PlayStation has apparently hired former Apple Arcade content boss Nicola Sebastiani as part of an effort to bring its vast library of blockbuster first-party titles to mobile phones. Although the PlayStation brand is going strong with the success of the PS5, PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan has recently expressed a desire to branch out into other platforms, citing frustration at the age-old roadblock of console exclusivity preventing more players from enjoying PlayStation games.
While Ryan asserts that his company will remain centered around the PS5 console first and foremost, Sony seems to be starting to look toward bringing its first-party titles to PC with ports of 2019’s Death Stranding and the recently announced Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves collection. Additionally, a massive leak suggested that even more PlayStation titles could be coming to Nvidia's GeForce Now streaming service. Back in April, a job opening hinted that PlayStation is also aiming to branch out into the ever-growing mobile gaming market as well, something Xbox has done thanks to its Xbox Cloud Gaming service. Jim Ryan would confirm this the following month, announcing that his company is hoping to start bringing some of its “iconic IPs” to mobile devices by the end of the current fiscal year next March.
According to Nicola Sebastiani’s LinkedIn profile, PlayStation hired the former Apple Arcade head of content in July for the mobile games-related job position that was being offered up a few months prior. Previous reports stated that this "head of mobile” would be stationed at the company’s California offices in San Mateo or Los Angeles, and will be responsible for developing a product roadmap for the next three to five years. So far, Sony has yet to officially confirm hiring Sebastiani, but the update to his page seems authentic.
Before this recent PlayStation-related development, Nicola Sebastiani worked at Apple for eight years. He served as the head of games business management for the App Store before being appointed to head of content for the company’s Apple Arcade game subscription service. Launching back in 2019, Apple Arcade basically functions as Apple’s answer to services like Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Plus, allowing players to access a large library of titles for a small monthly fee - including a few exclusive Apple Arcade games before they arrive on other platforms.
Nicola Sebastiani certainly has the credentials and experience to head PlayStation’s developing mobile division, which has the potential to expand Sony’s ever-growing player base by possibly allowing fans to enjoy hit exclusives like Ghost Of Tsushima or Marvel’s Spider-Man on the go. Details about this new PlayStation mobile gaming platform are still unfolding, but Sony hopes that it will be active by March 2022.
Source: Nicola Sebastiani/LinkedIn