Sun gets into Java games in a big way

By Alun Williams

Posted on 5 Jun 2003 at 11:55

Sun is to form a new Game Technologies Group to focus on the billion-dollar network gaming market. It will be charged with driving innovation in the development of Java-based systems.

Java is the platform-neutral programming language - created by Sun - that is designed to simplify programming for networks. With J2ME (Java 2 Micro Edition) it has established a niche for itself in the mobile device market - its functionality extending the usefulness of such products. And this includes the provision of relatively sophisticated games.

'Java technology is igniting an adrenaline rush in gaming,' claims Jonathan Schwartz, executive VP of Sun Microsystems, identifying what he believes is a massive market opportunity, 'offering end users access to the coolest new games on a tidal wave of new devices.'

'We and the Java community have made great progress in putting Java technology at the heart of the gaming industry, on servers and clients,' Schwartz added, 'and now with the creation of the Game Technologies Group we're turning up the heat with even more focus and resources.'

The plan is to target the next generation of massive, multi-player online gaming (MMPOG). Sun will aim to deliver Java packages and tools that support their development. The central role for Java is to try and simplify the development process for a range of different devices all of which have to work together within one game framework. For example, people playing on PDAs competing with desktop gamers and those with powerful mobile phones. All within the same game at the same time.

Sun plans to work with the open source community in this area.