Home's non-gaming plan 'too ambitious,' admits SCEE's Reeves

by Nick Doerr { May 8th 2008 at 5:30PM }

It seems even Sony knows when to admit it bit off a little more than it could initially masticate. In a short discussion with CVG, Reeves admitted they've "realized that maybe we were too ambitious with the non-gaming applications within Home, getting sponsors and stuff like that ... in that sense we were deserting gamers. So, we're concentrating on the gaming by launching games in Home, and attracting people who are into gaming in first -- instead of the Nike people, or Adidas people who are into fashion and not necessarily into gaming."

This is interesting because we've always heard how one of the futures of advertising may be within video games. Now Reeves and Sony see that perhaps focusing on that isn't the right approach -- you need to fill a store with people before you can sell anything, after all. Sony is now refocusing their strategy on things like Trophies and Home-to-game launching, so expect more of that when the open beta hits this year, another thing Reeves promises. The beta will come this autumn. For sure. We'll see.

Tags: david-reeves, home, SCEE

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

AshStampede @ May 8th 2008 5:38PM

I am sure it will be cool as a lobby system to jump into a game with your friends. But I had mention to friends that I hope it doesnt replace the xmb other wise i will always have the curtains drawn. The whole sims/second life-ness of home is so unappealing. I just want to play games on my ps3, I'm sure I am not the only one that feels that way.

Vincent @ May 8th 2008 7:55PM

Nop, you aren't the only one. I'm with you on this one.

Devin @ May 8th 2008 5:44PM

Atleast it's coming this fall so we can all experience it....

frankym @ May 8th 2008 5:51PM

Yawn

wisconsinista @ May 9th 2008 1:55PM

No wonder why PS3 europeans are getting the shaft with this guy in charge of their territory. I feel for you guys.

Jerses @ May 8th 2008 6:04PM

The beta is coming this fall...so this means home is delayed to 2009?!!!! I can live without home but please make the in-game xmb update now!!!

PSN: KillaKornbread (the shirt is a lie!) @ May 8th 2008 11:19PM

i think they said in-game XMB is in a June update. its separate from Home at least, i know that much.

fingers crossed.

klexam @ May 8th 2008 6:08PM

I don't want to just game. I want an experience. The promise of the experience is one of the main reasons I chose PS3 over the 360. First, I love the Sony games and the ability to download demos. Second, I have a 56" DLP and I wanted a Bluray experience. Third, I liked what I heard about Home, but it needs to get here. Fourth, I want to be able to rent movies through my PS3. The one thing I don't think has been put to good use is the PSP to PS3 experience. I would like to have seen the PSP act as a high tech remote for my Bluray movie experience.

The futuer of gaming systems is that they become multimedia hubs as well.

kevin @ May 8th 2008 7:23PM

uh the 360 has probable 4 times as more demos as we do(friend brought it over) but then again 90 percent of 360 owners have only 20 gb of hdd so it balances out you know

James @ May 9th 2008 11:14AM

I don't think the 360 non-XBLA demos outnumber the PS3 ones *that* badly, plus if you just count "big" titles, we're about even. Now, there's probably a hundred XBLA games, and each has a demo, but as everybody knows, 90+% of XBLA is horrible shovelware. So don't be too bummed.

My only gripe about the PS Store is that most downloadable games don't have demos, and I already got burned buying Loco Roco. [I knew it wasn't going to be the same as the PSP game, but the thing that kills me is that there's ONE SONG that just loops over and over and over and drives you mad. I loved the PSP version mostly for the music, but you need a little variety.] Sorry, rant over. My point is, XBLA is well-served by its mandatory demo policy, and PSN would be as well.

skech775 @ May 8th 2008 6:30PM

Good news everyone: latest updated news for Home has officially announced the delay pushed back even further til spring of 2009, due to overwhelming feature developements according to SCEE and developers of Home. This is so exciting. kcuf you Home.

Ty @ May 8th 2008 8:07PM

Ahh the Horses mouth... Too bad its still a horse... We Sony fanboys are getting very skeptical of our father lately... I need some more fanboyism... and I think if you're not 100% PS3, you can go Xbox 360. Seriously... WE the people of the Sony PlayStation 3 don't like you unbeliever skeptic trolls. Go away.

GO AWAY.

agelgamer @ May 8th 2008 8:22PM

Close minded fool. Wake up and smell the corporate BS. SONY's admitted that instead of focusing on gamers, they tried to turn HOME into a living and breathing area to spam you with advertising from sponsors.

Now they're backpedaling and will be implementing features already found on the 360.

You can rent movies on XBL (HD included), you can download demos (over 300), downloadable content, backwards compatibility, it's a shame really.

On the other hand, some of the things shown at Playstation Day do look good. Enjoy!

skech775 @ May 8th 2008 9:01PM

who you talking to dude?

dave @ May 8th 2008 11:00PM

*best butthead impression*

Heh heh ... he said 'masticate'.

Consolcwby @ May 11th 2008 10:10PM

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: SCEE is the fly in Sony's ointment. =/ By the time they get home right, we'll all be playing second life on our phones. (I won't be, but there are some people out there who literally NEED their flying penises...)