As the gaming industry continues to evolve, Sony is gearing up to make a significant splash in the mobile marketing space. The company has set its sights on releasing around half of its games on PC and mobile by 2026, marking a major shift from its current console-centric approach.
Expanding Horizons
Sony's president, Jim Ryan, emphasized the importance of expanding into new markets during the company's annual investor day presentation. He highlighted the potential for significant growth in the number of people playing, enjoying, and spending money on Sony games by tapping into the vast PC and mobile gaming audiences. With its sights set on triple-digit growth in PC game sales this year, it's clear that Sony is serious about making a splash.
Mobile Marketing Momentum
The company has already seen success with PC releases like Horizon Zero Dawn, Days Gone, and God of War, with net sales more than tripling from $80 million last year to a forecast $300 million in 2022. With the recent hiring of Apple Arcade's former content boss, Nicola Sebastiani, Sony is poised to release mobile games via co-development partnerships with existing developers as well as establishing its own network of studios.
Live Service Ambitions
Sony's presentation also offered insight into its live service game ambitions. By 2026, the company plans to have 12 live service franchises operating, up from just one last year and three this year. This suggests that Sony has two unannounced live service games in development for release in its 2022 fiscal year.
Beyond Gaming
The presentation also touched on Sony's desire to expand the use of its IP outside of gaming. The company cited recent successes like the Uncharted film and upcoming HBO series based on The Last of Us as key examples. With a goal of transforming PlayStation's console-centric approach into a future where large elements of its community extend beyond the console, it's clear that Sony is thinking big.
By focusing on mobile marketing and expanding its reach across PC, consoles, and live services, Sony is poised to make a significant impact in the gaming industry. As the company continues to push the boundaries of what's possible, fans can expect even more exciting developments from this gaming powerhouse.