Home open beta CONFIRMED for November

[NJShadow]

Ok, I know hearing the word "CONFIRMED" from Sony is like saying "Give or take 6 months" but the HOME Open Beta has been confirmed for November 2008.

PlayStation Home Creative Director Ron Festejo has confirmed that the online social platform will be entering its open beta stage in November 2008.

“Home is currently in a closed beta phase,” said Festejo. “We have between 8,000 and 10,000 users in this closed beta phase. Around July we’re going to be expanding on the closed beta phase and allowing more people to gradually come in, and then in November this year we’ll be going to the open beta.”

In addition, Festejo added that feedback from the community has allowed the team to implement various improvements to the online service, stating, “The extension to the closed beta allows us to have more conversations with our community. We’re very much in close conversations with them.”

“A lot of the changes we’ve done have been the result of feedback. We’ve asked the community a lot of questions, they’ve given us a lot of feedback as to what they think needs improving, and we’re doing that, so it’s managing expectations.”

[Drift]

Well I def take a wait and see with Home at this point. BUT I hope it does cause the PS3 needs HOME!

[NJShadow]

Now that I think about it, this may have been the first time that Sony actually used the word "Confirmed" so I'm assuming it really IS gonna happen.

[damnedeyez]

And how long will it stay in open beta? Anything like Google does, you suppse?

[bobafettjm]

It's so hard for me to get excited for Home. After using the 360's online for so long, and it has the features I want right from a push of a button I don't know how Home will stack up to it.

I really want to like it, so I am giving Sony the benefit of the doubt, but I am taking a wait and see approach to it. I do like the streaming videos and music to others thing, and the showing off the trophies or whatever though.

[dolson]

I don't know what the big deal about Home is. In-game XMB is the thing we need immediately, Home can wait.

Plus, Sony's recent comments on Home are confusing - one guy says they'll release Home when it's complete, and another says Home will never be complete.

Home Nukem Forever!

[iccanui]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdEWxL4EpN0

I think that about sums up my feels on home at this point.

[Dark_Shroud]

Well now that some of the usual 360 fans have voiced their opinions. I think this is good news. I'm also looking forward to in game XMB. I'm just wondering what 360 fans are going to complain about after the PS3 gets these functinos.

[satori]

I'm happy about this getting some beta action.

[dolson]

Well now that some of the usual 360 fans have voiced their opinions. I think this is good news. I'm also looking forward to in game XMB. I'm just wondering what 360 fans are going to complain about after the PS3 gets these functinos.

"Usual 360 fans" ? They're not allowed to post here?

[GoNZooo]

Well now that some of the usual 360 fans have voiced their opinions. I think this is good news. I'm also looking forward to in game XMB. I'm just wondering what 360 fans are going to complain about after the PS3 gets these functinos.
Did you fail to notice the PSN stuff in the signatures?

[iccanui]

Well now that some of the usual 360 fans have voiced their opinions. I think this is good news. I'm also looking forward to in game XMB. I'm just wondering what 360 fans are going to complain about after the PS3 gets these functinos.

Im all about the ps3, i sold my xbox to buy it. Im tired of being d*** teased over home is all. For months i hear " next month, next month". I guess its my own fault for listening to rumors, but hearing now that i have to wait till november... im a little disappointed right now is all.

[Azathoth624]

I can't really see Home bringing anything meaningful that I'd really use on top of the PS3 functionality as it stands.

The shop works, the games work... multiplayer works... do I need second life to round out the package? Not really...

Give me a confirmed street date for Wipeout HD, THEN I'll get excited...

[satori]

Im all about the ps3, i sold my xbox to buy it. Im tired of being d*** teased over home is all. For months i hear " next month, next month". I guess its my own fault for listening to rumors, but hearing now that i have to wait till november... im a little disappointed right now is all.

to take a page out of id's book, it's done when it's done.

[crater]

I love my Ps3. I'm not in 1 bit excited for Home. This statement goes for all systems. I want better games, not the same game that looks better or, multi-player related things.

That being said i don't play shooters, i mostly stick to RPGs, so i'm not a "Hardcore" Gamer.

[Dark_Shroud]

"Usual 360 fans" ? They're not allowed to post here?
I did not say anything about people not being allowed to post. I'm just stating they make posts containing their usual kinda sorta anti PS3 views in PS3 threads that do not add to the conversation.

[dolson]

I did not say anything about people not being allowed to post. I'm just stating they make posts containing their usual kinda sorta anti PS3 views in PS3 threads that do not add to the conversation.

Who were you referring to? I didn't see any PS3 haters posting... You're delusional, I think.

[scoobydiesel]

might have to turn my ps3 on this novemeber....if Home really does show up

[johnnysix]

I'm excited to see Home. It's a matter of balancing wants vs needs. At the moment, I want Home. What I need is in-game XMB and the basics. Gimmie in-game XMB and some good games.
This is good though. I don't want to bring things down. It's a great announcement. We've heard so much about what Home is and isn't that I just want the damned thing there so I can judge it for myself. If it's great, maybe I'll be on the boards come Christmas time saying where's my home equivalent for 360? Who knows?

[stubadub]

[QUOTE=bobafettjm;361977]It's so hard for me to get excited for Home. After using the 360's online for so long, and it has the features I want right from a push of a button I don't know how Home will stack up to it.

QUOTE]


I see the xbox experience as something completely different than home. I hope the XMB is feature complete enough that I don't feel like any gaping holes in functionality are present, but I'm more interested in the things they're implementing that are completely different than what I get on my 360. I'll probably drive my friends crazy making them watch movies and listen to music. Now I get to do the same things I did back when we all lived in the same state; I'll annoy them virtually.

[bobafettjm]

I did not say anything about people not being allowed to post. I'm just stating they make posts containing their usual kinda sorta anti PS3 views in PS3 threads that do not add to the conversation.

So adding what I think about Home, which is what the thread is about is not adding to the conversation. Do I need to make only pro-PS3 comments for them to count?

I own both the PS3 and the 360, and actually for that matter almost every other U.S system made. Just because I prefer the online system over the other doesn't mean I can't add to the conversation. Sometimes it's just as annoying to have someone defend every single thing Sony does as it is constant bashing.

[Jaylaf]

Jeez NJShadow! Do you ever get to start a thread that doesn't get...touchy? Maybe one of these times...;)

[Spartacus]

I like Home woo hoo :D

[NJShadow]

Well, Eric Lempel stated that the Home Open Beta will indeed be coming out this Fall.

Sony’s Director of PlayStation Network Eric Lempel has said that PlayStation Home’s upcoming open beta is still on schedule for release this fall, assuring consumers that its release will offer a “fully robust service.”

“The Home open beta is still on schedule for release later this fall,” said Lempel, during an interview with Next-Gen.biz

Despite numerous delays, Lempel was keen to point out that the open beta would be worth the wait, offering consumers a “fair” representation of the forthcoming online social networking platform.

Speaking in direct reference to Sony’s Susan Panico, who suggested that Home’s “rollout will be similar to Gmail,” and thus function as an "open, working beta,” Lempel asserted that Home’s public form would not merely function as a “0.5 release.”

“If you think about Gmail and Susan’s reference, Gmail when it launched in beta was a fully functional email service. I personally was using it and it offered everything you’d expect, but was in beta just to say that there’s more to come and maybe it’s not fully polished,” he said.

“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.”

Elsewhere, he also addressed the subject of Sony’s planned movie download service for PSN, though did not divulge any specific details in regards to a release date or pricing.

“I don’t have any more specifics right now, but like Kaz [Hirai] said, it will go live [in the US] this summer and I think it will offer consumers everything they’re looking for from us. It will offer everything they expect from us and probably a little bit more,” he offered.

[wideawakewesley]

Home will be cool, it won't appeal to everyone (like me), but there'll be loads of people who'll get a kick out of it I'm sure. I tend to agree with Dolson that Sony should give their customers what they need before what they might want, but Home will help differentiate the PS3 from the 360 and I think it needs that, so developing that alongside the improvements to the in-game XMB is probably the right move. They just take so damn long with any kind of software development, but then we are comparing them to Microsoft (a software company with infinite resources).

Wes