SingStar PS3 release in limbo

A release date for SingStar on the PlayStation 3 is currently up in the air as Sony continues to test downloadable content and community features for the next-gen version of one of its most popular social gaming franchises.

Although reviews have started to appear in the specialist press, a spokesperson for Sony has told GamesIndustry.biz that the game needs further testing, and would not be drawn on any specific release period.

"We want to ensure that consumers have the best possible experience when playing SingStar on PlayStation 3.

"We are therefore taking extra time to test the downloadable content and community features of SingStar to ensure that it is as rich, simple and accessible a SingStar experience as possible," said the company.

Sony's official PlayStation 3 website lists a release period for the game as between July and September 2007, while online retailers suggest October or late November.

Other sources have suggested there may be issues with the games licensed content, and that the title is finished but awaiting clearance by legal departments.

GamesIndustry.biz understands that promotional copies of the game — which work on any retail PlayStation 3 — have been sent out to journalists but do not allow access to online features via the PlayStation Network.

Over ten SingStar titles have appeared on the PlayStation 2 since it was first released three years ago.

The PS3 version is seen as one of the central titles in Sony's online network initiatives, along with community and social gaming application Home, and Media Molecule's innovative platformer LittleBigPlanet.

At last month's Tokyo Game Show, Sony said it was delaying the launch of Home until Spring 2008.