Nokia Slams GameBoy, Discusses N-Gage

Thanks to Gamesindustry.biz for writing up an article discussing Nokia's most recent comments about their N-Gage portable phone/game deck, which launches later this year, and will be at least partly competing against Nintendo's all-conquering GameBoy Advance. Most notably, Nokia boss Ilkka Raiskinen is quoted as saying "GameBoy is for 10-year-olds. If you're 20 or 25 years old, it's probably not a good idea to draw a GameBoy out of your pocket on a Friday night in a public place."

It's not the system that matters....

[neostorm]

Sorry Nokia, toting around trendy hardware to show off with poor performance is what's for 10 year olds.

If this is Nokias stance on gaming, then they are already doomed. Not because of the trash-talking to gamers either.
They are making a very similar mistake that past console makers have done, and that is to front their systems and not their library. They haven't learned one of the most *basic* rules for manufacturers in the game industry, and that is that *games* make the system.
(Yadda, yadda... It's been said a 100 times)

I think the majority of the older generation of gamers play their games because they are fun, not because a system is hyped. I have yet to see any real fun games on the N-Gage. I'm 25 years old and I carry my GBA where ever I go. It's a blast, yours is not, I've played it.

Re:For a 20-year old...

[neostorm]

Maybe for you, but I'm 25 right now, and myself and all my friends both work in the game industry, and carry our gameboys everywhere. I don't see that changing any time soon. So theoretically, the habit will grow with the gamer. Maybe not many 30 year olds right *now* have gameboys, because maybe that "generation" of individuals looks upon it differently, but the age group that I occupy grew up with this stuff. It's part of life, we do it every day, it's our entertainment. When we're 30 years old, that's not going to change.

Re:Noika Slams GameBoy!

[sweetooth]

Your comparisons don't make a bit of sense. In the handheld gaming market Nintendo is the 800 pund gorilla. Nokia is a giant company that holds a good percentage of the cell phone market, but they are a newcomer to handheld gaming. Thier tactics are funny because they are resorting to mud slinging rather than introducing a good product. Cause I know that I would much rather have a handheld that requires me to remove the battery to change games and can't be used on an airplane instead of a Gameboy SP. Oh, and I'm part of thier 18-25 year old target demographic (I'm 24).

Not only is the handheld unappealing because of its design and poor cell phone integration it seems to me to be a trend with thier current line of cell phones. Why in the world would anyone want a cell phone that is layed out like a rotary phone?

Gabe of PA said it best

[octover]

Gabe of Penny Arcade [pennyarcade.com] said it best on June 11th. He talks more about how much the device sucks, but specifically about the trash talk he says this, "Your second mistake was in allowing Mr. Raiskinen to ever open his fucking mouth in public. His statement is so absurd that it borders on the humorous. In fact if I were not quite certain that he was serious I would think it was a joke. Not a good idea to take out a game boy in a public place? Does this man even live on this planet? Did he make these comments from inside some kind of protective bubble orbiting the earth, insulated from the day to day happenings of itâ(TM)s inhabitants? If I am out with my buddies on a Friday night and we are waiting in line for a movie or some other event I can guarantee that Game Boys will come out. Not one of my friends is without a GBA. They are practically a necessity at this point. Like bread or water. It is the poor young man still playing snake on his cell phone in the airport that gets the pitting look from our group.

We even strung our link cables across the seats in the airplane on our way to E3 in order to partake in some four player Puyo Pop. Whereas airline regulations will not even allow me to turn on your masterfully designed game system while anywhere near a fucking airplane much less play a game to pass the time. Oh and speaking of great design, having to remove the battery in order to change gamesâ¦brilliant. "

This fits my own sentiments dead on. Almost all of my friends have SPs and you better bet we will pull them out when we are sitting waiting for a table or a movie to start. That is the beauty of my SP, I can play high quality games where ever I happen to be. So I can have a social life without having to sacrifice my gaming completely. I was interested in checking out the N-Gage, but now I feel that out of principle of not contributing to its success I won't. I am your target demo graphic, young geek male with loads of disposable income. Way to go Nokia.

2Old2bCool

[nick_davison]

If you're 20 or 25 years old, it's probably not a good idea to draw a GameBoy out of your pocket on a Friday night in a public place."

Last Friday night, at 2Fast2Furious (I'm in a war of attrition with a friend to drag each other to the worst possible movie), I pulled a platinum SP out of my pocket and played (original GB) Mario in the cinema, waiting for the movie to start. All the little kiddies playing centipede on their cell phones all leant over to watch, as did the older people on a retro kick.

Granted, I've been 26 for two months now, so I'm clearly passed it.

GameBoys have a level of retro cool that completely transcends just about any other retro fad. They also have a stupidly large library of some of the most simply playable games ever. I'd choose to be seen playing one of those things over the "Please look at me, I desperately need to be cool by sticking flashing LED battery packs on my cell phone" alternative - be it Friday night or any other time.

The Last Gasp of a Stillborn Product?

[Ochobee]

"GameBoy is for 10-year-olds. If you're 20 or 25 years old, it's probably not a good idea to draw a GameBoy out of your pocket on a Friday night in a public place." Uh, yeah but pulling out a big, goofy looking phone and playing it is?Gameboy has become a common sight among 20-25 year olds and beyond. Hell, I'm 32 and I play my GBA every day during breaks at work and the only response I get is, "What game is that? Cool!"I take it to baseball games to play between innings or when the game is getting ugly (and living in San Diego I get to see my fair share of ugly baseball games). Again, not a shameful or mocking look to be had.