A Game Development Blog

Exciting Video Game Innovations Around the Corner

From time to time, gamers are treated with an evolutionary leap in game design. Or at the very least, a refinement that takes a genre to another level. With the power and innovation being showcased already through the PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii, gamers can expect some truly next gen leaps in the way we view and play games as a whole in 2008. We’ve decided to take a closer look at a few of the video game experiences that look to raise the bar.

 
PSN Home

Some might argue that the Playstation Home environment that is being developed for the PS3 is not a game. Ask that to the millions of Second Life subscribers that spend countless hours a week in their virtual worlds. While Second Life offers a free service much in the same way as Home does for PS3 owners, what Sony is offering is a standardized and far more accessible way of having your own virtual space. Every PS3 will have the exact same specs and capabilities when it comes to interacting with Home. Second Life experiences vary depending on the Specs of your PC. Sony is just offering a far more integrated, straight up way of socializing and interacting with other people. Add to the fact that the avatars and environments look 100 times better in Home, and we think Sony has a winner on it’s hands.

But is Home in the end just a virtual space like Second Life with boring Avatars? If we are to believe what a few first party PS3 developers have recently offered up, not a chance. Warhawk for example will provide a War Room where up to 8 players can plan and coordinate using a 3D sand table showing a 3D view of each map. Players will be able to place down markers in real time. Other developers like Naughty Dog and Insomniac are following suit.

In a nutshell, Sony is creating a very fluid, dynamic social network for every PS3 owner that’s easy to install, easy to customize, easy to interact with, looks amazing and is free. They’re not creating something brand new here. But they’re vastly improving upon and streamlining an idea and making it a seamless part of the PS3. Developers will be able to add amazing extensions to games that will really potentially enhance the gamer experience.

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