Sony 'firmly believes' in PS3 Home launch this fall

IDG News Service — Tue, 06 May 2008 15:02:57 -0700

Despite ongoing delays, PlayStation president Kaz Hirai is confident his PS3 answer to Xbox Live Achievements will launch this fall.

"I said at the Tokyo Game Show [last year] that I would not open up Home until I was completely happy with it, and I still stand by that statement," Hirai said in his PlayStation Day keynote on Tuesday.

"We have been testing Home for some time and I simply feel that, as great as it currently is, it needs a little bit more time before it is ready for the wider public, something we firmly believe we can provide in the autumn."

Two weeks ago, Sony delayed PlayStation Home for a second time, and then only as an open beta test. It's unclear if Hirai was referring to the open beta in his statement Tuesday, or if the company is in fact planning for a final release this fall.

In addition to detailing several PS3 games, European PlayStation head David Reeves reported that total PS3 sales have surpassed Xbox 360 sales in Europe, despite the former launching 16 months after Microsoft's console. The PS3 still trails both Wii and Xbox 360 worldwide, however.

In any case, Reeves remained upbeat, calling Tuesday's announcements just the tip of the iceburg. "The future we believe is looking very bright for PlayStation," he said.