Forward Works, Sony tries again with PlayStation games for smartphones

Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE), Sony's subsidiary in charge of carrying out the business of PlayStation consoles, has announced it is working to structure "ForwardWorks", a new company that will develop new services to the market for smart devices , starting with those related to the development of games.

The new company will start operating from 1 April; the same day Sony Computer Entertainment will become Sony Interactive Entertainment, the new group will combine the activities carried out previously by the SCE divisions and Sony Network Entertainment.

Forward Works will operate in Japan and Asia and, for the moment, missing confirmations on the expansion of activities in other geographical areas. The signal given by Sony, at the same time, it is clear enough: it should return to explore a market segment, that of smart devices, which appears fertile ground to expand the business of video game distribution.
To achieve the goal, Sony will reuse the titles and the protagonists of the existing PlayStation video games creating games for "smart devices, including smartphones" (Android and iOS). "SIE will maximize corporate value and create new business opportunities through the creation of ForwardWorks," he emphasized are in the official press release from Sony.
Attempts to "export" in the smartphone arena the undoubted heritage PlayStation gaming are certainly not the result of an isolated attempt by Sony, which has tried on several occasions to reach the goal with mixed results. There were extreme attempts, such as the PlayStation Phone, now historical Xperia Play, along with other potentially able to reach a wider audience - think PlayStation Mobile on the Android platform - but equally shipwrecked after the initial enthusiasm.
The phenomenon of smartphones remains of such proportions that Sony is obviously aware that he could not ignore. An assessment shared by historic names the games industry: think of Nintendo that with Miitomo, his first game for the mobile devices, has managed to gain the top position in the ranking of the most popular games in the App Store for iOS just two days since launch. Both Nintendo, Sony is being activated new business strategies, starting from the Asian market, but it is said that the same will not follow in other markets, if the response from the public will be positive.