Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) today announced major changes coming to PlayStation®Home in Fall 2011. This complete redesign includes a new core experience for PlayStation Home, available exclusively on PlayStation®Network for the PlayStation®3 (PS3™) system, featuring an all-new Hub that integrates games, quests, community events and user-generated content, while providing players with additional navigation, shopping, socialization and entertainment options. From the Hub, players can teleport to various genre-based districts, where they will encounter games tailored to their interests and style, while introducing them to a rich and diverse selection of game experiences.

The new core experience reinforces PlayStation Home’s evolution from a virtual environment to a world of games, with a focus on rapidly connecting players with game content that pertains to their style and mood. In the Hub, players can head over to the Activity Board, where they will discover the robust questing system that transforms PlayStation Home itself into a game, quickly find games and content, and create their own events to share with their friends.

“PlayStation Home’s new core experience is a giant leap in the evolution of the platform, not to mention a major milestone for PlayStation Network, and its new model quickly deploys our users to many compelling free-to-play games that fit their interests,” said Jack Buser, director of PlayStation Home, SCEA. “With this update, coming this fall, PlayStation Home becomes a game itself, making it the most robust gamified social experience available.”

PlayStation Home’s new core experience provides players with a dynamic and constantly changing pool of activities and challenges throughout the Hub and districts, with thematic content that enables players to find games that are relevant to their interests:

The Hub: The new, futuristic Hub brings games directly to players with a featured game front-and-center upon login, the Activity Board where players can engage in quests and community activities, and a direct path to free games via the teleporter.

Action District: A gathering place for the hardcore demographic, the Action District has a gritty, urban feel reminiscent of a first-person shooter level and provides a direct travel point to action and horror games.

Sportswalk: The Sportswalk has an exciting outside-the-stadium feel with instant major league sports scores, headlines and highlights, ample space for sports-themed games and provides direct travel points to sports-related games.

Adventure District: The Adventure District drops you in a lush island jungle with an air of mystery, hidden treasure and discovery, where players will be able to launch directly into adventure-themed games.

Pier Park: A waterfront boardwalk leads players to carnival, puzzle, outdoor and arcade games. Take a ride on the Pier Park Ferris wheel or visit the arcade for some bright entertainment.

Also planned to be released this fall as a separate core client upgrade is a revamp of the underlying user experience in PlayStation Home. This update will deliver a more streamlined experience upon login with customized tracks for new, returning and regular PlayStation Home users, minimizing the time it takes for players to get into games.

PlayStation pioneered new ground in interactive entertainment with the launch of PlayStation Home in December 2008. PlayStation Home has since evolved beyond a social network into a true social game platform:

PlayStation Home has been used by over 23 million users worldwide. (WW)
The average time spent in the Home platform is 70 minutes per session (SCEA)
Over 230 games ready-to-play (SCEA)
Over 9,000 virtual items (SCEA)
Over 65 spaces (SCEA)
Over 600 community events (SCEA)
Over 35 partners (SCEA)

Total Game Integration: Total Game Integration extends the game experience for players of Blu-ray Disc™ or PlayStation Network games to PlayStation Home. The first Total Game Integration was introduced in January 2011, where players in PlayStation Home could complete a series of mini-games to earn unlock points for Killzone 3 multiplayer. Total Game Integration for Deep Silver’s Dead Island™ is available now in PlayStation Home’s Central Plaza.