Review: PotterMore for PlayStation Home

As promised, and after much struggle  in getting my
PlayStation 3 to do so, I've finally had a look at what
everyone in the PotterMore community have been
talking about for the last month or so:
PotterMore for PlayStation Home.

PotterMore, as all HP fans probably know by now,
has become J.K. Rowling's virtual home for
all things Potter, including the Harry Potter e-books,
and the free interactive visual re-creation of scenes
taken from the book, in which users can see what
the author saw when first writing the book,
as well as some cheap 2-minute mini-games.

All of it interesting, but not enough to keep the fandom going for years to come on its own.

Now we come to PotterMore on PlayStation Home.

PlayStation Home took a hard look at what PotterMore was, and how it could better fit
on the PlayStation 3, and how the experience could be more interactive, fun,
and overall offer a better experience for users.

Only two Harry Potter locations have so far appeared in PotterMore in PlayStation Home:
Diagon Alley, (pictured above,) and the interior of the Hogwarts Express train.

Diagon Alley: An amazing sight to behold, especially with the PS3's full 1080p HD.
From the moment your PlayStation Home customized avatar steps into Diagon Alley,
they are given a temporary wizard's/witch's robe to blend into their surroundings,
and, (if you know where to go,) can participate in the fun exclusive "book herding" mini game.
In addition to this, users can, (sadly not for free) purchase their own animal companion.
(Which is either a cat, an owl, or a toad, of course!) As well as view Gringott's Bank,
although there appears to be no way to enter Gringott's Bank yet,
unlike the computer version of PotterMore.

Hogwarts Express: Players can explore this magnificent train from one end to the other,
sit down wherever they want to interact with other users, play some wizarding card game,
(which is overly-complicated and somewhat difficult to play when using a PS3 controller,)

 or challenge another wizard to a duel. The dueling mini-game has been vastly improved
from the previous version used on the PotterMore website, with simpler controls,
and overall, just a lot more fun.

Final Verdict: PotterMore at PlayStation Home greatly improves on what the PotterMore
website had started, and allows users to finally experience the wizarding world digitally in the
way J.K. Rowling had imagined it. But the exclusion of Hogwarts Castle cannot be overlooked.
The one major downside is that a visit to see everything in Diagon Alley and Hogwarts Express would only take 15-20 minutes. Hopefully Sony will address this in the future,
 and add more visitable locations over time.

Grade: A-

Wizarding World of Harry Potter on its way to Hollywood!

Inevitably, it would seem, Warner Bros and Universal
have finally answered what many of the Harry Potter
fandom have long been asking: When will a
"Wizarding World of Harry Potter" theme park
reach the west coast?

Well, those worries are now over.

In a press announcement made by Ron Meyer,
President and COO of Universal Studios,

he revealed that the addition of the "Wizarding World"is one of the many things
being added to Universal Hollywood in its estimated $1.6 billion budget for its upcoming
additions and expansions, including the induction of the "Wizarding World of Harry Potter."
The park will be located at Universal Hollywood, with constuction beginning sometime this Summer.

With production to begin so soon, it can be expected that we'll hear more updates on it soon.

With one "Wizarding World" location in Florida, another one in the works in Japan,
and this one packing its bags for Hollywood, the question now is: Where to next?

PotterMore launches on PlayStation home today!

For those of you who've been,
as Fred and George Weasley would say,
"hiding under a rock," we thought we'd give
a somewhat important announcement
concerning PotterMore,
and its future on PlayStation Home:
It's been released to the public! Go see it now!


We won't waste your time with a lot of needless blabber on our part,
but here's a press release issued today to everyone who subscribed
to PotterMore's e-mail notification system. (Including us.)

"We’re delighted to announce that from today, April 3,
owners of Sony’s PlayStation® 3 will be able to experience Pottermore
in a completely new way.

A selection of the beautifully illustrated Moments from Pottermore.com have now been
developed into virtual 3D environments, to bring you Pottermore at PlayStation Home.

Step inside Diagon Alley™ and board the Hogwarts Express
as your own customisable avatar, and enjoy four new mini-games;
experience the mayhem of Book Herding, test your knowledge with a Pottermore quiz,
share and collect Pottermore Trading Cards, and take part in an illicit Wizard’s Duel.

Dress your avatar in a wizard outfit – whether house robes or more casual wizard attire
– and purchase a companion from a choice of 14 owls, cats and toads.

As a Pottermore.com user, you can link your account with your PlayStation Network ID
to access additional content and spaces."
When it says "A selection of the...moments...have now been developed," It may mean
that some of the content that has appeared on the computer version of PotterMore may not
be visable to PotterMore on PlayStation Home users, or at least, not yet, so be warned.

Also, and this probably goes without saying,
you'll need a PlayStation 3 to access PotterMore on PlayStation Home.

We'll try to have a full review of PotterMore on PlayStation Home up for you all soon!

HP actor Richard Griffins dies at age 65

Richard Griffins, the famous and respected
british actor, who quickly gained favor with
movie audiences worldwide for his role in the
Harry Potter films as Harry's Uncle Vernon,
a constantly prejudiced and ill-tempered figure
with a distaste for Harry's magical potential,
out of a sense of fear which boarders paranoia.

Griffins passed away this past Thursday
as a result of complications from heart surgery.

Daniel Radcliffe released a reactionary statement following the news:

"Richard was by my side during two of the most important moments of my career,
In August 2000, before official production had even begun on 'Potter,'
we filmed a shot outside the Dursleys' [house], which was my first ever shot as Harry.
I was nervous and he made me feel at ease.
Seven years later, we embarked on 'Equus' together. It was my first time doing a play,
but … his encouragement, tutelage and humor made it a joy."

I think I can speak for the Harry Potter fandom when I say that Richard Griffins
will be missed, and his role in the Harry Potter films, as well as the numerous other films
and stage productions he's been a part of, will not be soon forgotten.

Our sympathies reach out to the Griffins family in their time of grieving and loss.

PotterMore coming to PlayStation 3!

Just earlier today, PotterMore announced that,
in partnership with Sony, they have developed
a new, state-of-the art social version of PotterMore
for the PlayStation 3, using the full modern
visual graphics and social media capabilities
that the PlayStation 3 has to offer.

The PlayStation 3's social media/gaming software
"PlayStation Home" will act as the main home
for the PlayStation 3 version of PotterMore.

"PotterMore at PlayStation Home" will still stand unique,
and will be heavily connected with the original computer version,
even letting PlayStation 3 users connect their "PotterMore at PlayStation Home"
 accounts to their computer "PotterMore" account.

Here's the official description for "PotterMore at PlayStation Home":

"Our latest development from Pottermore enables you, as a PlayStation 3 user,
to actually step inside Diagon Alley™ and board the Hogwarts™ Express as your own
customisable avatar.

Once inside these 3D environments, you can also enjoy four new mini-games:
experience the mayhem of Book Herding, test your knowledge with a Pottermore quiz,
share and collect Pottermore Trading Cards, and take part in an illicit Wizard’s Duel.

If you have a Playstation Home account you’ll be able to actually step inside Diagon Alley
and board the Hogwarts Express as an Avatar, and once inside these 3D environments,
experience the mayhem of book herding, test your knowledge with a Pottermore quiz,
share and collect Trading Cards, and take part in an illicit Wizard’s Duel.

There’s the choice to customise your avatar with a selection of outfits
ranging from uniforms to house robes or more causal wizard attire.
And there’s a selection of 14 owls, cats or toads from which to purchase a companion.

Pottermore at PlayStation Home arrives in April

Opinion: Although I was one of the few who were not overly-impressed with
the computer version of PotterMore, I must admit this PlayStation adaption
is amazing, and I will certainly be among the first to give it a try.