I’ve been wanting to try this PlayStation Home thing since its announcement way back when Phil Harrison was top cat at Sony Worldwide Studios. While the service has been delayed numerous times, my level of interest with it has not waned.

I’m interested. I want to try it out. If I don’t like, that’s fine.

Well, it looks like my opportunity to apply is coming up! All I have to do is download the “Home” theme off the PSN Store tonight. The theme (which is free, of course) should appear around the usual PSN Store update time, which is around 6 - 7 PM EST.

Home was announced a while ago, but it was met with its fair share of delays. Unsurprisingly, today Sony announced they’re delaying Home again til Fall 2008. I’m not worried, this is just icing on Sony’s online service. In-game XMB is coming later this year and that is significantly more important.

In addition, Sony is apparently in talks with movie studios over a PSN movie distribution service. Neat. Hopefully, it’s not just a rental service either.

Kotaku wrote up three pieces in relation to what Sony is bringing to Home with regards its own published games. Uncharted, Warhawk and Resistance will all have Home spaces ranging from game themed spaces to minigames.

I’m most excited for the Uncharted 2-D sidescroller game. It has potential. I think…

I’m just glad this is all going to be free.

Every console manufacturer has their “face”. The person who interacts with the public and represents the organization. These folks aren’t your typical PR shills who toot their own horns or bash the competition without regard; they communicate their respective platform’s positions and strategies to the public in a very human way.

Microsoft lost their face last year when Peter Moore left Microsoft for EA Sports and now Sony is losing one of their most respected personnel, Phil Harrison. Nintendo still has Reggie — no worries there.

Next-Gen’s editor wrote a nice recollection of the importance of Phil Harrison and all the good he brought to the PlayStation platforms. To me, I’ll remember him as the well spoken bald dude who announced LittleBigPlanet and PlayStation Home at GDC 06.