PlayStation Home set for redesign

Sony plans to redesign free PlayStation 3 virtual world Home.

It will be repositioned as a hub for social games, according to VentureBeat.

"This is a giant leap in the evolution of the platform," Home director Jack Buser said.

"We are going to 'up level' games as the heart of PlayStation Home. This means that Home itself is going to become a game. The first things you see when you get into Home are games."

Home, which launched in 2008, has more than 23 million registered users. This new design focuses on a core group of hardcore gamers who love games, Sony said.

Games will, Buser hopes, keep users engaged for longer - and off of their iPhones, Twitter and Facebook.

These include large-scale group games. The central plaza will be replaced by a futuristic transit called The Hub, which integrates games, quests, events and user-generated content. It's designed to be its own meta game. You'll earn points, too.

Thankfully, Sony plans to update the Home client to create a more streamlined experience upon login.

The new Home goes live this autumn.