PS3 middleware licensing program starts from Oct. 1

[one]

http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/release/pdf/050927ae.pdf

SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES TOOLS & MIDDLEWARE LICENSING PROGRAM FOR PLAYSTATION®3

SCEI to Vigorously Support Game Content Development for PLAYSTATION®3

Tokyo, September 27, 2005 – Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) announced today that it would start its tools and middleware licensing program for PLAYSTATION®3 from October 1, 2005. This is part of its technical support activities for game content development for PLAYSTATION®3.

Tools and middleware comprise software development tools, libraries, game engines, and software modules incorporated in game software titles. Tools and middleware products allow game content creators to develop their titles efficiently and effectively, and a majority of creators around the world utilize these products in their content development process for the current game platforms.

This licensing program will be offered to qualified tools and middleware companies that develop and supply tools and middleware products for the PLAYSTATION®3 platform. Through this licensing program, SCEI will offer technical support as well as marketing support, such as helping tools and middleware companies conduct their products promotion and providing tools and middleware logo for use in relevant press releases and other promotion materials.

SCEI will continue to further enhance and enrich its support for PLAYSTATION®3 content development and drive the creation of an entirely new and innovative world of computer entertainment that will leverage the breakthrough architecture and overwhelming performance of the PLAYSTATION®3 platform.

List of Tools and Middleware Licensees for PLAYSTATION®3

As of September 27th
(Companies listed in alphabetical order)

Alias Systems Corp.
Autodesk Inc.
Avid Technology Inc.
CRI Middleware Co., Ltd.
Emergent Game Technologies Inc. (who recently merged with Numerical Design, Ltd.)
Epic Games Inc.
Firelight Technologies Pty Ltd.
Havok (Telekinesys Research Ltd.)
Interactive Data Visualization Inc.
Metrowerks Games Team
Pixelux Entertainment Inc.
RAD Game Tools Inc.
SiliconStudio Corp.
Web Technology Corp.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Not quite sure what this means. Sony are providing support to these third parties tools developers? They'll help promote these tools to PS3 developers?

 

[one]

Not quite sure what this means. Sony are providing support to these third parties tools developers? They'll help promote these tools to PS3 developers?

It seems so... and SCEI will provide support for the users of these tools.

Also from today's PR:

SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT TO START PROVIDING PRODG TOOLS FOR PLAYSTATION®3 GAME CONTENT DEVELOPMENT
http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/release/pdf/050927be.pdf

SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT TO START PROVIDING PLAYSTATION®3 GAME CONTENT DEVELOPMENT TOOLS BY AGEIA, EPIC, AND HAVOK
http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/release/pdf/050927ce.pdf

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Sony are going to be providing customer support for Maya?! I'd rather have the tools developers provide support myself!

 

[Titanio]

Is ProDG not going to be a standard part of the PS3 SDK? What's this talk of evaluation versions? I figured they'd aquired SN Systems to make it a standard part of the kit..

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Press release says evaluation versions and final products. I guess the option's there to evaluate ProDG if a dev already uses an alternative SDK?

 

[Lysander]

I thought sony already did all that. And licensing, is that for free for developers or includes cash?

 

[London Geezer]

I thought sony already did all that. And licensing, is that for free for developers or includes cash?

Licensing involves lots of money, ususally. Unless they specify that it's free - and i don't see why it should be - then it will not be cheap. for us mortals that is. A studio will be just fine, considering the amount of money they'll have to raise to actually make the game...

 

[ERP]

Is ProDG not going to be a standard part of the PS3 SDK? What's this talk of evaluation versions? I figured they'd aquired SN Systems to make it a standard part of the kit..

They owned SN (all beit indirectly) during the ps2 launch period as well, and they still sold ProDG as an extra.

This is just announcing that they have an official program middleware vendors sign up, get to buy devkits like develeopers and get the "sony seal of approval", and sony sends list out to other prospective devs.