Sony has released a dedicated messaging app for PlayStation, letting PS users message friends without having to use the crowded PlayStation app for mobile.
The new PlayStation Messages app is available for free on iOS and Android. Once you sign in, all of the conversations with PlayStation Network friends flood into the app, letting you continue conversations started on the console.
PlayStation Messages is split into three sections: Messages, Favorites, and Friends. Messages lets you see all of your recent conversations, Favorites is where you can create group chats, and Friends lets you see who is online at the moment.
From the Friends section, users will be able to check a friend’s profile, see any changes to their gamertag, and see other information about the account. From the PlayStation Messages app, you’re also able to delete friends. There is a search tool to find friends, messages, and groups.
Messages can be one-to-one or group chats, and users are able to send text, photos, video, and emojis. Sony has added a few PlayStation exclusive emoji packs to Messages, for fans of Knack, The Last of Us, and Uncharted.
PlayStation Messages should be perfect for those who don’t enjoy playing alone, since it will assist them in getting everyone online at a set time. It is also a great way for PlayStation friends to become real-life friends, by offering a messaging portal outside of the gaming world for communicating. Other game developers are adding similar tools, including Riot Games, which plans to launch an iOS and Android app for League of Legends players.
Sony can afford to start branching out from the PlayStation ecosystem, after passing 30 million PS4 sales. It is far ahead of its main rival, Microsoft’s Xbox One, which recently passed 15 million. As for Nintendo, its Wii U remains the worst of the three current generation consoles in sales, but that might change with the launch of Minecraft on December 17.
