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SDL Has Been Ported to Sony PS2

Posted by timothy on from the today-is-three-days-ago dept.

JigSaw writes: "SDL, the open source answer to DirectX, is a well-known cross-platform multimedia library designed to provide fast access to the graphics framebuffer and audio device. Sam Lantiga, the maintainer and SDL project leader, announced today on the SDL mailing list, that he ported the library to Playstation2 and it will allow to write and run SDL games (open source or commercial, as SDL is LGPL) on the Linux port for the PS2. Great to see Linux to become the source for a whole bunch of free SDL games (some of them with commercial-level quality), easily recompiled for the PS2 and run them without having to spend $49 USD for each game. This release will be even more significant in the near future, as SONY is planning to release the broadband adapter add-on, which will enable small developers (and even companies) to release free or shareware games, downloadable in binary or source format (most SDL games are known to have small sizes) from the web, and hop, to your TV!"

7 of 89 comments (clear)

  1. BTW: Did you know... by root_42 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    ...that Sam Lantiga left Lokigames and is now working for Blizzard? But he is still developing SDL, as it seems. Look here for more details.

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    [--- PGP key and more on http://www.root42.de ---]
  2. fantastic but sony might not like it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This is great news of course, but how will sony react? Hundreds of free games being released will hurt commercial sales of PS2 games, especially if someone ports the SDL versions of MAME, SNES9X, and that gbadvance emulator.

  3. Re:Linux for end users? by JabberWokky · · Score: 4, Interesting
    The CNet article implies the only way to get Linux to run on the PS2 is to buy the $200 development kit

    Realistically, I have no problem with this - maybe that $200 kicks the price point above where they will be making a loss (at least when they drop the price this coming holiday season). That way, Sony can keep the PS2 in market, even if people aren't buying licensed games.

    In other words, you have a choice - buy the PS2 below cost, and play only licensed games (which kick back to Sony, making up the difference), or shell out $200 and play free (both beer and speech) games. And neither will make Sony give up on the PS2 as unprofitable.

    Now, as to what the *actual* break even price for Sony is - now that's a different story. I imagine that they are making a profit on the actual unit (not counting initial R&D) at the moment; that may change when the PS2 price drops way down in the next few years.

    --
    Evan

    --
    "$30 for the One True Ring. $10 each additional ring!" -- JRR "Bob" Tolkien
  4. Sony is playing it smart by ioman1 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I am glad to hear that Sony has decided to go with SDL. I hope that Sony stands a chance with the Xbox, because I would hate to see Microsoft win in another market. We should give Nintendo and Sony our support.

    1. Re:Sony is playing it smart by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      The same Sony that is one of the key players of the RIAA?

  5. Sign Sony's petition for USA PS2 linux release. by nobodyman · · Score: 3, Interesting

    SDL is nice, but I'd like to avoid getting a devkit via the grey market. SCEA has a poll going to gauge interest in the PS2. Let's get this thing released! --me

  6. What about Runix? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    What about the version of Linux that Runix was working on? Will the SDL work with that?