PlayStation Home has been an inexplicable success for Sony ever since the poor man’s Second Life was launched last year. However, if recent figures are correct, it might start to finally make sense — Home just keeps attracting curious people, who visit once and then rarely return.
Sony’s Peter Edwards has revealed that over seven million people are signed up to PlayStation Home, but this is contrasted by a return rate of 25 – 30%, meaning that most people have just signed in, checked it out, realized it was awful, then left. Edwards is quick to point out that the figures aren’t definitive, but it’s quite telling about how most PSN members are using the “service.”
According to Edwards, “only” 80% of Home users are young males, and he claims that “Home is slowly broadening the appeal of the console market out to a widening demographic.” In addition, Edwards boasts that over six million Home items have been downloaded over the past few months, and that Sony is making money from the sale of pretend furniture.
I don’t even get how a mere 30% are even finding reasons to go back to Home, but that’s humanity for you. Someone’s always got to like something.
Published: Jul 15, 2009 09:40 am