PS4's to be x86 based. Torque Support?

#1 Just read this:

Sony is making ease of use for game developers a huge priority for the PlayStation 4--both for the AAA titles and smaller indie games.

Speaking with Gamasutra, Sony Computer Entertainment World Wide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida was asked if the PS4 needed indie game developers, to which he responded, "...we want them to be on our platform. You said we need, but it's more like we want."

"We believe in smaller developers. They are very creative and they go out of the norm to do something really amazing. So we really want to make it easier for them to come to our platform and publish." While not revealing the explicit price of a PS4 development kit, Yoshida explains the cost is still a hurdle and isn't sure "if it's cheap enough for those indie guys." His suggestion to indie studios is to explore the PlayStation Mobile platform, because it doesn't require the purchase of a dev kit as it is "totally software driven."

Dev kits are expensive pieces of hardware which are always necessary for producing a game on a console. Perhaps Sony's emphasis on reaching out to indie developers like Jonathon Blow will mean making the dev kit cheaper is a goal. Hopefully, the more familiar architecture of the PS4 makes it more approachable for and attractive to indie developers.

Let us know in the comments if you think indie games are important to the success of the PS4 and stay tuned to PSU for more PS4 news.

#2 I think you'd still need one of their development kits or it won't run your custom/non-certified disks.

Do vaguely remember Sickhead having T3D running on a PS3.

#3 This is one of those "wait and see what happens" things.

Ron

#4 It uses standard PC parts with a custom firmware/OS. I am guessing a custom version of linux since it is freely available.

But yes it is one of those wait and see things.


But From what I can tell Sony is opening up to indies already.

http://gamasutra.com/view/news/187093/QA_What_does_Sonys_most_open_console_promise_mean.php#.USlQvKUqajK

Check that Article BTW. Very awesome!

#5 For any console, the purchase of a development kit is usually a big obstacle for an indie developer. Even if money wasn't a problem for someone, there are usually other strings attached.

A question I would have for Sony is if they would allow for open source software to run on the PS4? And the other half of that question would be if a PS4 port itself could be open source? With T3D being open source I'm not really that interested in going back to the walled garden approach.

Now, if Sony were to answer yes to both of those questions, and were willing to hand over a development kit, then I'd say let's do it! :)

As Ron said, we'll have to wait and see. It is still early days for them.

- Dave

#6 Beyond the cost of the devkit, certification passes and update charges are extremely cost prohibitive to small developers.

#7 Notice they're very careful to use phrases like "small developer" over terms like "indie." What do you think is small to an international corporate entity like Sony?

A better bet for hardware-focused development is something like Oyua and Steambox. I've got a gut feeling that these little machines are the next big wave for indies. All the benefits of a targeting a known hardware, and a much lower barrier to entry on the licensing and certification end. (May not get T3D to run on Oyua, but T2D should.)

#8 Those Steam box protos are cool looking. It is a LOT smaller than my living room PC. I bet a lot quieter too. If the graphics are just as good I may have to upgrade my system down the road. It will need to run Windows 7 though.