Sony announces PlayStation gaming suite for Android

At a press conference in Japan on Thursday, Sony Computer Entertainment announced it will be launching PlayStation Suite, which will make PlayStation content available on Android handsets and tablets.

"The world of portable [gaming] has undergone a huge change since the release of the PSP," said Kazuo Hirai, President and Group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment. "When we released PSP, cell phone providers were unable to deliver PlayStation-quality content. After six years, these multi-function handheld devices are ready for the PlayStation-like experience."

According to Sony, the PlayStation Suite is "hardware neutral" and will work across many Android devices.

Sony showed off some of the titles that will be available "within the next calendar year," including Syphon Filter, Cool Boarders 2, MediEvil, Rally Cars, and Wild Arms. But it is not simply a PSX emulator, Sony said it is a new development framework that allows for the development of all new content.

Along with the suite, Sony is preparing to launch its own PlayStation Store for Android devices similar to the ones available on the PS3 and PSP, where games, videos, and interactive content are available for download.

This announcement finally gives the Android platform exclusive gaming support that neither iOS nor Windows Phone 7 can offer. Though gaming on Android has improved considerably since the operating system launched in 2008, the platform has had to fend off a reputation for not being a quality outlet for games.