Sony to kill PlayStation Mobile after years of little success

[Scorpus]

After years of struggling to gain traction in the mobile gaming market, and after ending support for Android last year, Sony has decided to completely shut down their PlayStation Mobile platform.

PlayStation Mobile allowed gamers on Android and the PS Vita to download and play classic PlayStation titles, as well as a selection of indie games. While it was a novel idea, the platform never really took off, especially on Android where most gamers used the ubiquitous Google Play Store to find and download games.

On July 15th, the company will stop distributing games through the PlayStation Mobile content store. If you've already purchased games through the store and wish to keep them, you'll have up until September 10th to re-download them to your device, after which you'll no longer be able to do so.

The writing was already on the wall for PlayStation Mobile when Sony ceased support for the Android client last August. Devices running Android 4.4.2 or lower could still access the app without any guarantees from Sony that it would work, while devices running a newer operating system couldn't access the service at all.

With Sony's mobile business struggling, it's no surprise that the company is closing down services that aren't making money. Despite the general popularity of PlayStation in the gaming world, Sony just couldn't successfully bring the platform to the smartphone space, at least for now.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/60017-sony-kill-playstation-mobile-after-years-little-success.html

 

[amstech]

Sorry but if anyone is gaming on a handheld its a Nintendo.
Not to mention all the great smartphone games like Clash of Clans, Super Stickman Golf and CandyCrush.

I remember seeing the commercials for this with kids jumping around corners, dashing down streets while playing shooters and thinking to myself 'this is never going to pan out'.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

It doesn't take a genius to see Sony is in deep, deep trouble. I think the only thing keeping them from folding altogether is their Playstation market and that thread could be severed if Steambox proves to be a hit.

 

[oldikes]

It doesn't take a genius to see Sony is in deep, deep trouble. I think the only thing keeping them from folding altogether is their Playstation market and that thread could be severed if Steambox proves to be a hit.

I dont think the playstation is in trouble anytime soon. Steambox wont appeal to mainstream in the sense where you still wont have consistent performance across different steam boxes.

 

[AnonymousSurfer]

Surprise surprise... Another failed Sony product. Why do they keep trying to go out of their comfort zone? I understand a business needs to expand, but with all of these failed products they keep releasing and dropping millions of dollars on them, they are just hurting other branches that are doing well.

 

[davislane1]

It doesn't take a genius to see Sony is in deep, deep trouble. I think the only thing keeping them from folding altogether is their Playstation market and that thread could be severed if Steambox proves to be a hit.

I dont think the playstation is in trouble anytime soon. Steambox wont appeal to mainstream in the sense where you still wont have consistent performance across different steam boxes.

Playstation isn't out of the woods. Nor is Xbox for that matter. There has been a persistent absence of quality games in the console market for a few years now. If that doesn't change drastically over the next two years, they are in increasingly warm water. Playstation Now may provide them with needed support, but only if they can get the pricing model right.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

I dont think the playstation is in trouble anytime soon. Steambox wont appeal to mainstream in the sense where you still wont have consistent performance across different steam boxes.

I don't suppose it will. Playstation seems to be the only reasonably profitable division Sony has going right now but Steambox will certainly have an impact on the future of gaming.
I would certainly hate to see Sony fold but what will be, will be.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Playstation isn't out of the woods. Nor is Xbox for that matter. There has been a persistent absence of quality games in the console market for a few years now. If that doesn't change drastically over the next two years, they are in increasingly warm water. Playstation Now may provide them with needed support, but only if they can get the pricing model right.

I fear for Sony, I like their products but after seeing what recently happened to companies like Nokia & Blackberry...
In the tech world nothing is set in stone, irrespective of the company's current size or status.