In a recent interview (nuggets of which can be found on Sony's kinda-sorta "semi official" ThreeSpeech blog) Sony’s Phil Harrison tells the world he’s most excited about “…empowering user-created content. Embedding the user creation tools into the game application and opening it up to a cloud of users.”

Well, erm, yes. Go on, Phil, now talk non-corpor-speak:

"I have to be really careful not to give the game away because we're keeping this secret, but don't think about it in terms of maps, think of it in terms of behaviours, environments, physics, rules... All the tools that you could want, but in a very consumer friendly way."

What a great secret! It’s that kind of secret that enabled Maxwell Smart to continue his career as a secret agent.

Cynicism at the mode of communication (vis-à-vis human/mouth/word-synergies) aside, inevitably comparisons are going to be made with Microsoft's XNA Studio Express suite. XNA currently enables people to build games for the PC. It will soon enable the creation of content for the Xbox itself – all for a £44(US$99) per year subscription fee.

But… it's not really the same thing. Harrison's talking about creating and manipulating content within existing games. For example, you'll be able to paint Sonic pink and have him turn into a hat at will, but you won't be able to build games from the ground up.

Modifying and creating content at a significant level within an existing game has appeal. (Certainly more than the sweating, bleeding and crying needed to actually create a brand-spanking new game).

The specifics of how Sony's content creation will work are a scarce right now, but as soon as Phil expands on them we'll let you know.

The nuggets can be found here.