Free Realms PS3 delayed by technical difficulties

Sony Online Entertainment president John Smedley has explainhed why free-to-play MMORPG Free Realms has only just arrived on the PlayStation Network.

"It was complicated because Free Realms is inherently a streaming title. There's memory constraints on the PS3 that we had to work within," he told Kotaku.

Keeping up with the PC version's regular content expansions within the framework of the console network's strict policies proved a challenge, too - but a surmountable one.

"Now we'll be able to do updates a lot quicker, so we intend to be catching up," Smedley explained.

Asked what would tempt players into the PSN's first MMORPG, Smedley said housing had becom a serious driving force within the game, and in the veteran-free environment of the PS3 version, there's a chance to shine.

"It's the highest engagement, people are spending so much time in housing," Smedley explained.

"People can build with blocks, just like in MineCraft, only it's a little less tedious. People have built Notre Dame, some other churches, spaceships, and all sorts of crazy stuff."

Also? Free Realms is really chill.

"To me, it's relaxing in a way that other MMOs aren't. You login and you're not feeling like you have to go do something," the SoE president concluded.

Free Realms released on the US PlayStation Network today, and is also available on PC. The free-to-play MMORPG offers one and three month subscriptions, or lifetime membership for $34.95.