When you think of Sony you think of several entertainment systems from flat screen TV, DVD players, Sony Walkman and notably the Sony PlayStation console. The PlayStation console is a popular entertainment system that has been around for years. The video gaming industry is one of the most successful entertainment business that holds one of the highest sales records in the entertainment industry (Not so sure if that still holds true today).
It really hasn’t been easy to get around to developing applications for the Sony PlayStation. You required a large capital base and probably a lot of close talks and agreement with Sony PlayStation branch to be granted access to its technology. As always competitions brings about new ideas and now Sony has decided to make available its PlayStation SDK (Software Development Kit) to the world.
What is the Sony PlayStation SDK?
SDK stands for Software Development Kit which is a set of libraries put together to help computer programmers gain easy access to the inner core of any hardware technology. So by Sony releasing its SDK it means you can pick it up and get your home PlayStation unit to learn a few new tricks. What is more interesting is the fact that the yet to be released SDK is said to allow willing C# developers to be able to create content for the PlayStation. The new SDK will allow developers to build contents for PlayStation Vita,Xperia Play,Tablet S and the upcoming Tablet P from Sony.
Why should you care?
Most of the time we get to play video games on the PlayStation console,the gaming titles are usually developed by developers from different cultures from ours. If you ask me I think this is an open invitation from Sony to us here in Nigeria to step up and showcase our own culture. Wouldn’t it be great to develop some video game with a Nigerian setting? Considering the fact that Nigeria is a country that is Microsoft based which means we already have developers who are familiar with the C# programming language. This is an opportunity that if harnessed can start up a new race as we basically will experience an increased in PlayStation contents all over the world and in Nigeria as a whole. Nigerians home and abroad can utilize this platform to tell the world a story about Nigeria and start their own local PlayStation based company.
Read the complete Sony press release below.
Sep 14, 2011 23:37 ET
Sony Computer Entertainment to Offer Software Development Kit for PlayStation®Suite Starting This NovemberSCE to Provide Strong Support to Content Developers for PlayStation®Suite With the Distribution of the Newly Developed Content Starting Next Spring
TOKYO, Sept. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) today announced that it will offer software development kits (SDK) for PlayStation®Suite (PS Suite), called “PlayStation®Suite SDK,” *1 for content developers starting this November. PS Suite is an initiative solution to deliver the world of PlayStation® to Android™ based portable devices.
Through PS Suite SDK, content developers can create content for PlayStation™Certified (PS Certified) devices, hardware certified through the PS Suite license program, as well as for PlayStation®Vita (PS Vita).
Supporting C# as the programming language, PS Suite SDK can run programs developed in C# on virtual machine equipped on both PS Certified devices and PS Vita. By supporting development for multiple devices and by adopting libraries to create a variety of content not only limited to games, PS Suite SDK will not only help developers save their cost in creating new content but also allow them to efficiently create their content on one SDK and without having to create on several different SDKs.
Through PS Suite SDK, SCE will provide to game developers and publishers the potential to further expand their business opportunities to Android based portable devices. In addition, SCE can approach to a wider range of content developers, non-gaming developers and individual programmers. The detailed information of PS Suite SDK, including how to download, will be announced via a dedicated PS Suite section on SCE’s official website.
As of September 15th, 2011, PS Certified device line-up includes Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB’s Xperia PLAY, Sony Corporation’s “Sony Tablet” S, “Sony Tablet” P, and SCE will continue to further accelerate the expansion of PS Certified devices in addition to the current hardware line-up.
Furthermore, SCE will provide a variety of content towards these PS Certified devices from end October through PlayStation®Store*2 on PlaySation®Network, starting with original PlayStation games (PS one® classics). The service will start in nine countries including Japan, United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Australia and with more countries to follow. In next spring, SCE will enhance the PS Store for PS Certified devices and provide content created by PS Suite SDK, further prevailing the world of PS Suite.
Through PS Suite, SCE will deploy various measures to support content developers in their business for rapidly prevailing Android based portable devices and will expand the PlayStation entertainment experience on an open operating system.
*1
Software Development Kit is a set of development tools and software libraries. Developers are able to obtain this SDK by signing a license agreement with SCE and by purchasing tool products.
*2
Users can download vast digital content including games through PS Store for PS Network for PS3, PSP, PS Vita and PS Certified devices.
*3
Number of content differ by regions.About Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
Recognized as the global leader and company responsible for the progression of consumer-based computer entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) manufacturers, distributes and markets the PlayStation® game console, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system and the PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3®) system. PlayStation has revolutionized home entertainment by introducing advanced 3D graphic processing, and PlayStation 2 further enhances the PlayStation legacy as the core of home networked entertainment. PSP is an innovative handheld entertainment system that allows users to enjoy 3D games, with high-quality full-motion video, and high-fidelity stereo audio. PS3 is an advanced computer system, incorporating the state-of-the-art Cell processor with super computer like power. SCEI, along with its subsidiary divisions Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd., and Sony Computer Entertainment Korea Inc. develops, publishes, markets and distributes software, and manages the third party licensing programs for these platforms in the respective markets worldwide. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. is an independent business unit of the Sony Group.
PlayStation, PS one, PS3, PSP are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Xperia is a trademark of Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB. “Sony Tablet” is a trademark of Sony Corporation. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
SOURCE Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
