April 23, 2009April 23, 2009

EA SPORTS Complex Now Live in PlayStation Home

The day has finally come! Phase one of the EA SPORTS Complex has been unleashed and it is high time that all of you sports fanatics log in to PlayStation Home, explore this hugely interactive space, try your hand at the available mini-games, and check out all the teasers and trailers that await your prying eyes.

Out of the proverbial box, EA has two casual multiplayer mini-games for you to challenge your friends to: A whole floor of poker tables and the new EA SPORTS Racing game. The former allows for up to 8 players per table to indulge in high stakes tournament-style Texas Hold ‘Em and the latter lets you put the pedal to the metal and compete for the best time against 3 other users in a formula-style race.

The Complex – much like the PlayStation Home platform – will evolve over time. Currently scheduled updates include the EA SPORTS Golf mini-game (where users can test their stick skills at an indoor driving range) leaderboards, poker bracelets and a rewards system. As new titles are announced, content within the space and additional game-specific achievement rewards will be added.

To start, the EA SPORTS Complex will be available to the North American and European PlayStation Home communities. Future rollout of the space to other territories will be coming soon. So if you are one of those users lucky enough to live in the aforementioned territories, be sure to head over to the space and give it a test drive (pun intended). Home Community Specialist BuggieTechnica and I will be in the space throughout today challenging users to the Racing mini-game (and throwing cards at the Texas Hold ‘Em tables). Come up and say hi if you see us, and tell us what you think the next phase of the Complex should bring.

Comments are closed.

111 Comments

4 Author Replies

Sigmakan
April 23, 2009 at 9:01 am PDT

Very cool
ExcelKnight
April 23, 2009 at 9:05 am PDT

Ooh, more minigames. Can’t wait to try the racers, but poker doesn’t interest me.
axeblade07
April 23, 2009 at 9:05 am PDT

I checked it out earlier and I must say I am impressed. Received a EA shirt for coming in second on the racing game. Great job EA and the Home team!! Keep it coming.
SuicideSkull
April 23, 2009 at 9:07 am PDT

nice keep up the good work
gmk218
April 23, 2009 at 9:08 am PDT

no golf yet real bummer typical release something into home thats not yet complete geesh need more poker tables in there too real bummer ss my $.002
BabeBro
April 23, 2009 at 9:08 am PDT

Thanks! The space is finally out! Thank you guys so much and I’ll hopefully see you in HOME Locust! Say hi to Cydonia for me please :o)
jimmy903
April 23, 2009 at 9:12 am PDT

Nice, I was not expecting this today. I’m there once I get home.

Any ideas as to when the driving range is going live?
TheHater2
April 23, 2009 at 9:13 am PDT

hay HOME TEAM
are you guys planning anything for HOME for E3 this year? Like we will be able to see the Sony press conference live through HOME?
- Locust_Star
  April 23, 2009 at 10:04 am PDT
  
  We are, indeed, planning some events to coincide with E3. Details will be coming soon.
smokey_vols
April 23, 2009 at 9:16 am PDT

I visited it today already, seemed pretty cool.
stephen2005
April 23, 2009 at 9:16 am PDT

Sounds really cool.

With this and Xi, it seems like Home is getting more and more interesting. Keep up the great work!
DeviantBoi
April 23, 2009 at 9:17 am PDT

Great addition to Home!

Now we need some video poker machines!
SOOPERGOOMAN187
April 23, 2009 at 9:18 am PDT

Shouldn’t there be an announcement on the login page, loving the racing game, just came in FIRST ON MY FIRST TRY. Thanks for the prizes! Guess I’m liking this one part of Home, they did a great job on it. I’ve also SOLVED Xi….
DeviantBoi
April 23, 2009 at 9:19 am PDT

Any chance that EA can offer the poker tables for the clubs? I know that there would be people willing to spend some money on getting this for their club to get poker nights going.
omnilaw
April 23, 2009 at 9:19 am PDT

HOME IS SWEET!!!!

Don’t listen to the haters this is a sweet surprise!
czakhary
April 23, 2009 at 9:23 am PDT

This is good news. I am sure many will be excited about this release.
inveigle
April 23, 2009 at 9:25 am PDT

Thanks for the update! I’ll have to check this out.
PasteyMF
April 23, 2009 at 9:27 am PDT

Are there a limited amount of tables to sit at for poker or are there multiple instances of the EA space to accommodate everyone that wants to play?
- Locust_Star
  April 23, 2009 at 10:08 am PDT
  
  There are a limited amount of tables in any given instance, but an unlimited amount of potential instances. As one instance fills up, another spawns to ensure that there is always ample room for users.
Emadeowa
April 23, 2009 at 9:28 am PDT

AAAWWWWW YEAH! awesome job EA and the home team….Can’t wait for more EA mini games
SOOPERGOOMAN187
April 23, 2009 at 9:35 am PDT

lap time of 26.26 seconds, beat that.
NiavlysUS
April 23, 2009 at 9:40 am PDT

How about a tennis court, or ping pong tables, or beach volley-ball? it shouldn’t be too complicated to do!?
Or shufflepuck tables… little sports related game like that are kinda amusing to a certain level, and are fairly simple.
Unless the bowling alley already has those on the way…
Aggie_CEO
April 23, 2009 at 9:40 am PDT

I’ll check that out later….when I’m tired of Killzone 2….so ummmmm August??

lol
FoolKiller79
April 23, 2009 at 9:43 am PDT

I haven’t seen it yet, but after the Godfather 2 space I have been much more hopeful for this one. Finally I get a racing game and I hope to see the mini-golf soon.

Regarding the poker tables: I understand that Texas Hold ‘Em is the big thing right now, but has anyone considered a full-fledged Home Casino space? A space where you could have Five Card Draw, Blackjack, slots, roulette, etc. Give it a few floors and even a small arcade area with a few mini-games to allow us to step away from the games of chance for a bit.

I’d also like to see an arcade space with some of the arcade/carnival midway only games like Skee Ball, shooting games, Alley Cats, Ring Toss, etc. These kinds of things would be perfect for unlocking free items in Home. And I know EA has experience with carnival-style mini-games, just not on the PS3, yet.

Another thing I would love to see is a family game space with cheap versions of licensed board games with everything from Chess/checkers to Monopoly, Life, Battleship, and Risk. They don’t have to be fancy, just a little top-down 2-D representation would work.
infamousXX87XX
April 23, 2009 at 9:44 am PDT

its cool but i wish the currency system was available
almighty-slayer
April 23, 2009 at 9:46 am PDT

It is VERY impressive. Kudos to EA, they did a fantastic job.
SPARDA
April 23, 2009 at 9:48 am PDT

Home is really growing. This is a nice addition by EA.

Will be checking it out late for sure

Thanks for the update
EktorOni
April 23, 2009 at 9:58 am PDT

Locust: Singstar fans around the country, incl. myself, are wondering where are the Singstar Home Rewards. Please, give us an answer. Thanks. :)
- Locust_Star
  April 23, 2009 at 10:11 am PDT
  
  We\’re currently awaiting a status update regarding these items and will be sure to inform you all when we have an ETA on these rewards. Apologies for any inconvenience this may be causing you. We\’re working our tails off to resolve this – that I can promise you!
SPOPS
April 23, 2009 at 10:02 am PDT

It’s nice to see Home growing finally. But to be honest I do not find myself using the service. There is just no real “Draw” to make me want to spend my time there. Running around and doing little cheesy mini games is just not my idea of fun. I would rather pop in a game of SOCOM, Little Big Planet, GTA IV, Uncharted Drake’s Fortune, etc… and have some fun.

I don’t know maybe it is just me… I just wish that home had a little more substance to make me interested. XI was pretty cool when it first came out. But than it just became overly complicated, and lost my interest.

There was only one space I was really ever interested in… “The Trophy Room” I have a sneaky suspicion that idea has gone the way of the dinosaurs. Guess we are stuck with the small gamer cards only :(
LokeSTL
April 23, 2009 at 10:04 am PDT

Question. Will we be getting the Disgaea homespace?
Jezer29
April 23, 2009 at 10:08 am PDT

Thats b/c Home is not technically suppose to be fun game.. Its a chill spot. Where you hang out when your not playing games. And at the same time Sony and others get to market their product. I think that this is a excellent marketing tool which is still at its infancy stage. Home is coming along quite nicely.

To me it reminds me of the PS store! Remember??? Everyone complaining about it was weak, nothing avail.. And look at it now, almost 3yrs later.. By that same time Home is going to be the vision that Sony actually had.
h0tp00p
April 23, 2009 at 10:10 am PDT

Awesome… another lame place to go text chat with complete strangers about nothing it all. “So… where are you from?” FAIL!

Why don’t you give us something worth while in Home. How about getting a PSB space? The Blog gives people something to talk about (see, I’m text chatting right now) instead of “So… where are you from?”
Pinhead_x
April 23, 2009 at 10:19 am PDT

@ h0tp00p – I know you’re trying VERY hard.. you can tell from your nickname, but your post? MAJOR FAIL. Stop trying.

EA, that’s major. good work! Home is getting better and better.
loadstone007
April 23, 2009 at 10:20 am PDT

Great job, love this addition!
Please add more clothes and accessories, and an option to try on a clothing before buying.
dsigns209
April 23, 2009 at 10:22 am PDT

Very cool, cant wait to play poker. Will the money you earn stay with you or will it reset each time you play? What happens when you lose your money?
usjvc
April 23, 2009 at 10:24 am PDT

I am loving the EA Space, however i have been trying for the past 20min to play a game of F1 EA RACING, but i simply cannot..what exactly should i do? It says that the server is unavailable at the moment and that i should try later.

On a side note, when will the EA space be updated? Will it be weekly or monthly? Thank you.
ten3ightyHD
April 23, 2009 at 10:25 am PDT

Awesome. I’ve been wondering when this was going hit and it just snuck up on us. I hope Home keeps evolving and getting better.
KingSmashy
April 23, 2009 at 10:26 am PDT

@29

In three years I’ll be playing PS4…
Trieloth
April 23, 2009 at 10:26 am PDT

WOW looks cool there EA guys. I know where Iam gonna go after work.
Lmao @hotpoop ..life must be a struggle for you
Fusion_ID
April 23, 2009 at 10:27 am PDT

its nice to see a big update from a 3rd party company who understands Home. As home starts to get more beef on its end, I hope that you guys will push it more for everybody on the blogs knows about these updates but, most PS3 users dont read forums and blog and so they have no clue what they are missing out on
Ghost_Shrimp
April 23, 2009 at 10:30 am PDT

Man I wanted to try this. Too bad my HDD is almost full and I had to delete Home. I need to buy a 500GB.
TheGuardianFID
April 23, 2009 at 10:33 am PDT

WOW, this is a nice surprise I wasn’t expecting this today, Sweet job Locust and Sydonia, your team is on a roll lately, keep it up guys!!! :D
Juben
April 23, 2009 at 10:35 am PDT

so much potential with a Casino, I’m surprised Sony has not picked it up in the sense for online gaming. But the online tax in each country would ruin it over here on NA and SA side.

In Europe i could see people setting up their own personal poker games, having voice chatting and gambling away their psn cash.

Can’t wait to sign on and see how it is. I suggested a casino or card games a while ago. Back with high stacks poker updates. Hope to be able to use ps eye for texas holdem or blackjack see other players and see them twiddle or second guess themselves as they call or fold would be fun
Jeo
April 23, 2009 at 10:38 am PDT

So are there any plans to make home multiplayer from a single console(split screen style)? You could restrict it so that people had to stay in the same area, but still allow people to sign in and play these games together.
stephen2005
April 23, 2009 at 10:40 am PDT

Kotaku had a story about a Disgaea room coming to Home today. Do you know if that is for the Japanese Home only or is the United States (and other territories for that matter) getting it as well?

Thanks!
Thakrib
April 23, 2009 at 10:44 am PDT

Nice post 22, I totally agree that any of those would be pretty sweet…
whooop
April 23, 2009 at 10:49 am PDT

im in playstion home but i cannot find the EA sports Arena …where do i go???
- Locust_Star
  April 23, 2009 at 12:50 pm PDT
  
  You can access the space via the world map. Press Start to bring up your Menu Pad > Locations> World Map. Then simply scroll down to the EA SPORTS world map chip and press X. Voila!
perceptron85
April 23, 2009 at 10:50 am PDT

it would be great if people not playing could watch the game. I realize it could be used to cheat using a second machine but how about showing the previous hand which is already done. This gives something for people waiting for table to do.

This is especially useful once we get higher ranked tables and people take more time in making a decision
whooop
April 23, 2009 at 10:50 am PDT

found it wen to world map:)
whitwhit
April 23, 2009 at 10:51 am PDT

hey locust i know street fighter 4 got game launching if im not mistake so is that forshadowing that we can expect a Street fighter 4 space down the pipeline
jwj011576
April 23, 2009 at 10:55 am PDT

I have been waiting for this time to play some cards
chriscowboyd
April 23, 2009 at 10:56 am PDT

So I guess public space voice chat will never return? If not, when does it come back?