I know that team really well — actually, it was interesting, there was a presentation done within Home, back at GDC I think, and they built a LittleBigPlanet space. Sony built that for us. It was fantastic, the collaboration worked really well. We went back and forth with them, sent them some assets — and they produced this room which was incredible.

The thing about Home is, they're a team that's just down the road from us. There is loads of scope for us to work with them, and I'm looking forward to getting the LittleBigPlanet space in there, working on it and making it cool.

The short answer, though, is that I can't announce anything right now — but I've already seen great LittleBigPlanet content in Home, which was at that conference and which was public, and I think it's a great sign that that was possible with a very small amount of time and a small amount of effort. I think we could do something really cool with it, but at this stage, I can't say what the plan is.

LittleBigPlanet doing stuff with Home? Big stuff? Makes sense. Sure, why not.

Media Molecule's Alex Evans [Eurogamer]

Meanwhile, in Europe somewhere, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe is expanding their beta test by hand-picking users who are the most active on PSN, so you folks might want to start spending several hours a day going from menu to menu. You can download a theme too, if you wish, but don't expect it to do anything other than change the look of your desktop.

Want into the PlayStation Home Closed Beta test? Here’s How to Apply [PlayStation Blog]

Now I know why they're not inviting the press yet. Home is still in its good-in-theory phase. In execution it's still lacking. I'm all for Betas having rough edges. That's the point. But I was surprised that the Home Beta doesn't seem to have that something special — the thing that yet makes it obvious it's going to be a hit.

Sorry for the vague terms, but Home is a vague kind of thing. Are you supposed to have fun with it? Or, like most other interfaces, just take pleasure if it works smoothly?

I spent about 10 minutes with Home. I loaded it off the PS3 cross media bar, taking control of a lone avatar. During my brief time in Home I saw no other avatars. The service looked as it has in screenshots. It still has a virtual PSP for an interface as well as a diverse set of pre-canned emotes. I made my guy dance.

I went from an outdoor area to the movie theater lobby to an amusement area containing a bowling alley and an arcade. If that all sounds familiar it's because it was. The Beta wasn't packing any pleasant surprises.

Instead, what I encountered was a lot of loading. Each area my avatar stepped into had to load. This could be because the person who's PS3 I was using hadn't used Home before. It did underscore how key swift movement is going to be in Home and how frustrating it will feel if it takes too long to get from, say, the lobby area to the area where you'd go watch trailers. In the current Beta, loading isn't done even once you're in an area. In the movie theater, for example, framed wall-hangings initially displayed screens with loading progress bars on them. The videos that needed to display took a moment to show up.

The arcade was the best area I saw. It has a few stand-up video game machines including a Chop Lifter-style game that's been shown before as well as a locomotive-stacking puzzle game. I tried bowling and found it about as basic as Grand Theft Auto IV's implementation.

There's a reason projects are in Beta and not release. All the kinks aren't worked out. New ideas are surely being considered. And, clearly, Home can't be accurately judged when no one but yourself is in it.

So what's the big takeaway? Home is clearly still a work in progress, functioning not that differently from what you heard about more than a year ago. Whatever it needs to make it a hit, I don't think it's in there — yet.

Brand new virtual events venue unveiled in Home on PLAYSTATION®Network

Home, the interactive 3D world for PS3™ users, hosts the virtual re-run of PlayStation Day 2008 in its new Media and Events Space

Last week, PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) users experienced all the sights, sounds and action of PlayStation Day, the product showcase held on May 6th in London, from the comfort of their living rooms. The online event was held as a test-run of the new PlayStation Media & Events Space, a virtual arena that will serve as the live entertainment hub of the thriving PS3 online community, hosting everything from new game unveilings to sports events to fashion shows.

Attendees were drawn from 10,000 PS3 users who have been test-driving Home as ‘closed beta’ users. Given exclusive VIP entry to the Space, they were greeted by an impressive, large-scale area dressed with various elements from real-world PlayStation Day, including the iconic hexagonal branding and artwork from each of the day’s PlayStation zones. Users were able to explore the Space, experiencing highlights of the day such as a photo gallery of games developers and a jumbo screen of the day’s speeches with an introduction from Kazuo "Kaz" Hirai, President and Group Chief Executive Officer of Sony Computer Entertainment. Users were also able to enjoy a video stream of all the action from the real-world PlayStation Day experience.

The online Media & Events Space can be re-dressed and re-branded just like a real-life venue. Following the test event’s success, Home will now start scheduling more elaborate and exciting productions for the Space, which will be available for use by both first and third parties.

“As well as looking great, the Media and Events Space is flexible and user-friendly - it’s a real focal point for our virtual community. This was a very exciting first event and we’ve already received plenty of great feedback,” says Home producer Martijn Van Der Meulen.

Thanks tipster!

This was taken at Umbrae's local Sharper Image retailer. We don't know which logo came first, but damn, that PS Home logo looks so similar to this. Or perhaps, it's the other way around. Coincidence or not? YOU DECIDE.

With Home still in closed beta testing, and newly rumored updates creeping out this week, it would appear that the social networking platform still needs some time to incubate. Looks like that other rumor of a mid-October release date is looking less likely. Surely we'll know more after TGS.

I'm checking my account for an invite, just in case.

No Place Like Home [GamesIndustry.biz]

• There is only one apartment available now, and it is 15ft by 40ft. • There are four areas — all of which were shown at GDC. • The movie theater is showing the SPIDER-MAN 3 trailer. There are ten theater rooms showing game and movie trailers. • The game room is the "most popular room" in the lobby. There are 6 pool tables, 4 bowling lanes and 10 arcade machines. • The friend invite feature has not been implemented yet. • Currently, there is no support for in-home parties. • The face creation system for the avatars is very detailed. The clothing and hair selection is not. Body shape was just added in a recent update and only has an adjustment slider. • The ability to playback HDD content has not been included. • Picture frames are restricted to pre-set photos. • It's not yet possible to play back pack video or audio and TVs or stereos do not appear as available furniture. • You can walk into your own apartment; however, you must be invited to your friends. You can then warp into your friend's pad. • Friends must invite you while they are in their apartment. • Moving furniture in your apartment is easy and "relatively painless." There is a "good assortment" of furniture to select form. Physics work well. • Currently, there is no trophy room. • Home supported Bluetooth headsets and keyboards from the beta's first day. You must hold R2 to speak. The audio volume is based on people's proximity to you. That means it's possible to have one-on-one conversation while others chit-chat in the background.

The insider also says that some of the features shown at GDC are still not available, while nothing from E3 is. Apparently, Home has added only one update since launch. Games, like chess, were promised, but haven't come. "Also, for some strange reason, my hair changes color for no reason as I walk in and out of locations," the insider says. What's good? The insider does say it is easy to socialize and have fun doing it. "People generally have a good time," the insider adds. So, there ya go! Not totally finished, still more to add and out this October.
Home Beta Insider [IGN via PS3 Fanboy]

The kids from 1UP and EGM sat down with Sony Worldwide Studios' king cue ball Phil Harrison at E3 2007 to chat all things PlayStation software related. Of interest to console torch and pitchfork bearers is Harrison's response to questions about Madden NFL 08's underwhelming performance on the PLAYSTATION 3. Phil, why does the PS3 version run a last-gen 30 frames per second?

Well, I can only point to our own sports studio—1080p, 60 frames-per-second basketball game. I'm afraid I have no idea. We're providing some tools and technologies from our worldwide studio's core technology groups to 3rd parties now, as well. You may remember something from GDC, we announced this thing called Edge and that's now widely deployed in the third party community, and that is clearly improving the developer's ability to maximize what the CELL processor does. So, hopefully, that will assist folks like EA.

Phil later added that "It would concern me if the platform was incapable of doing it, but we've proven the platform is capable of doing it, so it's not a PLAYSTATION 3 issue. I'm trying to be polite."

Well played, Phil—but we'll make sure to mention that an NBA game features about half the players on the court compared to an NFL game. There's plenty more where that came from in the full video interview, including plenty of detail on this fall's release of Home.

Far more interesting than stylish digital locomotion is the fact that aspects of the Xross Media Bar are now accessible within the Home program itself, allowing users to check their friends list and send and receive messages. This will make my virtual hitting-on of men with female avatars that much more convenient!

More details on the newest changes at PSU. Michael McWhertor

Home Beta updated [PlayStation Universe]

The PS3's Home looks like it has great potential. Players can conceivably win achievement-like trophies and display them (see above). Sounds fantastic, but we're still somewhat in the dark. Developers should know, right? Making PS3 games an all. Nope! Tecmo's Yosuke Hayashi just finished up PLAYSTATION 3 title Ninja Sigma, and he's clueless. He explains:

I'm really interested in the concept of Home, but SCE hasn't provided any information to us yet on Home, so even if we had an intention of adapting the game, including Home trophy features or whatever, we currently just don't have the information on how to do it.

Yosuke Also Says Rumble Not Necessary [Spong]

Sony says they've registered some 600,000 PSN accounts—keep in mind the PLAYSTATION 3 allows for multiple accounts per console—and that they've doled out some 3.7 million downloads. That's a lot of Genji costumes, am I right?

More interesting than user facts and figures are Nourai's pledge that the current version of the PS3 firmware has only "scratched the surface" and that we'll be looking at more software upgrades in the future there as well as the PSP.

I'm hoping that means I can listen to music while Folding@Home, Sony! Michael McWhertor

SCEA online director: Changes coming to PlayStation Network [GamePro]

Sadly, no such trailer appeared on the PlayStation Store yesterday. Instead, PLAYSTATION 3 owners were given trailers for Warhawk, Super Rub A Dub and PlayStation Home. The demo for 2K Sports' Major League Baseball 2K7 also went up, alongside some Hollywood fodder. Not bad, but no GTA IV trailer.

I realize that the fledgling network may have actually caused the Sony data center to explode from the data transfer, but I can't help feel a bit jealous of my Xbox Live brethren. I'd have loved to easily watch the HD trailer on my HDTV via my PS3.

What, if anything, fellow PS3 owners, would you like to see more or less of on the PlayStation Store? Michael McWhertor

The mutant spawn of a PLAYSTATION 3 SIXAXIS and mouse, the FragFX looks to provide "PC-like movement, precision and performance" to console first-person shooter fans. It even has a dedicated "frag button." I know. It's crazy. But it just might be crazy enough to work.

One more mock up shot, plus a feature-rich press release follow.

SPLITFISH FRAGFX CONTROLLER BRINGS PC STYLE GAMEPLAY TO THE PLAYSTATION 3

Peripheral Customized for PlayStation Home Virtual World Navigation

Edmonton, March 20, 2007 - Innovative peripheral maker SplitFish GameWare, Inc today officially announced the company's upcoming FragFX game controller for the PlayStation 3 game console. The patent pending FragFX features a separate right hand mouse controller and detachable left hand grip controller, ideal for experiencing the traditional PC mouse and keyboard style gameplay of shooter games in a console environment. Key FragFX controller features include:

The right hand mouse controller has the complete set of PS3 controller buttons. The mouse is used during game play to shoot, look left, right, up and down for that same PC style game play experience on the PlayStation 3.

The mouse is optimized for navigation within the recently announced PlayStation Home virtual world.

A menu mode on the mouse allows it to double as a regular mouse during menu selections. A lap mouse pad and left hand grip cradle is included with the FragFX to allow for comfortable play in a living room setting.

The left hand re-programmable grip (nicknamed the "FragChuck" by G4TV) has the full range of 6-axis motion control providing Wii-like motion sensitivity for the PlayStation 3. In games like Resistance: Fall of Man, to reload a weapon or to rifle butt an opponent, the user can swing the FragChuck.

The FragChuck also offers a game speed dial and frag button. When the frag button is pressed it slows the mouse down to incremental movement for smooth sniper shots. The speed dial allows for instant fast or slow overall game play. These two additional features let the user get out of battles as fast as they get into them.

Already SplitFish is generating buzz among gamers with their groundbreaking controller technology for PlayStation consoles. During the first hands on reviews IGN called the control the FragFX serves up "far superior to the alternatives."

SplitFish CEO Cisco Schipperheijn remarked, "For years, first person shooter players have had less than an optimum experience when playing on a console. SplitFish's FragFX brings PC-like movement, precision and performance to the console FPS. The mouse in combination with the FragChuck is a huge advancement in pushing the limits of immersive game play."

SplitFish's FragFX provides universal game support and is expected to ship next month, with a wired version retailing for $59.99 and later a Bluetooth wireless version for $69.99. A limited amount of units will be reserved for European customers. The company previously released an award-winning FPS control system for the PlayStation2, called EdgeFX.

About SplitFish
SplitFish is a developer of original patented video game hardware technologies that include the theme park quality EyeFX 3D Adapter, the EdgeFX Competition Controller, the MotionFX Tilt-sensing Adapter, the GlideFX Trackball Controller, and the DualFX Laser Gun. For further details email us at info@splitfish.com or visit our web site at www.splitfish.com.

Sold! Michael McWhertor

Rushed Mii clones? The Sims copies? Second Life-ish? Take your pick. But, apparently Sony's concept of Home is a little more original than that. Back in 2005, the following posts appeared on the official PlayStation boards:

SCEA and SOE are developing MMORPG(something similiar to ffxi) style online service for PS3 right now. It will have online pack which it comes with HDD and the online software. You can go online and chat with people like mmorpg style. Your stats will have the list of games you have and scores(or ranks) for each game, and other great things. And if you want to look for someone to play online for certain game, you have to go to this certain area(or town) for that specific game or the game will automatically takes you to that town. Sony thinks "hyper links" technology is a history. They want to create a "virtual world" for PS3 online service where people can actually interact eachother like mmorpg style. There are more great details, but this is all I can get for now. I'm not expecting you to believe me

Game site You NEWB sent us the above quote. We did some leg-work, and various insiders confirmed that apparently Sony has been planning Home for at least the past three years — Pretty much Xbox Live blew the doors off everything. (Originally, Home had a more futuristic feel. Think PSO.) Even Kutaragi has supposedly been interested in a visual, 3D, online interface with personalized avatars since the PS2 days. The irony: It's been kept top secret to prevent competitors from copying it! Rome wasn't built in a day. What about Home? Brian Ashcraft

Proof Home Is No Copy? [PlayStation.com]

The New York Times has confirmed what we've all suspected: The PlayStation Home seems to be very real. Not only that, it is apparently going to hit this fall. For those who missed the hell that broke loose: We previously floated this, tussled with Sony and then kiss and made up. From the NY Times article:

It is a deficiency that Sony seems well aware of and that today's announcements are meant to address. Kotaku (kotaku.com), a popular gaming blog, reported preliminary details about PlayStation Home last week. Mr. Harrison would not discuss specifics of today's planned announcements but he laid out a clear road map of how Sony intends to improve and augment its online service.

In a telephone interview with the paper, Sony's Phil Harrison stated that last year was all about the hardware launch, while this year is about the software. He's supposed to announce PlayStation Home today at GDC, which Team Kotaku will be covering. Be sure to check back for our coverage! Brian Ashcraft

PlayStation Home Confirmed [NY Times, Thanks Lee!]

Fortunately, our huge fans over at NeoGAF (hi, guys!) did some digging, including super detective "gofreak" who, with Herculean effort, decided to click to the second page of results when searching for trademarks registered by Sony Computer Entertainment. There it was. PlayStation Home. Details on the trademark follow.

So what is PlayStation Home, as defined by the trademark? This:

IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Computer game software; electronic devices for the wireless receipt, storage and/or transmission of data and messages; computer software for conducting and coordinating real-time and asynchronous communications among computer users sharing information and audio/video data via electronic communications networks; downloadable electronic publications; sound and/or video recordings featuring music and entertainment, television programs, motion pictures, news, sports, games, cultural events, and entertainment-related programs of all kinds; downloadable digital sound and/or video recordings featuring music and entertainment, television programs, motion pictures, news, sports, games, cultural events, and entertainment-related programs of all kinds; computer software to allow users to perform electronic business transactions via the Internet

IC 041. US 100 101 107. G & S: Electronic games services provided by means of the Internet; Internet games (non-downloadable); organizing of games; entertainment services provided online and/or via a computer database for matching users for the transfer or sharing of music, video and audio recordings via communications networks; providing on-line chat rooms and electronic bulletin boards for transmission of messages among users in the field of general interest; providing of an on-line service enabling physically remote players of an electronic game to search on-line for other players and to communicate with selected players during the game; organizing, staging and the provision of on-line tournaments; entertainment by means of wireless television broadcasts

IC 042. US 100 101. G & S: Hosting on-line web facilities for others for organizing and conducting meetings, gatherings, interactive discussions and interactive game play; computer services in the nature of customised web pages for featuring game player information, including information regarding a player's identity and the player's preferences; hosting the computer sites of others on a computer service for a global network; creating and maintaining computer sites for others; website design services; creation and development of virtual and interactive images and environments; providing on-line access to computer networks, computer databases, the Internet, on-line bulletin boards, virtual worlds and libraries of text, graphics and audio-visual and multimedia information and entertainment

IC 045. US 100 101. G & S: Introduction and social networking services, namely introducing electronic game players to others

That ought to clear it up! While verbose, these broad-based trademarks have some meat to them, but also contain some very "cover your ass" kind of registrants. Of note are the "customised web pages for featuring game player information", "software to allow users to perform electronic business transactions" , and "downloadable digital sound and/or video recordings featuring music and entertainment, television programs, motion pictures, news, sports, games, cultural events, and entertainment-related programs of all kinds."

That could potentially mean purchases outside of the PlayStation Store, downloadable media via the Home platform, and a dozen other things that make the service a very robust and useful piece of software. We're looking forward to Sony's upcoming GDC announcements like you wouldn't believe. Michael McWhertor

Could the PlayStation Home, Sony's blending of achievements and Miis be that big surprise?

While the rumor seems to make sense, keep in mind while reading through it that it came from an anonymous source and that the half-dozen development studios we spoke with hadn't heard a thing about it.

Sony, when contacted earlier today, said they do not comment on rumors or speculation.

Playstation Home sounds like it could be an interesting, lo-fi, killer app, as described by our source.

Basically, you get to make an avatar for your console (like a Mii) and this avatar has a room. As you play games and accomplish certain tasks, you will receive items with which to adorn the room that are specific to the game (achievements). The kicker is that this is going to be a new requirement for every PS3 game...

This also sounds kind of like it could fulfill the promise Sony made at last year's GDC keynote to bring social networking to the PS3.

So we move from product based to service based, starting with packaged product augmented by downloadble content. We'll enhance this with social networks, the MySpace experience, this will be a key part of the PlayStation3 going forward. What brings it to life is the voice chat, the text chat, the video, the social features we're building in for the future.

Rooting around some recent (and not so recent) comments from Sony spokespeople, we find some things that might just validate this.

From Phil's recently published DICE interview with Newsweek editor N'Gai Croal comes this tidbit, following a discussion on the "lo-fi" approach Nintendo took with their Mii avatars:

If you are going to have an avatar which is your representative in a virtual world, it has to stand for more of your personality than some 2-D cartoons. So while I think that millions of people would be happy with cartoony looks, the planet at large probably isn't. And it's an experiment that will be played out very soon, actually.

From Dutch gaming site Next Generation Gamer comes this choice quote from an unidentified Sony rep:

We have something big coming up for the PlayStation Network, but I can't say anything about that yet. It has something to do with the Home Button on the SIXAXIS controller, and with the community.

Again, this is rumor. Our source continues to remain anonymous. Sony could be announcing the robust set of social features it has been touting for a long time, ones that go beyond voice and video chat, and tap into the collective and competitive feature sets that helped make both Xbox Live and Animal Crossing a hit with gamers. Michael McWhertor

Brian Crecente contributed to this story.