Last100 editor Steve O’Hear asked me today why, in a post about Sony’s movie/TV download service for the PlayStation yesterday, did I use the phrase “may launch” in the headline.
I thought about it, and I guess it was an oversight. I should have been more concrete: Sony is launching a movie/TV download service for the PlayStation.
But I explained that there is something deeper in my psyche that probably chose “may launch”: I don’t trust Sony these days. This movie/TV download service isn’t the first one the company has tried, and it’s not the only one that’s been on the drawing board.
Today comes along the news that Sony is delaying the debut of Home, its Second Life-like 3D virtual online community service for the PlayStation 3. See what I mean? Home has now been delayed twice and is now at least a year behind schedule.
Sony now expects a test version of Home to be available this summer for a limited number of users in Japan, the U.S., and Europe. After getting user feedback and making tweaks, Sony will release a beta of Home for all PS3 owner to try this fall.
Sony said it was delaying Home’s launch to improve product quality, the same reason it gave for delay No. 1. “We understand that we are asking PS3 and prospective PS3 users to wait a bit longer,” Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Kazuo Hirai said in a statement (via Reuters).
“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,” he said.
One of these days we’ll see Home. Just like one of these days we’ll see a movie/TV download service for the PlayStation.
One of these days.
