GDC 2011: Sony Releases PhyreEngine 3.0 For PS3, NGP

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. announced the release of PhyreEngine 3.0, a new version of its game development framework supporting projects for both PS3 and its upcoming Next Generation Portable (NGP). Powering almost 50 downloadable and retail titles (e.g. Demon's Souls, Flower), PhyreEngine is a cross-platform game engine toolset provided as source code under a license, which can be used by any PS3/NGP developers or publishers, as well as tools and middleware licensees. Sony says this new version was designed with feedback from its development community. PhyreEngine 3.0 adds a new asset pipeline that combines enhanced versions of its exporters with a processing tool to generate optimized assets for each platform. The new framework also offers a rewritten level editor meant to to permit a "more data-driven approach to authoring games ". The company claims it has "a more accessible API and far more game-oriented functionality including support for entities, scripting, and integrated physics and navigation components", too. PhyreEngine integrates with other popular middleware, such as Havok, Nvidia PhysX, and Scaleform. Matt Swoboda, principal engineer of SCEI Euro R&D’s PhyreEngine team, will present a session on "The Next Generation of PhyreEngine" at the Game Developers Conference today in Room #302 (3PM). "We're very happy to see the popularity of PhyreEngine with the global game developer community," says SCEI's Technology Platform SVP Teiji Yutak. "It has helped demonstrate our commitment to the game developer community and in particular enable smaller independent developers and publishers to flourish on PS3 and NGP."