• Posted February 27th, 2013 at 16:02 EDT by Kyle Prahl
• 6 Comments

Last year's LittleBigPlanet PS Vita is one of the best games Sony's struggling handheld has yet received; developer Tarsier Studios (alongside Double Eleven) admirably embraced PS Vita's unique control features without sacrificing the innocence and creativity that make LittleBigPlanet so special to begin with. It's safe to say that PlayStation gamers should be excited for whatever Tarsier has next in store: the studio has confirmed to PSU that new projects are in the works.

In an interview with Technical Director Andreass Johnson and Studio Director Peter Lübeck, I asked the latter if Tarsier has its eyes set on next-gen horizons. "Although we can't confirm any development news in terms of platforms or titles at this point, it's safe to say that we're quite excited for the future," Lübeck replied, before continuing: ". . . we are already busy with new projects as our collaboration with SCEE continues."

While hesitant to confirm development on a PS4 title (LittleBigPlanet 3 would seem an obvious successor), Tarsier had plenty to say on PS4 itself. "It's obviously a very competent machine from a hardware perspective, but we've never really been that interested in hardware specs," said Johnson. "The interesting thing for us is how the software, services and peripherals empower developers to create awesome games. From what we’ve seen so far Sony has put a lot of effort into making game development as easy as possible and they are enabling developers like us to make games that are doing more interesting stuff than ever before."

I also quizzed the pair on how DualShock 4--and the 'Share' button, in particular--could impact development and the Play, Create, Share mantra of LittleBigPlanet. PS4's social connectivity is "in line with today’s culture of being able to do anything from anywhere at any time," explained Johnson. "I think there are a lot of new cool features in PS4 that can extend and enhance the Play, Create, Share mantra of LittleBigPlanet. It’s too early to say what exactly people will be doing with these
features, but they do open up a lot of new and interesting possibilities."

Lübeck shared similar sentiments: ". . . I'm sure that developers won't take long to unleash the full potential of it once the PS4 has launched."

In 2010, Tarsier Studios signed a first-party publishing deal with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, the details of which (though undisclosed) make Tarsier a first-party studio for the foreseeable future. With excitement surrounding PS4 at a fever pitch, it stands to reason that Tarsier's 'new projects' and excitement for the future could be walking hand-in-hand.

Keep it right here at PSU.com for all things PlayStation and PS4 in the days, weeks, and months to come. Sound off in the comments below with your thoughts on LittleBigPlanet PS Vita and what you hope Tarsier is currently working on.