14 DAY TRIAL // VEEME, a company that specializes in the creation of branded and original content for virtual worlds, and Sony, the maker of the PlayStation 3 home gaming console and of its associate services, have announced that they have launched The London Pub on the PlayStation 3.
Users of the social space who are interested in it can get it for 4.99 Euros if they want the best simulation of an authentic London watering hole they are going to find online.
The virtual pub is set somewhere near the Thames River, near The Houses of Parliament, and those who enter the space will find a big fire welcoming them, can order a beer on tap and even make prank phone calls. The hand dryers are simulated and players are also invited to enjoy a game of darts.
Kirk Ewing, who is a creative director at VEEMEE, said that “It’s always nice to inject a bit of humour into the games industry. In a virtual pub you can get all the banter but obviously none of the booze. In The London Pub in Home we always encourage people to ‘Think Responsibly’!”
The developers are also announcing that they are partnering up with Unicorn, one of the best known dartboard makers in the world, in order to offer some real world prizes for those who buy The London Pub content for PlayStation Home. To get a dartboard, players will need to play the darts game and top the current high score holder. There are 30 boards that can be won by virtual dart enthusiasts.
Sony launched the PlayStation Home two years ago and since then, a lot of people have chosen to inhabit the social space, which has become an important revenue stream for the company. There are a lot of game spaces in Home, showing off the latest PlayStation 3 releases, and Sony has stated that it plans to add more content in 2010, specifically more social venues like The London Pub.