Sony Home Faces New Delays

Sony's long-running attempts to establish its own version of Second Life on the PS3 have run into another delay.

The closed beta will now run its course through the summer, meaning the open beta will not start until the fall. However, more folks are being invited into the setting.

Apparently anticipating fans' disappointment, Sony sounded an understanding note about the delays. "We understand that we are asking PS3 and prospective PS3 users to wait a bit longer, but we have come to the conclusion that we need more time to refine the service to ensure a more focused gaming entertainment experience than what it is today," said Kazuo Hirai, President and Group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment.

"Our overarching objective is to provide users with new gaming experiences that are available only on PlayStation Home. Spending more time on the development and on the closed beta testing reaffirms our commitment to bringing a quality service, maintaining the PlayStation tradition," he continued.

While few would argue that a premature, glitchy release is desirable compared to a delayed polished one, the combination of this delay and the Metal Gear Solid Online beta setback makes this week a less-than-stellar one for PS3 owners.

Source: Ars Technica