You may not like playing mobile games, but millions upon millions do. Estimates indicate approximately three billion people enjoy some kind of interactive experience on their smartphone, which is almost half the entire planet’s population. That’s a staggering statistic, and it’s not hard to understand why Sony would want to penetrate the market.
The Japanese giant already has its toe in the lucrative sector, with the gacha Fate/Grand Order, an enormously successful turn-based RPG published under Sony Music’s Aniplex umbrella. But while we’ve seen some largely forgettable efforts from the firm to bring its major PS5 and PS4 brands to Google Play and the App Store, it’s never spearheaded a convincing effort.
Games like Run Sackboy Run and the more recent Ultimate Sackboy may have been fun, but they’ve failed to really stand out in a market filled with more popular endless runners. Even the outsourced idle spin-off WipEout Rush never really got a coordinated marketing push from the platform holder – and has since disappeared from mobile storefronts.
It’s been a failed initiative thus far, then, but Sony appears to be taking things seriously this time. While there has been turbulence in its newly established mobile gaming division – Nicola Sebastiani, the Apple Arcade executive it headhunted, left the top position before it even deployed a single title – there are signs it’s doing things the right way this time.
Most importantly, it’s putting experts in place to lead the charge. We’re yet to see anything from Savage Game Studios, the German mobile studio it acquired which recently rebranded as Neon Koi – but this is a developer that exists specifically to make software for smartphones. It’s not pulling resources away from other parts of the company.
Its recently announced partnership with NCSOFT shows how seriously it’s taking things. The Seoul-based giant, which has a history of making MMOs, is strongly rumoured to be converting Guerrilla’s awe-inspiring Horizon franchise into an epic online experience, which will likely be available on smartphones, PC, and consoles.
And perhaps this last sentence is the tidbit that makes Sony’s current push into smartphone gaming make the most sense: the gap has closed between mobile devices and stationary consoles. Some of the biggest games on the planet right now, the likes of Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, span multiple devices, with full crossplay meaning you can play them pretty much anywhere. We’re not in the era of Snake on a Nokia anymore.
PlayStation will, of course, be eyeing the insane revenues these experiences drive – but it’ll also be looking for ways in which it can broaden the appeal of its brands. The console maker’s current strategy is to diversify its portfolio, and ensure its biggest franchises are accessible to everyone. This includes releasing on PC and even transforming series like The Last of Us into popular TV shows.
The reality is that there are many people in the world who don’t own a PlayStation – but by bringing those brands outside of its ecosystem, it can still profit from them and heighten their overall appeal. This not only ensures the franchises have a lucrative future, but it may even convince non-owners to pick up a PS5 or PS6 in the future. It makes the whole business stronger.
And the key ingredient here, as alluded to above, is that it takes nothing away from the status quo. NCSOFT, for example, may be transforming Horizon into an MMO – but that doesn’t stop Guerrilla from working on the series’ next big single player epic. In fact, if anything, the levels of investment involved here may practically solidify the franchise’s future moving forward.
Many feel Sony should focus on its single player games and not rock the boat, but this overlooks the very obvious opportunities the organisation has to grow. If it can find success with its mobile strategy – and that’s a big if – it stands to reach an entirely new audience, with titles that can span a variety of different platforms, which will only serve to enhance the popularity of its already acclaimed blockbuster games.
Do you think Sony’s push into mobile will be fruitful, or do you believe this is a waste of time from the Japanese firm? How do you think releasing smartphone games could benefit PlayStation, and are there any downsides you see to this strategy? Dial up your thoughts in the comments section below.
Will you play PlayStation's mobile games? (893 votes)
- Yes, I'll definitely check them out
- Maybe, it depends what they're like
- No, I will never play a mobile game
Comments 46
I'd consider getting involved if they threw some trophies in, but I doubt that would be easy or worthwhile for them to do.
@pumpkin_head I don't think they will because the games could be hacked on platforms outside of PlayStation, and this could break the whole system.
However, I think it's possible some of these games will be available on multiple platforms, so PC, PS5, and phone. In that case, with cross-save, you'd still be able to earn the Trophies on your PS5.
Mobile will always be something like a time waster at work to me but apart from that I'll never consider it a proper Platform. Remember when Phones were for making calls and playing Snake? I remember it well 😅
Being on mobile/PC might be the only way we get this game but I'm hoping for a Fate Grand Order hack and slash game similar to Genshin.
I think mobile gaming is surprisingly good right now, personally. I understand why it's not for everyone, but there's some really enjoyable titles out there.
I personally think Sony could do a really good job here with the right kind of effort and investment. I'm excited.
I know it's cool to hate on mobile games, but have people genuinely given them a chance? Or did most play a few bad ones and just confirmed their bias? I've been playing mobile games for about 5 years now and I great enjoy them. Currently playing "Age of Magic" and "Disney's Mirrorverse".
I liked what Sony tried with Knack. Give an incentive to PS players to give it a try, since by beating it, you were getting gadgets. They should try something similar with other games. For example, a Spidey game in which you unlock costumes or special powers in the PS game by beating the mobile game.
Crunchyroll lets Premium subscribers access mobile games as part of their sub atm. I haven't tried any yet though because I don't enjoy playing gams on my phone.
Presumably these games we're talking about here though will be ftp and loaded with cosmetics or something so there'll be no cost of entry. With that in mind, if Sony lets me play them on PSN, especially on Portal, I'll definitely try them at least.
@naruball what did they do with knack? I'm one of the 5 Knack fans in the working but don't recall that. Thinking of playing it again over Christmas
Probably not because most mobile games don't respect my time. Frankly i'd rather pay with money than time.
I’d be interested if they released something new and different or did some cool crossovers with their IPs. However if they just reskin your standard mobile games (infinite runners, colour matching puzzles, point and click adventures etc) with PS characters I really couldn’t care less.
If they stop thinking about bullsh... nonsenses and make Remote Play working properly, there would be no need for mobile gaming.
@Sequel they released a match 3 game on mobile. After completing certain levels, you'd get a gadget part. Sometimes you'd get one you already had, so you had to keep playing. You could, of course, get those gadget parts by playing the PS4 game, but, since they were in hidden locations, you could easily miss a few.
Remember playing Worms on an old Sony Ericsson and that was OK.
Mobile phones (and tablets) always suffer from their lack of physical controls. I know you can pair a DS4 to some gadgets but then that's hardly portable and mobile any more? I'd rather keep using my Vita than even try with my phone.
@naruball I've played plenty of good titles on both Android and Apple. Recently I subscribed to Apple Arcade not thinking for one minute it would do anything for me but admittedly I was rather impressed. Still though that being said my Phone will always primarily be a device for Communication rather than a device for gaming.
lol what a joke . corporate suits doing what they do best. has jimbo left yet ?
Potential Advantages of adding a successful mobile strategy:
Advantages of NOT pursuing mobile:
If by do I want mobile you mean do I want to play games on-the-go hell yes. BUT if by do I want mobile games you mean do I want a zero-cost-of entry but ultimately hundreds of dollars game that has no ending, no. No I don’t want that. I play games with endings so I can have my closure and move on to the next game.
I’d try them, but I’ve not had much success sticking to any mobile game for long. Fire Emblem is the only one that I’ve played long term currently, but that was maybe three or four years ago. I’m open to mobile games, just usually haven’t been into them.
@RubyCarbuncle Apple Arcade is MASSIVELY underrated.
@get2sammyb I play mostly emulators on my phone with wii gamecube gba ds vita since I'm not a fan of mobile games but being able to emulate is really fun 😆
I think I've played one mobile game in my life. That won't change as I have no reason to. I already have dozens of games to play on my PS5.
@DonaldMcRonald they could’ve made the ps portal an actual handheld playstation portable and had them produce games for that instead of mobile trash
Nothing against mobile gaming but nothing like a true controller in my hands.
When people say that putting games on PC & mobile takes nothing away from the status quo I do have to roll my eyes.
Since Sony has gone down this route their 1st party output has been a wasteland and we have no roadmap. The same thing happened to Xbox.
Hopefully the Switch 2 is reasonably powerful because I think it will be the only gaming platform that will appeal to me as I haven't bought any games in nearly 2 years on Playstation and am planning of cancelling my PS+ sub next year.
I'd like them to make Another Xperia Play (PSphone). I still have mine and making a phone/handheld hybrid would be pretty good. Always hoped Nintendo would do the same.
Not sure where I fit in here. I haven’t played any mobile games in a long time, despite owning a gen 9 iPad and having 3 free months of Arcade, but, I play a lot of Fortnite and Disney Speedstorm on my PS5. So I’m not opposed to mobile games per se, I’m just opposed to playing on any mobile device. A lot of that is controls, touchscreen sucks for anything moving, match 3 is fine, and I’m too lazy to hook up my controller to my iPad, but also the 75” screen is just very nice.
Suppose I’m in the camp of, make games for PS5, I don’t care where you port them, mobile, PC etc.🤷🏻♂️
Hopefully Sony stops doing a copy/paste of old game styles (e.g. Sackboy runner) and does their own thing. Copycat games rarely have longevity or stand out.
If they copy Genshin with this Horizon MMO, I don't see it lasting, but if they make it unique enough it could be a huge hit.
i might try them the same way i did with Nintendo's.
Play a couple of times for curiosity's sake, but delete them quick.
The problem with mobile games is that they usually are made so you buy gacha stuff, gems or things like that.
mechanics are thought for you to spend. there are some exceptions, but you can bet sony will not pass by a big money grab.
"The reality is that there are many people in the world who don’t own a PlayStation – but by bringing those brands outside of its ecosystem, it can still profit from them and heighten their overall appeal. This not only ensures the franchises have a lucrative future, but it may even convince non-owners to pick up a PS5 or PS6 in the future."
Never really understood this reasoning. All it signals is that if you wait, you can play their games on your preferred hardware instead of having to buy a separate console that you'll only play one game on a year. That's the lesson that I, and many others, have taken from Sony's push into the PC market.
Not that I mind. Sony games on PC + the Steam Deck OLED basically means I'll have the PS Vita successor I always wanted.
@Ralizah It's possible those people may never buy a PlayStation if they're willing to wait, then. May as well at least expose them to the characters and buy the game.
@get2sammyb Sony seems to have come to the conclusion that the PC market is sufficiently distinct that putting its games on that platform won't hurt its console buy-in or consumer spending on software. And, if that's true, why not?
Really eager to see how that HFW PS5 DLC runs on handheld computers. Some of Sony's stuff runs okay (Rift Apart; Miles Morales; etc.). Some doesn't (Returnal; TLOU Part I, at least initially).
@RubyCarbuncle To me "time waster" when i am at work is apple podcasts
The writers on this site are the biggest shills on the planet. It's actually nauseating.
@TrickyDicky99 True. If Sony continues their current path, Nintendo will be the sole platform for actual video games. It's disappointing.
@RubyCarbuncle glad to hear you've had a positive experience. And I agree. Mobile phones are mostly for communication. My nephew uses my sister's phone all the time and sometimes I can't even call her, because he's pressed some buttons and it's not working properly. That should never be the case especially when there are emergencies.
@naruball Glad you enjoy them, but both Age of Magic and Mirrorverse are pretty egregious at trying to squeeze money out players. Like so many mobile games that seem fun for a few hours, you quickly hit the point where you have to start spending real money, either to avoid tedious grinding, or simply to progress. This is why most gamers hate on mobile games.
Every so often, I've tried getting into mobile games as well, but the decent ones always start bludgeoning you around the head with demands for money in one way or another
Eat your slop piggies. You’ll pay for content distribution network number 1 with a vaguely fetishised anime aesthetic and you’ll like it.
Only way I'd play Sonys mobile games is if they added trophies to them.
@ecurb7 I know what you mean, but I, personally, haven't spent a dime so far and don't feel I'm missing out. Sure, I don't do well against others players on Age of Magic, but I find the rest of the game really fun, especially in terms of picking the right team for the opponents I'm about to face. Mirrorverse thankfully doesn't have PvP. There are other mobile games that are even better, but I find these ideal for a quick session.
@get2sammyb Apple Arcade is MASSIVELY underrated.
I have it for my little one and thats all her and her friends play. I have a game/Media room with a 65inch LG Oled, $4,000 dollar surround sound setup and all 3 consoles and her and her friends play on their iPads on Apple Arcade. I wasn’t trying to brag about my setup but merely point out that kids don’t care at the moment to play certain games in places that play them better. Mobile is where they want to be and so MS, Sony and others need to be in that area for the future cause it’s not going away and as it currently sits it towers Console money. The ABK deal for MS was always about King. They wanted Candy Crush to break into the mobile side of gaming. Candy Crush Prints money.
Not gonna rule it out, but I just have a hard time getting into mobile games….
Yeah, I highly doubt I'll be playing whatever they're publishing on mobile. It'll be the same *****, MTX filled. Gem/coin/card based *****.
They won't just put out a good game on the mobile format with a set sale price.
The last phone game I bought was Final Fantasy 9. Set price. Whole game. No MTX. Perfect. How things should be.
@DonaldMcRonald so you missed the part where i said they should’ve made the ps portal an actual handheld in the same fashion as the psp/vita. youre just remixing what you want to hear
I tried a few games on Android in the past few years and I can't imagine going back again try some new games.
Don't take me wrong, I have two games on my phone. Those are only 5-15 minutes long per game, no advert, no microtransactions/ no pay to win bs. Similar logic, I can't truly enjoy any games like those on ps or pc either.
But I know it's a huge success model for many developers.
Oh, hang on.. I actually have two games on a tablet too. I do enjoy them and they are port from PC. Was strange the navigation first , but it was easy to get used to.
Don't forget: as long as you enjoy your gaming, doesn't matter what platform you are using.
Horizon has a great world/setting/themes but it's just the gameplay. So an MMO isn't a bad idea but the support is going to be the test for that. Call of the Mountain same thing the world is great, the controls/gameplay were a bit eh. Like Robinson the Journey by Crytek people ignore from the PS4 BC list but a bit too fair I think with the climbing/interactivity and the combat was 'fine' of the arenas/mini bosses but not great. It felt fine but also like playing Red Steel 1 well Star Wars PSVR2 port was the reloading I was like why? When Red Steel 2 feels much better I just go yeah better can happen then overdoing some interactivity that pushes the gyro and it doesn't work. I never hated Heavenly Swords' crossbow aiming it worked fine to guide the bolts while others I'm like eh they function well as someone now used to motion but even then eh.
The story makes sense, the characterisation is fair but the gameplay was just so eh for me. Guerilla like the rest know how to make interesting worlds though I never had issues with Killzone's world/setting/inspiration let alone it's gameplay probably not changing much but was still good then Resistance 2 being COD like in gameplay and 3 just shows Insomniac wasted their time and should have stood out more 'gameplay wise' story/themes were still there, the punishing difficulty too.
From their PS Mobile period that died in 2015 alongside first party Vita support and the Vita had it's continued life from there from third party Japanese/Indies I did always wonder how well those did for how early of smartphone mobile was by Sony then they were besides the Xperia Play in 2011 and even their J2ME period with God of War Betrayal, Ratchet Going Mobile and more besides just the PlayStation Allstars Island and more they did that I know barely anything about.
WipEout Rush disappeared ouch (It was a fair spin but also a GT manager game made more sense, were used to B spec, also why a manager game? or more idle games just make a proper game you could literally even port Pure/Pulse/2048 to mobile even and be good like what a waste of time. I enjoyed Gear Club Unlimited 2 and it's just a more console sequel of a mobile game port to Switch without the mobile game details in them.
The DLCs add more and 'kind' of compete with Grid Autosport on Switch but I mean besides Eden games return/knowing what their doing the controller support for Gear Club made me go oh this isn't too bad, still mobile aspects sure but racing games with touch/gyro have been around for ever on mobile anyways so my comparison was clear on how they went about the mobile/console differences of not only a game without the mobile details in there but how the mobile one didn't have much to cut out from Gear Club Unlimited 1 on Switch the port either and how the sequel changed things slightly).....
I mean when they don't market it like many projects that need it that are niche like duh Sony/PlayStation and it's also not what fans wanted. For abandonware it's sad but at the same time most of their audience is on console and well many sci-fi racers exist on mobile I assume (things change so much I haven't kept track) and many on console with a 'revival period' of Redout, Xenon Racer and more besides the Fast series exist on Nintendo platforms, but the WipEout name means more on console even if niche in a way still compared to Kart Racers iconic characters/details as party games or Arcade/Sim racers with real cars and particular modes and details.
Fate GO will easily give them money as it is. But they don't market them at all. IP names are something but still. I forget Sackboy Run exists I kind of knew then I just ignore it.
I don't play mobile games only use my phone as a music player and a tech device to test things and that's about it.
well what can i say? i obviously don't want sony to succeed on the mobile front... so i hope they fail and learn their lesson. put your resources where it matters. that means going all in on ps5 games and doing a 180 on mobile and gaas. simple as that.
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