PlayStation Home delayed

Stephen Withers
Wednesday, 23 April 2008 03:43

Your IT - Entertainment

When Sony announced its PlayStation Home virtual world just over a year ago, the launch was set for the northern Autumn of 2007. The company has now announced closed beta testing will continue through this northern Summer.

While the number of users of the closed beta is being expanded (the company has yet to tell potential users how they can sign up), the delay must be embarrassing for Sony.

"We understand that we are asking PS3 and prospective PS3 users to wait a bit longer, but we have come to the conclusion that we need more time to refine the service to ensure a more focused gaming entertainment experience than what it is today," said Kazuo Hirai, president and group CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment.

"Our overarching objective is to provide users with new gaming experiences that are available only on PlayStation Home. Spending more time on the development and on the closed beta testing reaffirms our commitment to bringing a quality service, maintaining the PlayStation tradition."

There's something to be said for that position. What's worse: keeping people waiting for another six months or so, or launching a service that's not ready and disappointing the punters?

The closed beta has been running for about a year, and the open beta test period is now scheduled for the northern Autumn of 2008, a year later than public access was originally expected. There's no forecast of a formal opening date for PlayStation Home.

Last September, Hirai said PlayStation Home would launch this northern Spring.

PlayStation Home is a Second Life style virtual world for PS3 owners, allowing users to customise an avatar and living space, and to interact with other users.