Sony Computer Entertainment, the arm of the tech giant that oversees PlayStation, will change its name to Sony Interactive Entertainment on April 1 and, along with the name change, will form a new division: ForwardWorks.
The goal of ForwardWorks will be to “deploy new services toward the ever-expanding smart device market,” specifically to bring PlayStation games to smartphones and tablets. Both Android and Apple devices will be targeted, Sony added.
“ForwardWorks will leverage the intellectual property of the numerous PlayStation-dedicated software titles and its gaming characters as well as the knowledge and know-how of gaming development expertise which was acquired over the years with PlayStation business to provide gaming application optimized for smart devices including smartphones to users in Japan and Asia,” the company said in a statement. “The company will aim to deliver users with opportunity to casually enjoy full-fledged game titles in the new filed of the smart device market.”
The Sony news follows a week after Nintendo launched its first mobile app, Miitomo, also made exclusively for both iOS and Android phones and tablets. That app—a social messaging app that was first available on the Nintendo Wii—launched with a new rewards program for Nintendo console users.
“Miitomo is a uniquely entertaining mobile experience that only Nintendo can deliver,” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s executive VP of sales and marketing. “Featuring Mii characters, users will be able to interact with their friends in an entirely new way that transforms communication into a form of play.”
