PlayStation Mobile - HTC Joins Programme

[Mavrick]

New development environment called "PlayStation Suite SDK" allows content can be created for vita and Android OS!

You can created casual games for a wide range of platforms, including Android and Vita. Content can then sold thru PSN Store, etc. Goes into Beta in November.

Sony showed of a game created on PlayStation Suite SDK called Zero Gravity. Running on Xperia and PS Vita, it's a Side scroller space shooter but runs on both devices.

Now on to PlayStation certified devices like Sony's new tablet. They are doing an animation demo, You can rotate images on the screen etc. That was a short demo.

So something you make on the Tablet (say a photo with a world clock), like you can upload that picture on the Vita. Basically, this stuff is all cross Sony portable platform, it seems, or that's the goal at least.

So, they will start distributing titles for Android.

That was there big reveal from todays Keynote Speach.

We haven't heard much about the PlayStation Suite for quite some time, but at the TGS 2011 opening keynote today, Sony announced that it'll finally be rolling out an SDK for said cross-platform framework in November. Furthermore, Sony's expecting new games and apps to be available for the PlayStation Suite in spring, which means willing C# developers will be busy over the next few months should they wish to deploy their software across certified devices -- these currently include the PS Vita, Xperia Play, Tablet S and the upcoming Tablet P. Of course, we're also hoping that Sony will convince at least one other manufacturer to get its NVIDIA Tegra devices certified for the PlayStation Suite, otherwise it'll be tough to get the ball rolling for everyone.

Source: Engadget

Press Release

[Show spoiler]

Sep 14, 2011 23:37 ET
Sony Computer Entertainment to Offer Software Development Kit for PlayStation®Suite Starting This November

SCE 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.

[AranhaHunter]

Got a video? I'm interested in this, I thought it had become vaporware.

[Mavrick]

Originally Posted by AranhaHunter

Got a video? I'm interested in this, I thought it had become vaporware.

Haven't been able to find a video yet.

Sounds pretty intresting though. It's been a long time since they last talked about it, and it will only just be going into beta comew Novemner, so they must have been pretty early into development when they announced at the begining of the year.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by AranhaHunter

Got a video? I'm interested in this, I thought it had become vaporware.

Like everything Sony and Google, PS Suite has spent ages in the oven. Hopefully the SDK will be well received by Android developers looking for a storefront to sell their games.

[Shin-Ra]

Hopefully we'll be able to play simpler stuff like this with better controls!

New El Shaddai Set for Android

You know the drill by now. A major console game is getting a new entry, but it's on a cell phone. In this case, the major console game is Ignition's El Shaddai Ascension of the Metatron, and the cell phone platform is Android.

Famitsu.com shared first screens today, revealing the game to be a 2D side scroller. The site also reports that a version of the game will also be available for the recently announced [??] Xperia Play.

[AranhaHunter]

Originally Posted by Maximus

Like everything Sony and Google, PS Suite has spent ages in the oven. Hopefully the SDK will be well received by Android developers looking for a storefront to sell their games.

I hope so too, after TGS I have decided my next mobile handheld will either be an android or iOS device. 3DS tech seems outdated and I don't want that ugly add on, maybe a future iteration. PSV seems to be in a real fickle situation in Japan now, its success (and future 3rd party support) is a huge question mark IMO, maybe if I see more 3rd party games (with gameplay) instead of just logos.

I would honestly prefer getting an android device over an iOS one, but there's no denying that right now the gaming situation on android is extremely poor. Hopefully this takes off and there's an Xperia Play 2 (or similar device) on Sprint sometime next year.

[PA_Kid]

Originally Posted by Maximus

Like everything Sony and Google, PS Suite has spent ages in the oven. Hopefully the SDK will be well received by Android developers looking for a storefront to sell their games.

I get the in the oven part, but the problem is they have the Xperia Play and Tablet S out (tomorrow) with very little to show for it.

It feels like they are scrambling to pull all the pieces together at the last moment (PS Suite & SEN) instead of having them raring to go so that the launches were must-haves. The Tablet S didn't wow me when I had it in-hand at a Best Buy this weekend. I could just as easily go with a Tab or a Transformer (or wait) - and the one thing that could have sold me (the Sony intergration with PS Suite, PSN, and SEN) still seems like a lot of promise and no substance.

[Mavrick]

Updated te OP with the press release.

[AranhaHunter]

Saw on GAF and it seems like Square Enix is launching its own PSSuite like app as well called Square Enix market. Most likely SE game will develop and deliver their new and old games through their portal and not through pssuite.

[Shin-Ra]

That doesn't really sound like PS Suite at all.

[AranhaHunter]

Not exactly, but is its own app portal to deliver games hence why I called it "PSSuite like app", I could've said "Android market place" like app, but I think PSSuite is closer to it.

[Shin-Ra]

SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT TO ACCEPT APPLICATIONS FOR DEVELOPER PROGRAM FOR PLAYSTATION®SUITE (CLOSED BETA TEST)
SCE Initiates Content Development Support for PlayStation™Certified devices and PlayStation®Vita in Japan, United States and United Kingdom from late November

Tokyo, November 10 – Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) today announced that it will start accepting limited applications from content developers in Japan, United States and the United Kingdom for Developer Program for PlayStation®Suite (PS Suite) (Closed Beta Test). Introduced in September, Developer Program for PS Suite (Closed Beta Test) will be launched in late November, as a part of PS Suite initiative to deliver the world of PlayStation® to open operating system based portable devices.

Developer Program for PS Suite (Closed Beta Test) provides content developers in advance with an early version of PlayStation®Suite SDK, a set of development tools and software libraries for PS Suite*1. The program (Closed Beta Test) will provide SCE an opportunity to incorporate feedback from developers about PS Suite SDK’s usability, as well as SCE’s support. SCE will refine the program before the public launch in order to offer a convenient and efficient content development environment for developers.

Content developed for PS Suite through the official version of Developer Program for PS Suite can be enjoyed on PlayStation™Certified (PS Certified) devices*2, as well as on PlayStation®Vita (PS Vita). Delivering a variety of content including games for these devices, SCE will enhance PlayStation®Store*3 for PS Suite in the next spring and will further expand the world of PS Suite.

Through PS Suite, SCE will deploy various measures to support content developers in their business and will expand the PlayStation entertainment experience on an open operating system.

(Please refer to the special site link for more information)
http://www.playstation.com/pss/closedbeta/

*1 Developers are able to obtain PS Suite SDK by signing a license agreement with SCE.
*2 As of November 10th, 2011, PS Certified device line-up available in Japanese market includes Sony Ericsson's docomo Smartphone Xperia™ SO-01C (on sale by DOCOMO), docomo NEXT series Xperia™ acro SO-02C (on sale by DOCOMO), docomo NEXT series Xperia™ PLAY SO-01D(on sale by DOCOMO), Xperia™ acro IS11S (on sale by KDDI Corporation and Okinawa Cellular Telephone Company) and Sony Corporation’s "Sony Tablet" S, "Sony Tablet" P.
*3 Users can download vast digital content including games through PS Store for PlayStation®Network for PS3, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable), PS Vita and PS Certified devices.

[binarymelon]

Doesn't look like they're accepting applications from Canadian accounts. My main account was rejected saying the PSN ID wasn't valid, but my UK account went through.

[Maximus]

This is now called PlayStation Mobile and HTC have joined the programme.

The list of PS Certified devices as of E3:

Sony Xperia Play
Sony Xperia Arc
Sony Xperia Arc S
Sony Xperia Acro
Sony Xperia Acro HD
Sony Xperia S
Sony Xperia Ion
Sony Tablet S
Sony Tablet P
HTC One X
HTC One S
HTC One V

What's interesting is that HTC are the first third party to join, but they are by no means the last. By the end of 2012 Sony will own the Android gaming space.

[AranhaHunter]

Originally Posted by Maximus

What's interesting is that HTC are the first third party to join, but they are by no means the last. By the end of 2012 Sony will own the Android gaming space.

I would like to see it officially launched and games being properly played on androids and vitas out there in the wild before even considering that.

[Maximus]

True, but the games are coming. I have heard that the beta programme is going very well and they expect to launch with a huge number of games when it goes public. Tegra Zone is the closest competitor to PSM, but that is only available on Tegra devices, and not all of them.

If what I have heard is true then Sony will have the most competitive Android phone available heading into Q4 and it will be available on pretty much every US provider from large players like AT&T/VZW to smaller and regional ones like MetroPCS.

[xtop]

Originally Posted by Maximus

True, but the games are coming. I have heard that the beta programme is going very well and they expect to launch with a huge number of games when it goes public. Tegra Zone is the closest competitor to PSM, but that is only available on Tegra devices, and not all of them.

If what I have heard is true then Sony will have the most competitive Android phone available heading into Q4 and it will be available on pretty much every US provider from large players like AT&T/VZW to smaller and regional ones like MetroPCS.

that's great to hear, android needs the games. and i assume that's the "mint" we're talking about?

they did say they wanted to do dual a15 instead of quad anything this year. should we remain hopeful that's still going to happen? i would love to see that be a nexus device as well..... but i suppose a15 is a big enough wish list.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by xtop

that's great to hear, android needs the games. and i assume that's the "mint" we're talking about?

they did say they wanted to do dual a15 instead of quad anything this year. should we remain hopeful that's still going to happen? i would love to see that be a nexus device as well..... but i suppose a15 is a big enough wish list.

I'm not sure if it is on the roadmap or not, or which phone on the roadmap it corresponds to, but the device should bring together all of Sony's services like Video and Music Unlimited and PS-Mobile with a large screen and modern hardware. The only thing missing will be Vita gaming, which I think will come in mid 2013 with an announcement at MWC.

[Rike255]

Originally Posted by Maximus

This is now called PlayStation Mobile and HTC have joined the programme.

The list of PS Certified devices as of E3:

Sony Xperia Play
Sony Xperia Arc
Sony Xperia Arc S
Sony Xperia Acro
Sony Xperia Acro HD
Sony Xperia S
Sony Xperia Ion
Sony Tablet S
Sony Tablet P
HTC One X
HTC One S
HTC One V

What's interesting is that HTC are the first third party to join, but they are by no means the last. By the end of 2012 Sony will own the Android gaming space.

Very interesting! I hope the Galaxy SIII makes its way onto that list since I'll probably be picking one up (and so will a lot of others).

[AranhaHunter]

Originally Posted by Rike255

Very interesting! I hope the Galaxy SIII makes its way onto that list since I'll probably be picking one up (and so will a lot of others).

My contract is up but I'm renewing with Sprint due to the great plan that I have (SERO plan). I'll be deciding between an android phone or iphone 5. None of the playstation certified devices or the Galaxy SIII are on Sprint right now though. Also, I would love to have a xperia play 2/vita phone, that would be perfect for me, but considering I have never seen a Sony/Sony Ericsson phone on Sprint, I won't hold out for it, and if what max said is true, it would only come in 2013....I'm not willing to wait that long as I need a new phone by October/November. Right now it looks like the best bet for me is the iphone 5.