App Store-Style Distribution Coming to PSP

Andy Chalk

One Flag, One Fleet, One Cat
Nov 12, 2002
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App Store-Style Distribution Coming to PSP


PSP Go [http://www.sony.com] that will help foster the growth of smaller development teams, shorter production times and "very low price points for new games."

Develop [http://www.develop-online.net/news/32374/Exclusive-Sonys-new-development-strategy-for-PSP] has news of the plan, which will see the launch of a "streamlined content platform" for Sony's handheld console, including cheaper dev kits, shorter quality assurance processes, the elimination of "concept approval" and, for the end user, new games at low prices. More than 50 studios worldwide are already developing these new applications and many more are expected to join up soon.

"One of the things that has been exciting in my time at Sony is the big shift changes we have seen - the latest is that consumers have been consuming digital content in a totally different way," said Zeno Colaco, the head of developer relations at Sony Computer Entertainment Europe [http://eu.playstation.com/]. "Sony's been working very hard to find our position in that and bring top-end gaming to not just the consumers who were there for the launch of PSP, but extending to an audience that is changing how it consumes entertainment and applications."

Sony won't be making its software development kit publicly available as iPhone [http://www.apple.com], but Colaco claimed the company was doing everything it could to "lower barriers" to the platform. "It is still a professional environment, you still need a development kit and you still need to have investment and a team. But it can be a small team. We don't see any of the restrictions on the disc-based space being in this space," he said.


Ash Monif of Subatomic Games, the studio behind the iPhone game Microsoft [http://fieldrunners.com/] in encouraging the development of cheap, digital-only content. "You don't see this happening at Microsoft and you even don't see it happening at Nintendo yet," he said.

"Part of that 'snackability' of the content is because you can deliver the content over WiFi super-fast," he continued. "We're making games that are just 20MB each, that's less than a minute to download - instant gratification, snackable content. This is an opportunity for the premier indie developers - and I hope we represent that group - to come in and offer content that will fit the PSP."


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Simriel

The Count of Monte Cristo
Dec 22, 2008
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And the app store will win, because some of the content is FREE!
 

Jumplion

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Mar 10, 2008
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Alright then, that settles it, i'll be getting the PSP Go. I was going to get a PSP eventually, the only question would be to either wait for the Go or just get a 3000 model. Well, I think this is case closed for me.
 

Radeonx

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Apr 26, 2009
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Jumplion said:
Alright then, that settles it, i'll be getting the PSP Go. I was going to get a PSP eventually, the only question would be to either wait for the Go or just get a 3000 model. Well, I think this is case closed for me.
I thought the same thing. It seems as if the PSP-Go! is heading in a smarter direction.
 
Feb 13, 2008
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The judge said I was aggressively courting someone last week. These big companies don't have to get restraining licenses. It's so unfair.
 

Worsle

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Jul 4, 2008
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Jumplion said:
Alright then, that settles it, i'll be getting the PSP Go. I was going to get a PSP eventually, the only question would be to either wait for the Go or just get a 3000 model. Well, I think this is case closed for me.
Fairly similar frame of mind too been wavering over a psp go since the announcement, this does make it seem like sony are going in a sensible direction with the go. Might still go for the older model because of the price but a psp go seems more and more tempting and I dislike carrying games with me on the move. Think I will wait until I can hold one though, that will likely settle it once and for all.
 

Jumplion

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Mar 10, 2008
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Worsle said:
Jumplion said:
Alright then, that settles it, i'll be getting the PSP Go. I was going to get a PSP eventually, the only question would be to either wait for the Go or just get a 3000 model. Well, I think this is case closed for me.
Fairly similar frame of mind too been wavering over a psp go since the announcement, this does make it seem like sony are going in a sensible direction with the go. Might still go for the older model because of the price but a psp go seems more and more tempting and I dislike carrying games with me on the move. Think I will wait until I can hold one though, that will likely settle it once and for all.
Oh, the decision was more than just "they have apps!" and I wouldn't be surprised if this store would be supported with the older PSPs either. Mainly it was neck and neck with the 3000 or the Go. I didn't want to carry a bunch of disks, which would make them suseptable to breakage, and personally the older PSP models feel too bulky for my hands and the Go seems much more comfortable (the analog stick is placed more like a dualshock nub).

The apps just pushed me over the edge (har har, innuendo), couple with the fact that I don't need to carry a bunch of UMDs, and that I can get plenty of interesting iPhone-esque apps on the PSP, it's a package of fun for me.
 

Megacherv

Kinect Development Sucks...
Sep 24, 2008
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Jumplion said:
Alright then, that settles it, i'll be getting the PSP Go. I was going to get a PSP eventually, the only question would be to either wait for the Go or just get a 3000 model. Well, I think this is case closed for me.
It'll probably be compatible with the 3000 and earlier models aswell.
 

Timbydude

Crime-Solving Rank 11 Paladin
Jul 15, 2009
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It's a smart move for Sony, even though it's painful to watch them just steal idea after idea.