Qays on 13 April 2010
Absolutely true.
If Sony could leverage Android as a distribution platform for PSP-quality games....It would be a massive win for Sony. Especially if they put the games on non-Sony phones as well, and ensure that they get a cut of the revenue. IMO, I see that as being the best 'endgame' scenario for Sony - create your own line of gaming phones, and distribute an in-marketplace app to sell PSN games to other Android users.
If Sony could leverage Android as a distribution platform for PSP-quality games....It would be a massive win for Sony. Especially if they put the games on non-Sony phones as well, and ensure that they get a cut of the revenue. IMO, I see that as being the best 'endgame' scenario for Sony - create your own line of gaming phones, and distribute an in-marketplace app to sell PSN games to other Android users.
Now that's an interesting thought. I think Sony is going to be very, very careful about how much interaction they allow between the PSP and Android, though. It's in Sony's best interest to use Android as a way to make the PSP (and its assorted phone spinoffs) an attractive purchase, but I'll bet Sony is terrified that doing so will encourage developers to simply develop games for the Android marketplace instead of for the PSP, thereby denying Sony its royalty payments.
My bet is that Sony puts Android on the PSP2 but blocks it from accessing the games part of the Android app market, and that Sony does not allow any other companies' Android phones to play PSP games. They simply have too much to risk on that front: a superior gaming experience is the killer app that the PSP2 will have to differentiate itself from the iPhone (and from other Android phones, for that matter), they're going to want to protect that killer app at all costs.
