Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) has announced that its PlayStation Home Beta service for PlayStation 3 video game console will become available for all PS3 users around the world.  Following the successful completion of the closed beta service, PlayStation Home’s open beta service will continue to evolve with new features and functionality.

“PlayStation Home is truly a promising network community service on the PlayStation platform, made possible with the powerful combination of PS3’s overwhelming computational power and PlayStation Network that covers many countries around the globe,” said Kazuo Hirai, president and group chief executive officer of SCEI.

PlayStation Home is a 3D social gaming community available on PlayStation 3 that allows users to interact, communicate and share gaming or even movie experiences. Within PlayStation Home, users can create and customize their own unique avatars and explore virtual community in real time where they can communicate freely through text or voice chat. PlayStation Home users will not only be able to enjoy variety of entertainment content such as mini-games, videos and special events along with their friends, but will also be able to create their own community by using the “Club 2” feature to create clubs with other PlayStation Home users who share the same interests. Sony's Home has no analogues on competing new-generation video-game consoles - Microsoft Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii.

PlayStation Home is available as a free download and will launch directly from the PlayStation Home icon on the PlayStation Network column of XMB (XrossMediaBar) on the PS3. Users will be able to experience basic features and services of PlayStation Home, free of charge.

Sony promises that PlayStation Home will allow open interaction among users, business partners and SCEI, and will evolve with additional features including dedicated game spaces, special events and exclusive themed items.

“We are committed to providing PS3 users with exciting gaming experiences with PlayStation Home and together with our partners and users, expand the new world of interactive entertainment as we move forward,” Mr. Hirai added.

Tags: Sony, Playstation