In an incredibly short news release, Sony has officially launched the PlayStation Mobile Developer Program, the platform for which developers can now construct games for the PSVita and upcoming Sony mobile hardware. PlayStation Mobile, which also goes by the blissfully shorter acronym PSM, is now open for developers to register and get down to work. The big news though, is that as part of this program, developers will be able to license Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) information for development on specific mobile devices like the HTC One series. A press release from June presented more information about the agreement and reactions from an HTC executive.
“HTC is focused on delivering innovative mobile experiences for people everywhere and SCE’s immersive world of gaming will bring compelling entertainment to HTC One customers across the globe,” said Kouji Kodera, Chief Product Officer, HTC Corporation.
You may have heard about PlayStation Suite in the past, a development suite project that officially transitioned into the PlayStation Mobile fold. According to the press release, SCE is preparing to spread the Sony love around on a plethora of devices. As part of the licensing agreement, SCE will share license logos and contribute assistance to the development teams to help ensure quality software creation. So far, only Android devices are on the agenda for development under this platform.
The program has been sitting in beta for a few months, but has now gone live for active development. Games will be eligible for distribution through the PlayStationStore, giving developers access to the Vita Mobile and Android markets. The agreement will cost developers 7980 Japanese yen ($99) annually. There’s no restriction on how many games can be developed for that price tag, so teams are free to develop as much as they can manage. Countries covered by today’s launch include: US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Australia. Hong Kong and Taiwan should follow soon.
Full press release:
SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INITIATES THE PLAYSTATION®MOBILE DEVELOPER PROGRAM
Official Version of PlayStation®Mobile SDK Now Publicly Available
Program Allows a Wider range of Developers to Create Dedicated Content for
PlayStationâ„¢Certified Devices and PlayStation®Vita
Tokyo, November 20, 2012-Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) today announced that it initiates the PlayStation®Mobile Developer Program which includes the official version of PlayStation®Mobile SDK*1 from today, in an effort to further expand the world of PlayStation® on open operating system-based devices*2 through PlayStation®Mobile.
Allowing a wider range of developers to create dedicated content for PlayStation Mobile, the PlayStation®Mobile Developer Program becomes available in Japan, United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia. The forthcoming phased roll out will start from Hong Kong and Taiwan and with more countries and regions to follow. This program enables developers to distribute easily their content through PlayStation®Store*3 on a commercial basis and market their games to millions of dedicated gamers with PlayStationâ„¢Certified*4 devices and PlayStation®Vita. The license agreement fee is 7,980 yen annually*5.
After receiving the feedback from developers who have used the open beta version since this April, the official version of PlayStation®Mobile SDK enhances its system stability. Along with the technical support from SCE through the developers forum where developers can exchange useful information, developers are also be able to seamlessly continue to develop content which was created with the open beta version.
(Please refer to the special site link for more detailed information)
SCE will further accelerate the expansion of PlayStationâ„¢Certified devices and continue to collaborate with content developers to drive the delivery of compelling entertainment experiences through PlayStation®Mobile.
*1 A set of development tools and software libraries for PlayStation®Mobile.
*2 As of November 20, Android based PS Certified devices and PS Vita.
*3 Users can download vast digital content including games through PlayStation Store for PS3, PSP, PS Vita and PS Certified devices.
*4 The license program to expand PlayStation®Mobile, dedicated for portable hardware manufacturers. SCE will not only license logos but also provide necessary development support. Please kindly refer to the URL for the line-up of PS Certified devices.
http://www.playstation.com/psm/certified.html
*5 The fee is for the Japanese market. The fee differs by countries and regions. After closing the license agreement, developers are able to use PlayStation®Mobile SDK and conduct verification on PS Certified devices and PS Vita to distribute their content on PS Store.
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) manufactures, distributes, develop and markets the PlayStation®2 (PS2®) computer entertainment system, the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system, the PlayStation®3 (PS3®) computer entertainment system and the PlayStation®Vita (PS Vita) portable entertainment system. SCEI has revolutionized home entertainment since they launched PlayStation in 1994. PS2® further enhances the PlayStation legacy as the core of home networked entertainment. PSP® is a 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 powerful Cell Broadband Engine and RSX processors. PS Vita is an ultimate portable entertainment system that offers a revolutionary combination of rich gaming and social connectivity within a real world context. SCEI also delivers the PlayStation® experience to open operating systems through PlayStation®Mobile, a cross device platform. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, SCEI, along with its affiliated companies, Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC., and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd., and its division companies, Sony Computer Entertainment Japan and Sony Computer Entertainment Asia develops, publishes, markets and distributes hardware and software, and manages the third party licensing programs for these platforms in the respective markets worldwide
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Sources: Sony Press Release / Sony PlayStation Mobile