Want access to the
Home beta? Download a free theme on PS Store later today and you'll be entered into a drawing for access. According to the
PlayStation.blog, this won't be a random drawing. Instead, only the most active users of their PS3s will be granted access to the service. "By downloading the theme, users are submitting an application to join the PlayStation Home Beta test community. We will be using a variety of criteria including activity on the PLAYSTATION Network to determine eligibility for the Beta community."
Japan had a
similar drawing last week, and Europe will be contacting eligible users via e-mail shortly. It's taken years, but
Home is finally well ... coming home. If you make it into the beta, we'd love to find out -- maybe you'll find us running around the virtual world some time soon.
{ Aug 7th 2008 at 2:37PM } 
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Fizzle @ Aug 7th 2008 3:46PM
Awesome... all this beta news is great... may we see Home soon???
Draco @ Aug 7th 2008 2:45PM
That's a good idea, this way Sony's most dedicated customers get a reward.
I like it.
Lars @ Aug 7th 2008 4:34PM
Same here. And it gives me hope! I spend TONS of time on my PS3... yeah I know, I pretty much have no life.
Jeff @ Aug 7th 2008 5:57PM
Nothing in Sony's notice says anything about most dedicated customers or loyal fans being selected. The exact quote is from Jack Buser was "We will be using a variety of criteria including activity on the PLAYSTATION Network to determine eligibility for the Beta community"
Unless Sony is willing to divulge the specific criteria that they will use, i have to assume that it could be anything and since they have your personal info including your credit card#, DoB, etc. it could easily be abused.
Maybe they will only select white females btwn 18 - 25 yrs who have incomes over $40K and live in california? Maybe, they will decide no-one under 18 or over 30. Since they don't say you dont know.
dont get me wrong, i am not making any accusations but imho a practice that is easily abused will eventually be abused and unless they state their specific criteria up front, you will never know.
Sony should publish their selection criteria so that there is no doubt.
Neuromancer @ Aug 7th 2008 6:28PM
Jeff's got a good point, in fact they may specifically target people who DON'T spend a whole lot of time on their system. In which case, I may have a chance.
BananaBoat @ Aug 7th 2008 11:46PM
That's about the only way I'd have a chance. I've pretty much bought absolutely nothing from the PSN store (other than Pixeljunk Monsters), and while I've downloaded a ton of demo's, I don't spend a whole lot of time playing games on the PS3.
Easiest way for me to get in would be them looking at people with a very high Blu-Ray watching to video game playing ratio, and then pick them. The logic being that they could get people interested in games that are seemingly only interested in movies (then again, I played like 50 hours of MGS4, so that might screw me over). I'd much rather it were just a random drawing though. It's not that I'd really care if I didn't get into the beta, but not knowing WHY I didn't get in would annoy me.
morningdrive @ Aug 7th 2008 2:47PM
oh man i hope i get in. some people say that it is stupid, but to me it looks really cool.
macserv @ Aug 10th 2008 11:53PM
I think it looks fantastic, and the possibilities are wide open. I'd love to be a part of the beta, and I'm looking forward to seeing what they do with the concept.
Hopefully, the fact that I bought the eye, 2-dozen PSN games, and a Qore subscription will help a bit... that, and the fact that my PS3 is active 24x7.
Kir3LLehC @ Aug 7th 2008 2:47PM
Great news. I'm looking forward to this. I will download this once I get home
Huschke @ Aug 7th 2008 3:40PM
I don't think you realized it, but you just made a hilarious joke in my eyes :D
Kir3LLehC @ Aug 7th 2008 4:01PM
lol I just realized it haha
Andrew @ Aug 7th 2008 3:06PM
It's a good idea, they can get people who will genuinely play test the game while testing their servers, it's a win win deal, too bad I'm not near my PS3 to download this theme
Daniel @ Aug 7th 2008 2:50PM
I wonder what their definition of "active" is? I'm not one of those people that leaves mine on 24/7, but I am very active. I hope I'm active enough, home looks interesting.
Tim Parsons @ Aug 7th 2008 3:01PM
it's probably based on playing games online(i'm assuming) I personally leave mine on 24/7 last time it was turned off was July of 07 (aside from when it gets bad stormy with the power surging)
@VES I guess that's their way of being sure people interested, who use online serivces alot will get it so they can better evaluate it then those who never touch the online portions
Game_playa @ Aug 7th 2008 4:00PM
I'm also on all day, I hope I get in
jason @ Aug 7th 2008 5:42PM
Dude same here im active but i dont know how active you need to be for Home ..
gr3en @ Aug 12th 2008 12:59PM
when exactly is later today
Tim Parsons @ Aug 7th 2008 2:52PM
cool,. that rules me out I rarely play games online,i usually just beat the game & never even touch the Online portion,. might have to give it a bit of a go with Burnout though now that im into playing it to get some of those online Awards,
Ves @ Aug 7th 2008 2:53PM
Bah the most active, not a great way too choose people imo, but still atleast it gets expanded.
McBonk @ Aug 7th 2008 3:40PM
Right. Better to choose the inactive to beta test a social interaction feature. Makes sense.
Staton @ Aug 7th 2008 11:42PM
I actually agree. Usually people that are most active on the PSN are hardcore gamers (which represent a small percentage of all gamers), therefore their input would be quite biased from the average gamer.
Solace @ Aug 7th 2008 2:54PM
"It's taken years, but..."
"years"? more like not even one year and a half.
i've told you a million times PS3F not to exaggerate! ;-)
Andrew Yoon @ Aug 7th 2008 3:04PM
1.5 years = plural.
NYC Gamer @ Aug 7th 2008 11:45PM
I guess I'll be leaving my ps3 on folding@home LOL
Gaucho @ Aug 7th 2008 2:56PM
I'll try but what with work and never leaving my PS3 connected to the internet unless im playing CoD or warhawk, I'm def not gonna get in the beta. still its the obvious way to do this. I'm surprised they didnt do this earlier.
Tim Parsons @ Aug 7th 2008 3:03PM
if that's all it takes i'm in for sure. I never turn my PS3 off it's always on and connected 24/7. only tiem I turn it off was last summer whe nI went away for 2 weeks. Other then that unless the power goes due to a Storm it's always On .
-Jad- @ Aug 7th 2008 2:56PM
Hmmm, I'm going to download that theme lets see if I'm available to participate ^__^
freker @ Aug 7th 2008 3:23PM
Cool. Can't wait to see this in action, how can I see about acquiring this then?
Year of the PS3 indeed, still needs Jak though.
GrabMyJoystick @ Aug 7th 2008 3:05PM
typical i've just moved house and the only access to the Internet I've got is on my phone! As long as it takes them more than 2 weeks to choose I've got a chance!
MikeDawg @ Aug 7th 2008 4:43PM
yawn is right.
i have every PS3 hit and a few misses that I wont name because I am too emabarresssed to mention them cough*transformers*cough..and I have the eye, a bluetooth keyboard, the earpiece, Qore, some movie and game DL's?...Hey wait a minute!!!...I think I may be getting that Home beta...yessss!!!!
TheSh0wstopper @ Aug 7th 2008 3:05PM
finally a "FAIR" way to send out Beta invites. I hope one of the criteria is how many PSN and PS3 retail games you own, if so I'M A LOCK!
-TheSh0wstopper
Devin @ Aug 7th 2008 3:32PM
I bet you can't beat my cousin. He's got about 14 PS3 games including the Eye, GH/Rock Band & Singstar. He's ridiculous....
Jesse @ Aug 7th 2008 3:45PM
How can they tell how many retail games you own? I have almost 2 dozen PS3 games sitting on my shelf right now. I have swapped most of them out via online trading websites, so if they somehow record how many games I have logged into PSN with, then I have closer to 3 or 4 dozen.
They could go off of how much money you spent on the PSN and how much you play online, that's about it.
TheSh0wstopper @ Aug 7th 2008 3:47PM
14... yarn!!! Add me to your friends list and i'll send u a pick of my collection. Since you think 14 games is soo much I doubt you would believe me if I told you how many PS3 games, PSN games, blu rays, and 360 games I have. And I have the Eye also.
And no i'm not some Fat loser that sits in front of the tube all day playing videogames and eating pizza and wings. I just love videogames. Dont really even get enough time to beat/play all of them.
-TheSh0wstopper
Tim Parsons @ Aug 7th 2008 3:57PM
@ Devin is 14 supposed to be alot??
Mo @ Aug 7th 2008 4:03PM
uhm... 14 is NOT ALOT... even by ps3 standards
King JMY @ Aug 8th 2008 2:46AM
Geez, leave the guy alone. So he thinks 14 games is a lot, so what? It doesn't matter how many games you have anyways.
Miguel @ Aug 7th 2008 11:07PM
i dont see any home theme at Play Station store
ps3 rules @ Aug 7th 2008 11:12PM
its only USA store
Fullmetalcrusade @ Aug 7th 2008 3:17PM
I still wonder what they mean by active. I mean, it could be active on the PS store, or just active in general. Most games auto connect to PSN when you play, even if you don't go online(Rock Band and MLB08 come to mind) so I'm not entirely sure thats how it will work. I'm thinkin it may be more based on PS store activity, purchases, DLs etc.
koehler83 @ Aug 7th 2008 3:12PM
Oh yes. I'm gonna jump through hoops to get into the HOME beta so I can be cool too. The completely pointless, worthless HOME beta.
Can someone please tell me the significance of a social application whereby you can gather and invites your friends to play games.. BUT WON'T LET YOUR FRIENDS IN!
Re. Tard. Ed.
Soapy911 @ Aug 7th 2008 3:17PM
weeh 1!
Devin @ Aug 7th 2008 3:34PM
I'm sorry to hear that you won't be able to invite all your friends into a BETA application. This is just one of the things you should expect....you should be happy Sony is even making an effort to get this app out early with feedback from the "active" community to make it a win-win for everybody....
Lionbacker @ Aug 8th 2008 11:20AM
@koehler:
Still think Home is dumb, watch this new trailer from sony. Make sure you watch the whole thing, it gets really cool at the end.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfrTAt_m1po
anthonyjh @ Aug 7th 2008 3:15PM
Damn, I hope MGO time counts. I'll be in in five.
SUPREME @ Aug 7th 2008 3:20PM
Does anyone have any idea when this is going to come online? I've been waiting to download the theme since 11:30 this morning (EST) and it's still not on the Playstation Store...
BTW: PSN ID: SUPREMENYC
Albanian_Killa @ Aug 7th 2008 3:23PM
YES BABY YES ACTIVITY IS MY MIDDLE NAME!
CPRxChris @ Aug 7th 2008 3:36PM
I'm never really connected to the internet that much, I mean if I can, I am. But I'm usually too busy doing something, like going to a Bullet for my Valentine concert yesterday, or too addicted to single-player to go online. I always liked GTA IV and MGO though.
CPRxChris @ Aug 7th 2008 4:04PM
The theme looks badass, by the way.
Tim Parsons @ Aug 7th 2008 4:22PM
Badass?,. are you kiddin'? you dont get out much do you.
whats so badass about those plain icons and that background? lol