Microsoft, Sony ready new online experiences

IDG News Service — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:48:26 -0700

At the packed-to-the-gills-with-games Tokyo Game Show this week, competing gaming juggernauts Microsoft and Sony provided new, exciting details about the launch of their respective online services.

In Sony's case, that meant more news on Home, and for once the announcement was not a delay. Instead, Sony used the TGS stage to announce that the Home open beta, which was seemingly in a state of perpetual delay until this week, is scheduled for release in Japan later this month. The open beta is then scheduled to conclude by November (date unknown), after which the real deal will launch, perhaps in time for the holiday season.

Sony also revealed that twenty four publishers have joined the Home network to provide it with content. There was no indication as to whether or not these publishers will provide support outside of Japan, but we've included the list below anyway.

On the Microsoft front, the now avatar-enabled Xbox Live Experience will officially launch on November 19. At TGS, Microsoft vice president John Schappert said in a keynote that work on the upgrade is complete. He then proceeded to show the audience a live demo that included system menus, the game selection process, the movie service, and other content details.

The update will also be launched simultaneously in 26 different countries in 19 languages.

Again, here's the list of publishers on board with Sony Home:

IREM, Activision, Acquire, Atlus, Walt Disney Japan, SNK, EA, Capcom, Q Entertainment, Game Republic, Genki, Koei, Konami, Spike, Sega, D3 Publisher, Tecmo, Nippon Ichi Software, Hudson, Bandai Namco Games, Ubisoft

(Image: Microsoft)