Consoles vs. handhelds vs. smartphones. Are smartphones a big threat?

While I love Steam, most people are sadly not PC gamers, despite the fact that many own PCs and a game console. Something needs to be done to get more people to realize the PC can be great for games, like maybe having PCs come with controllers and have a decent amount of graphical power out of the box. Remove the barriers and anyone who buys a new PC instantly owns a capable game system.

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The problem is that gaming rigs that can actually play high-def games with no lag at semi-high settings are also fantastically expensive, and become obsolete fast. Most household PCs are meant for quite other things than gaming, like studying and job-related stuff, and making them into the necessary powerhouses PC gaming requires much more time, effort and money than buying a console for a TV or running games on smartphones and tablets. I have pretty much had to give up playing new high-budget PC-games, simply because my computer can not handle it, and that's when playing a lower-resolution but much more streamlined console version becomes much more appreciated.

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These days, you can actually make a pretty decent gaming rig that'll run everything, most of it on high or better, for about $700 US. That's a good bit cheaper than it used to be.

I'm not overly worried about the supposed threat smartphones pose. They just don't target the same audiences. I'd be surprised to hear someone quit mainline gaming and sold their PS 3 because Angry Birds was just so damn entertaining.

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I HARDLY call Angry Birds entertaining. Challenging? Maybe. But besides going for 3-annoying-stars, there's practically no more value than watching stupid birds ram into some stupidly hard obstacles.

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sarcaaaaasssm

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We were told that this thread is not to degenerate into smartphone bashing. Let's keep it productive and talk about what's likely to happen or not happen.

Anyway, it's true that smartphones don't target quite the same audience. The Skyrim and Call of Duty and possibly even the Super Mario players are likely to use smartphones for simple games and consoles for more complex or more in-depth games. But there is still a threat when it comes to simple games that work on consoles. And if smartphone games can play like handheld games with controls that are acceptable to a lot of people, then they could take away from that market.

A couple days ago, I asked someone if he minded smartphone games lacking in decent controls, and he said "I dunno, I just like to play video games". Certain types of games just don't work on smartphones, of course, but there could be a problem there if a lot of people have that attitude and games with "touch the screen to play" controls do well enough.

I'm still waiting for Google or Apple to make that mainstream device that adds console-like controls to a smartphone and catches on. That is when the whole "touch the onscreen controls" thing will probably disappear for good.

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I did not bash smartphones. I only assaulted the credibility of Angry Birds' fame as a franchise. Tell me how does that relate to smartphones (since Angry Birds has PC ports as well) entirely.

At any rate, I support the idea that games can be released as applications for smartphones. However, phones have processing and lifespan limits. Not to mention, touchscreen can only do so much. Different hardwares for different folks. If people wanna stick to phones because they don't have the cash to get a console, that's fine. Not our right to decide for them.

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Sorry. It's just that this topic had problems with smartphone bashing (and I started it off admitting that I despite smartphone games), and I interpreted your comment that way.

And I'm fine with games being on smartphones. Words with Friends wouldn't be as good if you had to turn on your Nintendo DS every time to play it, considering how short each round is. Smartphones are the perfect medium for a game like that.

edited 23rd Feb '13 5:07:33 PM by BonsaiForest

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Indeed. And there are times where you don't really want to sit down with a handheld-console or similar either; such as when you've got just one or two minutes because you're waiting for something. To have a game on your phone is really useful and can be a fun and at times satisfying experience for the couple of minutes you need it. After all, you're already carrying around your phone for other reasons.

edited 23rd Feb '13 5:14:44 PM by Lemurian

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This report may be useful for this discussion.

Long story short:

Revenue from all games on iOS devices and the 3DS were very close last year. Of course, since iOS and Android games combined earned more than the 3DS and the Vita games combined, this means that the Android market earned more than the Vita did.^note This is especially humiliating for the Vita when you factor in a little-known fact that isn't in this report: Most Android games earn their money from ads, not actual payments directly from consumers.

edited 23rd Feb '13 5:23:38 PM by burnpsy

Product Placement inside a game can go very bad. We've yet to have one example where it's done well. Ads inside a console/platform have to strike the line away from annoyance and within 'pique the curiosity', otherwise it's bust.

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That's still pretty difficult to afford, though...

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Yeah, I can't exactly afford that personally.

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I know that if I bought a setup like that, I'd be paying it off for an entire year probably maybe even more. I don't know about the average gamer, but I don't make nearly enough to put in the money necessary for optimal gaming conditions.

edited 23rd Feb '13 11:35:11 PM by 0dd1

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With the way things are going nowadays, I thnk that handhelds are starting to die out. Sure, the Switch exists...as an hybrid between an console and an handheld. But it's really an console that I can take anywhere to me.

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Wait, that was a spam post? I just thought the guy was a hyper young kid with bad spelling or something.

Nope, spam. If you actually read the post, they're trying to advertise phones.

I've seen it suggested that Nintendo might make a smartphone, and I actually think this isn't a bad idea. People are turning to smartphones for on-the-go gaming? OK, let's make the best smartphone gaming system possible.

I'm thinking the Nintendo Phone should be something like Sony's effort with the Xperia Play. It can be used as a normal smartphone, but a gamepad with physical buttons can also be flipped out from the bottom, though the Nintendo Phone should have a second screen on the underside component so it can play (3)DS games. This second screen could offer additional functionality even in non-game apps; a bigger keyboard immediately jumps to mind, but it could also include play controls for media players, a street view in the map app, things like that.

As for backwards compatibility, I'm not sure if they'd want to include a cartridge slot. On the one hand, the entire (3)DS library would give it a good head start; however, that would also add bulk, and people do seem to like phones to be mere angstroms thick.

Considering how expensive smartphones are today, if they can sell it for under €300 they could well make a killing. If they need insider expertise, Samsung might be willing to partner with them, since they really want to get out of Google's dominion.

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Smartphones might be on their way out, since virtual wearables are finally getting off the ground (summary: hologram interface using VR). The small size of a smartphone limits what exactly what you can do with it—I don't mean technologically, I mean the screen is too small to do anything really interesting. So while I can't see smartphones replacing consoles, I could see virtual wearables doing it.

What is it about this thread specifically that attracts spam?

I'm guessing it's the use of the word "smartphones" in the title?

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