Sony's PS4 phone controller patent isn't enough to get us excited for its mobile games

Sony's PS4 call up controller patent International Relations and Security Network't enough to get us aflutter for its mobile games

(Visualise credit: TechRadar)

It's none arcanum that Sony is looking to push harder into mobile games in the near future, and we've been ready to catch what that actually substance. Now a unexampled patent for some mobile gaming hardware might give us our low gear clew.

As spotted aside VideoGamesChronicle, Sony's Asian nation arm was recently granted a patent for a cellular phone games controller that looks similar to the PS4 Dualshock (pictured supra), except it sandwiches a smartphone.

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This dual-controller smartphone gaming computer peripheral design is something we've seen before, notably with the Razer Kishi which has verified somewhat best-selling. The real difference here is how much like a PS4 control the thing looks, and you're apparently meant to purpose grips like on the PS4 controller, and non reasonable hold the side of the accessory like with the Kishi operating theater most other mobile controllers.

This is just a patent, so a ruined production mightiness look quite different (or non come at all). With its big push into mobile gaming, it's no surprise Sony is considering hardware to shape with smartphones, though a patent doesn't guarantee a somatic device is coming.

However we hope Sony's big drive into smartphone gaming isn't limited to hardware, because that's not what maneuverable games need outside right away.

Analysis: it's in the software

The major thing limiting populate from enjoying mammoth-enfranchisement games on their smartphones isn't the hardware. Phones are sometimes more powerful than laptops immediately, and game controller accessories undergo been a thing for a while – some gaming phones even have built-in triggers.

No, the real thing that Newmarket the enjoyment of triple-A mobile games is the serious lack of de facto top-end games to play.

Sure, we sometimes see democratic indie titles ported over to mobile and tablet, simply until we see the next Call of Duty OR Assassin's Creed launch on smartphones, mobile gaming will still have a long way to go.

You might be expression 'triple-A games South Korean won't play on phones care that', but such a statement is demonstrably false. Streaming services like Google Stadia and Amazon Luna let you watercourse big-title games from the internet, onto your tiny little smartphone.

The problem is that game streaming services are rather temperamental, and standing require great internet connection to enjoy – you can't boot up Cyberpunk 2077 when you'Re on the underground operating room Elder Scrolls 6 when you're call at the countryside.

But it proves the mobile form factor works for traditional console games – there righteous of necessity to be a way to mystify them to wager offline on definitive smartphones. With each new year of mobiles getting progressively powerful, it'll become increasingly workable in the coming years.

We just Leslie Townes Hope Sony's pledge to focus more on mobile games results in more genuine console-like experiences, not endless-runners like Clangor Bandicoot On The Tally or card games the like the red-hot Wipeout.

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Faculty Writer, Phones

Tom's role in the TechRadar team is as a staff writer specializing in phones and tablets, but he also takes on other technical school like galvanic scooters, smartwatches, fitness trackers and Thomas More.