Sony looking to create "fully-fledged" gaming experiences for mobile

With smartphones and tablets slowly becoming as powerful and more accessible than your average laptop out there, it's only natural that mobile gaming is on the rise, becoming one of the prime sectors for growth when it comes to software. Mobile games are easy to learn due to the simple and intuitive controls a touchscreen provides, and there is no better testament to this than the wild success that casual games, such as Candy Crush Saga (and its derivatives), Clash of Clans, Angry Birds, etc. have been having over the past years. Even a major gaming company, such as Konami, has expressed that it's much more willing to develop small, freemium mobile games, than take risks on expensive AAA console and PC titles.

It's only natural that console manufacturers would also like to try and get in on the mobile market in order to remain relevant in the coming years. Just a few days ago, Nintendo launched an app to test the waters with. Granted, it's a glorified chat client, many believe that this is just a first step and that we may see a Mario gamo on our smartphones in the near future (no, Kill the Plumber doesn't count).

“We are looking to create an opportunity for more users to easily try fully fledged game titles that emphasize playability.”

Sony is also looking to get in on the mobile gaming market, Japan Times reports, and there will be no testing the waters there, it seems. Spokesman Masaki Tsukakoshi flat-out said that Sony sees how the mobile market has grown enough to be able to rival traditional gaming consoles, and the company is looking for ways to deliver "fully fledged game titles that emphasize playability". While nothing concrete has been announced yet, this statement sounds to us like we should be looking forward to games that are more than just "tap and swipe" titles, and would possibly require us to own a controller in order to enjoy.

The PlayStation 4 is currently the hottest gaming console out there, outselling its Microsoft- and Nintendo-made competitors. Sony has tried to capitalize on this by enabling features for Remote Play on its flagship Xperia smartphones, allowing users to play their PS4 from any room in the house with no need for TV (granted, it's a bit of a laggy experience). There are controller clamp accessories for mounting one's Xperia on a standard PS4 controller, and pairing the gamepad to a Sony phone is an extremely easy process. In short, the company certainly has a foundation for a gamer-oriented ecosystem and solid enough experience in the business to be able to create some alluring titles. All that remains to be seen is how "serious" of mobile games Sony is willing to make.