ft.com/techblog

It was actually a relief yesterday to see Sony finally deliver some next-generation inspiration after trailing Microsoft and Nintendo for so long in the current round of console wars.

The company was beginning to lose its cool factor among gamers, a prospect that at one time would have seemed unthinkable.

All the pizzazz of the PlayStation 3’s hardware had been dissipated by the expense of the machine, the clunky updates needed, the lack of compelling games and the most basic of online offerings, all of which made it seem a non-essential purchase for all but the most hard core of gamers.

Home could spark a change of momentum for the PS3, the demonstration at the Game Developers Conference was that impressive.

It will appear on the Xross Media Bar as a new icon for beta testers from next month and open up a whole new virtual world for them. It amounts to a free, user-friendly take on Second Life, with much better graphics and a far more entertaining experience for its target audience.

There are games galore of course, cinemas to watch movies in, apartments to socialise and party with friends and a 3-D Hall of Fame for a gamer’s trophies and awards.

Sony could see considerable revenues from selling virtual furniture and clothing – as Kaneva expects to in its PC combination of virtual worlds and social networking. Music, and video sales could also be boosted in this appealing environment.

While the critics may feel people would prefer a more 2-D Web interface to enjoy content online, Home seems to have a natural appeal to a gaming audience.

They spend most of their time assuming characters and roles in the games they play, Home should be a home from home for them.

March 8th, 2007 in Games | Permalink