Sony sets sights on mobile games
Sony has made a major move in the mobile games space. The acclaimed Japanese company has been struggling to promote its Playstation Vita, which was launched last year and has since underperformed in the global market. The Vita was billed as a new generation for mobile gaming, but failed to attract any significant attention from consumers. Sony believes it may have found the solution to this problem and has begun tapping into the mobile games space.
Vita may find some traction in mobile gaming
Mobile games have been a resounding success among consumers. Millions of people around the world have mobile devices and most of these people play mobile games at some time during their day. The popularity of mobile games could be a saving grace for the Vita, but encouraging mobile developers to make games for the handheld console has been somewhat tricky in the past.
Sony waives licensing fee for indie developers
Sony has announced that it will be waiving the $99 licensing fee for the Vita for mobile developers. This will allow developers to make games for the Vita without having to invest any money into the console or its software development kit. Sony believes that this will open up the Vita to a wide range of independent developers, many of whom often receive strong support from consumers. These developers, who often work with limited budgets, may be able to find the success they seek by creating ambitious games for the Vita platform.
Mobile games may not secure success for Vita
Though mobile games are popular, there is no way to guarantee that these games will bring success to the Vita. The handheld console has, thus far, failed to compete against Nintendo’s mobile consoles. While the Vita does offering some attractive hardware, its limited number of games and relatively high price tag have not been well received by gamers.
Mobile games may not be causing developer exodus from Facebook
Rumors have been circulating recently suggesting that game developers are caught in a mass exodus from Facebook. These rumors claim that these developers are fleeing exodus in favor of mobile platforms in the hopes of taking advantage of the explosive growth being seen in mobile games. Facebook, which has long been a hub for social games, claims that these rumors are unfounded and suggests that game developers are not abandoning the social media platform for better opportunities that may exist in mobile games.
Fall of Zynga sparks rumors concerning social gaming
Many of the rumors concerning the developer exodus were sparked over a year ago when Facebook’s favored game developer Zynga began to collapse. Last year, Facebook cut ties with Zynga and the developer has begun to focus more heavily on mobile games as part of its restructuring efforts. With Zynga out of the picture, Facebook’s gaming scene has begun to experience some turbulence. Facebook claims that the challenges its social games are seeing are due to market corrections being made and the often volatile nature of gaming in general.
EA moving into mobile games
Electronic Arts, one of the largest game publishers in the world, has been moving away from social games recently, adding further momentum to rumors surrounding Facebook’s social gaming space. The publisher has also adopted a strong interest in mobile games, claiming that this sector holds more promise than social gaming.
Facebook remains popular with many developers
While some developers and publishers may be moving into mobile games, Facebook has shown little concern over the supposed fall of social gaming. Developers moving into the mobile space have not been taking down their social games and these games continue to attract a great deal of activity for Facebook. The social network also continues to be the favored platform for many game developers and those looking to establish themselves in the competitive game industry
