Cheaper SDK Lures Developers to PS3

In an attempt to get more developers on board with the PS3, Sony has lowered the price of the console's software development kit.

Having already slashed prices on the PlayStation 3 and seen a corresponding increase in sales, Sony took yet another step to push its console into the mainstream on Monday by reducing the price of its software development kit (SDK). According to the Wall Street Journal, the price of the SDK will dive to $10,250 in North America, 950,000 yen in Japan and €7,500 in Europe.

SDKs are packages of necessary tools for developers to build a game on a given platform. By reducing the price, Sony hopes that smaller developers will be able to afford to make games for the PS3, expanding the number of available titles for the system.

Besides dropping the price of the SDK, Sony has also added to it with a number of new tools, such as ProDG, SN-DBS, and SN Linker, with more to come. In addition, the specially built PS3 units used to debug games can now be used to program them as well.

Sony celebrated the first birthday of the PS3 on Friday, but the system continues to lag behind the Nintendo Wii in popularity and sales. Recently released sales figures from Japan show that tide may be turning.