Sony offers PS2/PSP dev kits for education
by Kyle Orland 
{ Jun 6th 2008 at 8:15PM }
College game design courses are great for learning how to program games on a PC, but for the most part, getting access to console development tools has meant going to work for a licensed console developer. Sony is looking to change that with it's new PlayStation-edu program, which provides PS2 and PSP development kits for"computer science and engineering students who want to understand how the hardware works in the PlayStation consoles."
The program isn't a charity -- schools will have to purchase the dev kits from Sony -- but the package comes with demo code, samples, documentation, and access to a support web site and forums. Seems like a good way for Sony to divert student developers' attentions towards their products and away from Nintendo-affiliated Digipen or Microsoft's XNA development tools.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Maverick Saturn @ Jun 6th 2008 8:21PM
Hopefully this will mean more games on PSP? Maybe? Please?
required @ Jun 6th 2008 8:25PM
More always sounds good. There is already a heck of a lot of great PSP titles though. Here is a list of reviewed ones: http://www.metacritic.com/games/psp/alpha/ then there are little things like these: http://www.psponme.com/list_psp.asp?cat=Arcade
Tiptup300 @ Jun 7th 2008 12:28AM
It's sony's answer to XNA. Not quite the right answer.
Ninjakamster (PS360 FTW!) @ Jun 6th 2008 8:31PM
Even MORE PSP homebrew!?!?
Abscissa @ Jun 6th 2008 8:38PM
Official Sony Line: You're only allowed to learn PS* development if you're shelling out thousands of dollars to some school.
T H @ Jun 6th 2008 8:39PM
"TOOL"
lol
Lijik @ Jun 6th 2008 8:42PM
I so want a huge space taking PS2 with TOOL on the side in huge letters.
SapphicAlure @ Jun 6th 2008 9:13PM
Time to get my ass into college and learn some computer science then!!!
Sounds awesome ^_^
Can't wait to get my hands on a development kit =]
kevin @ Jun 6th 2008 9:30PM
Wouldn't it be better for them to offer the PS3 dev kit since that is their new consoles, and current developers aren't too fond of it. Maybe these college students will be more into it and will be able to better utilize the kit when they go off into the different gaming companies.
Sora267 @ Jun 6th 2008 10:45PM
But then they'd let the innards of the PS3 out to teh ninty & microsoft spiez d00d d00d d00d!
In all seriousness though, that's a good idea.
Shattercross @ Jun 7th 2008 9:59AM
I'm under the impression that ps3 dev kits aren't cheap.
cxm @ Jun 7th 2008 2:45PM
"I'm under the impression that ps3 dev kits aren't cheap."
Try just over 10000 US for a single dev kit with a single license, and that doesn't include any test kits you may want which run just under 1000 a piece.
Ace b @ Jun 8th 2008 9:01PM
@cxm
Um..last time I checked,didnt they slash the prices for the ps3 dev kid to about 5 g's?
I could be wrong.
Naota @ Jun 6th 2008 9:31PM
Although I'm entering CS this fall, I highly doubt that I'll get my hands on one of these.
theydidntnameme @ Jun 6th 2008 11:10PM
how soon can we be seeing these in schools? i hope this shows up within the next year or so
Jonny @ Jun 6th 2008 11:32PM
I've seen one of those TOOLs.
They're the size of a midtower.
They actually have both a PS2 and a PC crammed inside IIRC.
why not the LS2LS7? @ Jun 7th 2008 3:14AM
This isn't much like XNA. XNA is a pretty cut-down system like Net Yaroze. This is a full-fleged dev system.
cxm @ Jun 7th 2008 2:48PM
This really doesn't make a whole lot of sense for the schools considering the PS2 and the PS3 are two totally different systems to work with. I mean, look how many studios have trouble with the PS3, and they've had YEARS to learn the ins and outs of the PS2.
The PSP kits make a little more sense.
drakkor @ Jun 7th 2008 4:30AM
smart way of offloading dev kits that no one wants, cheaper than destroying them too
sell them to colleges!! and charge em for it!
Chris @ Jun 7th 2008 10:29AM
too bad who would buy this when the XNA is free and you can just pay the subscription later on when you want to run them on the 360
Extinction @ Jun 8th 2008 4:24AM
XNA is not free, it's $99 a year.
WhatIsThatThing @ Jun 7th 2008 1:03PM
Look! It even describes each and every one of the Sony* fanboys right there!
*If you are a Sony fanboy, pretend I said Nintendo.
Josh @ Jun 7th 2008 1:32PM
Sucks that the school has to pay for it. I can't see many schools doing that, really. Just program for PCs, you know?