Home: Sony opens the doors of the virtual world of PS3
“Make yourself at home”. This could be the slogan for the latest Sony. Home is a virtual universe designed for players of the PlayStation 3. It was officially launched Wednesday after some procrastination on his inauguration. Indeed, the service is open a year late.
Sony hopes to make “Home” a meeting place and sharing its PS3 games, and increase its audience. But the electronics giant also plans to monetize its investment in the virtual world.
Partnerships have also been concluded with the creator of Ligne Roset furniture, the brand of Red Bull energy drinks and film producer Paramount, which will broadcast trailers of upcoming films in the virtual universe.
Initial signs of business of virtual objects on Home
Like other virtual worlds like Second Life or platform Vivaty appeared in the spring (recognizing that the Google project was abandoned Lively), Home proposes to interact and have fun in virtual places.
Each owner of PlayStation 3 can now register on the official website dedicated to the game console and download the free software providing access to this new world.
Avatars have an apartment, where they can invite other avatars and discuss. Participants can also go to public places, cinema, bowling etc ….
Players can dress their avatars with clothing brand Diesel, Sony has already announced a jacket or trousers Diesel can cost up to 1.50 euro unity in Home, although some models remain free.
“Not much to do”
Sony is open to the idea of organizing promotional events in Home. For example, in framework of action game Far Cry 2 (produced by Ubisoft), players will find bumps on the virtual world of Sony to extend their passion.
Other video game players as Electronic Arts, Midway, Atari and Sega are also working with Sony to offer such features to their future products, announced the Japanese firm said in a statement.
The LA Times blog has a video demonstration of the virtual universe of Sony. But be careful not to disappoint the journalist Chris Kohler of Wired magazine considers the universe Home Sony still very limited.
“Unless you love to talk to anyone and find people who play, there is not much to do. Home is not Second Life. It does not create its locations or its contents. Home offers products to consume virtual pre-manufactured and watch content that Sony decides the content, “he wrote.
