With Sony´s social MMO Home now a more distant prospect following its most recent delay, Microsoft´s UK boss Neil Thompson has come out saying he´s disappointed, adding that he feels Sony "underestimated" the challenges associated with creating a virtual world like Home.

Thompson, senior regional director for the UK and Ireland at Microsoft´s Entertainment and Devices division, said he was disappointed in the delay, but dismissed the idea that a lack of price cut had played into Microsoft´s hands in the run-up to Christmas.

"Well, what they announce at TGS and what they decide to do in any given market in time are not necessarily directly aligned, I think. But Sony will be doing things between now and Christmas I´m sure, they can´t afford not to really, given the way that that particular business is going for them at the moment."

However, Sony executive Phil Harrison, who debuted Home earlier this year at the Game Developers Conference, seems steadfast in his belief that the initiative remains on target for a public beta roll out in late November/early December, with a commercial release to follow in 2008.

Read: Microsoft´s UK director believes Sony "underestimated" online challenge 

News Original From: joystiq

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