Sony's New Development Strategy For the PSP 86
An anonymous reader writes "Sony is finally responding to the threat posed by the iPhone, and has started aggressively courting developers around the world to work on digitally distributed games for PSP in a bid to grow the amount of software offered on its handheld. And, Develop has revealed, the firm is planning to introduce a streamlined content pipeline for the platform — which includes abolishing concept approval — plus cheaper devkits, shorter quality assurance processes, and very low price points for new games. It hasn't totally abolished the barriers around the platform for homebrew and indie devs, but it's a start."
Not enough (Score:5, Informative)
I'm glad to see that Sony's trying to court developers, but it just seems like too little too late for the PSP. The PSP is just too dated as a platform to hold much appeal to me at this point. The PSP Go managed to ditch some of the legacy problems of the PSP that were holding it back, but missed a lot of obvious updates the platform could have used (2nd analog stick, capacitive touchscreen, flash based physical media, longer battery life), and it came at the cost of a ridiculous price increase.
Sony could have the greatest gaming lineup ever, but I'm still not sure it would be enough to get me to shell out $250 for a portable device that's largely redundant with several devices I already own (and this is coming from a fairly hardcore gamer who didn't bat an eye at purchasing 3 home consoles and an HD4870).
Re:"shorter quality assurance processes" (Score:3, Informative)
Sony's QA for the platform is not the same thing as a developer's internal QA. Generally platform holders have additional QA guidelines that they require developers to meet in order to publish on their platform. For example, Microsoft requires all games on the 360 to run at 720p resolution and have 1000pts worth of achievements. The platform holders QA process can be a double edged sword. It can keep especially poor quality games off the platform, however it can also discourage smaller indie developers, who might not have the time and resources to deal with a lengthy and costly external QA process, from even attempting to publish a game on the platform. This is why you see so much more indie development on open platforms (like the PC) or semi-open platforms (like the iPhone) than you do on closed platforms like the PSP.
By shortening it's QA process Sony clearly is hoping that it will attract many of the indie developers that are publishing in so much abundance on the iPhone.
What Delusional Fanboy World Do You Live In? (Score:0, Informative)
Boggle. That's the only response to someone off in la-la land like you are.
Let's just sum up where Sony is in 2009:
The PS2 is getting close to 150 million worldwide in its 9th year on the market.
The PS3 just sold as many consoles worldwide in 2008 as Microsoft did with the 360 but at double the price.
The PS3 is the third fastest selling console in history, only behind the PS2 and the Wii.
The PS3 helped Sony and the rest of the BluRay group wipe Toshiba and Microsoft's HD-DVD format right out of the market. Sony is now racking in BluRay royalies for every disc. And BluRay continues to outpace the VHS to DVD transition despite the horrible economic conditions and the need for an entirely new TV upgrade unlike VHS to DVD.
The PS3 release list of games is so enormous due to its dominant first party studios that gaming sites are resorting to padding out competing console's comparison lists with downloadable content, PC games, and even multiplatform games to make it look somewhat even.
Sony's amazing Home online service is already up to over 7 million people with Sony making insane amounts of money from microtransactions and sales from the world. And every major publisher is cranking out massive exclusive content for Home.
And the PS3 is so utterly dominanting the 360 in graphics, Killzone 2, Uncharted 2, God of War 3, Gran Turismo 5, etc. that on most gaming sites it is considered trolling to compare PS3 exclusives with 360 exclusives.
Grow up and stop reading fanboy sites like vgchartz and whatever other crap you fill your head with every day.
When Reality and Fanboyism collide, Reality always wins.
Re:"shorter quality assurance processes" (Score:2, Informative)
Re:"shorter quality assurance processes" (Score:3, Informative)
Community Games has it's own set of standards. Also, the QA is partly farmed out to other Community members; anything uploaded gets rated by a bunch of other users before it's eligable to go out on Live Marketplace or anything. for example.
Re:You're Talking Points Are Two Years Old (Score:4, Informative)
I'm pretty confident that any objective reader of our posts will not think I'm the idiot.
Let me guess...you didn't bother to check the amount of both games and exclusive games at the same point in the PS2 and PS3's lifespans before running your mouth off? No you didn't. Of course not.
I know the numbers. Remember... at this point in its lifespan, the PS2 was clearly and substantially a far better selling console than its competitors; at the same point in the PS3's lifespan, it is clearly the least selling console. I haven't said one word about the quality of the games on any console, only the market penetration. The PS3 has a shot at perhaps catching up to the 360, and it hasn't a prayer of catching the Wii. It obviously will never dominate the market like the PS2 did.
"The capability of the consoles is pretty much the same"
QED. You are a total fucking moron.
I think you are perhaps too emotionally invested in a console? Look at the games on the 360 or PS3. They are, generally, of equal quality. Graphics are similar, gameplay is similar. The consoles are close enough in raw power that the talents of the developer and style of the artists is far more important than the console. They are more similar in power, I think, than the PS2 and X-Box were last gen. You're fooling yourself if you think otherwise. I've seen fanboys comparing subtleties of reflections, and counting particles, trying to show how much better the 360/PS3 is than the inverse... completely missing the point that having to do so means the differences are irrelevant.
Of course, the Wii has significantly lower graphics capability, and significantly outsold the others, so the point is a bit moot.
Let me guess...you use to be a Dreamcast fanboy...
Well, I am a Dreamcast FAN. Just like I am a PS2 FAN. Hell, I'm a fan of all the consoles. PS3 is a great console, no doubt a better piece of engineering than a 360. However, Sony management ruined any chance at them dominating the gaming industry this gen. No need to lie to yourself and pretend they'll pull out a sudden victory on year four or five.