Sony announces 3D user community for PS3

San Francisco (CA) - It has become more difficult for Sony to make its case for its Playstation game console as the competition from Nintendo and Wii is heating up. At GDC, the company revealed several aggressive approaches to make the PS3 more attractive, including a "next-generation" 3D user community.

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Scheduled for a public release in fall of this year, the community extension will be offered free of charge to PS3 owners. The service called "home" is designed to resemble a 3D game in which users move and act with the help of customizable avatars. According to Sony, Home will be directly accessible from the Playstation network console that is integrated by default into the PS3 software and allow users to "interact, communicate, join online games, shop, share private content and even build and show off their own personal spaces to others in real time."

The company promises Home to include a "sleek, modern environment" that integrates common areas, custom spaces dedicated to specific games and personal apartments. Each user is assigned an apartment, which can be personalized for example with furniture. Users can also invite others to join them "as they show off their own style," Sony said.

Home will go into a closed beta test this spring.