Next Generation, a respected website dedicated to game industry news, has reveal that Sony is planning to launch an online games service, largely modelled on Xbox Live, currently called PlayStation HUB. The same report also suggests Sony is aiming for a September launch for the PS3 in Japan and North America.
[According to well-placed industry sources, PlayStation HUB will offer PlayStation 3 owners much the same services as Xbox Live, including chat, downloadable demos, independent games and online play. It\'s a departure from PlayStation 2\'s online strategy, widely regarded as vastly inferior to Microsoft\'s.
PlayStation HUB is being described to developers as a \'subscriber service\' suggesting a monthly charge. We understand the service is being created by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, although this is unconfirmed.
September launch
Developer sources are also suggesting that PlayStation 3 is currently scheduled to launch in September. A launch games release schedule seen by our sources states a September launch. Although the schedule does not explicitly state a hardware launch date, nor a launch territory, we understand Japan and U.S will both see the machine in September.
Some in the industry have taken this as a lead to speculate that September 16 would be a launch date in Japan (a Saturday before a national holiday) followed by September 21 in the U.S. These dates are not confirmed.]
Though nothing is official yet, Next Generation is a highly respected news site and I doubt they would publish this info unless their source was reliable. Sony is supposedly preparing to announce HUB some time in the next few weeks.
[According to well-placed industry sources, PlayStation HUB will offer PlayStation 3 owners much the same services as Xbox Live, including chat, downloadable demos, independent games and online play. It\'s a departure from PlayStation 2\'s online strategy, widely regarded as vastly inferior to Microsoft\'s.
PlayStation HUB is being described to developers as a \'subscriber service\' suggesting a monthly charge. We understand the service is being created by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, although this is unconfirmed.
September launch
Developer sources are also suggesting that PlayStation 3 is currently scheduled to launch in September. A launch games release schedule seen by our sources states a September launch. Although the schedule does not explicitly state a hardware launch date, nor a launch territory, we understand Japan and U.S will both see the machine in September.
Some in the industry have taken this as a lead to speculate that September 16 would be a launch date in Japan (a Saturday before a national holiday) followed by September 21 in the U.S. These dates are not confirmed.]
Though nothing is official yet, Next Generation is a highly respected news site and I doubt they would publish this info unless their source was reliable. Sony is supposedly preparing to announce HUB some time in the next few weeks.