Home beta welcoming another 100,000 testers
by Randy Nelson 
{ Nov 21st 2008 at 5:30PM }
We would tell you all about PlayStation Home version 1.0, but then we'd have to kill ... ourselves. (Wow, that was dark.) Fortunately, no harm will likely befall us, since you might just find out everything for yourself soon enough. Sony has announced that 100,000 more invites to the beta are now going out (although an impish email server may delay them for European readers).
Sony itself has officially revealed some features of the new client. Like the fact that the in-Home navigation tool is no longer a virtual PSP – it's been replaced by a PDA-like "Menu Pad." Oh, and it has added Clubs, which allow for up to 32 members to gather in a private Clubhouse space, complete with an editable bulletin board. Plans call for the open beta – the one everyone can get into – to feature "premium" for-pay Clubhouses. Perhaps they'll be specially themed? We'd put down a few for Kratos' throne room from God of War.
[Via PS3 Fanboy]
Sony itself has officially revealed some features of the new client. Like the fact that the in-Home navigation tool is no longer a virtual PSP – it's been replaced by a PDA-like "Menu Pad." Oh, and it has added Clubs, which allow for up to 32 members to gather in a private Clubhouse space, complete with an editable bulletin board. Plans call for the open beta – the one everyone can get into – to feature "premium" for-pay Clubhouses. Perhaps they'll be specially themed? We'd put down a few for Kratos' throne room from God of War.
[Via PS3 Fanboy]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
tdrules @ Nov 21st 2008 5:34PM
WRONG
email system at SCEE broke and emails will go out on monday
Popfrogs @ Nov 21st 2008 5:58PM
ORLY? Well then that explains the Playstation Underground email I just got literally 10 minutes ago welcoming me to the Home Beta.
Reuben @ Nov 21st 2008 6:10PM
oh, really?
Cause I just got mine.
Levi @ Nov 21st 2008 6:13PM
I want to know where people like tdrules get all their insider info from. Why is it that there's always people like this that, amazingly enough, TOTALLY have sekrit info that the website they are commenting on DOESN'T.
Makes a lot of sense, right?
why not the LS2LS7? @ Nov 21st 2008 6:51PM
Funny, cause I got one. My email must be magic.
Cornelius @ Nov 21st 2008 7:20PM
Dear PlayStation®Network member,
Congratulations, you have been selected to help beta test PlayStation®Home!
We appreciate your help in making the PlayStation®Home experience the best it can be! Please log in to Home this evening from 6 pm - 8 pm PST for a big celebration of Version 1.0 and a load test of our new features.
How to download
After you have signed in with your PlayStation®Network Account:
- Go to the PlayStation®Store on the PLAYSTATION(R)3 system XMB™ (XrossMediaBar)
- Select "Redeem Codes"
- Enter the code (below)
- Click "Continue"
- The download will be available on the next screen
XXXX-XXXX-XXXX
Please note: The unique code is case sensitive and must be entered exactly as displayed.
Thank you for your continued support of the PlayStation®Network, and we look forward to seeing you in PlayStation®Home.
Yours truly,
The PlayStation®Network
Tiptup300 @ Nov 22nd 2008 1:46AM
Network Error: The connection to the server was lost.
D5027
bAssackwards @ Nov 22nd 2008 4:58AM
Guys, whoever is the owner of the Joystiq club on Home needs to accept my request to join! ...pretty please?
bAssackwards @ Nov 23rd 2008 6:51PM
Yay, I got in! The place could use more furniture though. =oP
akwid @ Nov 25th 2008 10:30PM
i can i get home beta
PersonOfSorts @ Nov 21st 2008 5:35PM
So is there a separate sign-up for this or is downloading that theme from last time sufficient?
edgore @ Nov 21st 2008 6:04PM
It looks like youu don't have to do anything at all. I just got an invite and I haven't downloaded or signed up for anything special beyond just having a PSnetwork account, buying a lot of SingStar songs, and playing LBP multiplayer once.
No doubt I will waste many hours creating an avatar tonight that I will never really use again.
Sackolantern PSN ID: johnnynumber5 @ Nov 21st 2008 8:32PM
I think you had to of downloaded that home theme a few months back. I got invited today as well.
Josh @ Nov 22nd 2008 11:24AM
+1 for Apollo Justice avatar.
lorddshadow2 @ Nov 21st 2008 5:43PM
when do beta qodes from qore go out?
Marty @ Nov 21st 2008 6:16PM
When you cuit asking about them.
Autopsy15 @ Nov 23rd 2008 3:36AM
I see what you did thar.
SecretAgentHam @ Nov 21st 2008 5:46PM
need invite now...
Hyams @ Nov 21st 2008 5:49PM
I'd be excited if I wasn't so apathetic.
DigDug @ Nov 21st 2008 7:21PM
If you had got a beta invite, you would soon change your mind. I was sceptical, but after using for a couple of hours, I can see how it's going to totally obliterate anything Microsoft or Nintendo has right now. The game rooms are great, as are the public spaces, I can see how trophys earnt can give you cools stuff in Home.
Sure if you want to use private spaces, you have to pay, but the core of Home and 90% of the usefulness of it is free.
This Gen was just won, Sony just played the knockout blow.
Hyams @ Nov 21st 2008 8:07PM
Sounds interesting. Still, I just don't think Home will be for me.
Regardless, it's free, so I can't complain, I guess. When it releases, I'll download it and give it a go.
NOT ME @ Nov 21st 2008 5:49PM
Im sorry but i have to say after ALL this time they're still talking beta....I might be alone on this but after all this time...I just dont care anymore. Nothing about it is interesting anymore. 32 people talking at the same time is never fun...on or offline......
Levi @ Nov 21st 2008 6:14PM
Agreed. +1.
indieinsd @ Nov 22nd 2008 4:02AM
U don't automatically hear everyone you have to walk up to them or be within range of hearing them.
I can't believe that some people aren't willing to try it. It's free. When it's released (which should be soon it's at 1.00) just try it. It's fun to hang out with friends see how they designed their space and meet people. It's also a great business model for Sony to recoup some of the money going to PSN with micro transactions inside of home. I am more inclined to purchasing things in Home than paying a monthly service fee (It is the reason I never purchased a 360 or World of Warcraft).
DangerMouse @ Nov 21st 2008 5:49PM
100,000? Why not just release it, or open the beta to everyone. I wouldn't be surprised if the others accepted into the beta already gave up on it out of boredom, which is why they need more. I would like to try it, but it's not something I'm hyped up about right now. It really doesn't appeal to me.
Levi @ Nov 21st 2008 6:14PM
Agreed also. +1 to you as well.
Marty @ Nov 21st 2008 6:15PM
Perhaps they're conducting stress tests on the servers?
ryan @ Nov 21st 2008 6:31PM
one thing they are stress testing the servers however they still wouldnt want to flood the service with new users all at once
SoulBlade @ Nov 21st 2008 7:46PM
@ryan - why not? As soon as it goes live the thing will be flooded so it might make sense for them to see what a little push might be like.
DangerMouse @ Nov 22nd 2008 12:30AM
They should make the beta open to everyone. If it system gets overloaded, then Sony can say, "haha, fuckers, it's still in beta". They'll probably do that anyway, but there's been so many of these invite over the past 6 months. Yeah, it's free advertising, but still. It's like kids forming their little secret clubs, and selecting the ones who can be apart of it, only come to find out it's never anything that special to begin with once you're in.
DigTheDoug @ Nov 21st 2008 5:50PM
What do you know, the minute I clicked on this article I recieve an email from Playstation Underground. Appropriately enough it was an invitation. Looking forward to checking it out as long as I can tear myself away from Left 4 Dead this weekend.
brickwalker0 @ Nov 21st 2008 11:06PM
i am unable to tear myself away from L4D.
help?
Hardtarget @ Nov 21st 2008 5:52PM
speak of the devil, I just got an invite to it.
Inspace2020 @ Nov 21st 2008 5:58PM
Did any of you above that just got invites happen to have an annual subscription to Qore?? Just curious if they were sending out invites to those who downloaded the HOME Theme or to Qore subs...
Thanks in advance
dabamf @ Nov 21st 2008 6:12PM
Nope I don't do Qore and I got an invite.
DigTheDoug @ Nov 21st 2008 7:18PM
Also nope.
Cellien @ Nov 22nd 2008 11:48AM
I barely play my PS3 and definitely don't have a sub to Qore and didn't download any Home theme and I got an invite.
mentalpatient @ Nov 21st 2008 6:05PM
I got mine just a few minutes ago! No Qore subscription or anything. That's my third beta for PS3 this fall!
dabamf @ Nov 21st 2008 6:11PM
I just got my Beta invite woohoo! My room will kick ass.
Duke @ Nov 21st 2008 6:20PM
lmao. Not yet it won't.
dabamf @ Nov 21st 2008 6:21PM
Hey I got a laugh...that's all I was hoping for with my comment :o)
tdrules @ Nov 21st 2008 6:16PM
levi, the only info i get is from the closed beta home forums, which i am a part of.
search the user usa_td_rules on playstation forums for proof
Top Cat @ Nov 22nd 2008 4:16PM
Proof of what? That you're a member of their private forum and still don't know what the situation with beta invites is?
Bravo.
Levi @ Nov 21st 2008 6:17PM
These betas are like bragging rights lately.. I mean, it's kinda cool I guess, but seriously, I can just wait for the game to come out (or in the case, the mediocre life sim).
They were not only promising us a public beta this month, but they PROMISED us the full release before the end of the year. They need to stop being so stupid.
Also, I heard from various places that the trophy patch for BC:R was coming along with the Home final release. If Home is the only thing keeping the BC:R trophy patch, I will hate on so much Home. SO MUCH.
sk8monroe81 @ Nov 21st 2008 6:20PM
yeah i thought the home program would be available shortly after NXE release, however i guess that has been pushed back like the other HOME delays.
at least its free though?
no harm done...
Shmil @ Nov 21st 2008 6:41PM
Agreed. +1
Sackolantern PSN ID: johnnynumber5 @ Nov 21st 2008 8:49PM
@Levi
I just checked my inbox and got a beta invite to Playstation home. I can't speak to the quality of the service because I'm in the midst of an all night Rockband 2 marathon. But, I remember hearing it would release (100%) before the end of the year and this looks like the precursor to the final release for all PSN users. Allowing access to 100,000 users seems more like a stress test to the servers before the final release. I believe the release notes already have it at 1.0 which would indicate Home is ready to be pushed out barring server issues.
Ill certainly be interested to see how Home turns out because what seemed like a cool idea has turned into an ambitious project. This service will be a first for home video game console. Sony essentially took inspiration from Live's achievements for trophies just as MS took inspirations from Nintendo's Mii for their Avatar's in NXE. Speaking of the NXE my only complaint (before I sold my 360 yesterday) was that the party system (excellent feature) was borked. It kept disconnecting our party at random times for no apparent reason.
I don't think Home can even be compared to the NXE as one is just an annual dashboard update (though it added new functionality) and one is more of a new (ambitious) social networking environment for PSN users. Maybe if MS adds some similar thing for the avatars it would compare.
sk8monroe81 @ Nov 21st 2008 9:37PM
you could honestly more compare the NXE to the ps3 dashboard. the NXE is like the ps3 dash in a vertical fashion instead of horizontal (of course the ps3 dash still has more options and things to do).
it is hard to complain about HOME at all when it will be offered for free on a free online service. even though i have before.
i thought that it would be released sometime soon after NXE was announced to release on nov 19 from things i heard.
DCBlack @ Nov 22nd 2008 11:21AM
100,000 codes sent out, and I didn't get one.
Sounds more like "why not me?!" at this point rather than a bragging right.
Sackolantern PSN ID: johnnynumber5 @ Nov 22nd 2008 1:09PM
NXE really compares to the XMB. Home is located within the XMB under the network tab. After putting in nearly 3 hours into Playstation Home I can say that it is going to be a good service. It really is the future of social interaction on home gaming consoles. It gives you an environment to meet and interact with other people as well as the ability to play some decent arcade type of games. It is not without it's faults (though it is the Beta and much of the environment is not populated) with allot of the in game home mechanics being not up to par with the quality of PSN games. For the bowling they should have used the engine from High Velocity Bowling just as they should also polish the pool game a bit more - it feels like it's not as precise as I would like it to be.
The graphics and character customization is extremely polished and has more depth than most full retail games. If you put enough time into Home there is no doubt you can make an exact replica of yourself. The clothes, facial hair, hats and jewelry are severely limited in this build.
When I think of Home and I look at all of the implemented features it makes me truly wonder what this service will look like and function as when it is tested and tweaked. Once all the features, unannounced destinations and updates take place throughout the services lifetime there is no doubt in my mind that Home will become the next big thing on consoles. If you thought your NXE avatar or your Mii were a nice characterture of you just wait until you get to mess with the avatar creator in home. You can literally tweak and size and shape of any facial feature and body part. It's very realistic.