Part of the PlayStation Network Home will include a free-to-play shooter called Bootleggers, which will allow PlayStation 3 users to engage in some FPS fun with their avatars. If they can’t make a killing with guns, they’ll also be able to make a killing at cards, with a free-to-play poker game.
To begin a game of Bootleggers, players need to go to the Action hub of the Home lobby, and enter a matchmaking lobby, which will launch the player into the shooter level. The game is rudimentary, but that’s it’s intent. According to Home director Jack Buser, ”It’s not freemium,” and is intended for gamers to engage in some violence with their avatars.
The poker game, which is also free, allows avatars to sit down in a virtual pub, complete with a background television that streams actual live sports programming. Again, you can jump into any game by heading into the Sports hub and selecting poker matchmaking, which will pop you into a game instantly.
The games are a part of yet another Home redesign. It’ll be interesting to see if this cures the common complaint that there’s really nothing to do in the virtual Home world.
