Developers are playing waiting game with PS3, says GDC organiser

GDC boss Jamil Moledina has told GamesIndustry.biz that many studios are holding back on starting PlayStation 3 projects due to the challenges of developing for Sony's new console.

Speaking in an exclusive interview, Moledina said, "It's a relatively complex platform to develop for, considering it has a very unique multi-core processor with the Cell. A lot of developers are new to figuring out how to work with that structure, as well as the RSX, the graphics processor.

"A lot of the developers I know are waiting out on the first round and focusing on handhelds; they're creating DS and PSP titles because that's actually a much simpler migration from the current-gen," he continued.

"It's always a challenge for developers to dedicate resources to next-generation titles like this - consider the cost, resources, and time it takes to make these games."

But according to Moledina, things will change as third-party developers get more support from the platform holder. "A lot of Sony's effort has been focused on helping first party understand how to develop games for it," he stated.

"I think you're going to see that knowledge shared more robustly now that those first-party titles are in the can, as it were, or close to being complete."

Moledina said he is confident that the PlayStation 3 will be a success, despite the fact that, "A lot of the games that I really wanted to play aren't launching right now, like Heavenly Sword, Lair, MotorStorm... It reminds me very much of the original PlayStation 2 launch, where there were a hatful of pretty good titles.

"I've had a chance to play around with the PlayStation store, that looks pretty cool too. I think it's going to build up very nicely. So I'm generally optimistic about the platform's prospects," he concluded.

Moledina is currently busy organising GDC 2007, which will take place in San Francisco from March 5 - 9. Visit GamesIndustry.biz tomorrow to read the rest of the interview and find out how the plans are shaping up, plus Moledina's thoughts on the downsizing of E3.