Xbox Live is currently the mammoth of online gaming. It currently resides on it’s throne, connecting games to online matches and such. Sony and Nintendo also have online features, but none as popular as Xbox Live. Sony however are putting up a fight with the introduction of Playstation Home back in December 2008.
Since then, we’ve seen 7.5 million PSN users sign up out of a possible 27 million users, and there is currently a 27% return rate. That means that there is currently just over 2 million active Playstation Home users.
What most other PSN users are asking is “Why are they going back?”. That is a really good question. Why are gamers returning to Playstation Home? There is nothing to do. Features such as communication can be done over the XMB messaging system, and the nice views are only interesting for 10 minutes max.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not putting Home down, I’m just looking at reality. If this is what Sony had in mind at the start, they need to re-consider what to do. Here is just some things that need to be fixed before Home is usable and entertaining:
- Connection Speeds
First and foremost, the connection speeds and loading times are terrible. It takes multiple attempts to connect, and connections can take minutes at a time. Not only that, but moving from space to space is very slow, and looking at avatars loading for over a minute when entering new areas is an ugly sight. Sony need to work on this.
- Things to do
I am an active Home user. Yes, I may come across as a hypocrite (and maybe I am) but I don’t go onto Home to enjoy myself, I go on to try and solve the mystery of what gamers actually do. Yes, some might find the views pleasant and others might like to dance to in-game music but I on the other hand don’t. Sony need to add in things to do, and get the ball rolling with extra mini games and such.
- It’s virtual!
I remember entering the Bowling Alley, and decided to have a game of bowling. I had to wait in a queue for ten minutes. Home is virtual, it is not a real place – so why do we need to wait! Sony needs to get that into it’s head.
- Anyone wanna buy a couch?
Who would be crazy enough to buy the stupid virtual items Sony have on offer? A sofa costs over $1m and a beach house will set you back over $5. Oh my God people, why would anyone buy these things. The santa suit last December was the biggest robbery. The users who bought that will only be able to wear it at Christmas time, or suffer utter embarrassment.
So these are the things Sony need to fix before advancing with the technology. Minor things like downloading a new space every time you enter it is silly. The original five spaces should all be included in the initial download, for ease of access.
Sony are making a mockery of themselves with this, and although it has potential, Sony need to unleash the full power of Playstation Home, which they still haven’t done, nearly a year into the initial release.
I’ll leave it at that, and let you read some quotes of fellow PS Home users, and what they think of Playstation Home:
- “I think Sony has a very powerful tool in which could be used to their advantage, but they need to take advantage of this first.
- “This is my third trip to Home, and I think it may be my last if Sony continue down the same path”
A user who I contacted in the Bowling Alley summed PS Home up brilliantly:
- “It’s good. but boring”
This is just my opinion, but the quotes at the end are from independent gamers. I think the last quote sums up home perfectly!