Home. Hirai explains that if Home is good, it won't matter when it launches, "so long as it's in a reasonable time frame." By our estimates, "reasonable time frame" left a while ago on a trip around the world and, if we think in a circular fashion, should bang back around sometime soon.
Hirai goes on to say that if the competitors decide to follow what the company is doing with Home, it would be their prerogative -- we're sure Linden Labs is thinking the same thing about Home. Anyway, Hirai is "confident" that the Home open beat is something that'll "resonate" with consumers.













(Page 1) Reader Comments
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Maybe since the PS3 will have a 10 year life cycle this means they'll have it in year 5 or 6? Ziiiiiiiing! Sorry, couldn't resist the cheap potshot.
You play a few rounds, have some fun. But now a few of the people in the party don't feel like playing Warhawk anymore, so you all exit back to Home. You then chat about what game we should play next. They decide on Motorstorm. So, they start the game right from Home which will drop you in your own Motorstorm server that just has the people in your party.
In that respect, home is a very poor substitute for making real, living friends that own PS3's, that will play games with you. If I'm going to play with strangers, I could care less if I meet those strangers in avatar form, or in-game.
You're absolutely right. But it's a hell of a lot easier to meet people that you like and have the same taste in games using Home then the current method of making friends online.
Think of Home like a game, it's as valid as a home in GTA. It's something to play with and something to play in.
Think Menu to the Nth degree.
Its probably because they didn't have much else to talk about for the system back then.
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Ugh...I'm really starting to hate this waiting game.
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I mean it. Home is an interesting concept, even though I riff on it once in a while, and I'm interested to see how it turns out. I certainly am not silly enough to declare it a reason to have a PS3, but neither am I willing to say its delay is a reason NOT to have it. And neither do I expect to sink hours upon hours into it. It's just, well, there. (Well, not yet. I could make the inevitable "are we there yet?" gag but I don't want to piss off any more people than I already am.)
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You can say the same for people that play xbox live. If someone said to me "Hey, i want a xbox 360 but i don't want to deal with the idiots online." I would partially agree (only partially because you can ignore people that aren't friends...but that sucks and shouldn't be necessary.)
One day people are going to say "I want a PS3 but god, i don't want to deal with the idiots on Home," and I'll nod my head and agree.
Yeah, that makes sense...not buy a console because of its optional software that won't affect your gaming experience if you choose not to use it. I guess Folding@Home is another good reason to not own a PS3 also right?
I still am excited for Home and the fall open beta. When they revealed Home, they thought they knew what they were doing...having no idea how MASSIVE a project this really is. I still do believe that Home will be a Huge success and that every console next generation will have a ripoff of Home.
Community is the future of online gaming.
Now Sony....git er dun.
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I'll no doubt use it a couple of times.. but I imagine the novelty will wear off very quick. This is basically just Second Life, or Habbo Hotel. I wouldn't call it anything new, or revolutionary, and I very much doubt we'll see Microsoft copying it anytime soon. Their current system works fine, and with the avatars it makes it at least a little more personal, instead of just talking to a generic picture. And I certainly don't see Nintendo going for something like this.
Hey Duke, just wonderin', didn't you used to be NATO_Duke? Why the change?
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Basically, Home was Sony's answer to integrated and polished Xbox live. It kind of looks like Microsoft's answer to Home might ship before Home does.
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who are you kidding; you more excited about bashing sony.
With HOME sony is trying to bring the sims element into the PS3.
also for those that dont know... MS Charges you for live; SONY DOES NoT. How can you expect something that is basically free to have the same standards as something that cost your parents 50 bones?!? in 4 years thats $200 on top of your parents ISP.
I doubt any of this will be very relevant in four years and that was a bit of a stretch with the $200 over 4 years example. (7.3 cents a day) If you don't want to pay for XBL or prefer Home, that's totally cool. Just keep in mind that the odds are that it will be more of an interactive commercial and product placement vehicle than anything else. I seriously doubt Sony is investing all the time and assets for "free."
You know, its cute how you need to say parents mutiple times to belittle people. Yes, we are all little children. Thanks for babysitting us.
Btw, you posted this in a previous thread and I never got a chance to respond:
"hey Nato_Duke you know as well as i do that ms is all about money and bullying smaller companies. Shit thats how they were concieved; Throwing bags of money to devs. for exclusive this and DLC that. ive yet to see what makes your GTAIV so much better than mine. but thats old news. I dont have a problem with FF screwing over its loyal fans but i do have a problem with people pointing the finger at sony. how is this sony's fault? how did they drop the ball? Its called bribery.
Like it's been said before MONEY TALKS and BS WALKS. i dont see how this one game can be the death of sony but if it makes you feel better to say it then go ahead. Most of you are full of &hit anyway, "now i have no reason to buy a ps3" like MGS4 doesnt have more appeal than FF. GET the ^uck out of here. RPG's are a japanese thing. FFXIII isnt a FPS you guys do know that right? "
Here is my response: You're a moron.
I never said one version of GTA was better than another. Lie much?
I also never said I didn't have a reason to buy a PS3 now, I already have one you tool! Using quotes for something I didn't say - that takes being a real prick! Also, what is with you talking about fault with Sony? Who cares if it is or isn't their fault, it husts them to lose an exclusive - no matter what one lame fanboy like you says. Money lost hurts companies.
As always, you talk down to us like you have a damn clue who the hell we are. Shove it. I know wtf FF is, and have played them for a long time now, so save the holier than thou shit for someone else. Crawl back into your hole and continue typing M$ for giggles and saying the 360 is only for FPS like the twit you are.
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It's free, there's no shortage of HDD space and so it's no skin off my nose if it sinks or swims.
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So to me this is good news. Because if Sony was to launch it today so many people would be like why waste on Home at all. But I will say there are some really cool things Sony is working on for Home but I can't say because of an NDA. But I will say this if Sony can add them in without making it feel rushed thoughs features will be great.
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I like Microsofts approach the best: announce game, show demo in following months
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http://www.gamestooge.com/2008/07/15/microsoft-on-the-move-while-sony-continues-to-flounder/
From the article:
"Having worked at Sony as a Creative Designer two years ago, it doesn’t surprise me that they have still yet to release Home. While there, I was working on their Station Launcher application which was supposed to be released in late 2006. However, the Launcher app is still only in Beta to this day. The problem for Sony is that they simply aren’t a very good software company and in today’s world of software driven products, they are getting their clocks cleaned by Microsoft."
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The software they created was GoogleEarth, and yeah they did well, but man... what a horrible comparison.