Summary
Aside from a brief stint in mobile gaming with the PSP and the Vita,PlayStationand Sony in general have largely stayed out of the mobile market. But in recent years,mobile games have become one of the major players in the industry, boasting the highest number of players than any other platform out there. But a recent report from the industry indicates that that may no longer be the case. With a burgeoning interest in on-the-go gaming, the mobile market may be seeing an uptick in Sony-owned properties sooner than anyone realizes.
Initial reports are sketchy as to what type ofPlayStationtitles mobile fans can expect to hit app stores, but Sony’s probably taking some inspiration from other major developers that have done the same. There’s one genre of game in particular that would fit like a glove for Sony and its many iconic properties, including some of the more neglected franchises likeJak and Daxter,inFamous,andSly Cooper: card games.
Sony Should Look Into a Hearthstone or Marvel Snap Style Card Game
Card games likeHearthstoneandMarvel Snapwould be a perfect fit for Sony’s big debut into the mobile game market. Card games like that are hugely successful and make excellent use of a company’s extended IP library. Short of Nintendo,Sony probably has the most iconic list of franchisesin the industry, all of which would feel right at home appearing in a PlayStation-tinged version of some of the most popular mobile game genres on the market.
There are two main avenues Sony can take if it’s actually pursuing a mobile card game;HearthstoneorMarvel Snap.Marvel Snapis a more straightforward card game featuringbeloved characters and iconography from the Marvel Universe.Hearthstone, on the other hand, is supposed to be representative of an in-universe game, taking place withinWorld of Warcraftfeaturing in-world lore, locations, spells, and the like.
How Sony Can Learn From Hearthstone and Marvel Snap
More than any other franchise,God of Warwould be a perfect fit for aHearthstone-inspired Sony game. The most recent two games alone are rich enough to fill out an entire game, and that’snot even counting the originalGod of Wartrilogy. Mythology in general serves as an excellent inspiration for any game, andGod of Warhas been so keen about leaning into and embracing its Norse and Greek roots that blending it into a card game seems like it would just be a logical next step.
The other route Sony can take with its jump into the mobile market is to model its first title afterMarvel Snapand make a general purpose card game not tied to any one universe’s lore or internal consistency.Marvel Snapis a lot more akin to something like thePokemonorYu-gi-ohcard games, just slotting in monsters for various iconic Marvel properties.Sony has a surplus of mascots and well-known exclusivesthat would be shoo-ins for some representation in a title like this, especially where many of its franchises have been going through content droughts. Appearances in a card game could be what those long-dormant franchises need to get back up off the ground.
Playstation Franchises that Can Feature in a Sony Mobile Card Game
There’s no telling exactly what PlayStation will do with its first mobile game. It’s clearly been cooking for a while afterSony forged a new partnership with a mobile game studioback in 2023; the first Sony mobile game may be in production already and closer to release than anyone actually realizes. Sony may even surprise everyone by making something absolutely no one expected, like a gacha game. Still, it would absolutely be leaving a lot of money on the table by not adopting the card game model laid out by other industry front-runners.
