So it's been all over the web today - Sony is finally launching a beta test of its virtual community experiment, Home, tomorrow. PS3 owners will be able to download the application and leap into... well, no-one really knows exactly what they'll be leaping into. But it'll be an online world. You'll be able to own and customise an apartment, you'll get to explore different areas and play mini-games against other people.
Later will come dedicated game areas where inhabitants meet up before indulging in online deathmatch sessions. Warhawk, Motorstorm and SOCOM will apparently be early recipients. Publishers will also get their own little sectors, and there'll be a virtual cinema for movie trailers.
And naturally, where there are people, there are commercial transactions. Shops and brands all over the world are likely to inhabit Home to flog their digital wares. Diesel, Red Bull and furniture specialists Ligne Roset are already onboard. Diesel will be selling exclusive T-shirts for your avatars. Red Bull island will have, erm, airplane races.
Hmm, well, we'll see what it all means tomorrow. I still don't know what to make of it. Do I want to be sold virtual tat while talking to complete strangers? That's not really doing it for me. I don't even like the sound of the trophy room - I don't want people coming round, mocking me for my lack of achievements. I get enough of that in real-life.
What interests me is the possibility that game developers might be able to showcase their latest titles in virtual auditoriums (or auditoria?) with the producers/lead designers actually online and ready to answer questions. Studios are always going on about wanting to reach out to their communities - this would be an incredibly effective way of doing it.
Does anything interest you? Let us know what happens if you manage to download the thing. I don't think I can with my bloomin' test machine.
