Sony redesigning PSN – report
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Sony is "quietly testing" a design upgrade for the PlayStation Network, according to a new report.
Sony is now market-testing a new design that de-clutters the screen using what sources familiar with the new look call "an aesthetic layout with logically marked sections and rolodex lists", Reg Hardware said today.
The revamped PSN also includes a new, live search method with results appearing as users enter characters rather than head off to a separate text-entry page, the report claimed.
Elsewhere, the movies section is apparently being rebuilt as an IMDB-style database.
"When you select a film, for example, key details appear on the right of the screen, such as leading actors. Clicking through will take you to the actor's page, where you can see all of their movies," the website said.
"The same exploration approach is taken with games, categorised by genre, publisher, developer and so on.
"Sony is readying a 'deals of the week' section too, making it easier to pick up bargains.
"It also appears the company is planning to throw out the blue colour of the current skin and opted for ultra bright colours on a black background."
Before the PSN hack in April, the online gaming service enjoyed 77 million registered accounts.
Last month Sony said 90 per cent of users had returned to PSN, representing around 70 million users.
Eurogamer has contacted Sony for comment.
Sony is now market-testing a new design that de-clutters the screen using what sources familiar with the new look call "an aesthetic layout with logically marked sections and rolodex lists", Reg Hardware said today.
The revamped PSN also includes a new, live search method with results appearing as users enter characters rather than head off to a separate text-entry page, the report claimed.
Elsewhere, the movies section is apparently being rebuilt as an IMDB-style database.
"When you select a film, for example, key details appear on the right of the screen, such as leading actors. Clicking through will take you to the actor's page, where you can see all of their movies," the website said.
"The same exploration approach is taken with games, categorised by genre, publisher, developer and so on.
"Sony is readying a 'deals of the week' section too, making it easier to pick up bargains.
"It also appears the company is planning to throw out the blue colour of the current skin and opted for ultra bright colours on a black background."
Before the PSN hack in April, the online gaming service enjoyed 77 million registered accounts.
Last month Sony said 90 per cent of users had returned to PSN, representing around 70 million users.
Eurogamer has contacted Sony for comment.
Comments
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A makeover could be in store for the online service.
If a report from Reg Hardware is to be believed, Sony is currently working on a visual redesign of its PlayStation Network service. The makeover will apparently place PSN more in line with Steam and Xbox Live as opposed to its current text-heavy style.
It would seem that these changes would affect the PlayStation Store rather than the main XMB. A source tells the website that Sony is trying to de-clutter the service in favour of "an aesthetic layout with logically marked sections and rolodex lists". New features include a live search that shows more results with each character entered along with database-like listings for both games and movies, showing details like developers or cast on the right side of the screen.
The blue background will also be eschewed, to be replaced by a black one, with brighter colours highlighting content. A 'deal of the week' section will also accompany the relaunch, the report claims.
It doesn't sound like anything especially exciting, then, though a new lick of paint is never a bad thing. Sony has messed around a bit with the Store before, but we've never seen anything on the scale of the 360's dashboard redesign. We'd personally welcome a new look.
If this report proves to be true, there are a number of possible reasons for Sony's decision to give the Store an overhaul - including, perhaps, trying to regain some of the trust that the service lost when it was hacked two months ago by going for an image change.
What other improvements would you like to see made? -
id rather have a redesigned xmb then a new store. the store is fine.
