With Sony preparing to launch the new PSP Go platform in a little over a week, the company is also ramping up for its PSP Minis program. The Minis are small, bite-sized downloadable games, which Sony hopes will make its new PSP Go more attractive to iPhone developers and more competitive with Apple's product in general.
Today, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) and Vicious Cycle Software announced an agreement, which will see the latter's Vicious Engine provided to game developers creating content for the Minis program. With Vicious Engine, developers should be able to "create quality downloadable titles both quickly and cost-effectively."
“Everyone here at Vicious Cycle understands the challenges and expenses involved in video game development,” said Eric Peterson, president and CEO of Vicious Cycle Software. “We’re confident that SCE’s ‘minis’ program for PSP will make it easier and more manageable for both mid-sized studios and independent developers to design their dream game and introduce their work to a wide audience of players worldwide.”
“We needed a company that really understood the PSP platform, and the team at Vicious Cycle Software was ideally suited for the task,” said Zeno Colaco, Vice President, Publisher and Developer Relations, SCEE. “The Vicious Engine was the first commercially available game development platform to specifically support PSP, and that dedication to providing a high-quality handheld development environment has only grown stronger over the years.”
It should be very interesting to see what types of games fill the PlayStation Network over time for the Minis program and how effective this initiative will ultimately be in targeting the iPhone audience.
