Sony revealed that it will be bringing PlayStation titles into mobile devices starting the company's next financial year, a move that will introduce casual players on iOS and Android devices to the console's games.
Sony could be looking to replicate the success that Nintendo found with Pokémon Go, with Nintendo itself looking to reach similar popularity with the upcoming Super Mario Run smartphone game.
Sony Games For Smartphones And Mobile Devices
According to reports, Sony is looking to release up to six games for smartphones and other mobile devices over the company's next financial year, which starts in April 2017. The company, however is said to be working on a total of 10 mobile games.
The 10 mobile games for iOS and Android that Sony is working on are Arc the Lad, PaRappa the Rapper, Everybody's Golf (known as Hot Shots Golf in the United States), DASH!, Wild Arms, Summer Holiday 20th Century, Disgaea, Night Time, Between Sky and Sea, and a game that features the Japanese mascot of the PlayStation, Toro Inoue.
The games do not look like direct ports of PlayStation titles, but rather mobile games based on the franchises.
Sony Mobile Games To First Release In Japan
Gamers in the United States who might be already looking forward to playing titles based on PlayStation franchises on their mobile devices will have to wait a while more, though, as the games will first be made available in Japan and then eventually into other countries in Asia.
At least some of the aforementioned mobile games that Sony is working on would surely also arrive in the United States, but there has so far been no indication on which of these games will see a United States release and when that would be.
Sony's Plans For Mobile Games
Generally, companies profit from mobile games by either selling them outright or by offering in-app purchases. For example, Nintendo is planning to charge $9.99 to unlock the full Super Mario Run experience, while the free-to-download Pokémon Go offers players to purchase items that can be used in the game.
There is no word on which model Sony will be adopting with its upcoming mobile games, but it is a given that the apps will add another revenue channel to the company to support its PlayStation division.
Analysts believe that Sony may find it more challenging to find success in the mobile games market due to the PlayStation franchises being generally less known compared to Nintendo's properties. We will know for sure once Sony starts releasing these titles, with Everybody's Golf for the iOS and Android set to release in the spring of 2017.
