My last post was about a very interesting topic: “Mobile Gaming”. Where it is, where it is going and how “we” the gamer fit into all this. While I do agree that mobile gaming has taken off in the past 4-5 years and will continue, I do not see an end to console gaming anytime soon either and I believe both mediums can indeed coexist. It is not a competition, but rather a balance.
Most of us gamers have been playing mobile games since the early 90’s with handhelds like the Sega Gamegear and Nintendo’s Gameboy. When I say mobile, I do not mean on a phone but rather as using the term mobility in mind, you know ‘portable’. These handhelds were and are to this day a little expensive and so are the games when compared to iOS and Android games. They are however less expensive than tablets and smart phones and are dedicated gaming machines at their core, although they are now coming with options to access the web, play online through WI-Fi etc, like Nintendo’s 3DS and Sony’s PlayStation Vita, sporting all the fun cool bells and whistles like, 3D, touch screen and motion control. They also have the ability now to download games from their respective online stores and you are now able to watch movies on them with services like Netflix. They are great devices.
The reason Tablet and smartphone gaming is blasting ahead is mainly the fact that more people have tablets and phones which are used for well, talking and everything else. The fact that they are getting powerful graphics processors means better games, but I really do not think the majority of consumers are buying smartphones and tablets just for gaming, it’s just a great extra feature and at $.99 to $4.99 a pop for games ( alot are free) , I see it as a win win for the mobile community.
Now, about those games, sure, some have beautiful rendered graphics and are really fun but most are bogged down with in-app purchases to be able to even have a fun time or advance faster just because you are on the go and not on a sofa, so that $.99 cent game is not so inexpensive anymore is it?
Those who enjoy a full blown, long game at home (like me) will still need their console and $60 game or buy it used like I do. That is ok also. I need a controller in my hands after a while on a touch screen playing Vice City, Injustice or Infinity Blade on my iPhone 5 and if the game has a ton of options and actions, you do need physical buttons to accomplish many movements and combo’s or anything else a good game requires. Games like Gears of War, Red Dead Redemption, Heavy Rain, Resident Evil, Metal Gear and God of War will just not be the same on a mobile device. I did not say they will not work, but the experience will not be the same and will be dumbed down for a mobile platform. Yes there are controller add on’s available for your iPad and other tablets, but then that means the cost goes up to play games on your mobile device, controllers come standard with a console of course. See what I mean? Even on a keyboard for PC/ Mac gaming, Finger swipes up and down will just not cut it.
So, maybe there will be a majority of consumers gaming on mobile devices for their quick gaming fix on a tablet or phone during their commute or simply because the casual market is not interested in buying a $400 console. Hey! I bet more people talk on their cell phones than on their home phones too and …guess what? People still own and use ground lines.
The debate between Mobile VS Handhelds VS Consoles will rage on,
Give us your thoughts and opinions.
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