Playstation Home Weekly Update, Big Reboot Coming

A new core Home experience and Home Square are on the way. SCEA and SCEE are remaking the service to be a social gaming service and it seems that Playstation Home might finally have found its feet and a purpose in life.

Coming in Fall 2011, this new core experience for PlayStation Home features a “hub and districts” design that will help you find games, people and places that fit your favorite game genres. The design features a new Hub that integrates games, quests, community events, and user-generated content, while providing you with additional navigation, shopping, socialization and entertainment options.

The new, futuristic Hub (shown below) brings an ever changing roster of games right to the center of Home, including Cogs from Codename: Lazy 8 Studios which will be featured front and center on day one. The Hub will also feature a new Activity Board filled with games to play, rewards to be won, a new UGC events system, and cool stuff to discover.

Powering this Activity Board is a massive new questing system that literally transforms Home itself into a game if you so choose. From frequently updated community activities to huge, branching narrative adventures, this questing system will provide game play options delivered to you in ways never before imagined.

Additionally, surrounding the Hub will be districts based on game genres to suit your mood. Whether you want an intense, in-your-face experience, or a more chill, laid-back environment, these districts will be packed with games and navigation points leading you to content that suits your style.

• With a gritty, urban aesthetic reminiscent of a first-person shooter level, the Action District (shown above) is the perfect destination for gamers looking for action, shooter and horror games.
• Come experience the outside-the-stadium feel of Sportswalk, which features up-to-the-minute major league sports scores, headlines and highlights, and sports-themed games.
• Enter a lush beachfront jungle full of sights to see and adventure-themed games to discover in the Adventure District.

New Locations in Playstation Home

• Pier Park is your destination for carnival, puzzle, outdoor and arcade games, featuring a waterfront boardwalk, Ferris wheel and a fun party zone that is linked to dedicated indie and arcade game spaces.
• Action: With a gritty, urban aesthetic reminiscent of a first-person shooter level, the Action District is the perfect destination for gamers looking for action, shooter and horror games.
• Sportswalk: Come experience the outside-the-stadium feel of the Sports district, which features sports quizzes, trivia and sports-themed games.
• Adventure: Enter a lush beachfront jungle full of sights to see and adventure-themed games to discover in the Adventure District.
•  

The Playstation Home Weekly Update

A new PlayStation Home publisher Granzella Inc has arrived, who have this to say about their debut release:

Explore the Southern Island Hideaway!

You have washed ashore on an isolated Southern island. Fortunately, this is not a deserted island. Shining sun, and calm, beautiful waters. What’s this? You have been searching for this paradise, and now in front of your eyes…

Personal Water Craft Race
Challenge the water craft race accessed from the pier. Take the lead when you race with your up to 4 friends!

Ocean Floor Treasure Hunt
If you look closely at the seabed, there are bright and sparkling areas. Reach to the glitter that might be a nice reward. Don’t forget to hold your breath!

Head over to the Southern Island Hideaway on the PS Home navigator to see all that the island has to offer.

In other news, Konami releases another instalment into their popular Gladiators line up. This time the set includes classic gladiator gear such as the Murmillo helmet and Roman style helmet. You’ll find that you can customise these items just by changing your hair colour!

Lastly, now is your last chance to take advantage of the LucasArts PS Home sale. Pick up the Stormtrooper outfit, Blue or Black Lightsaber or Everything Empire Strikes Back Bundle with a massive 50% off. But hurry – this offer is only available until the maintenance starts on 22nd September.

The PlayStation Home Mall receives an update this week with new companions (including a robot sidekick and pet dragon), clothes (new Home hoodies), a ton of new hairstyles for the guys and the girls, and some seriously psychedelic furniture!

Head to the PlayStation Home Community Theater this Thursday to receive a special reward to help commemorate the end of Summer (we think it will pair nicely with your Granzella rewards) and watch as HomeCast Rewind looks at the recently- released Resistance 3 space (providing a few tips and tricks to help you get all the rewards) and the luxurious Tycoon Penthouse personal space. Next up, SOCAST serves up some “vintage” SOCOM action.

Heads up: Lockwood will be releasing their Showcase public space this week! Visit “Caramel” in the Central Plaza this week to receive a Lockwood Emote reward, available for a limited time only. Afterwards, head over to the Showcase Lobby and pick up five limited-time rewards!