PlayStation Home is becoming, well, home to a number of new game-specific spaces, the latest of which -- devoted to inFamous -- has been revealed by Sony. Set to be added to the virtual world on Thursday, July 2 (hey, that's tomorrow!), the themed location ("The Abandoned Docks of Empire City") will feature a couple of interactive goodies, including the ability for users to create graffiti designs using Sony's tool set (to prevent any naughtiness, we suppose) which can be seen -- and voted on -- by other Homers.

Much more exciting, though, is a shooting gallery minigame where (after waiting in line for, like, forever, spamming the X button) Cole-esque electric bolts are used to knock down targets fashioned after Reapers, Dustmen and the like. We were hoping for a corresponding announcement of a new "Zeke's Rooftop" private space, but, alas, it's seemingly not to be, at least for now. Check out a video tour of the new inFamous space after the break, along with high-res screens below.

In a recent post on the PlayStation.Blog, SCEA's Katie Reid revealed a few random inFamous facts. According to the post, the inFamous demo is the fastest demo ever to reach 1,000,000 downloads. Will those demo downloads all turn into purchases?

The biggest news hidden in the post must be the revelation of an inFamous space for Home. No other details (or images) were revealed, but we're sure it will let you walk around in a small section of Empire City. Odds are low that you'll get magical electricity superpowers when entering.

According to Peter Edward, director of PlayStation Home for SCEE, PlayStation Home has gained 7 million users worldwide, with 3 million in Europe alone. That certainly sounds like an accomplishment -- but with over 21 million PS3s sold worldwide, that number reveals that fewer than one third of PS3 systems have connected to Home. That's a surprising figure, considering Edward calls Home "the starting point for PlayStation 3 online."

There are a number of factors behind the PS3 community's slow acceptance of PlayStation Home. A long-delayed launch was marred by infrequent updates; the service received a mixed response from hardcore gamers. Since then, Home has expanded quite significantly, with the promise of more to come. Edward told Gamasutra that we can expect "more games [to] support Game Launch from within Home" in the future.

When we heard Home was pitting Hamsters (Read: Virtual Furries) against Humans in a virtual world dance-off, we were intrigued. Actually, first we re-read our news feed to make sure we weren't hallucinating and then we became intrigued. Last night we decided to log onto Home and find out what all the fuss was about. Like cars slowing past a train wreck, we were unable to look away as dozens of PlayStation 3 users came together for the "ultimate dance-off."

The winning faction has not been officially revealed, but humans appeared to be the clear winner during our multiple login sessions. If you're wondering what the point was: based on which side showed the most support, Home users would receive a different free item. If Hamsters are the decided winner, the PlayStation Home community will receive Viking and Valkyrie helmets. If Humans win, Home users net free Fedoras and Aviator headwear.

It's easy for us to be dismissive of the wacky promotion, but users involved seemed to be enjoying themselves. Seriously. As avatars bumped (also, grinded), users would motivate and compliment each other on their "sick moves" ... it was one of the strangest things we've ever seen on a gaming console. The horrors of a giant hamster "shakin' its money maker" can be viewed above. Fair warning it's 3 minutes and 41 seconds that cannot be unseen, nor is it time you can ever get back.

Uh...

We don't know what else to say. Looks like someone at the PlayStation Home team finally snapped? (Also, does the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man count as a human? Just wondering about the technicalities here.)

Guess we'll see you in Home Central Plaza tomorrow at 8PM PST?

PlayStation Home is getting yet another update today, with the introduction of a new SOCOM Confrontation game space and a new for-purchase personal space based on Ghostbusters.

The "SOCOM Tactical Operations Center" space is actually the first half of the SOCOM Home hub. This space will allow players to gather and create strategies around the Telestrator. Sounds a lot like the Warhawk game space.

The Ghostbusters firehouse personal space is a three-story complex, ripped straight from the Ghostbusters video game. The personal space will come with unique items, like an Ecto-1, and features Stage Set functionality, so players can create their own Ghostbusters-themed movies. Finally, you'll be able to fly around as Slimer as well. Both these updates should be available in Home later today.

Japan's Namco Museum Essentials is crossing the pond to America's PlayStation Network this July. The downloadable app will serve as a hub for various Namco arcade games, such as Pac-man, Galaga, Dig Dug, Dragon Spirit, Xevious, and a new 1080p "re-envisioned" Xevious: Resurrection. In addition to the standard gamut of features (trophies, leaderboards), players will be able to unlock PlayStation Home rewards to proudly display in their virtual apartments.

Namco Bandai will also be launching a new destination within PlayStation Home simultaneously with the release of Museum Essentials. It will serve as the hub for all of Namco Bandai's upcoming downloadable games and will include a virtual arcade featuring a trial version of Museum Essentials. In addition to the free demo, PlayStation Home items can be unlocked for those who visit the space. All in all, it looks as though Home fans (casual and hardcore) will have a lot to look forward to.

Qore's first year is coming to an end with Episode 13. The delayed anniversary issue will focus on inFamous, Fight Night Round 4 and the PSPgo. Wait! It looks like the leaked feature has been removed from this upcoming issue. Strange, considering the damage has already been done.

Digital bonuses included with this month's issue include a free Qore t-shirt for PlayStation Home, and a free download of the PSone classic, Spyro (playable on both PS3 and PSP). Episode 13 will be available on the PlayStation Store this Thursday. Check out a trailer after the break.

Xi is done; it's finished. The alternative reality game found within PlayStation Home is now complete with an ending. Some of you may have already discovered the super secret finish to Xi, but some of you haven't yet. This doesn't mean those of you who haven't won't ever get to -- there's still time.

As detailed by the PlayStation Blog, all Xi-related spaces in Home will still remain active "for a few weeks." It looks like all you latecomers have some time to catch up. So get out there and start searching!

In an interview given to The Escapist, Home game director Peter Edward asserts user population for Sony's PS3 virtual world is on the upside. "We're at the point now where we're starting to see our active user-base go up and we're getting more people coming back than are leaving," said Edward. "So, we're at the tipping point of where the platform starts to gain momentum."

Edward, unfortunately, was shy of detailing specific numbers. Are there more people now than when the service first appeared? Is the overall increase in PS3 owners a factor? Region? And did the recent development of ARG Xi play into this somehow? We still have so many questions. Do you find yourself coming back Home?

PlayStation Home is getting its biggest update yet. In addition to the previously revealed StageSet add-on for Home, a brand new Space for Siren: Blood Curse will be available for American audiences. There are a few minigames for users to partake in, like the five-player cooperative "Ward of Despair" that tasks players with completing objectives without a Shibito grabbing any of them. Success will grant each five-man team some Home rewards.

Those of you who don't have the game yet will want to jump on Home next week, on May 12th at 4PM, to participate in the "HorrorBowl" bowling tournament. Everyone that shows up will be given a chance to win a free voucher for the first four episodes of the PSN-exclusive horror game.

Finally, those of who've been waiting for a price drop will be glad to know that Siren: Blood Curse is now available for $29.99. (Four episode packs are available for $10.99 each.)

It looks like PlayStation Home is set to receive another ambitious update. No, we're not talking about the latest expansion of the Xi ARG. "StageSet" is an upcoming Home Space that allows you and other Home users to create short films on a virtual stage. You can operate the camera, set the lighting, and even stand in front of a green screen and add your own special effects. Best of all, you won't have to wait long for the new Space to arrive -- it'll be added to PlayStation Home this week.

While the premise is certainly unique, it will take some deft execution to make it intuitive and, most importantly, fun. We can't wait to give it a test drive soon. To check out more videos of StageSet in action, have a look at AlphaZone4.

[Thanks, Dexter]

There's a very peculiar ad in PlayStation Home right now. As you can see above, it would appear the PS3 is on the receiving end of Joker's brand of funny, as several billboards sprinkled throughout Home advertise "Exclusive Joker challenge maps" for the PS3 version of Batman: Arkham Asylum. We decided to hop on Home ourselves and snapped the pic you see above.

We've contacted Eidos for clarification and will update as soon as we've heard back. Oh, and if you're scratching your head at the concept of "challenge maps," then you didn't read about our time with the game back at GDC09. For shame. We're dialing your mother right now.

Update: We've added a gallery with another delightfully precarious shot of the Joker, just below. Don't shoot!

Attention, ladies and gentlemen scouring the dark reaches of Home for new content (or those waiting in line to play fake arcade games): EA Sports has finally launched its own dedicated sports area today in Europe and North America. The EA Sports Complex is an interactive environment -- bombarded with a bunch of ads for EA Sports titles -- that includes two multiplayer minigames: A tournament-style Texas Hold 'Em game for up to eight players and a "Formula-1 style" racing game (with what look more like Micro Machines than Formula 1 vehicles).

Plans to add more content to The Complex are already in the works with an indoor driving range, leaderboards and a reward system being introduced sometime in the future. What isn't planned as an add-on is a giant hand that will slap players every time they think the person they're flirting with is actually a woman. Seriously, have we taught you nothing? Check out a trailer for the EA Sports Complex after the break.