Sony Looks Beyond PlayStation As It Plans to Develop Games for iOS & Android

On the heels of closing one studio, Sony has announced the creation of ForwardWorks, a new mobile gaming arm. Unlike Evolution Studios which focused squarely on AAA titles for consoles, ForwardWorks:

is going to focus on users based in Japan and Asia, according to today’s announcement. The division will be formally created on April 1 — not a hoax (we hope) and the same date that Sony Computer Entertainment becomes Sony Interactive Entertainment — so we’re likely to learn more after then.

That means the new studio will be

tasked with bringing PlayStation titles and IP to iOS and Android devices.

I’ve argued plenty that the future of PlayStation is not only in the west, but beyond consoles as well. This is likely the start of that path that in all likeliness will take a good 5 to 10 years to fully play itself out but it’s good to see that Sony is planning ahead as opposed to reacting too late to new market realities. It’s just unfortunate that the studio will start creating content for Asia first.

Then again, mobile penetration is even larger there so it does make sense for them to get their feet wet in a culture that’s more than ready to embrace something like this and, once they find their footing, to expand their reach and hopefully scope to the West. So don’t expect to see Gran Turismo or God of War appearing on your iPhone quite just yet (think more Fat Princess, Sound Shapes) but a few years from now, there is no reason why Sony can’t develop a AAA game that’s meant for PlayStation and mobile. Statement from Sony after the jump.

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. that will change its company name to Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (SIE) effective Friday, April 1^st, 2016, announced today the formation of ForwardWorks Corporation (ForwardWorks), a new company that is aimed to deploy new services toward the ever-expanding smart device market. ForwardWorks will begin its operation from April 1^st, 2016.

ForwardWorks will leverage the intellectual property of the numerous PlayStation® dedicated software titles and its gaming characters as well as the knowledge and know-how of gaming development expertise which was acquired over the years with PlayStation® business to provide gaming application optimized for smart devices including smartphones* to users in Japan and Asia. The company will aim to deliver users with opportunity to casually enjoy full-fledged game titles in the new filed of the smart device market.

SIE will vigorously maximize the corporate value and create new business opportunities through the establishment of ForwardWorks.