It looks like 2015 is shaping up to be the year of mobile gaming that will transform smartphones into the next real console. Mobile gaming has exploded in popularity over the last several years. Big Fish Games notes that the global mobile games industry will reach nearly $24 billion in revenue by 2016. It was with this in mind that Sony chose to release the Xperia Z3 smartphone that has the ability to play PlayStation 4 games remotely. This connection opens up a plethora of game development opportunities and could change the future of smartphones.
The Xperia and Remote Play
More than three years ago, Verizon attempted to launch a remote play function with its Xperia Play device—the very first mobile device to forge a connection with the PlayStation. Sadly, Xperia Play was little more than a tenuous link to console gaming. It featured titles that were “PlayStation Certified,” and while there were many original PlayStation One titles available, the bulk of the games were ports of PlayStation Portable titles.
The Xperia Play was not a tremendous success for Sony, but the idea was ahead of its time. Since then, Sony has redoubled their efforts to make this idea a reality. The Xperia Z3 is the realization of that idea. The Xperia Z3 features the PlayStation Remote Play function, which is much like the PlayStation Vita, making it a smartphone extension of the PlayStation multimedia experience.
By streaming games directly to your mobile device, Sony creates a world where blockbuster video games exist on every device, not just on gaming consoles. Furthermore, this link could be the feature that gets gaming consumers to seriously look at smartphones as gaming consoles. According to CNET, Sony has sold more than 10 million PlayStation 4 units and has a large, loyal base of gamers.
The Reaction and the Future
So far, the reaction from the gaming and tech community has been primarily positive. However, there are some issues. For instance, many tech review sites have reported latency issues when it comes to streaming PlayStation 4 video games via the Remote Play app. Streaming the console experience to smartphones is a difficult process that requires fine tuning of software applications, and, with some games, latency issues can make them unplayable. But, like any new software, there will be updates that address these issues.
Despite these early software setbacks, sites like Android Authority have noted that the Xperia Remote Play feature is fun to use and is one of the best features in an already great line of mobile devices. Control input has always been an obstacle to creating a console experience on a mobile device, but Sony’s Game Control Mount is an elegant, in-house solution that allows players to couple their existing control peripherals with their mobile device.
Sony’s competitors in the video game arena, such as Microsoft, have yet to offer anything similar—there simply isn’t a Windows phone that can play Xbox One titles. While the Wii U offers a somewhat portable gaming experience, it is a dedicated gaming device and not a smartphone. In addition, it lacks the vast library of titles that the PlayStation platform offers.
Also, sid you know that you can also play native games on Xbox app with Windows 10 without stream of Xbox One game titles cross-platform with Xbox service on Windows 10 with windows store xbox titles from all game developers that will run pcs, tablets and phones not just xbox one and even eventually IoT and HoloLens with DirectX 12 API low level gaming, bringing games to the cutting edge with advantage of powerful hardware across devices from PC to Xbox to mobile, games experinces seamless like Xbox smartglass control in every sensor and device plus with a seamless Xbox@ID for small inde devs to the worlds biggest developers in all formats of game platforms to port platforms games on all Windows 10 platforms. That’s nearly half a billion of devices there for a gaming community in the next 18 months, quarter of a billion of devices upgraded to 10 in the first 12 months and that’s billions of revenue for the company, beating Sony revenue earnings with their one playstation 4 nearly 20 m sold, the PC sales will crush that and eventually Xbox One crushing PS4 in sales in the next 12-18 months with Windows 10, because the console has a platform of future proof that Sony don’t have, an amazing combination of software and hardware synergy across all the devices unified ecosystem. Amazing. Something Sony should be worried about lol. So its one up for Microsoft. Xbox One doesn’t have to be a total success, they have the PC to increase Xbox One sales and the xbox sales would eventually be the PC, bringing more revenue for Microsoft in hundreds of billions and also to the gaming industry. Massive opportunity here, that no developer can ignore and consumer gleaming at this massive feature for the company. Yes all Windows 10 devices this fall will be Xbox One capable. Sony Move Over, your little outdated decade old remote play feature that ended up in their xperia phone with the clunky PS4 controller attachment is nothing compared to THIS. No wonder Microsoft has over 14 big keynotes for Game Developer Conference next month compared to Sony with only measly 4 keynotes with their bulky morphus and PS4 and Xperia.
Wait until windows 10, then soon hundreds of pcs, tablets, phones will be Xbox one capable.
See you in 6-8 months.