Sony acquires mobile developer Savage Games Studios

PlayStation Pocket

As today is A Day, a major publisher has decided to acquire a new studio. Today, it is the turn of Sony, which has purchased mobile developer Savage Game Studios. Speaking on PlayStation Blog, the publisher notes its intention to feature the German outlet as part of its new mobile development division.

“We made this deal because we believe that PlayStation Studios’ leadership respects our vision for how we can best operate and succeed, and because they too are not afraid to take chances,” said Savage Games CEO Michail Katkoff. “All of that, plus the ability to potentially tap into PlayStation’s amazing catalog of IP and the fact that we will benefit from the kind of support that only they can provide… On behalf of everybody at Savage Game Studios, thank you for having us. We can’t wait to show you what we’ve been working on!”

Joining the PlayStation Studios family, Savage Games will focus on creating mobile titles under the PlayStation brand, potentially building independent and spin-off IPs of popular titles much the way Nintendo has done with Super Mario Bros. Fire Emblem, and other mainline console franchises.

“As we assured you before with our plans to bring select titles to PC, our efforts beyond console in no way diminish our commitment to the PlayStation community, nor our passion to keep making amazing single-player, narrative-driven experiences,” says head of PlayStation head Herman Hulst. “Our mobile gaming efforts will be similarly additive, providing more ways for more people to engage with our content, and striving to reach new audiences unfamiliar with PlayStation and our games.”

“Savage Game Studios is joining a newly created PlayStation Studios Mobile Division, which will operate independently from our console development and focus on innovative, on-the-go experiences based on new and existing PlayStation IP.”

Interestingly, that latter statement almost seems like damage control, as if PlayStation is quickly taking the opportunity to dissuade fans from speculating that the industry giant is shifting its focus to the highly lucrative — though often maligned and exploitative — mobile gaming market. Given Sony’s litany of IPs including The Last of Us, God of War, Horizon: Zero Dawn, and Uncharted, it seems almost a given that mobile titles based on these franchises may be on the horizon as PlayStation continues to establish its new division.