Sony Bringing Everybody’s Golf to Mobile in Japan, North American Fans Salivating

The Wall Street Journal’s Takashi Mochizuki has given us the most wonderful news today. He reports that Sony will be launching a Hot Shots Golf game, now known as Everybody’s Golf in the West (as it always has been in the East) for mobile platforms very soon. This is a challenging, charming, arcade-style golf game that has delighted millions over the decades, myself included, and mobile is the perfect place for this franchise to blossom.

While there’s no announcement yet about Everybody’s Golf coming to mobile in the West, we imagine that Sony will be able to assess its performance in Japan sooner than later, as it sounds like it’s releasing somewhat imminently. Mochizuki notes that users can already pre-register for the game on iOS and Android, so it’s very likely only a matter of weeks (or less) before it launches.

This comes at a crucial time for Sony as console gaming and mobile gaming hit all-time lows and highs, respectively. These are trends that we can’t really grasp in the West, since console gaming is more popular here than it ever has been. In the East, however, mobile has long-since assumed the throne and smartphones are where the majority of money is made.

“Japan’s smartphone-game market is more than twice as big as its console market in revenue, according to Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association data,” Mochizuki notes. “Sony hasn’t made major inroads in the market with the exception of a game called ‘Fate/Grand Order’ developed by a different Sony unit.”

For the more casual player who wants the occasional challenge and plenty of depth, Everybody’s Golf hits the perfect sweet spot. In World Invitational on the PlayStation Vita, one multiplayer mode played out asynchronously so that one friend could take a shot, and their opponent (or friend) would be notified that it was their turn. Both players didn’t need to be present at the same time in order to play a game online against each other, rather they could take turns at their leisure, which is something we hope translates to the mobile version.

We’ll keep our fingers crossed for a North American reveal during E3, but if that doesn’t materialize then we’ll keep you updated with the latest.