R∞M (Room for PlayStation Portable)

2009 Sony Computer Entertainment Japan Platform: Sony PSP R∞M (Room for PlayStation Portable) was an ambitious online community service developed by Sony Computer Entertainment Japan for the PSP. Announced at the Tokyo Game Show in September 2009, it was intended to provide PSP owners with something similar to a portable version of PlayStation Home. The free service would allow users to create and customise their own 3D avatars and personal “My Room” spaces, as well as write blogs, create photo albums and form or join groups. Other users could be invited into rooms for real-time communication, including chatting and playing mini-games together. Sony planned to integrate R∞M directly into the PSP’s XMB interface. Following a system software update, an icon was due to appear beneath the PlayStation Network category, allowing users to download and access the application. All PSP models were intended to support the service. Although the basic service was intended to be free, Sony also…