SOE Moves To SCEI Division (from Sony Pictures)

[patsu]

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=17858

Sony has announced that after a structural reshuffle, its Sony Online Entertainment division (Everquest, The Agency) is being moved to the Sony Computer Entertainment wing to better integrate with "the PS3 experience," with CEO John Smedley now reporting directly to SCEI president Kaz Hirai.

SOE helps in PSN development (including the Store I think). Sounds like they may be a good candidate for operating the the Playstation Home community later.

 

[Carl B]

This move makes a lot of sense, and probably should have occurred some time ago. Hopefully the PC-centrism won't be wholly repressed though within that division,

 

[archie4oz]

SOE helps in PSN development (including the Store I think).

SCEI doesn't get that part. That group got split off and moved under SMSS...

 

[patsu]

What does SMSS stand for ?

 

[archie4oz]

Sony Media Software & Services.

 

[Zassk]

I have always suspected that Home was based on the Everquest 2 graphics engine and backend. So many similarities in the early Home shots to that game's graphics assets, the instanced "apartment" system works identically, etc. I wonder if John Smedley is actually in charge of the team that is working on the Home engine.

 

[patsu]

Zassk, are you in the Home beta ? How do you know it works identically ? Do you have more info to share ?

 

[archie4oz]

I have always suspected that Home was based on the Everquest 2 graphics engine and backend. So many similarities in the early Home shots to that game's graphics assets, the instanced "apartment" system works identically, etc. I wonder if John Smedley is actually in charge of the team that is working on the Home engine.

Home is largely developed by SCEE (or at least the client is). Beyond that I don't know how much interaction there is between SCEE and SOE as far as Home development goes.

 

[Gradthrawn]

Home is largely developed by SCEE (or at least the client is). Beyond that I don't know how much interaction there is between SCEE and SOE as far as Home development goes.

Even all the way back in its PS2 conceptual days? Was it an SCEE initiative, or something they were tasked with by SCEI (or maybe A)?

 

[taucias]

A PS3 version of Everquest would be quite nice, somewhere between EQ2 and EQOA

 

[Black Dragon37]

It's about time.

This should've happened a long time ago.