A Sony patent for a dev kit alternative could make developing PS5 games more accessible

Dev kits are tools used to program and optimize games for various consoles. However, they are often cumbersome and limit the number of developers who can access them simultaneously. Tech4Gamers discovered several Sony patents for a novel approach to creating PlayStation games.

One patent listed on the Wipo site describes a PCIe card compatible with desktop PCs. The card would enable developers to work on PS5 games or titles for upcoming consoles on existing hardware. This dev kit alternative would simulate the critical functionality of a gaming system.

Another advantage of the technology proposed by Sony is remote accessibility. The PCIe card could also install in servers, allowing creators around the world to contribute to a project. As game development becomes more global and complex, multiple studios would no longer have to share or ship dev kits.

How Sony and Nintendo handle dev kits

Even allowing more freedom, the Sony patent indicates that the goal is to create games for PlayStation consoles. Nevertheless, the approach is in stark contrast with Nintendo’s attitude toward dev kits. Recently, a Nintendo partner leaked the laborious process required to make a Switch 2 game. A studio must pitch a project, demonstrating how a title maximizes the console’s improved specs.

If reports about limited dev kit shipments are true, Nintendo leaves many applicants disappointed. Third-party adoption for the handheld has been slower than some anticipated. By contrast, PS5 games are made by an increasingly diverse number of studios. Even Xbox titles have debuted on the PlayStation system, as platform exclusivity fades.

Sony regularly files patents for technology that may never become a reality. One example is a flat controller that bends and transforms to enhance haptic feedback. Still, the PCIe card seems like a practical way to encourage more developers to embrace Sony consoles.