PS3 Unreal Tournament allows user content
MODs head for new console
Epic Games boss Tim Sweeney has told reporters at this year's Tokyo Game Show that users will be able to create their own home-made content for the PlayStation 3 version of Unreal Tournament 2007. The big cheese was happy to wax lyrical about Sony's flexible approach to online services, in a talk about the PS3 hardware.
Sony will allow Epic to distribute special development tools to gamers via the PS3 online service, something not possible with past Xbox titles, Sweeney hints. He revealed that this was not possible in the past because the developer wasn't allowed sufficient access to the online platform (Xbox Live, we suspect he means). User-generated content is of course very popular on the free-as-a-bird PC platform, and Epic are keen to similarly empower console gamers.
Sweeney added that he regretted Xbox Live being such a 'closed' platform, with the cynics suggesting that Microsoft want to hang on to tight-control in order to cash-in with premium content for popular titles. So MODs are heading for the PS3, it seems. It'll certainly be interesting to see how Epic develop amateur development tools that are usable on a console. If this move proves a success, it will also be interesting to see Microsoft's response. More as we get it.
