Smartphone gaming has exploded since the release of the iPhone, with more and more powerful mobiles leading to high quality gaming experiences, and App market places leading to easily distributed digital titles. However, while touchscreen phones allow developers to create unique and enjoyable titles like Angry Birds, gamers often desire the traditional control scheme for gaming – good old buttons. Using the PlayStation brand to their advantage, Sony Ericsson will be launching the Xperia Play later in the month, combining both touch screen controls, and classic buttons in one phone. With the mobile phone giant banking heavily on the success of the device and PlayStation Suite, the company will be pushing the phone like never before.
In preparation for its UK launch on Thursday, March 31st, Sony Ericsson investing in its largest marketing campaign ever. The phone will be available from all mobile retailers and operators meaning that the potential userbase will be huge, in addition, Sony Ericsson are even considering selling the phone through different channels, such game specific stores.
Sony Ericsson’s Marketing Director for UK and Ireland, David Hilton, told MCV:
We are currently still in commercial conversation, but I’d be surprised if we didn’t see Xperia Play appear in other channels.
All the mobile operators and retailers are selling it. It is rare these days to get a product that is sold everywhere, but this is one of those.
Continuing:
This will be the biggest marketing campaign we have had in the UK.
Hilton also commented on the possibility of future gaming phones:
We will see how this one goes. But there is the potential for this to grow.
The Xperia Play will launch with 6 games preloaded in the UK – Bruce Lee: Dragon Warriors, Tetris, Star Battalion, Crash Bandicoot, FIFA 10 and The Sims 3.
