News
Sony Computer Entertainment America Announces Redesign of PlayStation Home
Coming Fall 2011
FOSTER CITY, Calif., Aug. 23, in the year of our Lord
2011 -- Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA)
today announced major changes coming to PlayStation®Home in Fall
2011. This complete redesign includes a new core experience for
PlayStation Home, available exclusively on PlayStation®Network
for the PlayStation®3 (PS3™) system, featuring an all-new Hub
that integrates games, quests, community events and
user-generated content, while providing players with additional
navigation, shopping, socialization and entertainment options.
From the Hub, players can teleport to various genre-based
districts, where they will encounter games tailored to their
interests and style, while introducing them to a rich and
diverse selection of game experiences.
The new core experience reinforces PlayStation Home's
development from a virtual environment to a world of games, with
a focus on rapidly connecting players with game content that
pertains to their style and mood. In the Hub, players can head
over to the Activity Board, where they will discover the robust
questing system that transforms PlayStation Home itself into a
game, quickly find games and content, and create their own
events to share with their friends.
"PlayStation Home's new core experience is a giant leap in the
evolution of the platform, not to mention a major milestone for
PlayStation Network, and its new model quickly deploys our users
to many compelling free-to-play games that fit their interests,"
said Jack Buser, director of PlayStation Home, SCEA. "With this
update, coming this fall, PlayStation Home becomes a game
itself, making it the most robust gamified social experience
available."
PlayStation Home's new core experience provides players with a
dynamic and constantly changing pool of activities and
challenges throughout the Hub and districts, with thematic
content that enables players to find games that are relevant to
their interests:
The Hub: The new, futuristic Hub brings games
directly to players with a featured game front-and-center upon
login, the Activity Board where players can engage in quests and
community activities, and a direct path to free games via the
teleporter.
Action District: A gathering place for the
hardcore demographic, the Action District has a gritty, urban
feel reminiscent of a first-person shooter level and provides a
direct travel point to action games.
Sportswalk: The Sportswalk has an exciting
outside-the-stadium feel with instant major league sports
scores, headlines and highlights, ample space for sports-themed
games and provides direct travel points to sports-related games.
Adventure District: The Adventure District
drops you in a lush island jungle with an air of mystery, hidden
treasure and discovery, where players will be able to launch
directly into adventure-themed games.
Pier Park: A waterfront boardwalk leads players
to carnival, puzzle, outdoor and arcade games. Take a ride on
the Pier Park Ferris wheel or visit the arcade for some bright
entertainment.
Also planned to be released this fall as a separate core client
upgrade is a revamp of the underlying user experience in
PlayStation Home. This update will deliver a more streamlined
experience upon login with customized tracks for new, returning
and regular PlayStation Home users, minimizing the time it takes
for players to get into games.
PlayStation pioneered new ground in interactive entertainment
with the launch of PlayStation Home in December 2008.
PlayStation Home has since evolved beyond a social network into
a true social game platform:
PlayStation Home has been used by over 23 million users
worldwide. (WW)
The average time spent in the Home platform is 70 minutes per
session (SCEA)
Over 230 games ready-to-play (SCEA)
Over 9,000 virtual items (SCEA)
Over 65 spaces (SCEA)
Over 600 community events (SCEA)
Over 35 partners (SCEA)
Total Game Integration: Total Game Integration extends the game
experience for players of Blu-ray Disc™ or PlayStation Network
games to PlayStation Home. The first Total Game Integration was
introduced in January 2011.
For additional information about PlayStation Home's new core experience, please visit: http://us.playstation.com/psn/playstation-home/homedetail/.