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Sony expands PlayStation Suite SDK to Vita, tablets, new hardware

Novemebr release for Android-based SDK designed to attract wider range of developers, non-games creators

Sony is opening up its PlayStation Suite SDK to allow developers to create games and content across a range of hardware, including the PlayStation Vita, Xperia Play, Sony Tablet S and Tablet P as well as other Android supported devices.

Releasing this November, the software development kits will support C# as the programming language and can run programs developed in C# on multiple PlayStation Certified devices and hardware certified through the PS Suite license program.

"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," said Sony.

Digital Foundry's Rich Leadbetter suggested it was a forward-thinking move by Sony, offering a lower barrier to entry to Sony hardware - a level of access that rival hardware manufacturers are refusing to offer.

Handheld gaming is in a state of transition - PlayStation Suite looks to cover all the bases in a way that Nintendo refuses to address.

Rich Leadbetter, Digital Foundry

"PlayStation Suite is an astute move from Sony, allowing for the creation of games and apps on all of its key mobile platforms with a very low barrier for entry. Handheld gaming is in a state of transition - PlayStation Suite looks to cover all the bases in a way that Nintendo refuses to address."

"It'll be interesting to see how capable the new platform is, and how much of an audience it can attract bearing in mind the critical mass of iOS and Android."

Sony said it hopes to attract a wider range of content developers to its systems, including non-games developers and individual programmers.

"Through PS Suite SDK, Sony Computer Entertainment will provide to game developers and publishers the potential to further expand their business opportunities to Android based portable devices."

Sony said it also plans to accelerate the expansion of PS Certified devices beyond the current Vita, Xperia Play and tablet offerings.

The company expects the first fruits of the PS Suite SDK to be available on the PlayStation Store by Spring next year - in time for the launch of the PlayStation Vita in the US and Europe.

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Matt Martin

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Matt Martin joined GamesIndustry in 2006 and was made editor of the site in 2008. With over ten years experience in journalism, he has written for multiple trade, consumer, contract and business-to-business publications in the games, retail and technology sectors.

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