Was the hype justified?Sony Computer Entertainment America’s (SCEA) Vice President of Product Marketing, Scott Steinberg, has stated his belief that the PlayStation 3 offers the ideal choice for small development studios looking to release their games to an online audience.
Steinberg’s comments come following Microsoft’s keynote at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) this week – specifically Chris Satchell’s topic on the XNA platform – to which he responded:
"It was interesting in the sense that what they were talking about we've sort of been doing for the last couple of years with PSN and giving smaller, start-up, entrepreneurial developers the chance to get in and make their games available on the PSN,” he said, speaking to Gamesindustry.biz
He then pointed to the fact that Sony offers its users a free online service, as opposed to Microsoft, where users must pay for a Gold subscription to take advantage of the full capabilities of Xbox Live.
“We don't charge for our online service,” said Steinberg. "We make it available for everybody. So, the accessibility of somebody's content who decides to make a game that is maybe smaller, more affordable for consumers to buy – I think we're a better choice because the PS3 owner has the ability to go online day one without having to cut a check.”
"I think on a global basis, the PS3 brand is going to be the winner. I think the story is already written in Europe and in Japan. In the US it is sort of a 'jump ball' that is remaining, but quite candidly I think if a small, start-up company wanted to have global access to their content, and have global commercial potential for their content, Sony is by far the best platform."
Lastly, Steinberg reiterated the importance of the year ahead, commenting, "The importance of 2008…We're exactly where we want to be chessboard-wise heading into 2008.”

he's right!
It's gonna be a year long chess game....with two opponents!
Its already happening, just look at the games currently out on the PSN. They are original and far better than the 1980's arcade cash-ins on XBL.
I work for a video game developer and it's hard to read an article like this without running away to vomit. Not only is the PS3 a very difficult platform to program for, but Sony are notorious for providing horrible development tools. On our last PSP project, it took over three hours to compile changes to game code. DS development, on average, takes about two minutes.
In addition to this, in order to get the PS3 to do all the cool things that Sony tote, you have to program specifically for it, which (if you're a small developer) means excluding other platforms (which have significantly higher install bases).
Kadmium:
Amen nothin :( To compile a change for a PSP game took you over 3hrs??? man you must be running a 4.77mhz XT computer, I am not even a game designer or work at a game developing company and I am able to create games and applications for a PSP and it takes a matter of minutes to compile and then recompile changes on a game. And I am not talking about a pong game, but a very graphically extensive game (3D and some beginner AI routines, etc) Your team needs to get their heads out of the sand and buy some new computers :) I do hoever agree with the vomit, since you work with a DS (that level of graphics makes me want to vomit), a DS is just a little bit above a SNES in a handheld and the SNES beat it out in the graphics department (yuck)
Competition is a good thing, as long as you stay the leader! Little Big Planet,MGS & Killzone anyone?
I downloaded Sky Diving and it rocks, awesome graphics to. Why is that Tenpin Bowling game not out in Australia yet??? I want it noooooow.
so true!
I totaly agree with akristler if developers realy give a rats azz about making a game for psn or psp they'll try to make a good game and not complain about how hard it is then they'll pump out have baked trash because they didnt want to put some f'n effort. look at insomniac they have a A+ game every year why cant you guys do that, I think if u realy want a good game ull try ur hardest to make it good unlike lair or other trash on psn/psp
psn id: gingo.... free online is one of sonys big things and it should me advertised more becasue a lot of people assume u still have to pay like xbox live so i think sony should use these types of details to generate sales
I agree look at LittlebigPlanet, made from a small developer, and getting huge praise, I think if More small developers want to make small creative games, they should do it for PSN.
That's fighting talk.
Smaller games don't necessarily have to take control of all of Cell. If you run games like PixelJunk or Everyday Shooter, you don't have to use all the cores. It makes it a lot easier to code with fewer cores to use.
ITS GOOD....but I still prefer buying the game on a store because if u get hacked or have to fortmat ur memorý.....everything's gone
@jicaley
I hear you that's really what most of the games are, which is sad 'cause it shows lack or originality unlike PSN that has things like flOw, Super Startdust, etc, etc
@Kadmium umm ok buddy your company must blow and is afraid of change? you think people knew how to program a computer easily when it first came out!? No because is was a new technology. of course it takes 2 minutes to write code on a ds, its using technology from like 99-2001 maybe nothing new! so you cant really comepare the 2 dipsh!t and the article wasnt even about hard disk games it was about minor games on the Playstation Network!
?
It never fails. MS sees some other companies great idea, implement it into their line of products, then announces it as if they were the actual creators.
i own all 3 consoles(my brother actually owns the 360/wii) and i admit that i played the 360 ALOT more than the ps3 or the wii and my brother had the right to kick me off the 360 but in 2008 he cant kick me off my own damn system when i play KILLZONE2!!!!!!!!WOOT! WHIP IT GOOD!!!!(sorryy listening to my zune
@ Kadmium : A small developer would only be consentrating on a single platform anyway so WHY WOULDN'T they be able to consentrate on developing for the PS3 when making small game. Dude you're just digging for ancient complaints about sony to justify a point that only YOU feel is valid. If what you say were truely the case then there'd be more developers than just YOU saying it because god knows there are enough venues for them to say it.
Id be happy with any developers right now.