PlayStation mobile app gets temporary Wolverine makeover

Sony has updated the PlayStation App on iOS and Android with a Wolverine-themed icon to coincide with today's launch of Marvel's Wolverine on PlayStation 5. The underlying application remains Sony's mobile gateway for PlayStation messaging, purchases, remote downloads and account features, but the temporary visual change turns the app itself into part of the launch campaign.

Sony has used similar limited icon changes around major promotional moments before, making the technique a small but increasingly recognisable part of its ecosystem marketing. The approach is notable because the mobile application reaches PlayStation users even when they are nowhere near their console. A changed home-screen icon effectively places an advertisement on a device the user checks throughout the day without requiring a conventional notification.

The themed icon is available worldwide through current App Store and Google Play updates and is expected to be temporary. It is a simple example of how console publishers increasingly treat their smartphone applications as marketing surfaces as well as utilities.