PlayStation Home (also marketed and referred to as Home) is a virtual 3D social gaming platform developed by Sony Computer Entertainment's London Studio for the PlayStation 3 on the PlayStation Network (PSN). It is accessible on the PS3's XrossMediaBar (XMB). Membership is free and requires a PSN account. Upon installation, users can choose how much hard disk space they wish to reserve for Home. Home has been in development since early 2005 and started an open public beta test on December 11, 2008.
Home allows users to create a custom avatar, which can be groomed realistically. Each avatar is given a personal apartment that users can decorate with free, bought, or won items. Users can travel throughout the Home world, which is frequently updated by Sony and its partners. Public spaces are made for display, entertainment, advertising, and networking. Home's primary forms of advertising include spaces themselves, video screens, posters, and mini-games. Home also features many single and multiplayer mini-games, and hosts a variety of special events, some of which may provide prizes to players. Users can use won items to further customise their avatar or apartments.
