Even if Nintendo’s Wii and Microsoft's Xbox 360 have been dominating game console headlines lately, Sony's PlayStation 3 has launched its Home social gaming and entertainment network. Home went live earlier today as an Open Beta. PS3 owners can access Home by clicking the Home icon in the PlayStation Network column of the XMB. Sony says that users should attack a USB keyboard or Bluetooth headset before they enter Home. After these easy steps, users can meet other PS3 gamers right away.

However, Home is still in a beta phase and Sony stressed that while previous testers already invested a big amount of care and passion, the current Home is just the beginning. Sony relies on its users' feedback and it guaranteed them that Home will grow quickly. Home is a 3D social gaming community that allows PS3 users to meet, chat, plan, and launch games together. For example, you can create your own avatar, decorate your personal apartment, play mini-games, shop, watch videos, attend special events and much more. Players can meet at the Central Plaza and travel in a virtual world that includes bowling alleys or private homes.

This looks very much like Microsoft's Xbox Live service, which has been unveiled on November the 19^th. The gamers can communicate via voice or IM and team up for online gameplay. It looks like Sony's service is aimed at networking and playing games with online friends, but the company has agreed that this may not attract first-time game console buyers. If anyone wants to learn how to use the system, a built-in tutorial gets newbies started with controls, while help menus in the Menu Pad provide further assistance. Home is already populated by real-life players, as the closed beta has been running for a while.