Sony is trying to grow the PlayStation brand beyond the boundaries of its console. As more time passes, it’s becoming increasingly clear what the platform holder’s remit looks like: bring more award-winning PlayStation properties to more people. We’re seeing the fruits of its labour through its expansion to PC, television, and now mobile.
While this may be concerning to long-time fans, who have grown accustomed to the full extent of the platform holder’s energy being behind its console platform, the Japanese giant has been eager to reiterate that this is all additive – and will not take away from its more traditional efforts. PS Studios boss Hermen Hulst has reiterated that point in a PS Blog post.
“As we assured you before with our plans to bring select titles to PC, our efforts beyond console in no way diminish our commitment to the PlayStation community, nor our passion to keep making amazing single-player, narrative-driven experiences,” Hulst explained, before going on to list all of the blockbusters Sony has released this year.
He continued: “Our mobile gaming efforts will be similarly additive, providing more ways for more people to engage with our content, and striving to reach new audiences unfamiliar with PlayStation and our games.” The goal for PlayStation is to reach entirely new audiences, which in turn it hopes will capture new fans and drive them back to its console ecosystem.
There’ll be a lot of criticism for this initiative, but personally we reckon it makes sense. The games industry is changing dramatically, and Sony needs to be nimble and flexible to retain its position. Putting some of its most successful franchises in front of potentially new fans is not a bad thing, and it’s clear that PlayStation needs to exist beyond the console in this day and age.
[source blog.playstation.com, via News: Sony Establishes PS Studios Mobile Division as Smartphone Push Intensifies]