Sony confirms PSP app store plan

By Tom Bramwell Published 15 July, 2009

Fieldrunners leading the line.

Sony has confirmed reports that it plans to launch a new section of the PlayStation Store to combat the rise of the iTunes App Store.

Speaking to Develop, the platform holder said over 50 studios were signed up working on downloadable games and applications.

These include Subatomic Studios, which is making a PSP version of its popular iPhone tower defence game Fieldrunners.

"It is still a professional environment, you still need a development kit and you still need to have investment and a team. But it can be a small team," SCEE's head of developer relations Zeno Colaço explained. "We don't see any of the restrictions on the disc-based space being in this space."

Sony is promising a streamlined content pipeline with no concept approval, cheaper tools, shorter QA processes and lower available price points.

"You don't see this happening at Microsoft and you even don't see it happening at Nintendo yet," Subatomic's Ash Monif argued.

"Part of that 'snackability' of the content is because you can deliver the content over WiFi super-fast. We're making games that are just 20MB each, that's less than a minute to download - instant gratification, snackable content."

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (12) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • JohnnyWashnGo #1 3 years ago

    Sounds like a sensible move for Sony.

  • mkreku #2 3 years ago

    Well, it SOUNDS good in theory.. I would love to see old titles being reinvigorated this way. But that will probably not happen..

  • el_pollo_diablo #3 3 years ago

    "We don't see any of the restrictions on the disc-based space being in this space."

    There's one space too many in that sentence for my liking.

  • Toothball #4 3 years ago

    Pfft, apps. I want to hear more about how they're moving forward with digital game delivery.

  • jonsaan #5 3 years ago

    Great news!

  • bad09 #6 3 years ago

    So the PSP is gonna turn into a Iphone type cheap tat store then? Great as if PSP gaming wasn't crap enough already...

    Wouldn't I buy a Iphone if I wanted that Sony? Is anyone else tired of these companies merely following others to get cash? If I wanted those products I WOULD BUY THEM, I buy yours because I DON'T.

    Edit - Oh BTW apparently the PSP "phone" is due sometime next year so the transformation from a handheld games console to an Iphone rip off will be complete then.
    Edited by 1 at 15/07/09 @ 11:06

  • Tiel #7 3 years ago

    I have a lot of games machines , and I love the app store.
    Galcon alone has taken more of my play-time since getting an ipod touch than any other game.
    Sure, there is a lot of tat, but there are also a lot of gems, and it reminds me of when I had a bbc electron (I know!). Game concepts of all types flying out of nowhere.
    I wouldn't swap my ps3 or 360 for an iphone, but tbh for me it offers better handheld experiences than the ds or psp.
    Flight control, Monkey Ball, Dr Awesome, Topple, Tap Tap Revenge, Retro Flyer, Jelly Car, Moron Test, Pinball Dreams, Stone Loops, Geo Defense, Tiki Tiki, Draw Race..brilliant. And I have oodles of apps, for less than 60 quid in total.
    If the psp can replicate that I will be both surprised and impressed. I don't think we'll see many 59p games, somehow!

  • SeesThroughAll #8 3 years ago

    So, does this mean they'll make the PSP an open platform, like the iPhone?

    And another thing: I don't care how small the download is, make the PRICE small too!
    Edited by 1 at 15/07/09 @ 11:23

  • zedzee #9 3 years ago

    Can Sony not make the SDK free or next to nothing?

    I mean, wouldn't that encourage even more people to write stuff for it? Hey, it may even mean that those who hack the PSP will pay a bit of attention and write 'official' code for it! That's a win-win-win all round, isn't it? (Sony, consumer, hackers).

    If the SDK is free/really cheap, it would mean that the PSP 'AppStore' could eventually really give the iPhone a run for its money - application-wise, at least - but if it's kept locked, surely it will never reach the mass expanse that the Apple product has.

    Just make the SDK real easy for even someone like me (not programmed since my machine code/BASIC days on the BBC Micro) to have a go. That way, they can have a free downloads section on the new store, whereby people release not only their apps but also the source code (now wouldn't that be cool?), so others can have a go at what one's written as well.

  • chessboxer #10 3 years ago

    @ Zedzee

    At E3 Kaz did state that the PSP's SDK had been reduced by 80%.

  • Triggerhappytel #11 3 years ago

    This sounds like it could be a good move, so long as they encourage bitesize games development, and I can see some iPhone games making the leap if it's successful.

  • Ryze #12 3 years ago

    Yawn Sony. It's 2009, and the PSP's been out since 2004.

    In that time, there's been no Youtube or Facebook apps, and a sub standard web browser.

    I have little confidence in your ablity to pull this off properly, and that's why I'm shopping for an iPhone 3GS, while my launch PSP sits gathering dust.

    Silly.