Sony has confirmed that its virtual world - Home - will launch this autumn.
The service, which is going head-to-head with Second Life, was originally expected to launch this month but, according to Sony's president Kaz Hirai, the company "needed more time to refine the service to ensure a more focused gaming entertainment experience than what it is today".
Home will allow PlayStation 3 users to create their own their own avatars and virtual apartment spaces, which they can fill with virtual possessions. They will be able to interact through a number of ways, including typing, talking to each other using headsets or even using e-motions.
Eric Lempel, director of the PlayStation Network, told Next-Gen: "The Home open beta is still on schedule for release later this fall. The reason we've been delaying Home is so that we can deliver a high-quality service that the users will enjoy".
"Even though it will be in beta, it will be a fair representation of what the service can be and its potential, so it won't be a 0.5 release, it will be a fully robust service," he added.
Comments
Ari said: ltLAUGHS HARDgtSecond Life KillerDo some researchSecond Life accessible from Windows OSX and LinuxSony At Home Accessible from PS3Ummm - thats like saying iPhoto on the Macintosh is the Photoshop KillerYou are hyping Sonys At Home - which is BAD for Sony You are creating and building unrealistic expectations to the point that when it is finally unveiled there will be massive disappointment This causes start-ups to failBut whateverMeh
Stacey said: Home and Second Life have only two minor things in common the social interaction and avatar creation Saying one is the killer of another or anything silly like that proves lack of knowledge about whats being talked about
nic mitham said: Im curious as to why you think Home is going head to head with Second Life They have completely different access methods completely different feature-sets and target completely different marketsAnd also why do you think its going to be a Second Life killer
Saijanai said: And Home like virtually ever other virtual world in existence besides Second Life isnt working on inter-operability with other worlds or with extending what ALL virtual worlds might be able to do by publishing opensource software and now open protocol documentation to enable individuals and organizations besides Linden Lab to participate in the design and implementation of the Second Life open Internet platformhttpswikisecondlifecomwihttpswikisecondlifecomwihttpswikisecondlifecomwi