PlayStation 4 indie devs are already using Project Morpheus

Becoming an independent PlayStation 4 developer is easy, Sony's Adam Boyes tells us: "You just have to sign up." The PlayStation VP of publisher and developer relations was explaining what the company has done to woo indie devs. Half the job was just making developer programs more accessible. "Before GDC last year we didn't even have a website where you could go and find out about it, but now we have a very well thought out process." Boyes says that anyone who qualifies as an independent developer can get a free (loaner) developer kit, too -- a similar deal applies to Project Morpheus.

"It's a very similar process," he told us. "if we're working with you closely, then the [VR] dev kits are going to come through a loan program." Even so, PlayStation has to dole out the headsets carefully. There just aren't that many to go around. "The only real concern is supply," he explained. "We have to do what makes sense, as far as when we send it to different developers."

Short supply hasn't stopped Project Morpheus from getting attention in the indie world. "A lot of them are trying it out and seeing how it works. Getting to know how it runs," Boyes told us. When asked about the fruits of their labors, he backpedaled, reminding us that Morpheus is just "sort of a tech project" that PlayStation is working on. It's not a product yet. Lest you forget, Morpheus is still in the prototype phase, and the only release window for a final version is, "not this year." We expect Sony will stay reserved when it comes to Morpheus claims for some time, until the hardware is in better shape.

Still, Boyes is focused on giving independent developers the tools they need to build new and interesting gaming experiences -- VR or otherwise. "Being able to facilitate those great ideas that are kind of... crazy and nuts, that's what gamers want, right?" Boyes said. "We need to be agile, and allow them to get on the platform so those crazy ideas can come bear."

Boyes demonstrated that agility in the announcement last evening of another gaggle of indie games headed to PlayStation platforms, many embodying those "crazy ideas" he spoke of during our interview. Joystiq's got a rundown of all those titles, including indie hits like Nidhogg and Escape Goat 2, right here.