Sun is muscling into the multibillion-dollar network gaming marketplace with its creation of a Game Technologies Group and appointment of a chief gaming officer.

The company will extend Java and Solaris technology from the enterprise to game players and developers on the millions of network-connected desktops, consoles and mobile devices emerging as gaming platforms.

"Java technology is igniting an adrenaline rush in gaming, offering developers the promise of ultra-high performance, cross-platform gaming with massive market opportunity, and offering end users access to the coolest new games on a tidal wave of new devices," said Jonathan Schwartz, executive vice president of software at Sun.

Sun said the Game Technologies Group will work with the open source community to build Java client technologies to allow devices to communicate directly with Sun's game server architecture.

The company also promised a forthcoming 'significant update' to its gaming community site, JavaGaming.org.

"As the online video game market expands, so do the hurdles and complexities of building online services," said Chris Melissinos, Sun's chief gaming officer.