Playstation Mobile

[Deleted member 7537]

I do not think Sony will be allowed on iOS devices.

Why not? SCE is a publisher just like EA or Ubisoft. I don't see a reason to prevent it, getting quality games on their system is a good way to fight off Android. Even PS4 will stream games into Iphone and Ipad (according to PS4 PR).

 

[patsu]

They need to statically compile the PS Mobile run-time for iOS. The technology platform Mono already does that if I am not mistaken.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Does Apple allow other stores? PSM on iOS would see shoppers buying from Sony's store without Apple getting a cut.

 

[rockaman]

Quick! Now someone go make games and save the Vita!

Mine is oh so deprived...

 

[patsu]

Does Apple allow other stores? PSM on iOS would see shoppers buying from Sony's store without Apple getting a cut.

Nope. Apple always get a cut... unless the app is free of course. Sony won't be able to set up their own PS Store per se.

I don't think a gamer will care whether there is a separate store to download their free monthly PS+ game for example.

Conversely, Apple need Sony for its media services, 'specially if Apple want to give iTunes an edge. Sony is the biggest music publisher in the world since last June.

 

[Arwin]

Quick! Now someone go make games and save the Vita!

Mine is oh so deprived...

Really? Because I don't really have that problem. What kind of game do you expect to be made for PS Mobile to fill that void?

As for patsu, keep on dreaming. Far more realistic would be for Sony to make Android a better gaming platform. But right now, Mobile isn't even a global endeavour yet - I'm still waiting for it in my country, which I hate (happens too often) and which is one of the things I liked about Apple (at least they got that right early on) and Google/Android (ditto). Best you can hope for on iOS from Sony for games would be a Sony GaiKai client. Otherwise, something like MonoGame and various other cross-platform tools (Unreal Engine) would be the best way to get games out on multi-platform.

 

[patsu]

Yes, if Gaikai (streaming) on iOS is doable as part of the expanded PS+ offerings, then there is no need for PS Mobile on Android either. They will just go Gaikai entirely.

However, if they feel that Gaikai streaming for mobile can't address all their needs, then they may need a uniform run-time (for Gaikai progressive download). PS Mobile is based on Mono. There is no harm if more developers develop iOS/Android games with Mono and PS Mobile library.

Otherwise, PS Mobile may be forgotten in the long run.

 

[rockaman]

It was a joke Arwin... but more games are always welcome.

I don't think PS Mobile is in too much trouble. They just have to keep expanding it. The Android version of PS Mobile has PS1 and PS Mobile games under the same umbrella.

Just have to keep working on it.

Of course when Playstation Cloud(TM), or whatever it is called, is integrated into phones in the future, this should be a big boon in the future for bringing new users to that platform and have people using it more consistently.

The PS Meeting had all sorts of shenanigans involved with the mobile platforms, or suggestions at them (asynchronous play, trophy and friends browsing, etc).

Build on that and make a single applet to access all these things would be great. PS Mobile should have a bright future ahead of it if Sony sings it's praises the right way (and makes it a good product).

 

[Arwin]

Just when you least expect it, Playstation Mobile expands by 9 countries, including The Netherlands and Sweden! It's only a year later, which isn't that bad actually. May still give my earlier attempts a follow up now.

 

[tuna]

Just when you least expect it, Playstation Mobile expands by 9 countries, including The Netherlands and Sweden! It's only a year later, which isn't that bad actually. May still give my earlier attempts a follow up now.

Woot! Source?

 

[Arwin]

Heard it on GAF I think, but here's the official:

http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/release/131122_e.html
SCE will offer a wide variety of exciting content via PS Store to users in total of 18 countries including Japan, United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, as well as in newly added countries including Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and New Zealand.

 

[patsu]

Are these going to be Mono game ports ?

PS Mobile footprint isn't that big at this moment right ?

 

[Arwin]

Finally coming to my country (and several others) today
http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2013/12/18/playstation-mobile-comes-to-eight-new-countries-today/

 

[whome0]

Today PSMobile was released in Finland. I have had a plan of implementing DLNA client on Vita. After reading couple tutorial sites came to a conclusion its not that easy. SDK kit does not have any proper video playback support (h264+aac, mp4,ts demuxers) what a bummer. I could create a proof-of-concept supporting image files but that would be more wasted time than useful app. Im sad. Native Vita can play Youtube videos so its not a lack of hardware but a lack of software product commitment.
PSM tutorials
PSM-AVI(mjpeg,mp3) decoder and player

 

[mrcorbo]

Sony ending Playstation Mobile support for Andriod.

While it will continue to be accessible to existing certified devices, they will not certify any new devices or Android versions above 4.4.2.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

http://forum.beyond3d.com/showpost.php?p=1670988&postcount=5
http://forum.beyond3d.com/showpost.php?p=1670995&postcount=7

So very predictable. Another half-assed attempt by Sony. I hope new, improved Sony actually backs its ideas with gusto.

 

[Deleted member 11852]

I'm not remotely surprised. I imagine it's difficult to quantify the value this adds to Sony mobiles over competing handsets but Sony almost certainly have some usage figures and I would be astonished if they are high and can justify the continued work of engineers to keep this platform alive. The real kind of decisions Sony are making is: do we keep these engineers working on this or do we move them to the PlayStation 4 team?

Although Sony are no longer bleeding money, they are by no means able to throw money at pet projects.

 

[Brad Grenz]

Yeah, PS Mobile was really mostly successful as a low barrier to entry for Vita games. The Android aspect never seemed to offer any value. It's an obvious cut to make at this point, whether they shift people to a more open strategy for native Vita development, or they just respin PS Mobile as a hobbyist platform.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

I agree it's an obvious cut. The real problem was that it wasn't worth starting with, unless they committed to do it properly. What was the long-term plan and business strategy? It was never going to fly without massive Android adoption. How were Sony going to pursue that? Or, most importantly, WTF didn't they enable it on PS3??? It was a perfect replacement for Minis and would have created a library (devs targeting a platform of tens of millions) to justify people having a look on Android. In the chicken-and-egg situation of a platform like this, it was 100% the responsibility of the platform holder to make it work. Sony had a no brainer option to try that which they missed.

Maybe they started the idea of PSM way back when, and then the likes of Unity came along and rendered their efforts moot?

 

[Deleted member 11852]

I agree it's an obvious cut. The real problem was that it wasn't worth starting with, unless they committed to do it properly. What was the long-term plan and business strategy?

Who knows. PlayStation Mobile was launched (in beta) in 2011 so was likely in engineering much early, perhaps as early as 2010 when Sony were trying to brazen out their financial problems. Given how long Sony cook things in R&D (look at Morpheus, 5 years not in retail) it could have running longer than Microsoft's Kinect project.

I often come across management types who think that if something is 90% done, it's worth a punt to finish it and getting it to market to recoup some of the costs. I don't always agree, but sometimes it works. I wonder if PlayStation Mobile was such a project in Sony? Potentially developed in parallel with (and leveraging) Vita R&D which continued due to momentum.

I am not a big believer in coincidence so for this to so closely follow Sony's change in stance regarding Vita games, I think it likely to be related, like Sony have unofficially de-prioritised mobile gaming initiatives across the whole company. I could well believe it's only been running until now because it's such a low key project, most people in strategic management roles forget it existed at all.