TGS: Sony To Debut Android-Based PlayStation Suite SDK In November

Sony has announced via a Gamasutra-attended keynote
at Tokyo Game Show that it will debut public SDKs for its Android-based
PlayStation Suite starting in November, with PlayStation Suite-created
games on devices including cellphone, tablets and PS Vita in Spring
2012.

Described as a solution "to deliver the world of PlayStation to Android
based portable devices", through the PlayStation Suite SDK, content
developers can create content for PlayStation Certified (PS Certified)
devices, and hardware certified through the PS Suite license program, as
well as for PlayStation 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 the upcoming PS Vita handheld.

According to a statement by the company: "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."

This new SDK is intended to get Sony associated with "a wider range of
content developers", including "non-gaming developers and individual
programmers", allowing the games to appear on dedicated PlayStation
Stores on compatible Android cellphones and tablets, as well as Sony's
own new handheld hardware.

The current PlayStation Certified device line-up includes Sony
Ericsson's Xperia Play, and Sony's Tablet S and Tablet P (pictured), and
"SCE will continue to further accelerate the expansion of PS Certified
devices in addition to the current hardware line-up."

In addition, original PlayStation 1 games will expand beyond Xperia Play
to all PlayStation Certified devices starting at the end of October, in
nine countries including Japan, United States, Canada, United Kingdom,
France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Australia and with more countries to
follow.

Finally, in spring 2012, "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."