Sony Ericsson has announced that its latest Android gaming orientated cell phone will be making its way to local retail from today (9 September 2011) onwards.

“Xperia PLAY delivers the smartphone functionality that the most serious power users could need, teamed with the immersive gaming experience that any gamer would want,” said Sony via press statement.

In portrait mode, the Android device operates as a familiar Sony Ericsson Xperia smartphone, featuring a 5 megapixel camera, a 4-inch multi-touch screen, and social networking.

The Xperia Play features a slide out the gaming control pad for mobile gaming. Modelled after the PlayStation controller, the slide out game pad features a digital D-pad, two analogue touch pads, two shoulder buttons and the four PlayStation icons: circle, cross, square and triangle.

The Xperia Play will run on Android Gingerbread (version 2.3), and carries the distinction of being the first PlayStation Certified device. This means it will have access to PlayStation game content provided through the PlayStation Suite initiative, currently under development by Sony Computer Entertainment and due to launch later in 2011.

Under the hood is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processor with a 1Ghz CPU and embedded Adreno GPU graphics processor. Sony Ericsson claims the device can deliver 60fps play-back and 3D mobile gaming and Web browsing with minimal power consumption, thus providing “long hours of battery life and game time.”

Colin Williamson, Marketing Manager at Sony Ericsson South Africa, commented: “Today is a very proud moment for Sony Ericsson as we bring something truly revolutionary to the market. Living up to our vision of Communication Entertainment, Xperia PLAY will forever change the way people think about smartphones and mobile gaming.”

Kazuo Hirai, President of Networked Products and Services Group at Sony Corporation said: “I am delighted to see Xperia PLAY as the first PlayStation Certified smartphone to hit the market. Xperia PLAY provides a unique consumer offering and is yet another example of great products and services coming to market that leverage Sony’s strong assets.”

Sony Ericsson has partnered with key publishers in the gaming industry to deliver a variety of launch and post-launch titles with many leading new titles available via the Android Marketplace, including franchises such as Sims 3, Tetris, Crash Bandicoot, Star Battalion, Bruce Lee Dragon Warrior and a world-first multiplayer version of FIFA 10 for mobile.

GLU Mobile/Activision will be bringing Guitar Hero while Gameloft’s titles include Assassin’s Creed and Splinter Cell.

Sony Ericsson is also partnering with Unity Technologies, using its award-winning development platform, to ensure a continuous flow of high quality 3D game titles.

Williamson continued: “The launch of Xperia PLAY could not have been possible without the close collaboration of both Google and Sony Computer Entertainment. The commitment of so many industry leading game publishers further demonstrates that Xperia PLAY will deliver on the long-held expectations from consumers the world over.”

South African pricing and availability

Sony Ericsson has confirmed that Vodacom will be carrying the Xperia Play exclusively at launch, and Vodcom’s Nomsa Thusi has confirmed a recommended retail price of R4,699, or R229 per month on an everyday off-peak 12- two year contract.

MTN has stated that it will “be ranging the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play in the last quarter of this year. Pricing is still being finalised and will be communicated to market in due course.

Virgin Mobile had this to say about the phone: “We are not currently planning on ranging this device. After it has been in the market for a while we will reassess demand and reevaluate.”

An 8.ta spokesperson confirmed that “8.ta is currently in a process of evaluating the device and unfortunately we are not in a position to say whether or not we will offer the device, until the evaluation process is completed.”

Cell C did not respond by the time of publication.

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