TOKYO, March 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) and Unity Technologies, provider of the Unity multi-platform engine and development tools, have entered into a strategic partnership as of March 15, 2013.  Through this partnership, SCE will offer Unity for PlayStation® with optimized deployment for PlayStation®4 (PS4™), PlayStation®3 (PS3®), PlayStation®Vita (PS Vita) and PlayStation®Mobile (PSM).  Unity for PlayStation® will use the same industry leading integrated development environment that over 1.5 million developers around the world have adopted for its power and elegance.  PlayStation® platform development tools are scheduled to be rolled out starting this fall.

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With the power of Unity''s integrated development environment, developers with a license agreement from SCE for the PlayStation® SDKs will be able to build and deploy unrivaled entertainment experiences for PS4, PS3, and PS Vita without spending many resources on complex programming processes.  Unity for PlayStation® enables developers to easily port their games to PS4, PS3, PS Vita and PSM without the need to rewrite the code from scratch.  Moreover, Unity developers can now bring their IP to dedicated console systems like PS Vita, where users can play their games incorporating unique features like rear touchpad, dual analog sticks, front-and-rear cameras and six axis motion sensor.

Unity for PlayStation® also allows Unity developers to create games for PSM more efficiently without the need for an additional PlayStation®Mobile SDK.^*1  Both Unity for PlayStation® and PSM SDK use the .NET framework allowing for easy transition between the two tools.  In addition, Unity developers can easily port their games created for iPhone, iPad, and Android™ based smartphones and tablets to launch on PSM, removing the need for extensive re-coding.

SCE will also enable developers to create games for future cloud services delivered by SCE, by utilizing Unity for PlayStation®.

Games developed using Unity for PlayStation® will be available on PlayStation®Store (PS Store) where millions of fans across the world gather each day to enjoy the industry''s most fun and immersive gaming experiences.  SCE will also offer Unity developers opportunities to integrate popular PlayStation®Network features such as trophy functionality into their games.

Unity game developers on all PlayStation® platforms including PSM can tap into the highly active Unity Community, where they can access a wealth of tips and tutorials, freely shared scripts and shaders, and dozens of helpful books.  Also, with the Unity Asset Store digital marketplace, Unity developers can take advantage of over 6000 asset packages.  Often available for free or at nominal cost, these include items such as high quality 3D objects and animation, advanced particle effects and shaders, AI and physics setups, and sounds and tool extensions. 

"We are very happy to be working with Unity Technologies to deliver Unity for our PlayStation® platforms," said Teiji Yutaka, Senior Vice President, Technology Platform of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.  "PlayStation gamers can look forward to playing a broad array of new creative games from Unity''s global community of developers, which includes some of the best independent talent in the industry."

"We are excited to be able to help Unity''s massive ecosystem reach out to SCE''s incredible platforms," said David Helgason, CEO, Unity Technologies.  "The kaleidoscopic innovation, high quality, and production velocity that our rich developer community brings will help drive the success of the future game development."

About Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
Recognized as the global leader and company responsible for the progression of consumer-based computer entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) manufactures, distributes, develop and markets the PlayStation®2 (PS2®) computer entertainment system, the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system, the PlayStation®3 (PS3®) computer entertainment system and the PlayStation®Vita (PS Vita) portable entertainment system. SCEI has revolutionized home entertainment since they launched PlayStation® in 1994. PS2® further enhances the PlayStation® legacy as the core of home networked entertainment. PSP® is a handheld entertainment system that allows users to enjoy 3D games with high-quality full-motion video and high-fidelity stereo audio. PS3® is an advanced computer system, incorporating the powerful Cell Broadband Engine and RSX processors. PS Vita is an ultimate portable entertainment system that offers a revolutionary combination of rich gaming and social connectivity within a real world context. SCEI also delivers the PlayStation® experience to open operating systems through PlayStation®Mobile, a cross device platform. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, SCEI, along with its affiliated companies, Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC., and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd., and its division companies, Sony Computer Entertainment Japan and Sony Computer Entertainment Asia develops, publishes, markets and distributes hardware and software, and manages the third party licensing programs for these platforms in the respective markets worldwide.

About Unity
Unity Technologies is the creator of Unity, a flexible and high-performance development platform used to make creative and intelligent interactive 3D and 2D experiences. The "author once, deploy everywhere" capability enables developers to deploy to all of the most important platforms. Unity Technologies boasts a thriving community of 1.5 million developers including large publishers, indie studios, students and hobbyists. To remain at the forefront of innovation, Unity Technologies tirelessly re-invests in its award-winning 3D development tools and its democratization initiatives, such as the Asset Store digital marketplace and Union game distribution service. Unity Technologies is headquartered in San Francisco and has offices in Canada, China, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Japan, Korea, Lithuania, Singapore, Sweden, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit: http://unity3d.com.

*¹ A set of development tools and software libraries for PSM. After closing the license agreement, developers are able to use PSM SDK and conduct verification on PS Certified devices and PS Vita to distribute their content on PS Store. Developers are required to close this license agreement to distribute their content on PS Store when using Unity for PS. 

PlayStation, PS4, PS3, PS2 and PSP are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.  Unity product names are trademarks of Unity Technologies or its subsidiaries or affiliates.  iPhone and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc. Android is a trademark or registered trademark of Google.Inc.  All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.  

SOURCE Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.