Sony exec flirts with PlayStation phone ... again

by Christopher Grant { Nov 22nd 2007 at 10:58AM }

Has it been a year already? The rumors that Sony Computer Entertainment – the PlayStation folks to you or I – and Sony Ericsson – those are the cellphone folks – are teaming up to make a PlayStation phone are just as "seductive" today as they were back then. This time, it's SCE co-chief operating officer Jim Ryan giving India's Economic Times the following rather noncomittal tease: "The PlayStation is a proven success and so is Sony Ericsson. Convergence with the two arms working together is definitely plausible."

We would say it's as plausible now as it was last year when they first teased it ... or in June when Sony Ericsson filed for that PSP-esque gaming phone patent ... or in August when Sony Ericsson said they were "obviously" looking at a PlayStation-branded phone (just not this one). Regardless of how "seductive" the premise is to Sony, Ryan told the Times "it could be a while before a commercial launch of such a device happens... ." So, we'll see you same time next year then, PSP phone rumors?

[Via Engadget]

Tags: Jim-Ryan, PSP-phone, SCE, Sony, Sony-Ericsson

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

James @ Nov 22nd 2007 11:05AM

So these chaps haven't heard that mobile phone gaming sucks?

The Artist formally known as Jesus @ Nov 22nd 2007 11:58AM

obviously, you've never heard of the greatness that is the N-Gage

Drew @ Nov 22nd 2007 11:22AM

Ha! Not as good as those rumors of a Wiimote phone. Man that was crazy.

Kassu @ Nov 22nd 2007 11:25AM

That looks like....
I can't think of anything, it looks just bloody awful!

n2 @ Nov 22nd 2007 11:53AM

This is actually a brilliant idea. Mobile gaming is a growing market. Why not leverage what you already have? Sony has gaming, portable gaming, and a cell phone division. It simply makes sense to combine all of those into an appealing package.

The only problem is, Sony doesn't always work well with itself. Other divisions (movies and music) seem to always want some sort of DRM. And Sony always seems to feel the need to introduce some new technology along the way that is proprietary.

If the divisions can work well with one another, this could be a nice little coup for Sony

And it could drive the market to introduce some nice competing products that offer similiar functionality.

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Nov 22nd 2007 2:02PM

Here let me change that for you.

"Mobile gaming is a growing market....in Japan."

Keep this thing in Japan sony.

n2 @ Nov 22nd 2007 2:14PM

Are you sure the mobile gaming market is NOT growing in the US?

There are a TON of mobile games available for cells, the majority of which are 'servicable'

If you look at the iPhone, which is mostly a closed system, and check around online, you'll find a whole community around modding the thing to get games on it.

Most newer cell phones come with at least one game or demo. I'm sure there's a good number of people who have played a game on their cell.

Imagine if you have a phone with the same quality of game that was available on the PS1 or PSP. Now consider how popular Gameboy, DS and PSP have been, and marry that with a cell phone. The possibility of making a lot of money is there.

It's just that cell phone gaming is still in it's infancy. They should and will get better.

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Nov 22nd 2007 5:01PM

That doesn't mean it's growing, there will always be cell-phone games. But all they are really is just cheap ass licensed games, and tetris knock offs.

Remember what happened to the N-gage? It sounded good on paper, provide a cellphone service with games that did not look like from the nes era, and yet it still failed horribly. Why? Because people could give two shits about cell phone-gaming.

That's why I'm saying, keep in japan. Where Cell-phone gaming is actually going somewhere.

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Nov 22nd 2007 5:03PM

Not only that, but the design looks horrid. No one wants to buy a bulky ass cell phone (see N-gage).

Jeff @ Nov 22nd 2007 11:58AM

I hate to admit it, but I'd love a phone that doubled as a quality gaming platform.

Why? Because as long as I'm interested in girls, I can't play Pokemon on a Nintendo DS at school. But if I was *texting* on my *phone*...

James @ Nov 22nd 2007 12:09PM

Oh yea you're at school.
Thank God for college and university where you can do things like that WITH girls.

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Nov 22nd 2007 2:03PM

Are you kidding me? Let some girls play Brain age, and they'll be all over you. Bitches love Nintendo.

Esat @ Nov 22nd 2007 11:59AM

I'll say exactly what I said on engadget:

THIS IS REALLY REALLY

unesseccary.

JohnHeist @ Nov 22nd 2007 12:24PM

So...

it'd be the PSPP?

Wasn't the "Wii" enough...now the PS-PP?

LAZoftheTamarinds @ Nov 22nd 2007 1:59PM

LOL! One + for you on that one! :)

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Nov 22nd 2007 2:03PM

Oh my god it took me like a minute to get that.

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Nov 22nd 2007 1:34PM

sigh. Let me give you some advice Sony.

1. Why don't you make sure your main hardware(ps3) is doing all right before you dabble into other areas of technology.

2.Do not release this into American markets. Unless you want another N-gage, keep this in Japanese waters.

Anorhc @ Nov 22nd 2007 1:37PM

You do know that Sony's mobile division and Sony's gaming division are two different entities, right? This is the mobile division doing the talking.

And yes, I agree with keeping it in Japan, and probably Europe. Mobile gaming is HUGE there right now.

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Nov 22nd 2007 1:43PM

yes, but both teams are teaming up to do this, meaning SCE will be spending a crap load of money on this gaming phone. Alls I'm saying is try to improve on the ps3 first before they try anything else.

Bluebrake @ Nov 22nd 2007 1:36PM

It's a solid idea. In theory, it could be everything the iPhone is, except it plays PSP games.

Somehow I doubt it would be the consumer and media darling the iPhone is though, just because of brand differences.

And I don't know wtf is up with that rotating screen...