Numerical Design announced on Friday that it has partnered with Sony Computer Entertainment to provide its NetImmerse 3D game engine for the next-generation PlayStation system. The NetImmerse 3D engine is described by Numerical Design as a "comprehensive set of software tools that can save approximately six months of development time and a year or more of engineering costs. It can be used for a wide variety of game styles."

　　"NDL's NetImmerse is an important component of our middleware program, which is designed to make the next-generation PlayStation a great development platform,'' said Shinichi Okamoto, SCEI's senior vice president of research and development. "NetImmerse will allow developers to complete their titles muchfaster and take advantage of all of the power of the next-generation PlayStation."

　　"Developers can begin creating content on NetImmerse immediately and then move their titles smoothly over to the next-generation PlayStation when it becomes available," said John Austin, NDL's president. "NetImmerse has proven itself as a leading engine in the PC market, and this is a strong first step in our multiplatform strategy."