Editorial: Why "Home" Could Push the PS3 to The Top

Dan: Damn you Sony. I now want a PS3 more than ever. I will admit to being a pretty big Nintendo fanboy but it looks like Sony is pulling to the top, at least with strong ideas. Let it be known that I was always going to get a PS3, I was just going to wait for a time that I could purchase one without getting shot in the face by a BB... which doesn't hurt as much as you would think. I knew nothing about home until I saw the trailer above and I was floored. The potential that is there is phenomenal. I really hope they don't screw this up.

Eric: To be honest, Home came as a surprise to me. I was hoping Sony would make something that could compete with Xbox Live, but I didn't think they could do it without totally ripping Live off. Instead they decided to rip off Second Life, which is fine with me. Unlike some people, I am very excited about what Sony could do with Home. I am also a little worried. Home could work very well, or it can turn into a scam to get people's money. Hopefully, though, Sony will get this right.

Let's start with what they could get right. They could allow people to see where their friends are and let them join their friends. They could not charge for Home. They could, in addition to having brand-name products, Nike, Adidas, etc., allow users to create their own products to wear. By the way, that was stuff that they should do. Some suggestions that I have would be to have a leaderboard for games in the lobby or somewhere else. Also, if they included some sort of system where you get better stuff the more achievements or the more games you have beaten, that would be pretty sweet. However, I think it would be rather difficult to do this without some people taking advantage and misusing the system.

Now let's talk about what they might do wrong. First off, if they charge for Home, they made a mistake. I expect them to charge for some things in Home, like games, etc., but not for the ability to use Home. They say they won't, but does Sony always keep their promises? Second, if some of the products in Home are relatively expensive (more than $5), they made a big mistake. People had to shell out $600 for the console, they shouldn't have to keep making us pay. Lastly, if they do not include some sort of achievement system, they made a huge mistake. This is one of the best parts in Xbox Live, and adds a sense of competitiveness to every game (nevertheless, games should be worth playing without achievements; achievements should just be an add-on). Sony needs this so you can see if you are better than your friends, assuming you have friends (no offense to lonely people).

Dan: Eric is right, the money aspect worries me. Charging for things would really make the idea sour in my mind. They could really screw up by charging for everything. It appears that they will be charging for upgrades. Such as a bigger house... etc. This is ok with me long as they give you a reasonable sized house to start out with. The other thing that they could mess up is charging for items. I expect there to be items by big companies like NIKE that you can pay for but I hope that Sony will have plenty of free or really cheap items. They could even go as far an in game currency system to buy certain items. To me what they charge for and how much could determine if it sinks or swims. So, they had better not charge for Home. While I would probably shell out the money eventually, it would feel the same to me. I would feel more obligated to play it so I didn't waste my money on something I don't play. If they didn't charge I would pick it up any play at my leisure and enjoy it much more. Lastly, Eric is right - an achievement system of some sort is all but required. It is a huge mistake to not include something along those lines. Look at how successful it is on the 360. The do need a wall of fame for all time high scores on games. Imagine if you were on that wall. To be honest it can make a bad game good. Many games that you wouldn't want to play normally you will want to go back to because you think you can get a really good score that everyone can see.

Eric: Well, that's our opinions about PS3 Home. It'll be good if it's free/cheap and if Sony can do an achievement system well. It'll be bad if it's expensive and doesn't enhance the gaming experience whatsoever. You can expect our preview in April or May (when the beta is supposed to be released) and the final review in fall.

Editorial: Dan, Eric