Sony recently announced a plethora of mobile technology announcements, including the PlayStation Suite (PSS). While this is confirmed to be bringing games to Android, SCEI President and CEO Kaz Hirai explained exactly what it means for Sony and Android devices.
“The PSS enables [gamers] to comfortably play ‘PlayStation-quality (PS-quality)’ games and check their operations. I think this is a big difference,” said Hirai. “Basically, games provided through the PSS operate on any Android-based device. However, depending on device, their operations might become slow or it might become difficult to control them. Therefore, we will start providing a licensing program called ‘PlayStation Certified’ to mobile device makers in the aim of guaranteeing that PlayStation-quality games can be played on Android-based devices.”
“As for game software, for example, it is possible to eliminate games with too much violence and games that are offensive to public order and morals. We will examine games provided through the PSS as strictly as existing PlayStation games,” Hirai continued. “We can provide only those that passed the examination to our users as PS-quality games. In other words, the appeal of the PSS is the fact that SCE guarantees the quality of games. This makes a difference from the world of games for PCs and mobile phones where anything is permitted.”
“When asked whether games from the PS2 or even PS3 will become available on PSS or if PS3 games will come to NGP,” Hirai responded, “We will first provide games developed for the first-generation PS. But, basically, we hope that game makers will develop new games for the PSS,” said Hirai. “In addition, it’s not that any game can be played on Android-based devices. For example, there is a big difference between the hardware of the NGP and the hardware of Android-based devices. Furthermore, while games can be played on Android-based smartphones and tablet PCs, they are not dedicated to gaming. To play games thoroughly, hardware and expressive power like those of the NGP are necessary. So, it’s not that all games will be absorbed by smartphones and other mobile devices.”
When asked about how Sony will compete with smartophones and the 3DS, he said, “The PSS is the answer to the question, ‘How do you respond to games for smartphones?’ Against those games, we chose a strategy of entering the market instead of winning or losing. On the other hand, some people talk about the competition with game consoles like the Nintendo 3DS. But I think that it’s too narrow-minded to discuss the competition among game platforms such as Wii versus PS3 and Xbox versus PS3. Game is an entertainment. In other words, any kinds of entertainments can be its rivals. So, movie, TV and even drinking party can be its rivals. There is no point in being happy about winning or losing in the competition with the 3DS if other kinds of entertainments are booming in the world and no one plays games any more. Anyway, we consider it important to provide games and their platforms that users can enjoy.”
Source: Tech-On {link no longer active}
