NYP students first in Southeast Asia to get PlayStation VR game development kits

Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) students will be the first in Southeast Asia to get hands-on with Sony Interactive Entertainment’s (SIE) PlayStation VR (PS VR) game development kits as part of their curriculum.

This is a continuing collaboration between Japan’s SIE and one of Singapore’s most advanced schools for interactive media. Since 2009, NYP students have had the exclusive opportunity to hone their game development skills with SIE’s technology at the polytechnic’s Games Resource Lab (GRLab), Southeast Asia’s only PlayStation games development and training centre.

Since then, over 150 NYP students from the Diploma in Game Development & Technology and the Diploma in Digital Game Art & Design have acquired knowledge of developing game content for the PlayStation format. This advantage has stood them in good stead. Wesley Yeo, Justin Ng and Bryan Teo, alumni of NYP’s School of Interactive & Digital Media, will be among the first in Southeast Asia to launch a PS VR version of the game Stifled, published by the studio they founded - Gattai Games.

Under the renewed multi-year collaboration, signed today at PIXEL Studios, SIE’s software development kit for PlayStation 4 and PS VR will be accessible to students at the GRLab as they gear up for the future of next generation game development. NYP and SIE will continue to certify students who undergo training modules for game development here.

Hidetoshi Takigawa, SEA Regional Head, Sony Interactive Entertainment Hong Kong (Singapore Branch), said: “The growing local game development community has been rapidly gaining popularity in the region. We recognise the potential in the game development community in Singapore, hence we are continuing our relationship to help drive Nanyang Polytechnic’s efforts in nurturing their students to become the next generation world-class game developers by equipping them with our cutting-edge VR technology.”

Jeanne Liew, Principal & CEO of Nanyang Polytechnic, said: “NYP is honoured once again to be the only institution in Southeast Asia to receive the latest game development technology from Sony Interactive Entertainment Hong Kong Limited (Singapore Branch). We look forward to a fruitful collaboration, so that our students can become outstanding game developers that bring the sector in Southeast Asia and Singapore to the next level.”

Daniel Tan, Director, School of Interactive & Digital Media, Nanyang Polytechnic, said, “At Nanyang Polytechnic, our strong industry partnerships have enabled us to ensure that students receive up-to-date and industry-relevant training. Hence, we are honoured to renew the partnership with Sony Interactive Entertainment today and continue in our effort to provide our students the necessary skills and experience to be at the forefront of the dynamic games development scene."