PlayStation Home Message Board older than one year ago

This Thursday, September 29th, we will release the latest update to the PlayStation Home client. PlayStation Home version 1.55 delivers a brand new start-up experience, updates to the Wardrobe and Furniture browser, and general enhancements that will result in improved stability and smoother operation. Here’s a look at what’s coming as part of PlayStation Home 1.55:

How to Apply the 1.55 Patch

If you are upgrading from an old version of Home (1.40 or earlier) then when you attempt to apply the 1.55 patch please wait for the orange “hard drive activity” light to stop flashing on your PS3 before commencing the patching process.

NEW FEATURES

Start-Up

• Improved the layout, design, color scheme and text of the start-up flow.
• The start-up flow will now display a variety of information depending on how recently you last visited PlayStation Home.

Wardrobe and Furniture Browser

• When you are browsing through a category of items in the wardrobe or furniture browser we now display the name of the object you have highlighted.
• There is an option in the Menu Pad under “Options > Settings > Personal > Clothing / Furniture Names” to change this behavior:

• Off: Switches the display of names off.
• Selected: Displays the name of the selected object only (default).
• All: Displays names for all objects.

You can click [L3] to display more information about the highlighted object. This will pop up a menu showing:

• Name.
• Description.
• Image.
• Whether it is a purchase, reward or part of the default inventory.
• Date of acquisition (if relevant).

In addition to the name changes the overall speed of the wardrobe and furniture browser has been significantly increased.

General

• Added an option to manually clear the cache of data that Home creates on your HDD. This can sometimes resolve problems that you might be having. You can find it in the Menu Pad under “Options > Settings > Personal > Clear Cache”.

IMPROVEMENTS

Menu Pad

• There is an option to view “Help” from the carousel on the Menu Pad. This is only available to new users.
• There is an option to “Redecorate” on the carousel on the Menu Pad. This is only available when you are in your Personal Space or a Clubhouse that you own (i.e. somewhere that you can place furniture).

Loading Screen Tips

• Different loading screen tips are now shown depending on how many times you have visited PlayStation Home.

General

• Continued work to improve stability.

We also have new games, spaces, and items releasing this week into the ever-evolving world of PlayStation Home. To start, LOOT unveils the updated Active Camera, which allows you to record videos in PlayStation Home straight to your hard drive. Additional functionality includes the ability to pause and resume recording for smooth in-camera editing and the ability to upload your videos straight to YouTube. Since the LOOT Active Camera will work in any of your personal spaces, the possibilities are endless! Make it. Record it. Share it. What will you create?

Also coming this week to PlayStation Home: Lockwood’s Airsoft costumes , LOOT’s new Office Furniture line, nDreams’ Ansada Fone personal space, Hudson’s Elemental Monster Lounge personal space, a handful of new Granzella clothing items, new Access All Areas/Alice Cooper clothing and furniture items, and a variety of truly awesome Codeglue items (including my personal fave – Cardbot!)

The Lockwood Showcase will be opening this Thursday. Be sure to head over to this new space and pick up five limited-time rewards!

Of course, the PlayStation Home Community Theater receives an update this week with new videos from Gamer Indepth “ShoutOuts” and Hip Hop Gamer. We’re also keeping our End of Summer community reward available throughout the week for those of you who may not have had a chance to log in since last Thursday – be sure to get in there this week or risk missing out forever!

See you in Home!

Calling all members of the PlayStation Home Community!

Great news: This Thursday, September 22nd the eagerly-awaited Granzella “Southern Island Hideaway” game space will be released in PlayStation Home! This tropical locale includes a variety of free games – such as a jet ski racing game and the Ocean Floor Treasure Hunt. Of course, these games come with a wide range of rewards (additional Granzella clothing and furniture items will also be available for purchase), so all you reward hunters out there take note. We’ve snagged a trailer from Granzella to whet your appetite – check it out!

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!

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.

See you in Home!

This Thursday, September 15th will see the release of one of the most luxurious personal spaces to ever be published in PlayStation Home. The ultra-modern Tycoon Penthouse sits atop a towering skyscraper, overlooking a world-class city teeming with action. Releasing alongside a suite of sleek and chic furnishings and amenities (my personal fave being the Jacuzzi), the Tycoon Penthouse is the perfect addition to your collection of rare and exotic properties around the world. Those of you who enjoy the finer things in life can pick this premium locale up this Thursday from the Estates store in the PlayStation Home Mall.

The 2011 Tokyo Game Show is coming to PlayStation Home this week. Visit this space on Thursday, September 15th and pick up exclusive rewards based upon some of the most highly anticipated games that will be coming soon to your PS3 – such as the The ICO & Shadow of the Colossus Collection and UNCHARTED 3!

As a show of thanks to the entire PlayStation Home Community for your valiant efforts in slaying the hordes of undead invaders in our mega-popular Dead Island Total Game Integration event, we’ll be giving everyone a special Dead Island-themed reward this week. Head to the PlayStation Home Community Theater to receive this gruesome goody then watch as Urgent Fury previews Twisted Metal and Starhawk and Replay with Doc returns with special guest Luge. While you are there you can even catch free episodes of Deadliest Warrior and Ugly Americans. That’s a load of free content in any system of measurement, so be sure to log in to PlayStation Home this week and take advantage of this offer!

Expand your arsenal with our new range of brutal and barbaric weaponry, which are primed to hit the shelves of the PlayStation Home Mall this Thursday. We’re put together a quick trailer so that you can get a sneak peek at these cruel implements of war (and other new items that are releasing this week). Check it out!

Lockwood expands their ever-popular Iron Fusion line this week with the new Solar Fusilier costumes. Pick up these bad boys (and girls) from the Sodium store tomorrow!

Fan favorites Konami and Mass Media are also dropping new items onto the shelves of the PlayStation Home Mall this week. Log in on Thursday to pick up MM’s hilarious “Weird Wear” and new hairstyles and Gladiator costumes from Konami. While you are there, be sure to take advantage of our End of Summer sale and pick up loads of discounted furniture and clothing items perfect for decking out your tropical villas or hitting the beach with friends.

See you in Home!

This Thursday, September 8th will see a new Resistance 3 space invade Home, bringing its own public space complete with mini-games, rewards and more. What better way to celebrate the launch of Insomniac’s well-reviewed shooter than to suit up, win some rewards, and deck out your personal space with the spoils of war?

Home is also updating several core spaces, including Central Plaza (check it for a heavy surprise), and arcade cabinets for the Theater.

Magnus returns with a very interesting mixed bag of goodies ranging from a Monster Lizard Outfit to some cute Kitsune ears to the new Sweet Treats furniture bundle. Check out these sweet deals!

In Lockwood news, a new batch of Medusa hairstyles will hit the shelves of the Sodium store this week and a slew of new Sodium 2 items will be released, including racer upgrades of a most patriotic nature. Check ‘em out!

The PlayStation Home Mall is updated this week with new D.O.G. companions from LOOT, then meet Dusty, the new addition to Mass Media’s line of Brimstone Dancers. Head to the Mall this Thursday and add these items to your collection!

Starting soon, new episodes of both Ugly Americans and Deadliest Warrior episodes will arrive in the Theater. To be updated Tuesdays and Thursdays, several episodes of each will be there for your enjoyment. Bring your popcorn and some friends!

The PlayStation Home Community Theater receives an update this Thursday. Tune in this week and watch as HomeCast Rewind gives us the lowdown on all that’s up and new. Next up, Gamer Indepth interviews special guests, the Assassin’s Guild, a rather large clan based in the Home community who love everything Assassin’s Creed. While you are there, you’ll notice that Scribble Shooter arcade cabinets have been placed throughout the Theater, so step on up and give this critically-acclaimed PlayStation Home-exclusive a play!

Where to start? There’s so much coming this week. Check the Navigator for the New and Recommended places to go, then hit the Mall and Theater for more great stuff. Also, please join us in the Gamer’s Lounge every night of the week for our Featured Game Nights. Come meet and hang out with the Home Community Volunteers who host them from 4-8pm Pacific Time (7-11pm Eastern Time). For the schedule of events, either check the posters in the Gamer’s Lounge itself or on the calendar at the bottom of the PlayStation Home page.

See you in Home!

...yeah.

I know that most of you don't pay attention to PlayStation Home. Hell, I barely do, even though the service fascinates me. It doesn't capture my interest any more than Second Life, but Home is a thing I can quickly boot into before playing a game and see what's changed since the last time I got tempted. That itch comes along about once a year.

Sony announced today it's rolling out a massive restructuring sometime this fall making games front and center in Home.

Home director Jack Buser signaled the company was heading in this direction when I interviewed him for a series of pieces about Home.

"If you look at the average Home user, they are the most hardcore gamer on the PS3," he said back in June. "They buy more games than the average PS3 user, they play more games than the average PS3 user. They also watch more movies than the average PS3 user, who is already a highly self-selective consumer. We're talking about rabid consumers of media and hardcore gamers. That's who these people are."

The people I talked to who drove the community aspects of Home, such as HomeStation Magazine, did not strike me as people particularly interested in more games in Home, but that's where it's headed.

In the fall, Home will ditch its current (and outdated) central plaza for a segmented hub that essentially splits into genres--Action District, Sportswalk, Adventure District, Pier Park. These new environments will also come packed with activities and games to interact with. Everything about the redesign seems tailored to push Home users towards more and more games.

Home was more of a "world" before, but Sony's aiming to make it a "platform," not unlike Facebook or any other networked hub where people hop online to do any number of things, like play games.

Additionally, Sony will be releasing an update to the underlying Home client to minimize "the time it takes for players to get into games." Again, it's all about the games.

I'm curious about the reaction from the more hardcore users, who may not take kindly to this approach.

Big things are happening in PlayStation Home this fall. Sony has announced that an entirely new Home experience is currently in the works, one which it hopes will better cater to the needs of its users and offer a better experience overall. Home will relaunch with a new Hub and destinations based on desired gaming experience.

The new Hub "integrates games, quests, community events and user-generated content, while providing players with additional navigation, shopping, socialization and entertainment options." Essentially, it's the launch pad to anything else in Home. Within the Hub, players can go over to the Activity Board to check on quests or create their own events and share them with their friends. Users can also check out the Activity Board to quickly jump to games and content.

Outside of the Hub, there are four main areas: Action District, Sportswalk, Adventure District and Pier Park. As you can imagine, each caters to the needs of a certain gamer -- the Action and Adventure Districts both cater to hardcore and action-adventure fans, respectively, while Sportswalk is for sports nuts. Pier Park is an interactive theme park, replete with rides and games and such.

This big update will piggyback on a core client update arriving this fall, which Sony hopes will help players get into games and content much quicker than before.

Hi everyone. I’ve got some huge news for you.

As you know, we’ve been working hard to fill PlayStation Home with hundreds of games – everything from pool tables and dart boards to full-on space shooters like Novus Prime: Escalation, zombie slashers like Dead Island Zombie Survivor, and massive online racing games like Sodium 2: Project Velocity. Today we are excited to announce a complete redesign of the heart of PlayStation Home to reinforce our evolution into the ultimate social game platform on consoles today. This redesign will connect you with the world of hundreds of games in Home faster and better than ever before.

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.

• Pier Park (shown above) 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.

On top of all this great news, I’m excited to announce that we are going to upgrade Home’s core client to provide a streamlined initial user experience, getting you in and playing games faster than ever before. This upgrade will be deployed as a separate release from the redesign, and together they will underscore PlayStation Home’s evolution into a world filled with hundreds of games ready for you to play, making Home the ultimate social game platform on consoles.

We hope you’re as excited about PlayStation Home’s new core experience as we are!

For years, Jack Buser has been banging the drum for PlayStation Home -- Sony's free social service on the PlayStation 3 where players create an avatar and wander the world. Now, the director of the social networking service is admitting Sony made mistakes with the program. "One of the things we ...

The third phase of the Dead Island Total Game Integration event launches this Thursday, August 18th into the wide world of PlayStation Home. This special event allows players to unlock a host of unique rewards. Log in this Thursday to play the Dead Island-themed “Zombie Survivor Game” and hack, slash, bludgeon, shoot, decapitate, and dismember swarms of zombies in a series of bloody, hyper-violent challenges. We have a special Dead Island game guide coming at you tomorrow, so keep your eyes on this Blog for all the info you’ll need to survive the zombie onslaught in PlayStation Home and unlock the exclusive “Exploding Zombie Meat” weapon for use in Dead Island.

Lockwood is releasing a whole range of rockabilly wear so you can rock your PlayStation Home avatar in true 1950s style. Guys can sport the classic greaser look (complete with a cool leather jacket and slicked-back pompadour) or opt for a preppy style; the girls will have the choice of a sassy day look with tie-up blouses and cropped pants, or a breezy evening dress and sweeping over-the-shoulder hairstyle. Head to the Sodium store in the PlayStation Home Mall this Thursday to pick up these hot new rockabilly items; while you are at it, be sure to pick up the ever-popular Lockwood Gift Machine, which is being updated with a ton of new gift items this week!

In other news, the PlayStation Home Mall will receive an update this week with new Wild West items from nDreams, new Peeps from our friends at Heavy Water, and new hairstyles, companions, and furniture items – highlights of this week’s update can be seen in the latest installment of our Virtual Items Showcase video!ty

Of course, the PlayStation Home Community Theater receives a huge update this Thursday. Watch as GamerIndepth ShoutOuts returns with coverage from the recent LoadingReadyRun event. Next up, PS Nation offers up more of their E3 2011 coverage focusing on titles like Rage, Journey, and Uncharted 3. Finally, Urgent Fury gathers some intel on the soon-to-be-released Resistance 3 and then presents a special inFAMOUS 2 trophy tour.

Lastly, I wanted to take this moment to give you all a quick preview of some awesome costumes that will be released within a couple weeks in PlayStation Home. Behold – the CAS Combat Armor System! Watch this quick teaser trailer and then let us know your thoughts on the official PlayStation Home forums.

Attn: Earthlings. Transmissions intercepted from an unidentified flying object spotted over Central Plaza late last night tell us that Ooblag’s Alien Casino will be entering the PlayStation Home universe this Thursday, August 11th. An interstellar casino frequented by gamers from across the galaxy, Ooblag’s Alien Casino includes a highly stylized multiplayer game of craps…with a twist. Winners will be rewarded by being transformed into extraterrestrial high rollers while losers will be punished severely by Raaksu, the casino’s ruthless be-tentacled Pit Boss. As an added bonus, players that access the Ooblag Alien Casino space will be rewarded an active item version of the Ooblag game that can be played in their personal spaces. This PlayStation Home-exclusive is 100% free to all players and will be available from the Navigator this week. Check it out!

Phase two of the ongoing Dead Island total game integration will begin this Thursday. Log into PlayStation Home this week to take part in the ghoulish Zombie Photo Shoot game, where you can snap some pictures of yourself posing with the flesh-eating denizens of Central Plaza. And if you haven’t yet had the chance, be sure to take our Zombie Survivor Quiz to find out how well you will fare in the impending zombie apocalypse (all participants will unlock up to four Dead Island-inspired virtual items). While you are at it be sure to pick up the new Dead Island costumes – like the Decapitated Zombie, Zombie Policeman, and Zombie in a Bikini (ooh-la-la). We’d show you pictures, but they are too graphic to print here. Also, don’t forget to pre-order Dead Island directly from Central Plaza to receive the special Exploding Zombie suit for your PlayStation Home avatar. This ultra-limited item is not available anywhere else, so be sure to pre-order your copy of Dead Island from PlayStation Home today!

The PlayStation Home Mall will receive an update this week with new items from VeeMee (including the awesome TOVs animal items), Lockwood Publishing (be sure to check out the new Legends Baseball costumes), Konami (Gladiator costumes and Retro Collection clothing items) and new items in our Exclusives category (animated ruby tables, diamond sunglasses, and more). Head to the PlayStation Home Mall this Thursday and scoop up these hot new items!

Like clockwork, the PlayStation Home Community Theater receives yet another massive update this Thursday. Watch as Hip Hop Gamer interviews LightBox Interactive about the highly-anticipated Starhawk. Next, LittleBigPodcast crowns the winners of their Mind the Gap level-design contest. Afterwards, HomeCast Rewind looks at the new Sodium 2 reverse tracks, the ever-popular MechJet and B’Loons outfits, the new PlayStation Home bundles available on the PlayStation Store, and the one-and-only Homelings club. Finally, we present the season finale to Platinum’d. Will the nefarious BZBee win or will our hero D-Edge take home the grand prize? Find out this Thursday when the final “who will win?” nail-biter airs in the PlayStation Home Community Theater.

See you in Home!

In anticipation of the upcoming Dead Island TGI (total game integration), pop into PlayStation Home this Thursday, August 4th to check out the Zombie Survivor Quiz to determine your level of cunning against the hordes, and you’ll be rewarded for it. Be sure to check out the Dead Island swag too, including some horror-inspired blood splatter wall art for your personal spaces and some rudimentary weaponry so you will be best prepared for the undead invasion coming very soon.

Lockwood Publishing is releasing a new collection of very trendy hairstyles for both women and men. Whether you’re a Sweet Lolita relaxing in the park or a foxy punk ready for the ultimate festival, the Medusa collection will offer something for everyone.

Tomorrow afternoon, some special guests are coming in to play the recently released Magic: The Gathering Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012. Popular Canadian sketch comedy group, LoadingReadyRun’s seven members will be logging in tomorrow to game launch with the Home community from 4-6pm Pacific (7-9pm Eastern). Be sure to check the Message of the Day tomorrow for details.

Konami celebrates the 30th anniversary of the beloved Frogger series with Mascot Heads, an Animated Frogger T-shirt for men and women, and even a Frogger companion!

Codeglue is releasing some slick blazers for the guys and dainty dresses for the ladies, as well as some adorable T. Rexes: Trixie, Tiffany, Theodore and Tommy Rex. Head to the Mall to and find something that strikes your fancy and adopt a new, scaly friend.

While in the Mall, check out our new selections, completing your individual look from hairdo to high-top.

Finally, the Theater has some great updates. Platinum’d’s ninth episode releases, ever nearing the finale. Who will win, collecting every single PlayStation trophy? D-Edge or BZBee continue to battle it out, right to the end.

In the Community Theater, Gamer Indepth shares their E3 thoughts, interviews, Scribble Shooter, and more. Next up, LittleBigPodcast shares more of their Mind The Gap contest finalists’ levels. Finally, PSXextreme returns with some interesting breakdowns on historical game releases and their wishes for HD re-releases of some fantastic PlayStation classic games.

What an exciting week! See you in Home!

In anticipation of the upcoming Dead Island TGI (total game integration), pop into PlayStation Home this Thursday, August 4th to check out the Zombie Survivor Quiz to determine your level of cunning against the hordes, and you’ll be rewarded for it. Be sure to check out the Dead Island swag too, including some horror-inspired blood splatter wall art for your personal spaces and some rudimentary weaponry so you will be best prepared for the undead invasion coming very soon.

Lockwood Publishing is releasing a new collection of very trendy hairstyles for both women and men. Whether you’re a Sweet Lolita relaxing in the park or a foxy punk ready for the ultimate festival, the Medusa collection will offer something for everyone.

Tomorrow afternoon, some special guests are coming in to play the recently released Magic: The Gathering Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012. Popular Canadian sketch comedy group, LoadingReadyRun’s seven members will be logging in tomorrow to game launch with the Home community from 4-6pm Pacific (7-9pm Eastern). Be sure to check the Message of the Day tomorrow for details.

Konami celebrates the 30th anniversary of the beloved Frogger series with Mascot Heads, an Animated Frogger T-shirt for men and women, and even a Frogger companion!

Codeglue is releasing some slick blazers for the guys and dainty dresses for the ladies, as well as some adorable T. Rexes: Trixie, Tiffany, Theodore and Tommy Rex. Head to the Mall to and find something that strikes your fancy and adopt a new, scaly friend.

While in the Mall, check out our new selections, completing your individual look from hairdo to high-top.

Finally, the Theater has some great updates. Platinum’d’s ninth episode releases, ever nearing the finale. Who will win, collecting every single PlayStation trophy? D-Edge or BZBee continue to battle it out, right to the end.

In the Community Theater, Gamer Indepth shares their E3 thoughts, interviews, Scribble Shooter, and more. Next up, LittleBigPodcast shares more of their Mind The Gap contest finalists’ levels. Finally, PSXextreme returns with some interesting breakdowns on historical game releases and their wishes for HD re-releases of some fantastic PlayStation classic games.

What an exciting week! See you in Home!

In anticipation of the upcoming Dead Island TGI (total game integration), pop into PlayStation Home this Thursday, August 4th to check out the Zombie Survivor Quiz to determine your level of cunning against the hordes, and you’ll be rewarded for it. Be sure to check out the Dead Island swag too, including some horror-inspired blood splatter wall art for your personal spaces and some rudimentary weaponry so you will be best prepared for the undead invasion coming very soon.

Lockwood Publishing is releasing a new collection of very trendy hairstyles for both women and men. Whether you’re a Sweet Lolita relaxing in the park or a foxy punk ready for the ultimate festival, the Medusa collection will offer something for everyone.

Tomorrow afternoon, some special guests are coming in to play the recently released Magic: The Gathering Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012. Popular Canadian sketch comedy group, LoadingReadyRun’s seven members will be logging in tomorrow to game launch with the Home community from 4-6pm Pacific (7-9pm Eastern). Be sure to check the Message of the Day tomorrow for details.

Konami celebrates the 30th anniversary of the beloved Frogger series with Mascot Heads, an Animated Frogger T-shirt for men and women, and even a Frogger companion!

Codeglue is releasing some slick blazers for the guys and dainty dresses for the ladies, as well as some adorable T. Rexes: Trixie, Tiffany, Theodore and Tommy Rex. Head to the Mall to and find something that strikes your fancy and adopt a new, scaly friend.

While in the Mall, check out our new selections, completing your individual look from hairdo to high-top.

Finally, the Theater has some great updates. Platinum’d’s ninth episode releases, ever nearing the finale. Who will win, collecting every single PlayStation trophy? D-Edge or BZBee continue to battle it out, right to the end.

In the Community Theater, Gamer Indepth shares their E3 thoughts, interviews, Scribble Shooter, and more. Next up, LittleBigPodcast shares more of their Mind The Gap contest finalists’ levels. Finally, PSXextreme returns with some interesting breakdowns on historical game releases and their wishes for HD re-releases of some fantastic PlayStation classic games.

What an exciting week! See you in Home!

In anticipation of the upcoming Dead Island TGI (total game integration), pop into PlayStation Home this Thursday, August 4th to check out the Zombie Survivor Quiz to determine your level of cunning against the hordes, and you’ll be rewarded for it. Be sure to check out the Dead Island swag too, including some horror-inspired blood splatter wall art for your personal spaces and some rudimentary weaponry so you will be best prepared for the undead invasion coming very soon.

Lockwood Publishing is releasing a new collection of very trendy hairstyles for both women and men. Whether you’re a Sweet Lolita relaxing in the park or a foxy punk ready for the ultimate festival, the Medusa collection will offer something for everyone.

Tomorrow afternoon, some special guests are coming in to play the recently released Magic: The Gathering Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012. Popular Canadian sketch comedy group, LoadingReadyRun’s seven members will be logging in tomorrow to game launch with the Home community from 4-6pm Pacific (7-9pm Eastern). Be sure to check the Message of the Day tomorrow for details.

Konami celebrates the 30th anniversary of the beloved Frogger series with Mascot Heads, an Animated Frogger T-shirt for men and women, and even a Frogger companion!

Codeglue is releasing some slick blazers for the guys and dainty dresses for the ladies, as well as some adorable T. Rexes: Trixie, Tiffany, Theodore and Tommy Rex. Head to the Mall to and find something that strikes your fancy and adopt a new, scaly friend.

While in the Mall, check out our new selections, completing your individual look from hairdo to high-top.

Finally, the Theater has some great updates. Platinum’d’s ninth episode releases, ever nearing the finale. Who will win, collecting every single PlayStation trophy? D-Edge or BZBee continue to battle it out, right to the end.

In the Community Theater, Gamer Indepth shares their E3 thoughts, interviews, Scribble Shooter, and more. Next up, LittleBigPodcast shares more of their Mind The Gap contest finalists’ levels. Finally, PSXextreme returns with some interesting breakdowns on historical game releases and their wishes for HD re-releases of some fantastic PlayStation classic games.

What an exciting week! See you in Home!

PlayStation Home is quickly becoming the destination for pretending you're in a room watching an event. After the popular E3 viewing, Home is now hosting live streaming footage from the EVO fighting tournament in Los Angeles. Through Sunday, you'll be able to watch the world's best players compete in Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Tekken 6, Mortal Kombat, BlazBlue: Continuum Shift 2, and Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition from within the PlayStation Home Theater.

You'll get some pointers about how to play fighting games, and you'll get free junk for your Avatar, including an EVO shirt on Friday, a fighting stick item Saturday, and an EVO trophy on Sunday.

Get down to business with this week's stash of items on PlayStation Home.

Assume the nugget pose in a mech jet costume in PlayStation Home.

I played Scribble Shooter at E3 2011 and declared it one of my favorite games of the show. This is a 2D shoot'em up where the art and sound effects were all created by the developer's pre-high school kids. In it, we fly over a white piece of paper blasting baddies. It's fun and quirky... but PlayStation Home totally screws it up...

A public service announcement from Lockwood Publishing: Sodium 2 has seen its 3 millionth race! This means that Sodium 2 players have collectively traveled more than 75% of the way from the Earth to the Sun. In recognition of this amazing achievement, Lockwood Publishing is unlocking new Reverse Mode tracks in Sodium 2 this week. Head to the Sodium 2 launch grid on Thursday, July 28th to tear it up on your new tracks!

You may have seen the teaser posters placed throughout PlayStation Home that show a variety of mech silhouettes. This Thursday, these incredibly awesome MechJet costumes will finally be available from the Sodium store in the PlayStation Home Mall. These are seriously some of the most impressive costumes to ever be released in PlayStation Home. Watch this trailer and then tell us what you think in the comments section.

Days may be blazing in the Sodium Desert, but nights can be brutally cold. The latest range of Sodium Desert Nights Track Gear addresses the problem of what to wear to Scorpio’s after the sun goes down. Pick up this future-blasted utility wear this Thursday from the Sodium Store. And while you are there, be sure to scoop up the latest additions to Lockwood Publishing’s Fool Throttle line!

This week sees the PlayStation Home Mall receiving an enormous update with new items from some of the most popular publishers on the PlayStation Home platform. Check out the latest edition of our long-running PlayStation Home Virtual Item Showcase for a sneak peek at some of the coolest clothing, furniture, and costumes that will be hitting the shelves this week.

If you head to the PlayStation Store this week you’ll see that we’ve bundled up a load of content and created a starter pack. Kick start your PlayStation Home collection by picking up this convenient pack, which includes $24 worth of content (including community favorites like the Lakeside Log Cabin and the Mysterious Doll active item) for a low price of $4.99!

You wanted more Billabong clothing? You got it! This week sees an update specially crafted for all the ladies in the PlayStation Home community. Here’s a preview of some of the new Billabong clothing items available this week in the PlayStation Home Mall.

Want to be the center of attention? Want to make everyone do a double take? Then show off your crazy side with the “must-be-seen-to-be-believed” Chaos Clothing line from Hellfire Games. Be the life of any party or dazzle friends and foes alike with animated pandemonium – available this Thursday in the PlayStation Home Mall.

If you haven’t heard yet, Dead Island will be invading PlayStation Home in the very near future. Check out this article on Kotaku for screenshots and be sure to keep your eyes glued to this Blog for more info as we get closer to the launch of this special event.

The PlayStation Home Community Theater will be updated this week with new videos. Log in this Thursday to catch the latest episode of Platinum’d. Afterwards, watch as HomeCast Rewind takes a look at the recently-released UFC content in PlayStation Home and the new Bonk personal space. Replay with Doc also returns with an interview with the ArMy-oF-BeAsTs clan while UFREQtv brings us several interviews from the E3 show floor – including a chat with a member of the PlayStation Home team that his known for his bright hair. Finally, SOCAST covers the latest SOCOM 4 update.

Don’t forget to come out to the PlayStation Home Theater this weekend for our live stream test of the EVO 2011 world championship. Attendees will receive a line of exclusive PlayStation Home/EVO virtual items: Visitors on Friday will receive a limited edition EVO t-shirt for their PlayStation Home avatar; on Saturday players will be rewarded with a special fighting stick companion item; and on Sunday all viewers will receive a replica of the EVO trophy for their PlayStation Home personal spaces.

See you in Home!

The largest fighting game competition in the world is right around the corner and we are giving you, the PlayStation Home community, a front-row seat to witness the no-holds barred action of the 2011 EVO World Finals.

From Friday, July 29th until the final battle on Sunday, July 31st we will be streaming the event live from the Rio Resort in Las Vegas to the PlayStation Home Theater. Watch as competitors from around the globe duke it out on PS3 across five competitions: Marvel vs Capcom 3, Tekken 6, Mortal Kombat, BlazBlue: Continuum Shift II, and Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition. Players include 2009 and 2010 Street Fighter champion Daigo Umehara who will attempt an unprecedented “3-peat” victory. Along the way to his goal he’ll face one of the strongest fields of competitors ever assembled, including US legend Justin Wong, Korean wizard Poongko, French phenom Kayane, and UK champ Ryan Hart.

The purpose of this event is twofold: First, bring the world’s top fighting game competition directly to your PlayStation 3. Secondly, we have some new video streaming technology to test in the PlayStation Home Theater and what better opportunity than this? Join us for this special event and help us test this new video streaming technology by posting about your experience in GlassWalls’ EVO 2011 World Finals Stream Test thread on the official PlayStation Home forums. Attendees will receive a line of exclusive PlayStation Home/EVO virtual items: Visitors on Friday will receive a limited edition EVO t-shirt for their PlayStation Home avatar; on Saturday players will be rewarded with a special fighting stick companion item; and on Sun all viewers will receive a replica of the EVO trophy for their PlayStation Home personal spaces.

From high-profile grudge matches to the Grand Finals (running all day on Sunday, July 31st), this year’s EVO World Finals is not to be missed. Knuckle up and log into PlayStation Home this weekend to watch the best of the best throw down until only one champion remains.

Full schedule:

Friday, July 29th

8:00 AM – 6:00 PM Super Street Fighter IV Tournament, Early Rounds 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Super Street Fighter IV Tournament, Quarterfinals 8:00 PM – 11:00 PM Super Street Fighter IV Tournament, Semi-Finals (top 32 players)

Saturday, July 30th

8:00 AM – 6:00 PM Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Tournament, Early Rounds 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Tournament, Quarterfinals 8:00 PM – 11:00 PM Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Tournament, Semi-Finals (top 32 players)

Sunday, July 31th

9:00 AM – 9:00 PM The top 8 in each tournament square off for the 2011 championships. In order:

BlazBlue Continuum Shift 2 Tournament Finals Tekken 6 Tournament Finals Mortal Kombat 9 Tournament Finals Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Tournament Finals Super Street Fighter IV Tournament Finals

See you in Home!

#deadisland The zombie strain that strikes the vacationers on Dead Island is so virulent that even advertising the game results in a full-on undead plague, as European PlayStation Home users will discover shortly before the game launches in September. More »

Boasting addictive top-down, shoot ‘em up action and an incredibly unique art style (hand-drawn by one of the developer’s 12 year old sons), Scribble Shooter received accolades on the 2011 E3 show floor from the likes of IGN and left players that visited the virtual E3 booth in PlayStation Home begging for more. This Thursday, July 21st, Scribble Shooter will finally be released into the ever-evolving world of PlayStation Home and we’re inviting YOU to come get your hands on this game and see what the buzz is all about. Visit PlayStation Home’s Central Plaza to play the first level of this awesome retro-style arcade game. Then pick up the full game as an arcade cabinet for your PlayStation Home personal space and defeat each level’s boss to unlock special rewards. It’s one of the most fun casual games you’ll play all year and it’s only available in PlayStation Home.

Lockwood Publishing releases their new line of Delirious Squid items this Thursday, July 21st. From rapping squids to bears in dresses and girls with tentacly faces – nothing is too bizarre for Lockwood’s latest clothing line. Also available this week from Lockwood are four new companions: Bunsen and Spike are two hard-rockin’ lizards who get their kicks head banging to loud music and swishing their tails to smashing guitars while Al Cabone and Mr. Ska Bones are more mellow fellows, shambling around with a spring in their skeletal step. Check out this video for a sneak peek at the new Delirious Squid content, available this Thursday from the Sodium store in the PlayStation Home Mall.

Also available this week from the PlayStation Home Mall: Lifeguard outfits (courtesy of Lockwood Publishing), tons of Billabong clothing items for the guys and the gals, an assortment of MyDeco furniture, and even a Cole McGrath costume from inFAMOUS 2!

This Friday, July 22nd, we will be hosting a special “Game with the Devs” event with the makers of F3AR. Head to PlayStation Home’s Gamer’s Lounge between 3:00pm and 5:00pm PT (6:00pm and 8:00pm ET) to meet the Day 1 team (just look for the following PSN IDs: FEAR3DevAndyK, FEAR3DevBrad, FEAR3DevBrianM, FEAR3DevBrianL, FEAR3DevZach, FEAR3DevTJ, FEAR3D3evDeadFred, FEAR3DevLeo, FEAR3DevAnthony).

The PlayStation Home Community Theater will be updated this Thursday with a ton of new, exclusive videos. First up, LittleBigPodcast returns with a video showcasing the three final finalists of their LBP2 level-creation contest. Next, Gamer Indepth takes a look at Scribble Shooter and introduces the Who’s Who of Home. Finally, Platinum’d releases episode 7 where D-Edge and BZBee’s epic final battle draws closer and Jess reveals a secret of her own.

See you in Home!

One of the hardest-hitting game franchises of all time slams into PlayStation Home this Thursday, July 14th. Ahead of the release of UFC Undisputed 3, THQ is bringing you all the bare-knuckle action you can handle with the release of the UFC Octagon public space, complete with training games, trivia, and special rewards. Fighters and fight lovers alike can head over to the PlayStation Home Mall to pick up their very own UFC Undisputed personal space and choose from a wide range of UFC Undisputed virtual items – from posters that commemorate some of the most memorable matches in UFC history (such as Liddell vs. Jackson and Sylvia vs. Arlovski) to fight gear and assorted furniture. True MMA fanatics won’t waste a moment logging into PlayStation Home this week to get fists-on with this hot new content!

Hudson releases their Bonk Living Space this week into the ever-evolving world of PlayStation Home. Based upon the classic Bonk titles of yore, this highly-stylized personal space (and assorted clothing and furniture items) is a true must-have for PlayStation Home collectors and fans of this cartoonish caveman, known across the world for his tendency to headbutt each and every thing that dare cross his path. Pick yours up this Thursday from the Estates store in the PlayStation Home Mall!

The PlayStation Home Community Theater receives another update this week when HomeCast Rewind returns to cover the latest Aurora update and new Konami and LOOT items. Next up, PSTALENT.COM launches its third episode of The Spotlight where Director_On_Duty has tragedy befall him, and leaves us with a nail-biting cliffhanger. Finally, PSXextreme brings a little historical overview of the Call of Duty franchise and its long-standing impact on the gaming industry.

See you in Home!

If you can scribble it, you can shoot it on PlayStation Home.

They arrived on an otherwise quiet spring morning.

Check out the Butterfly Girl costume bundle and more!

Meet Brigitte, Layla and other brimstone dancers in this trailer.

Shoot-'em-ups (or "shmups" for short) have the potential to be a lot of fun. And thankfully, some are more novel than others in their approach. Scribble Shooter is one such novel shmup, and today Sony has revealed that it's coming exclusively to PlayStation Home on Thursday, July 21st...

Before we get to our regularly-scheduled weekly update, I wanted to give all of you Home-people a quick look at two new games that we will be releasing soon into the ever-evolving world of PlayStation Home. First up is Ooblag’s Alien Casino, a game made specifically for the PlayStation Home community as part of our Welcome Back package. Enter this interstellar casino and try your hand at Ooblag, a multiplayer game of craps…with a twist. Winners will be rewarded by being transformed into extraterrestrial high rollers while losers will be punished severely by Raaksu, the casino’s ruthless Pit Boss. As an added bonus, players that access the Ooblag Alien Casino space will be rewarded an active item version of the Ooblag game that can be played in their personal spaces. Check out the trailer for a peek at this exclusive (and 100% free) game – coming soon to PlayStation Home!

Next, I’m pleased to announce that the highly-anticipated top-down, shoot ‘em up game, Scribble Shooter, will be released in just two weeks! This charming arcade-style game (which was hand-drawn by a developer’s 12 year old son) will take over PlayStation Home’s Central Plaza on Thursday, July 21st. Play the first level and then purchase the full game as an arcade cabinet for your personal space. Those of you who played the demo of this game in our virtual E3 booth are familiar with Scribble Shooter’s addictive gameplay and unique style, but what you haven’t yet seen are the collection of awesome rewards, which will be granted to players as they beat each level’s boss battle. Mark your calendars, my friends – Scribble Shooter will be in your hands before you know it…

This Thursday, July 7th, we will be updating the PlayStation Home Mall with a ton of new items – from Sodium “Abyss Trooper” costumes to new LOOT space furniture and more. Here’s a short video that highlights some of the new content that will be on the shelves this week!

Speaking of new items, Codeglue releases a new batch of items under the Mesmo line this Thursday – including what may be my favorite companion to date, the hilarious Hamster in a Ball!

Konami launches their B’loons line of balloon weapons and costumes (with custom animations) this week. I foresee Central Plaza being full of B’loons this weekend – what do you think?

nDreams’ is bringing Barbarian back into style with their latest Fantasy Fashion costumes. Check ‘em out!

Our friends over at VeeMee are bringing some of Billabong’s most popular designs into the digital realm, with the first batch showing up in the PlayStation Home Mall this Thursday morning. Here’s a quick taste of what to expect:

Finally, Mass Media launches their hotly-anticipated “Brimstone Dancers” this week. Sure to turn up the heat at your next Home party, Lilith, Layla, and Brigette come as both active items and companions and will be available this Thursday from the PlayStation Home Mall.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution is bringing the world of 2027 into PlayStation Home through the QR Missions Contest. Here’s how it works:

1. Download the QR Missions App from the APP STORE on your iOS Device (with camera).
2. Register and select “PlayStation 3” as your console of choice.
3. Using the App scan QR Codes like THIS ONE.

For each code scanned the community earns more points, reach 1 million total points as a community and earn your exclusive PS Home Companion VTOL Chopper! You can only get the VTOL Companion by participating in the QR Missions, so tell your friends and gather together for a piece of exclusive Deus Ex: Human Revolution content in PlayStation Home.

In addition, be one of the first 1000 people to scan 10 codes and get a free Deus Ex: Human Revolution Dynamic theme for your PlayStation 3! The contest ends August 23rd when Deus Ex: Human Revolution launches, so join in now for your exclusive content.

Of course, the PlayStation Home Community Theater receives a huge update this week. Join us this Thursday, July 7th as we air the latest episode of Platinum’d, the popular live-action comedy series exclusive to PlayStation Home. Next up, Urgent Fury returns with host Jack Delhouse covering the exciting new FPS, Brink. Next up, LittleBigPodcast returns with three more of their “Mind the Gap” contest winners.

See you in Home!

Who cares about free games, downloadable content or PlayStation Plus memberships? We certainly could not care less -- our envious eye has fallen on the European PSN, whose Welcome Back rewards now include a grip of free PlayStation Home swag.