A few weeks ago, Sony Computer Entertainment chief Shuhei Yoshida noted that supporting independent game developers was becoming a key focus of the company. Shortly afterwards, the company pledged $20 million to secure indie games on the PlayStation Network.

An actual example of this type of indie-focus comes from developer Rubicon--makers of the iOS title, Great Little War Game. "We showed them our game, they liked it loads and thought it a good fit for their machine," said one developer. "So they sent us four kits. Gratis. Just like that."

After referring to the PlayStation Vita dev-kit as "a really sweet bit of kit," Rubicon addressed members of NeoGAF who were curious how they'd obtained development tools so early. "Sony are seriously pushing indies forward, so its AppStore should start filling up in the same way the iOS one has," the developer noted.

As one might expect, having Sony send along four kits was a pleasant surprise. If this sort of studio-to-indie support proves to be the rule, rather than the exception, it could be a very positive trend for smaller game-making teams. This is especially true when one considers the comparative lack of support and visibility indies receive from other large console publishers. "Nintendo can learn a lot from their attitude," Rubicon stated.

The PlayStation Vita version of their game is already complete, and the team is now "just waiting for the unit to go on sale."

(via PushSquare)