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Kotaku Podcast: Home Could Remain in Beta Stage Indefinitely.

January 01, 2009 in Podcast comments 6

Playstation Home has been teasing gamers with the concept of a social community network since the release of the PS3 two years ago, and has been in development even longer. Not long ago, the Public Beta was finally released to all gamers, allowing us to get inside the "Homeworld" for the first time en masse. However, many people complained that it was boring, plagued with annoying users, and felt that it was overall a very unfinished product. Others defend that it is still just in the beta phase, and that all will be resolved in a final version. However, Jack Buser, director of Home, says in Kotaku's podcast that there's a very significant chance that Home will and forevermore remain in this Beta stage.

Jack Buser, director of Home, was kind enough to join us for this podcast.

He let Fahey, Adam and I drop in to his surprisingly stark virtual home on the Playstation 3 were he talked about the future of the free virtual world and surprised all of us by saying there's a good chance it will remain in beta indefinitely.
Red 9 via kotaku.com »
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  • 0
    BlackLabel Jan 1, 09
    It will be, it may not have the beta tag on it all the time but it is an all singing all dancing fully upgradable service. Like an MMO it is constantly checking for bugs and patching itself, that will never stop in Home.
  • 0
    Final Blade Jan 1, 09
    After watching this podcast with an open Mind, I have to agree with the approach and reasoning Jack Buser with keeping it with beta form. Knowing that Home is a Social Networking Application(yes I'm stating it again) it's main purpose is really towards the community and the PS users. Having it Beta form allows the community to be intregrated and congregate into this Social Network and allows the users ask for request what they think would make home awesome. The app is for them, having it as a finished product(as in 100% non beta) just gives off the impression it's what the devs want in the app not what the community may want. And Jack Buser stated "tell us your thoughts on what you'd like to see or think would make home better; Give us your feedback on Home" Really gives the power to the Community and users then them. I think it makes a stronger community that way. While this is my interpretation of his reasoning which I can see and agree, I know some won't see it that way and disagree with it. The rarity of some items does give off the "Special or lucky" feel but i'm sure not everyone will see it that way. But it does show it's optional and the users don't have to do it.
    Also I like the idea of home looking and having different content every day or time you go into it. Gives off a newer experience and not the same old thing.

    Guys, if you don't like home and don't intent to give it a shot then please do so, but don't ruin it for everyone. I'm tired of the closed minded hatred this Application has been getting the last few weeks. No one bashes the Mii's or the Avatar system Wii or 360 has, why do so on the Playstation application?
    Quite frankly it's getting old.
  • 2
    tekmosis Jan 1, 09
    For all the hype that kept coming out about Home the open beta feels more like a closed alpha. I was sorely disappointed and if Sony keeps it up then yes, Home can potentially be in Beta for a very long time to come.
    • 0
      Red 9 Jan 1, 09
      TBH they need to do a sh*tload of work on many aspects of it before I'll be willing to log onto it daily. Because as it is, I've only logged onto Home maybe five times since I got it a month and a half ago. That's a symbol of how "good" it is.

      Closed alpha is a severe overstatement, and beta is the perfect word for it. You're overreacting.
    • 1
      tekmosis Jan 2, 09
      Server connection issues, lack of content, security issues, lag, multitude of bugs and glitches. No, alpha describes this quite well. Also note that I said "it feels more like a closed alpha" not "this isn't a beta it's an alpha". It's not overreacting its a statement coming from someone who not only develops software and knows what a systems development life cycle is like but also from alpha/beta testing many games and products going back as fas as 13 years. There's a difference between overreacting and making an opinion based observation.
  • 0
    Bale Fire* Jan 2, 09
    Myresistance has been in Beta since its launch, its just a lable. Doesn't really mean anything.

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