Sony handing out free Vita dev kits to indies

[Wasib]

Mon, Aug 01, 2011 | 06:20 BST Story by Brenna Hillier (http://www.vg247.com/author/brenna/)

Sony is pretty serious about its support for independent developers (http://www.vg247.com/2011/07/13/psn-to-invest-20-million-in-exclusive-psn-game-portfolio/), going so far as to quietly give away Vita development kits to at least one small studio.

A spokesperson for Great Little War Game developer Icon Games made a post on NeoGaf (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=29713960&postcount=5430) saying Sony has a “good attitude towards Indies”.

“We showed them our game, they liked it loads and thought it a good fit for their machine, so they sent us four kits. Gratis. Just like that,” the representative, called Rubicon, said.

“This has got to be good news for both devs and gamers. Unlike Nintendo, Sony now ‘get it’”.

Great Little War Game is out now for iOS, and thanks to its early gift of dev kits, the Vita version will be avilable when the new handheld launches.

“I can confirm that the machine is everything you’d like it to be – a really sweet bit of kit,” another post (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=29713543&postcount=5421) said.

“And best of all, Sony [is] seriously pushing indies forward, so its AppStore should start filling up in the same way the iOS one has. Nintendo can learn a lot from [Sony's] attitude.”

No release date has been set for Vita, although it’s predicted to launch in Japan before the end of the year.

Sony made a strong attempt to interest indie developers with its Minis initiative, and has also funded larger downloadable indie projects like thatgamecompany’s Flower and Journey.

It recently set aside a $20 million fund for publication of PlayStation Network exclusives.


Source: http://www.vg247.com/2011/08/01/sony-handing-out-free-vita-dev-kits-to-indies/

[mickice]

Vita is off to an amazing start and it hasn't even released yet! If SONY can copy this when they make the PS4 we might see them climb back to the top of the industry.

[Dave-The-Rave]

lol, I could lie just to get an Indie devkit :lol:

[bobtheduck]

lol, I could lie just to get an Indie devkit :lol:

You just have to have already published an interesting game on iOS or Android, then they'll take notice. This is nice, though. I hope they do this more.

[Wasib]

Thought I would add this:


Icon Games: Vita a better platform for indies

By Matthew Handrahan
08/08/2011 @ 09:43

Independent developer Icon Games has claimed that the PlayStation Vita marks a turnaround in Sony's relationship with the indie community.

A detailed post on the company's blog (http://www.icongames.com/?p=1896) recounts an experience in 2005, in which Icon struck a deal worth $450,000 with a small US publisher to publish two of its games, Vertigo and Pool Hall Pro.

"The games were complete, already released in PAL territories and ready to go into SCEA QA," wrote director Richard Hill-Whittall.

"Sony refused concept approval, and the deal was dead – no negotiation – finished. Overnight we lost $450,000, which for a small studio would have drastically improved our position and helped us to invest more money into future development."

Since the introduction of PSP Minis, however, working with Sony has been a much more "positive experience". Icon Games has now developed five Minis, including two for the Vita - Build'n Race Extreme and Pub Games.

The Hill-Whittall complained that the initial stages of the approval process for the Vita offered evidence that Sony still doesn't understand how carefully indie developers need to manage resources.

"The feedback was scathing; essentially Sony asked us to completely re-design the game and gameplay, particularly in the case of Build'n Race Extreme."

"While some of the ideas were good these were ideas for another game; someone else's game – not the game we have been working on the past few months. It is also completely impractical given my budget."
"What if we re-design and they still are not happy or feel we haven't gone in the direction they want – what do we do then?"

But within two days SCEE agreed to a meeting, offering advice and support on how to finish each game to the right standard. He also claimed that Sony is open to games "of various different sizes and scope" and is more accepting of ports of iOS games.

Icon Games believes that the PSP was "hampered" by Sony "closing the door" on the indie community, but the success of the iOS platform and the App Store forced a change in the company's culture.

"Let the market decide – poor games won't sell and poor studios will fold," the post concludes. "iOS has proven that the consumer is open to a lot of different game styles and approaches, and this has allowed innovation to flourish in a way it hasn't done for a good many years."