The EA Sports Home space is actually pretty awesome

by Jem Alexander { Jan 9th 2009 at 6:35PM }

We're fairly certain that there's a good number of you who responded to the news of an EA Sports Home space with nothing more than a "meh." Some of us did too, to be honest. Some of us are not particularly big fans of sports games, so we assumed this Home space is for other people. Until, that is, we saw the new walkthrough video that has appeared on the PlayStation Blog, which shows off the entire space, including the three mini-games.

Home users will be able to race go-karts against each other, with four people racing at once. There's also a golfing minigame and poker tables. While these are nothing too exciting on their own, EA are introducing a "light progression system" with their area. That means that you'll be able to spend your winnings on upgrading your go-karts, and progressing to higher level poker tables. There will also be wearable prizes and stuff for your Home apartment, as usual.

So even if you're not a sports fan, you should find something to do within the EA Sports Home space when it launches around March.

Tags: CES-2009, EA, EA-Sports, Home, playstation-blog

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

handlas @ Jan 9th 2009 6:42PM

Humm. Interesting. I gave Home a good chance and it failed to make me care. I thought it was a big waste of time. It wasn't fun at all. I don't see the point of wasting my time going to Home to play a game when I can just go and play a game immediately.

However, this looks kinda fun. I think the whole reason I would ever go to Home is for the mini-games themselves. The leaderboard thing that everyone can see sounds kewl. Just for a way to gloat. Stand under the board with your name on it...tho I doubt I'll ever make it on it anyway. I wanna play some Poker.

anthonyjh @ Jan 10th 2009 5:10AM

If you view Home for what it actually is, essentially a 3-D forum, than it's much more enjoyable. In its mic-less state, I'd have to agree though. But when I was able to chat, I added a ton of awesome people to my friends list who I've since shared many fun games with.

When used with an open mind, Home is awesome.

BILLS @ Jan 10th 2009 12:49PM

quite the anti-social gamer, are we? @ stuart & Handlass.. the poster above me said all that was needed to be said about HOME---it is NOT a game.

nathan-dts @ Jan 16th 2009 1:39PM

I'm to lazy to watch the video. What type of poker is it?

handlas @ Jan 10th 2009 2:01PM

very mature Bill. I see you are the type of person that uses Home, huh? No wonder I didn't find any enjoyment out of it thus far. Reported.

Autopsy15 @ Jan 11th 2009 1:23AM

Even more immature for you to report him for a silly comment...See? This is why you don't have friends.

PSN: John-Paul-Jones @ Jan 11th 2009 4:11AM

Are you seriously reporting someone because he gave out his opinion on your comment? What, would you like a gold star and a pat on the back instead?

Ivan @ Jan 12th 2009 10:33AM

dude, how do i get to check "home" out? I got the latest software (2.53), but i still can't find the "home" icon in ps3 psn menu, did they forget about it for my country or smth....?

bob @ Jan 11th 2009 12:48PM

^^

haha look at the children on here get mad. Read his comment and you can understand why reported him or are you guys that stupid?

anthonyjh @ Jan 11th 2009 2:31PM

Bob, you call them all stupid when your own post is riddled with poor grammar?

You're not very good at this internet thing, are you?

JaffaBoy @ Jan 9th 2009 6:42PM

Looks pretty damn good.

Wonder how big a download that'll be and how difficult it will be getting on one of those poker tables and racing!!

McManus @ Jan 11th 2009 4:28AM

everyone should know that EA is making an amazing add-on to home even if you 1) dont care about EA or 2) dont care about Home because EA has said from the beginning of the console wars that they have preferred Sony to microsoft, and prefer working with their systems

and i hope the wait times are short, and they should be because EA seems really serious about this, and they have a lot of money to spend

HAAS599 @ Jan 9th 2009 6:44PM

EA has just sent the bar for what a gamespace in home can/should be.

Hope this inspires sony to update the bowling alley.

ruibing @ Jan 9th 2009 9:29PM

Yeah I was just thinking that. It contains an incentive to come back to the space. Every other developer should take a page from EA's book of how to make a home space.

stevenrafaelmercadoguillermo @ Jan 9th 2009 6:51PM

I'm probably going to come off sounding like a noob to some of you guys, but how do I access game spaces? I heard there were a few open already, but I don't know where to find them. All I can find are the usual buildings... the mall, the theatre, the bowling alley...

calvin @ Jan 9th 2009 6:51PM

"Home users will be able to race go-karts against each other, with four people racing at once."

the guy talking said between 4 and 8 people can race (01:17 in the video). anyways this looks good and glad to hear that finally a game developer is in on this home business.

Mike Crazy @ Jan 9th 2009 6:52PM

Look better then Sony's Home space!

the Sawyer family @ Jan 9th 2009 9:07PM

this looks like a lot of fun, can't wait to go cart race. Hope Rockstar does something cool (ala Grand Theft Auto) for Home.

John S @ Jan 9th 2009 6:59PM

Very nice stuff. 4 people at a time though? The bowling alley's get clogged enough, can't imagine how many people are going to want to race. Waiting in a virtual line to play a game is not appealing at all.

I really like the look of everything though. Can't wait for E3. I wonder if they can deliver something along the lines of actually being there.

helghast102 @ Jan 9th 2009 7:30PM

im thinking that with the size of it and the numerous things you can do here it wont be too clogged, maybe a few seconds wait tbhand to make it clear, i really dont mind waiting for a game (bowling) to free up, ill just chat with a friend until 1 is free, no biggie.

helghast102 @ Jan 9th 2009 7:33PM

FFS, why doesnt it register my line breaks? something to do with the PS3 browser? (between "tbh" and "and" there should be my designated line break -_-)

jaffa @ Jan 10th 2009 2:01PM

Its never too bad, all of the home spaces never have more than 50 people or something like that at a time when the limit is reached a replica of that space gets created!

PS this looks brilliant, can't wait for it!!

Aleraiders @ Jan 9th 2009 7:01PM

pretty cool...it gives me more to do other than the bowling and pool...

rohan @ Jan 9th 2009 7:25PM

well there is that mini game in the central plaza, one in the FC space and now the red bull space. It is slowly building up.

mortslha @ Jan 9th 2009 7:04PM

FINALLY!! Someone is making a home space the way they should be built. Nice job EA

B-real206 @ Jan 9th 2009 7:34PM

Yeah, I like the look of this. Though I also wonder how crazy long the lines for these are going to be. This is Home!!

PSN: Aggie_CEO @ Jan 9th 2009 7:32PM

looks good as hell.....now I just hope all EA Sports games will have Home Support from here on out.........

cant wait to see the Buzz! Quiz Space, The Wheel of Fortune & Jeopardy Home Spaces and the updated theaters.......

B-real206 @ Jan 9th 2009 7:43PM

PSN: Aggie_CEO said... cant wait to see the Buzz! Quiz Space, The Wheel of Fortune & Jeopardy Home Spaces and the updated theaters.......

Do yo have a link for this, I am very curious about the wheel of fortune home space. Sounds fun. I cant find anything on this though except for some mentions on this at the beginning of last year 08 link follows
http://playstation.joystiq.com/2008/01/12/sony-online-entertainment-plans-to-invade-psn-in-2008/

Kspraydad @ Jan 9th 2009 7:45PM

Yes...very surprised that they didn't wait on Jeopardy etc and integrate our Avatar's into the game...It could launch like having the Arcade cabinets in our HOMEspaces so it would be a fairly seemless in and out game experience.

I was also thinking today they could launch Jeopardy HOME version and charge a subscription (say $1/week of play that included Jeopardy/WoF) .... bet they'ed make a hell of a lot more money that whatever the PSN sales of the stand alone version have been.

B-real206 @ Jan 9th 2009 8:46PM

So then this isn't going to happen then huh? If it was a pay system I would rather they treat it like premium clubhouses and charge a one time fee of like 7.00 bucks or whatever. That would probably be better anyways, even though I wouldn't want this to be common place.

PSN: Aggie_CEO @ Jan 9th 2009 8:52PM

nah I haven't seen where it was confirmed......but I HAVE seen the Buzz Space........and if they can do a Buzz! space then whats stopping them for doing one for Wheel of Fortune & Jeopardy??? and I'm thinking in terms of being an answer to XBL Primetime with the "1 vs. 100" and other games........

so yea it might just be wishful thinking......but at the same time.....can anyone tell me that they DONT think that Sony would have those in the Works??? I mean it doenst get more family oriented than Wheel of Fortune.......I grew up watching that.....and if they have the REAL prizes as well.......gat damn the shit will be FIRE!!!!

SONY YOU BETTER HAVE THIS SHIT ON THE WAY IF YOU KNOW WHATS GOOD FOR YOU!!!!

PSN: Aggie_CEO @ Jan 9th 2009 9:55PM

PSN: Aggie_CEO @ Jan 9th 2009 8:55PM

B-real206 @ Jan 9th 2009 9:31PM

:) yeah I did find a little info on the Buzz home space. But if we are speculating I think a Price is Right space should be in order as well. I also hope we get to see the E3 space this year as well, they did it last year. I am starting to get excited again for home. EA is pushing this in the right direction. Hopefully more devs and publishers will follow suit.

PSN: Aggie_CEO @ Jan 9th 2009 9:46PM

Price is Right would be cool.......but less likely as Sony doesnt own the Rights to those and do own the rights to Wheel and Jeopardy......

Gambit07 @ Jan 10th 2009 1:04PM

I rather have Wheel of Fish :)

Sinistar @ Jan 9th 2009 7:43PM

Since when is Poker considered a sport? lol well I'm sure it will be fun anyways.

I'd rather see a Burnout area instead of the racing one they are putting in now, but I'll be anxious to try this out anyways in a few months.

PSN: Aggie_CEO @ Jan 9th 2009 9:10PM

Since when is Poker a sport???

Its on ESPN isnt it?? lol

Dreadhead541 @ Jan 9th 2009 9:18PM

hey dad, why am i not going to college

well, i'm a shitty athlete.

SaMav @ Jan 10th 2009 1:38AM

The National Spelling Bee is on ESPN Aggie....

PSN: Aggie_CEO @ Jan 10th 2009 8:33AM

lol.........no ESPN.....its on like ESPN3 or something

SaMav @ Jan 10th 2009 1:09PM

No Aggie, I win this argument

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAU4p1ZxPyE&feature=related

*notice the ESPN logo

PSN: Aggie_CEO @ Jan 10th 2009 1:36PM

lol........thats nice and all........and it very well could have been on there........or it could have been on ESPN2 which doesnt ALWAYS say ESPN2

they still have pretty much categorized Poker & Gaming as a sport......

SaMav @ Jan 11th 2009 8:18PM

Right I'm well aware of poker being categorized as a sport, but all I was trying to say was by you're logic anything on ESPN would also be considered a sport...

And I'm sorry about taking this quarrel taking this conversation off topic to all the readers out there.

Dale @ Jan 9th 2009 8:04PM

i am positive that by next year home will be amazing, they've only just scraped the surface of what its gonna be like. i cant wait.
and i cant believe everyone is moaning about how bad Home is. its never been done before, and its all about getting better over time as more developers come on board. give it time.
but im still seeing huge waits to do the 4 player golf etc