PlayStations Foray Into Mobile Games Presents One Obvious Opportunity

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PlayStations Foray Into Mobile Games Presents One Obvious Opportunity

Highlights

  • Sony may be entering the mobile game market, and once it does, it would be worth looking into card games inspired by iconic PlayStation franchises like God of War and Uncharted.
  • Mobile card games like Hearthstone and Marvel Snap could be the perfect fit for Sony’s extensive library of well-known exclusives.
  • The potential for Sony to revive neglected franchises like Jak and Daxter and Sly Cooper through mobile card games is a promising opportunity for the company. Alternatively, it could bank on active IPs full of lore and characters like God of War.

As someone who grew up with the iconic PlayStation games, I can’t help but feel a surge of excitement at the prospect of Sony finally diving into the mobile gaming market! The idea of card games inspired by beloved franchises like God of War and Uncharted sounds like a dream come true for me.

Excluding a short period with mobile gaming devices like PSP and Vita, PlayStation and Sony have primarily avoided the mobile market. However, mobile games have grown significantly in popularity within the gaming industry, boasting more players than any other platform. Interestingly, a recent report suggests that this trend might be changing. Given the increasing appetite for portable gaming, it seems possible that Sony-owned games could make a strong appearance in the mobile market sooner than many anticipate.

Preliminary details are unclear about which PlayStation games might appear on mobile platforms, but given that other leading developers have ventured into this territory, it’s reasonable to assume Sony is following suit. Among the genres of games that could be a perfect fit for Sony and its extensive library of renowned characters, even those from underutilized franchises such as Jak and Daxter, inFamous, and Sly Cooper, card games appear to be an ideal choice.

Sony Should Look Into a Hearthstone or Marvel Snap Style Card Game

Games similar to Hearthstone and Marvel Snap could perfectly align with Sony’s grand entry into the mobile gaming market. These card games have proven to be incredibly successful, skillfully leveraging a company’s extensive intellectual property (IP) library. Apart from Nintendo, Sony arguably boasts one of the most recognized lists of franchises within the industry. These beloved franchises would seamlessly fit into mobile adaptations of popular game genres, all bearing the PlayStation touch.

Sony could choose between two primary paths for their mobile card game: they might be considering something similar to Hearthstone or Marvel Snap. Marvel Snap is a card game that immerses players into the Marvel Universe with its famous characters and symbols. Conversely, Hearthstone is said to embody an in-game experience, set within the World of Warcraft universe, incorporating its lore, locations, spells, and other elements.

How Sony Can Learn From Hearthstone and Marvel Snap

Among all franchises, God of War appears to be the ideal candidate for a Sony game modeled after Hearthstone. The latest two installments alone offer sufficient content for an entire game, and that’s excluding the original God of War trilogy. The mythology that underpins God of War makes it an exceptional source of inspiration, and given its deep immersion in Norse and Greek lore, transforming it into a card game seems like a natural progression.

An alternative strategy Sony might adopt when entering the mobile market is to design their initial offering similar to the popular card games like Pokemon or Yu-gi-oh, but featuring Marvel-inspired characters instead of being tied to a specific universe’s mythos. Since many of Sony’s mascots and famous exclusives are well-known, they would be ideal for inclusion in such a game, particularly as several franchises have experienced content shortages. A card game appearance could provide the necessary boost for those franchises that have been lying dormant.

Playstation Franchises that Can Feature in a Sony Mobile Card Game

  • God of War
  • Last of Us
  • Uncharted
  • inFamous
  • Killzone
  • Twisted Metal
  • Jak and Daxter
  • Resistance
  • Marvel’s Spider-Man
  • Sly Cooper

It’s uncertain exactly what Sony’s first mobile game will entail, but given that they established a partnership with a mobile game studio in 2023, it’s likely that the project is well underway and may be closer to launch than people realize. The game could even surprise us by taking an unanticipated direction, such as a gacha format. However, it might be missing out on significant revenue if they don’t incorporate the card game model that leading industry players have already adopted.

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2024-07-31 21:04