Game Stooge

GDC 07: Playstation 3 Owners to Be “Happy”?

• Scribbled on March 1st, 2007 by Devin Grimes
• Filed in GDC, PlayStation Network, Rumor Mill, Sony PlayStation 3

Phil Harrison was recently quoted by one of the Executive Directors of the upcoming Game Developer’s Conference as saying that his press conference during the event will leave many Playstation 3 owners feeling “happy.”

What exactly does happy mean? Perhaps an acceptable online service? Integrating Xbox 360 style achievements into future games? Adding Mii style avatars?

Well, apparently all of the above, if a rumor that Kotaku is reporting is correct. They mention a few tidbits of information from an “anonymous source” that claims to have the lowdown on Sony’s GDC announcements.

They are introducing something called the “Playstation Home.”

So what exactly is a Playstation Home? Read on to find out…

Playstation Home appears to be some sort of 3-D space where you will have a Mii-style avatar stored, as well as items you have earned throughout different games to decorate your room with (aka achievements).

The exact quote says:

Basically, you get to make an avatar for your console (like a Mii) and this avatar has a room. As you play games and accomplish certain tasks, you will receive items with which to adorn the room that are specific to the game (achievements). The kicker is that this is going to be a new requirement for every PS3 game…

Certainly sounds interesting to me, but is it really neccessary? It has the potential to be a neat feature, but it wouldn’t exactly be something I’m loading up on my PS3 everyday. I don’t really want to walk around a virtual room, and if I felt the urge to, I would just walk around in my own room, which defeats the whole reason why I would be playing video games: to escape the reality of everyday life.

Keep an eye here on Game Stooge for next week’s GDC07 coverage to see if this rumor comes true.

Update: We thank Kotaku for taking one in the junk for the community on this rumor. Sony responded to them with:

So, it is for this reason, that we will be canceling all further interviews for Kotaku staff at GDC and will be dis-inviting you to our media event next Tuesday. Until we can find a way to work better together, information provided to your site will only be that found in the public forum.

Again, I take absolutely no joy in sending you this note, but given the situation you have put me into, I have no choice.

Read the entire thing here (its very interesting). Needless to say, when your sources tell you they’re not talking to you anymore based on a “rumor” it’s not a rumor anymore, is it?

Luckily nobody cares about us… (leaving it tagged as “rumor anyway”)