Home - region lock based on machine region, not psn account

[kernow]

http://www.ps3fanboy.com/2008/08/15/home-access-is-based-on-console-region-not-psn-account/

I guess all you people in the UK with a JP machine will only be able to get into JP home, etc.

awesome!

[Dazzyman]

That means I can visit USA and JPN with my two machines then

[sj33]

So I'm gonna be stuck with the Yanks I'd rather be stuck with the Japanese, least that'd be good practice.

[kernow]

yay PAL

[jamesy]

JPN land here I come! Better brush up on my japanese skills. ohayo!

[wod]

this sounds silly if you ask me, why cant you just be able to visit any of them. i'm getting a uk machine so will be stuck with chavs and the like then

[saif]

OPINION:
This is stupid and, in many ways, undermines the whole concept of home and the online community. My theory on why this has happened is that the Japanese gamers that HAVE gone online have not particularly appreciated the arseholes that seem to populate online games with a basic lack of etiquette (I think we all know that on global games the Japanese gamers, after time, didn't want to play with other countries' players). I guess they are not used to it and we all have to pay for their reluctance. My theory anyway - it could just be a tech issue though.....

[JP]

According to a different Rep* in Sony it's going to be locked to the region you are playing in but only in the public spaces.

Sony's PlayStation 3 Home service ? which has been constantly beset with delays since launch ? is going to be 'region-locked' according to a Sony rep at E3.

While users will be able to visit any of their online friend's private apartment areas in Home, all the public zones in the virtual world are to be restricted by the geographical area you live 'IRL' (in real life).

PS3 Fanboy reports: "We were given a pretty in-depth walkthrough of the current state of Home, including a couple of game spaces (images of those later), during which we asked the bloke as many questions as we could think of.

"Top of our list? Making sure that we would be able to meet up with our friends all across the planet in the various public spaces. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Home's public spaces are going to be region-specific."

It's another blow to PlayStation fans who were hoping that the service would be finally rolled out this year, which is also looking increasingly unlikely.

The report continues: "If you want to meet up with your pals from abroad, then you'll be able to invite them into your apartment, but warping into the game space to bowl or play chess is not possible.

"This is allegedly to make sure that each region receives an 'experience most suited to their tastes' as well as, no doubt, to keep advertisers happy."

*Rep in cases like these seems to be anybody that gets paid by Sony whether it's their job to be talking about the service or not.

To me, it seems a little strange that of all the people who visited to E3 this year that PS3 Fanboy were the only people who got to talk to a rep about Home and not only did they talk to a rep but they somehow managed to talk to two who gave opposing opinions about the service.

I wouldn't be surprised if there was locking (especially at the beginning when it's starting up) due to the fact that Sony have always been open about the fact that Home will be funded by advertising revenues from their partners and most of them wouldn't want to pay to have adverts being shown in regions where the products just aren't applicable.

As the above article seems to suggest, there will be a mix of open & locked areas depending what those areas are there to do.

Officially, no information has been released by Sony so it's difficult to know what to think about it.

[ezee ryder]

Even if that is true, it is still extremely stupid. Giving you a service which should essentially allow people from all regions to interact but limiting it to certain activities only. Would be like Xbox Live allowing people of all regions to chat and stuff together but then region locking online play. As I said before I have totally lost interest in this.

[Dogg Thang]

It seemed to be little more than a glorified ad from the start. This isn't remotely surprising. Home is like a bus shelter - yes, it's useful but its primary goal is, and likely always was, to create a space to stick an ad. By splitting the territories, Sony can make much more on ad revenue.

[MonkeyJuggleDX]

So am I the only one not bothered about Home?

[Dogg Thang]

No. I figured that would come across by dismissing it as a glorified ad. I get its purpose for Sony, but not for me.

[JP]

So am I the only one not bothered about Home?

Don't really think there is a lot to get excited about with sort of thing really. All it seems to be as an alternative to the XMB or the 360 dashboard but in 3D, it gives you the same features but arranged in a different way.

I'm not really sure if it's adding anything that the other two don't have apart from maybe the option to access 3rd party shops and with a bit more customisation available on your profile.

Nothing special, nothing exciting, just an alternative to what people are already using which may or may not have new things available which aren't available in the other two in the future sometime. I'm not sure if I'll really use it but it's probably designed more for the people that spend time on things like Facebook and other sites like that which seem completely pointless to me.

[wakka]

So am I the only one not bothered about Home?

Since both the posts prior to yours express total disinterest, probably not.

Home has always seemed like a fairly lame duck to me, reminiscent of those 90s services that made the internet 'easier' by turning it into an overly graphical 'game' type interface, like the AOL Village thing. The notion of being able to walk around and invite people to games seems unattractive, it's quicker just to stab the guide button, choose their name and send an invite.

[Lyris]

http://www.ps3fanboy.com/2008/08/15/...t-psn-account/

I guess all you people in the UK with a JP machine will only be able to get into JP home, etc.

awesome!

Given that I have free pickings from the library of Region A Blu-ray movies, forgive me for not taking your smugness too seriously

Seriously though, if I did care about Home, I'd be a little bit pissed off, but not altogether surprised.