Sony wants to bring PlayStation favourites to smartphones
A recent job advertisement for Head of Mobile at PlayStation Studios has revealed Sony has plans to expand into mobile gaming.
According to the job description, the candidate will be responsible for leading the development and strategy of PlayStation’s mobile gaming drive.
This includes not only bringing more PlayStation titles to smartphones but also developing a product roadmap within a three-to five-year time frame.
“As Head of Mobile, you will own and develop the mobile games strategy for PlayStation Studios and help build a foundation for future growth opportunities,” it stated.
The advertisement added that the candidate will be focussed on adapting PlayStation’s most popular franchises for mobile.
Although it is unclear which titles Sony is referring to specifically, it is possible that favourites such as Gran Turismo, God of War, and Rachet & Clank could be coming to the mobile platform.
Currently, Sony’s only form of mobile gameplay is Remote Play.
This app allows gamers to play, switch and stream their PlayStation games on their phone, tablet, laptop and desktop from their PS5 or PS4 consoles.
Users can connect a compatible controller to a supported device or, in the case of touchscreens, use on-screen controls to play games.
Trial and error
Sony previously attempted to enter the mobile gaming market with the launch of a Sony Xperia Play gaming phone that combined the functionality of phone and portable gaming device.
Commonly dubbed the “PlayStation Phone”, it was launched in 2011 with 60 games, some of which were PlayStation classics.
The phone closely resembled the PSP Go with a slide-out gamepad and stereo speakers. While it was well received by critics, it did not achieve good sales and a successor was never released.
Software-wise, users of the Xperia Play could access, download, and play games remotely through the PlayStation Mobile network.
Despite its compatibility on multiple devices, the service never gained traction and was shut down in September 2015.
Below is an image of the Sony Xperia Play gaming phone.
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