[...] Sony’s new “Home” virtual world. Since then I’ve been trading comments over on Raph Koster’s blog (Link); some of which might be of interest. Most comments specifically address this item: Opportunity for [...]

[...] Sony’s new “Home” virtual world. Since then I’ve been trading comments over on Raph Koster’s blog (Link); some of which might be of [...]

Imagine that in a buffed-up Second Life type on environment on a platform still mostly attractive to competitive hardcore gamers

I actually deleted another paragraph I’d written saying the exact same thing. So we’re on the same wavelength here.

Even in SL, the people spamming stuff are still spamming their own creations; not some multinational’s product line. So say “Goodbye” to goldfarmers, and “Hello” to ad revenue sharehoppers.

The hardcore crowd in Home is going to be blazing some advertising trails. That should make for an interesting show.

If history is any judge, Home will be launched and a whole bunch of rules will follow.

We’ll see. I don’t doubt there’s a sweet spot somewhere. It’s finding it that’ll be the problem, imo.

I think there will be areas like this in Home. Either they will be contrived by a feature of the area (Bazaar in EQ1, major travel hubs in SWG, where the Auction Houses are in WoW, etc) or will naturally happen over time due to unforeseen factors (EC Tunnel in EQ1, West Brit Bank in UO, etc). In either case, due to the need to attract spatial attention, this phenomena is likely to be very localized.

And that’s ok. Because that means other areas will not be

As an example of what I’m thinking, here’s something I’d worry about: intrepid saleskids running around the public spaces trying to convince people to visit their private space… where the revenue-sharing ads are supposedly going to be sequestered.

That means the public areas will become advertising competition zones, with anyone not competing (i.e. actually socializing) getting spammed by avatars shouting “Check out my kewl space! Check out my kewl space!” (and variants thereof).

Of course, Sony will probably try to curb any such activity, but I’ve little doubt a bunch of bored and penniless players – with free access to Home – will make the time to find creative solutions.

If Home is modeled around the real world, then advertising within that world can enhance the immersion. It’s like product placement on TV. An actor drinking a can of Generic Soda or an actor drinking a can of Pepsi doesn’t radically change the viewing experience (outside of Truman Show ), but the latter is something advertisers think is worth funding because it is more product upon more eyeballs. Home ups that with click through potential and even purchase potential. It would seem to make sense.

But it would make even MORE sense if it wasn’t restricted to this one system that has a dedicated audience that could be at odds with advertising, by being at odds with the concept of Home. To me it could be like forcing WoW players to experience Second Life. Just completely different audiences.

So I think Home has a lot of cool concepts going for it. I just wish it was a platform agnostic solution.

[...] reported on early comments from Sony about PS3 Home’s security and sponsorship plans. Today Raph Koster summarized the latest points from someone liveblogging from the Edinburgh Interactive [...]

imo, if they create an Experience that’s too tied into advertising, then it’ll turn plenty of people off.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m okay with advertising. Just not when the audience is captive… and many of the players become virtual salespeople for RL brands in order to make a little scratch.

Sony hopefully has all the questions floating around in my head already answered. Once upon a time I might have believed they already did. Now I’m not so sure.