Everyone thought that after the Microsoft ‘Avatars’ concept was leaked that surely Microsoft would be extending such a feature to something close to Sony’s Home, not being shy of the odd cover version here and there, right? And then this surfaces, and promptly vanishes from the original source, suggesting that they’re doing exactly that:
Certainly a fake, but the concept and idea has got to be real over in Redmond. Microsoft are clearly aiming at the casual market alongside the hardcore crowd they’ve attracted so far, and something similar to ‘My GamerPad’ would surely in the making.
The issue here is that if, at E3, Microsoft suddenly announce the service is done, complete and ready for downloading immediately, and Sony mumble something about a closed beta for Home for another 6 months, Microsoft have suddenly pulled the rug out from under SCEE’s frustratingly delayed Home.
Announced too early, Home has sat in a stifled Beta phase for far too long now, and concrete news on opening up the service to the awaiting fans is few and far between. It’s like Sony’s big secret that they’re too shy to share with the rest of the World, but are happy to plod along with the closed invite system long enough for someone like Microsoft (or indeed, Nintendo) to cash in on the idea.
If this happens, and the competion announce game launching (surely easier on the 360 anyway) and a similar visual quality, then Sony have no-one to blame but themselves.
We’ll see in three weeks, then.