Softimage Looks to PlayStation

Just about a week after Nintendo announced that it had teamed up with Microsoft-owned Softimage to create a development environment, Sony jumped on the 3-D bandwagon. Today, Sony and Softimage announced that they had teamed up to create a Game Development Environment (GDE) for creating games on the PlayStation. The new tools allow developers to work with polygons and 3-D lightsourcing effects easily, thus creating a more realistic environment for players to explore.

"Sony Computer Entertainment has always made developer support a top priority," said Shinichi Okamoto, the vice president for research and development for Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., in a statement. "The new Softimage GDE will enhance development and help produce the blockbuster titles of the future."

Already, Sony third-party developer Psygnosis has used Softimage tools to create the environment and effects in many of its games, including the newly-release Tenka for the PlayStation. Other games created using Softimage tools include Capcom's Resident Evil, Namco's Tekken series, and Tobal No. 1.

Making those tools available to all developers in a PlayStation-specific development environment can only benefit developers, who can then concentrate on topnotch gameplay.