For the attending journalists, press events are a blast, filled with free food, first looks at the hottest games, and an ocean of PR spin in which to blissfully sink or frantically attempt to swim — but as a mere member of the gaming audience, you typically have to wait for your news until the event is over and done with. But perhaps not for much longer. Today, Sony revealed that its PlayStation Home has hosted, and will continue to host press events inside its virtual walls.
What you’re looking is a part of PlayStation Home’s new Media and Events Space, where the 2008 PlayStation Day in London was broadcast live to an audience of Home’s closed beta testers. The space includes spacious stages…
…immaculate galleries, some with wall-mounted screens displaying game trailers…
…and a colorful, comfortable lounge in which to kick back with fellow attendees and discuss whether the contents of that Killzone 2 trailer were genuine or no.
But the truly remarkable part of all this is not what you see, but what you might see this become. Sony isn’t limiting the arena’s showcasing potential to first-party titles and Sony initatives — rather, they’re opening it up to other publishers as well, scheduling events just as if the Space were real:
The online Media & Events Space can be re-dressed and re-branded just like a real-life venue. Following the test event’s success, Home will now start scheduling more elaborate and exciting productions for the Space, which will be available for use by both first and third parties.
What kind of third-parties might we expect? Well, according to videogaming247, the first company to book the space will be Ubisoft. Poised to pioneer a direct, public information flow themselves with tomorrow morning’s live broadcast of Ubidays 2008, Ubisoft will make a feed of that same event available to Home testers.
While we don’t know if Sony would be as receptive to Microsoft or Nintendo should they come knocking, we’re eager to see what other companies jump at the chance to interface directly with their audiences. If even a closed beta was enough to attract Ubisoft, who knows who might show up when Home goes public.
Press release:
27/05/2008 16:00
Brand new virtual events venue unveiled in Home on PLAYSTATION®Network
Home, the interactive 3D world for PS3™ users, hosts the virtual re-run of PlayStation Day 2008 in its new Media and Events Space
Last week, PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) users experienced all the sights, sounds and action of PlayStation Day, the product showcase held on May 6th in London, from the comfort of their living rooms. The online event was held as a test-run of the new PlayStation Media & Events Space, a virtual arena that will serve as the live entertainment hub of the thriving PS3 online community, hosting everything from new game unveilings to sports events to fashion shows.
Attendees were drawn from 10,000 PS3 users who have been test-driving Home as ‘closed beta’ users. Given exclusive VIP entry to the Space, they were greeted by an impressive, large-scale area dressed with various elements from real-world PlayStation Day, including the iconic hexagonal branding and artwork from each of the day’s PlayStation zones. Users were able to explore the Space, experiencing highlights of the day such as a photo gallery of games developers and a jumbo screen of the day’s speeches with an introduction from Kazuo “Kaz” Hirai, President and Group Chief Executive Officer of Sony Computer Entertainment. Users were also able to enjoy a video stream of all the action from the real-world PlayStation Day experience.
The online Media & Events Space can be re-dressed and re-branded just like a real-life venue. Following the test event’s success, Home will now start scheduling more elaborate and exciting productions for the Space, which will be available for use by both first and third parties.
“As well as looking great, the Media and Events Space is flexible and user-friendly - it’s a real focal point for our virtual community. This was a very exciting first event and we’ve already received plenty of great feedback,” says Home producer Martijn Van Der Meulen.
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