Home launched just last week, and the initial reports are ... well, they're not outright praise. In face, so far it seems that Home's primary use is to simulate oral sex and run around saying how "dumb" everything is. Nevertheless, Sony is optimistic, justifying all the resources sunk into its pet project by claiming it will become a reason to buy a PS3.
Obviously Sony is hoping to reap in cash from companies willing to associate themselves with the software, but Dan Hill, SCEE service manager, thinks it will benefit the company far more than that.
"... In time I would say that Home will definitely become a reason to purchase," claims Hill. "Today, we are at the beginning of a long journey - now is the time to start its evolution.
"The PlayStation Network is getting better all the time and Home is integral to our online offering. If you buy a PS3 and you grow with us, as Home evolves, you are going to become part of something very special, something unlike you can experience anywhere else."
What do you think? Are we on the road to evolution, or is Home about as useful as Avatars? Or maybe both companies should stop working on stupid services nobody actually asked for and let the market know they have real videogames on offer.
Contest:
3:03 PM on 12.15.2008
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Which is a good thing.
Also Metal Gears and Valkyria Chronicles
Anyways, how did Home work out with FnF?? I'll finally be able to participate again since I'll be done exams ^_^
Oh and is the Warhawk room up yet??
The ability to join multiple clubs based on interest, check rosters and bulletins, and play games with other members of those clubs doesn't hurt the online offering. You can do your own matchmaking based on people not being complete tards or GAMEZ R CEREAL, instead of being thrown in with random people because of your KDR.
Home as a game: shit. Home as a medium for social gaming: great. Compelling for a purchase? Eh. Maybe?
@celica
To be honest, we didn't use it. Warhawk is the only game supported by game launching in the beta, and we didn't play Warhawk, so there wasn't a reason to go through Home. I did try it out on a different occasion and it was cool. They need to get that shit in there for more games by the official release though.
What in God's name possessed them to sink so much money into this drivel?
At least someone here isnt blinded by xbox fanboyism that "apparently" requires you to hate on anything that isnt made or sponsored by microsoft. I like Dtoid, but out of all the game blogs i visit, this one is by far the most anti PS3.
So far, this potential has NOT been realized, and yet they keep asking for people to buy their console on faith.
Thanks for wasting time on Home, Sony, instead of doing things like cross-game chatting and mandatory custom soundtrack.
Waiting in a COD4 lobby is a million times more social than Home will ever be.
This one.
@Hobgoblin, Genius: LOL, get an avatar.
Oh damn, I guess you really told me huh... So tell me, if I get an avatar will I be as cool as you?
I can hounestly* say that at this point, I have no idea what will and won't sell in the fragulous world of video games. OK, Madden and GTA and Halo and Mario ____ will sell. Other than that, who knows?
The people who buy in are going to be the casuals who are intrigued from hearing about WoW or Second Life, but are scared off by the complexity of the PC as a gaming platform. Sony is no newbie to MMOs, so I wouldn't write it off yet.
-Avatar is effected by games you play.
-Avatar Scars from damage in action games.
-Avatar collects stats from "trophies"
-Avatar grabs clothes and items from games.
-Avatar transfers into games, replacing/interfacing with a game's native character creator.
-Avatars have an interesting place to actually hangout and do interesting things, beyond the running man.
You can replace Avatar with Mii or Miivatar, and get the same results.
You've got a D-Toid account and thus a c-blog. Care to elaborate on why Home is awesome? THe floor's yours, and plenty people will see it. You could be doing Sony a favor, considering all the doubt and haters, allegedly . . .
Home is a content desert, with crippling design flaws, like: finite spaces to play pool and horrible flash games, poor load times between incredible small environments, barely any free content for your avatar or your apartment, three chess tables is stupid enough to warrant it's own mention, a theatre where you have to wait a foolishly long time for a video to load all the way, then watch it through your avatar's eyes, so you can have word bubbles and player names pop up everywhere unless you stand at the back, making the video much smaller. For a service so highly lauded as a great new feature on the PS3, what has it done right?
XboxLive Gold is retarded. Who would actually PAY to play? LAME.
Tell that to the 9+ million people paying $15 a month to play WoW.
When you step back and think about it, $4 a month to play games on such a well integrated network is certainly better than most everything out there (except Steam).
That said, I'm certainly glad that PSN is free because I wouldn't pay a cent to use it in its current state.
But its the same if you were going to purchase 360 for its avatars or Wii for its avatars. You normally don't base a system solely on this feature, but it is good +.
and its free :)
I personally think cross-game chat is easily worth a monthly fee.
Also, you should be picking apart the problems it has. If enough people bitch, Sony will be forced to fix it.
Agreed with your approach to complaining.
My biggest issue with Home is that I don't really see a need to go back into Home. Is the point to meet new people? If so, what can Home do that a game lobby can't?
If I wanted to experience a game of spot the desperate sexual predator I could use any number of adult chatrooms... not that I actually do that.. There's no real point to Home right now, and I honestly dont see where an idea like this could ever go. I can hope something does come of it one day, maybe, but its a safe bet i'll be in the "What were they thinking!" phase for a good while.
It's just abut getting together and chatting; playing a nice board game. Something a lot of folk who don't play games actually find quite natural.
Since Sony are pushing (well, wishing) the PS3 to a broader audience by feature-set (rather than just making games more accessible), Home fits well with the Blu-Ray player, web browser, media centre, that makes sense to a family.
Home is optional, and just a second life hellspawn..for right now. NXE is a new interface for 360. NXE made 360 better (IMO), and Home is just a waste of time. Saying its just a beta is bullshit, because it's out. They promised Home by the end of 2008, not some shell. BEcause thats what it feels like: They gave us a shell of Home, and will fill in the pieces eventually. Eventualy could mean years unfortunatly. And Dtoid isn't all biased against the PS3. I actually havent seen a good review of Home. But then again I havent looked. Can someone link me to a good review that DOESN'T Say "Potential" in it? Because Im not basing it on its potential, just on what's out. HOLY FUCKING RANT BATMAN! Sorry guys lol