Along with announcing a name change for its PlayStation Suite software to PlayStation Mobile, Sony also revealed that it would be partnering with HTC in a bid to create several Android-based PlayStation certified smartphones.
The company further explained that such devices will then offer users the ability to download games from the PlayStation Store onto their phones.
According to a
press statement issued after the announcement, the company clarified that the line-up of PlayStation certified devices will includes the HTC One series of smartphones - the HTC One X, HTC One S, and HTC One V.
It elaborated that content developed with the PlayStation Mobile software development kit (SDK) will be available on those devices later this year, as well as on Sony smartphones, the likes of the Android-based Xperia arc, Xperia acro, Xperia PLAY, Xperia acro HD,
Xperia S, Xperia ion, and the Xperia acro S.
Strategy dissected
The announcement came during the company’s
press conference at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, currently underway in Los Angeles.
It also added substance to a statement by Jack Tretton, the president and chief executive officer of Sony Computer Entertainment America, that playing games was not only about what could be played, but about where it could be played, and an assertion that “the PlayStation world is growing to meet every gaming need wherever and whenever you play.”
While no particular mobile titles were announced, Sony did state that, in addition to third party developers and publishers as well as a wide range of content developers who have agreed to develop content for PlayStation Suite, SCE Worldwide Studios was also developing “attractive games.”
The company’s release also gave more than a hint as to its strategy: “SCE is positioned to proliferate the world of PlayStation across mobile devices with the progress of content development and the expansion of PlayStation Certified devices”.
World domination? Not quite, but clearly, the company is not limiting its mobile games to its Vita market, even as the company revealed a number of Vita exclusive titles and other PS3 and Vita compatible offerings that will take advantage of cross play between the two consoles.
To the point
The announcement is interesting for another reason as well. It comes in the wake of Microsoft’s ambition to marry its Xbox 360 console with tablets and smartphones, via
Xbox Smart Glass.
It appears that, rather than putting all its eggs in its Xperia basket, Sony has also expressed confidence in HTC delivering its PlayStation experiences to the Android faithful.
Judging by the sheer performance power offered by the HTC One X, currently our top performing Android 4 smartphone, we can’t say the move is completely inexplicable. Now, all we need is that compelling game content...
