PSP News: Sony Asked Devs What They Wanted From The NGP - PSP News

Members Login: Register | Why sign up? | Forgot Password?

Sony Asked Devs What They Wanted From The NGP

Hardware not only has to satisfy the gamers, it must also satisfy the developers.

And MotorStorm designer Evolution Studios says they got exactly what they wanted out of Sony's new portable. Studio director Matt Southern told NowGamer that the NGP is "much more developer-driven" and this is because Sony went to game makers first:

"Instead of Sony handing hardware to developers and saying, ‘here’s our next device, make something cool’, it set about asking developers what they thought should go into the device, and what they thought would be cool.

So it’s almost kind of weird to be asked what I think of it because I told Sony what I think of it and, as a result, that’s reflected in the hardware. That’s happened right across, Japan, Asia, Europe and America, so in terms of first-party development it’s the machine we all wanted, and I think that’s starting to show in the games. It’s going to be a tremendous console for gamers, whether they’re core or hardcore."

Sony has often been accused of producing hardware that puts developers in the dark, which is why we often see the best games arrive later on in a PlayStation console's lifespan. But with the NGP, it seems Sony has learned from past mistakes...and those games ought to be pretty darn interesting.

Tags: ngp, next generation portable, evolution studios, game development

2/18/2011 11:49:32 AM Ben Dutka

Put this on your webpage or blog:
Email this to a friend
Follow PSX Extreme on Twitter

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on Google Share on MySpace Share on Delicious Share on Digg Share on Google Buzz Share via E-Mail Share via Tumblr Share via Posterous

Comments (21 posts)

shadowscorpio
Friday, February 18, 2011 @ 12:13:20 PM
Reply

Beautiful. One of the things that I love and respect about Sony is that they learn from their past mistakes and it tends to benefit everyone when they do. After all everyone and every business is going to make mistakes. Its all about where you go from there and Sony is heading in the right direction.

Agree with this comment 6 up, 1 down Disagree with this comment

Bonampak
Friday, February 18, 2011 @ 2:58:49 PM

Well, Sony needs to learn about the mistake they made by making the PSPGo not very friendly to their established user base. It was a device mostly designed to cater newcomers.

For the consumers that already owned and adored the previous PSP versions, there was very little incentive to support the Go. Therefore, Sony needs to think really hard about what gamers want as well. Not just what the devs want. Make it 50-50, at least.

They also need to avoid focusing entirely on one segment of the gaming population like they initially did with the PS3. That was a mistake. They need to branch out and offer something for all types. They just need to maintain and establish some sort of quality control.

And for crying out loud, Sony needs to make sure they fire all of those responsible for the whole security key fiasco. And not have them become part of the NGP dev team.

Agree with this comment 4 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

shadowscorpio
Friday, February 18, 2011 @ 10:21:49 PM

One thing at a time but I don't disagree. There are still things that Sony needs to polish up on and the gamers are just as important. Concerning the PSPGo I totally agree. The rumor going around is that the NGP wil not support UMDs. If that is true I won't be too thrilled.

Agree with this comment 1 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

Fane1024
Saturday, February 19, 2011 @ 4:21:55 AM

That's not a rumor; it's a confirmed fact. No UMD drive.

I think the NGP can also target the casual market, thanks to PlayStation Suite.


Last edited by Fane1024 on 2/19/2011 4:24:21 AM

Agree with this comment 0 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

A2K78
Friday, February 18, 2011 @ 12:19:16 PM
Reply

The real test for NGP now...how profitable can it be to developers because given the fact that the bar have raised. This also bring to mind this blog post which ask the same thing:

http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/KamruzMos/20110215/7010/Apprehensions_regarding_Japans_ability_to_shoulder_the_added_burden_of_3DSNGP_development.php

Agree with this comment 0 up, 4 down Disagree with this comment

Scarecrow
Friday, February 18, 2011 @ 3:56:41 PM

The graphics alone is a great incentive.

If you ask me the damn thing looks as good as ps3 games. Well maybe not as good but close.

True evolution right there.

Can't wait to see them take advantage of the power behind the NGP.

Agree with this comment 0 up, 2 down Disagree with this comment

WorldEndsWithMe
Friday, February 18, 2011 @ 12:47:25 PM
Reply

This should help to solidify the greatness of the launch titles, which have also been an issue for Sony in the past.

Now, can we get a little trickle down here and have devs ask their fans what they want in a game more often?

Agree with this comment 3 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

Jawknee
Friday, February 18, 2011 @ 1:42:54 PM

Indeed. I hope Sony never repeats the PS3 launch. "The PS3 has no games" rang truer than ever then.

Agree with this comment 1 up, 1 down Disagree with this comment

WorldEndsWithMe
Friday, February 18, 2011 @ 3:58:53 PM

I won't even tell you how long I literally had just 2 games in my PS3 library. Now it's overflowing.

Agree with this comment 1 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

Jawknee
Friday, February 18, 2011 @ 4:17:29 PM

Indeed. My first game was Rainbow Six Las Vegas. Sold it a week later(game was crap). Didn't have any games to play on my PS3 until MGS4 and Call of Duty Modern Warfare(didn't know about Drake's Fortune at the time) and played the hell out of those two games and my Wii until the games just started flowing late 2008, early 2009. It's been nonstop sense. I went from 2 PS3 games in 2008 to over 40 in 2011. HA!

Agree with this comment 0 up, 1 down Disagree with this comment

Zorigo
Friday, February 18, 2011 @ 5:16:24 PM

ah man jawknee, i got lucky, drakes fortune came with my ps3 and so i definitely got lucky right from the outset. but by the time i bought my console, there were enough decent games to keep me occupied. (got a 40gb pretty asap)

Agree with this comment 0 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

Fane1024
Saturday, February 19, 2011 @ 4:29:51 AM

I didn't have a PS3 game for 10 months: Feb 07 to Xmas 07, when I got four.

Over 45 PS3 games now, not counting nearly as many PSN titles.
Last edited by Fane1024 on 2/19/2011 4:32:21 AM

Agree with this comment 0 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

kraygen
Friday, February 18, 2011 @ 1:12:14 PM
Reply

Hopefully Sony implements this method of thinking in all their future endeavors. Perhaps that article about shelving the ps4 had more to do with sony listening to the devs.

Hopefully when it is time for the ps4 sony will go right back to the devs and ask what they want then too.

Agree with this comment 1 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

ColTater
Friday, February 18, 2011 @ 2:00:51 PM
Reply

he

Agree with this comment 0 up, 1 down Disagree with this comment

WorldEndsWithMe
Friday, February 18, 2011 @ 4:08:08 PM

she?

Agree with this comment 2 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

Underdog15
Friday, February 18, 2011 @ 3:21:20 PM
Reply

This page is really screwed up for me. Can't read anything. The ads are covering most everything on the left. Can't read the article.

Looks like that giant link posted in comments is the culprit.

Agree with this comment 1 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

Bonampak
Friday, February 18, 2011 @ 3:39:33 PM

I had the same problem. Until I started using Firefox and after that I installed AdBlock Plus.

Problem GONE.

Agree with this comment 1 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

Lawless SXE
Friday, February 18, 2011 @ 3:44:05 PM

It was alright... Then I reloaded the page and the Sponsor sidebar keeps scrolling with the page. Hate pagebreakers.
Last edited by Lawless SXE on 2/18/2011 3:46:33 PM

Agree with this comment 2 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

WorldEndsWithMe
Friday, February 18, 2011 @ 4:10:17 PM

I can see it all, but the whole story is whited out on the infamous article. Good thing I read it before that popped up. I have adblockplus, it can't save this site, PSXE is completely screwed up and needs a steamlined code. The full pager still crashes firefox when i try to skip it. Don't even get me started on what happens on smaller screens.

Agree with this comment 2 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

Lawless SXE
Friday, February 18, 2011 @ 3:29:56 PM
Reply

That should certainly help the devs out in creating great products on it from the get-go. I'm a tad confused though: Evolution did the PS3 Motorstorm games. And he said there that most all of the first party studios chipped in with their thoughts. Does this mean that we'll see more first party devs either focussed on, or involved in NGP development than was ever had with the PSP?
Peace.

Agree with this comment 0 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

___________
Saturday, February 19, 2011 @ 1:03:24 AM
Reply

good, that should hopefully sort out the launch lineup issues sony have been having, now only if they could sort out their pricing issues!
one day sony will learn 1 USD is not 2 AUD!
one day..............

Agree with this comment 0 up, 1 down Disagree with this comment

Leave a Comment

Please login or register to leave a comment.

Popular Cheats

Recent Reviews

Recent Previews

Sponsor

Our Poll

Do you plan to buy a PlayStation Vita this year?
Yes, I'll definitely get one in 2013.
No, but I'll get one eventually.
No, I have no intention of buying the Vita.
No, I've already got one.

Previous Poll Results