TGS: Microsoft, Sony ready new online experiences

At the Tokyo Game Show this week, both Microsoft and Sony prepared gamers for the arrival of their new, and distinct, online experiences.

TGS 2008: Microsoft, Sony ready new online experiences

Sony Home versus Xbox Live Experience. FIGHT!

At the pack-to-the-gills with games Tokyo Game Show this week, competing gaming juggernauts Microsoft and Sony provided new, exciting details about the launch of their respective online services.

In Sony's case, that meant more news on Home, and for once the announcement was not a delay. Instead, Sony used the TGS stage to announce that the Home open beta, which was seemingly in a state of perpetual delay until this week, is scheduled for release in Japan later this month. The open beta is then scheduled to conclude by November (date unknown), after which the real deal will launch, perhaps in time for the holiday season.

Hot TGS News

Sony also revealed that twenty four publishers have joined the Home network to provide it with content. There was no indication as to whether or not these publishers will provide support outside of Japan, but we've included the list below anyway.

On the Microsoft front, the now avatar-enabled Xbox Live Experience will officially launch on November 19. At TGS, Microsoft vice president John Schappert said in a keynote that work on the upgrade is complete. He then proceeded to show the audience a live demo that included system menus, the game selection process, the movie service, and other content details.

The update will also be launched simultaneously in 26 different countries in 19 languages.

Again, here's the list of publishers on board with Sony Home:

IREM, Activision, Acquire, Atlus, Walt Disney Japan, SNK, EA, Capcom, Q Entertainment, Game Republic, Genki, Koei, Konami, Spike, Sega, D3 Publisher, Tecmo, Nippon Ichi Software, Hudson, Bandai Namco Games, Ubisoft

Comments [20]

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ChokaDaChicken

I've been anticipating Home ever since it has been announced , and all the AAA titles that have dropped and yet to drop, this year has been good for gaming, and looks to get even better, Go Dodgers, and Game on

scarosone

November 19th for the 360 upgrade. And hopefully Home will be out this year here in N. America or early next year??

Sire

Being in the "Home" beta I'm trying to figure out just what these companies are on board to actually do, and then it dawned on me...

it's FREE advertising for them, I mean what else could it be? What exactly are they "on board" to do other than promote their upcoming games in the form of trailers and so fourth. As far as being "on board" with "Home". . . it might be helpful in the future to let us know just what that means.

In the time that "Home" has been installed on my PS3 I have used it a total of 5 times, and other than chatting, which is admittedly cool, it offers little else that gets me excited about logging on.
Playing pool with someone seems like a decent idea, but, well, you get it, it's not fun.

"Home" will be a place for fanboys to go hang out like they do here at Gamepro, but without the other side to argue with, the chatting quickly becomes stale. Then there is the dancing. . . uhh...
yeah, that's kinda funny the first few times you do it and it's a great tool if your into annoying people. Running up to a group of people and starting to do the twist while they are talking is probably the best way to get people to hate you. . . they need to implement a force field, so that if you are talking with someone it would create a buffer zone.
I know it's they beta but face and body creation is nowhere near as thorough and detailed as let's say "Oblivion".....my Oblivion character looks exactly like me from head to toe. "Home" has a pretty generic avatar building system, no detail. Hopefully that is just the beta.

Anyway Jack, please explain what the companies are on board to do, I keep hearing this but nobody gives any answers. New dance moves? New pool cues?

michael909

looks like a great ending to the year for those of us who own Both PS3 and the 360. :)

Toneman

Home is essentially one big lobby for all Playstation online games. I've seen the beta, and it's allright, but I don't think I'll spend that much time in Home. Lots of big screens running commercials for games and stuff. Still not sure about all the features, so there may be a few more reasons to use Home... the little keyboard that will attach to the controller will help for sure.

Bad_JuJu

Whatever. I have both, so I'll "enjoy" both. However, Home still looks pretty boring and pointless to me. I'm fine with Sony's current setup.

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