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Portables (Games)

The Handheld War 66

Posted by Zonk from the screen-to-screen-to-screen dept.
The Escapist has an editorial up talking about the war currently raging in the trenches...and not the console war, for once. The new handhelds are duking it out for position, and he makes some interesting predictions. From the article: "Sony's stumble will clear the way for Nokia's N-Gage powered smartphones to be the #2 platform in handheld gaming. I see it developing into a PC-like platform. Think of it like this: Everybody has a PC. Everybody uses their PC for work and web. Some people also use it for gaming - enough people to make the PC, as a platform, the second biggest; it's the same concept with the smartphone."
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The Handheld War More

The Handheld War

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  • Are you kidding me? (Score:4, Insightful)

    by ersgameboy ( 571332 ) on Wednesday July 20, 2005 @01:13PM (#13114824)
    The N-Gage is basically dead and buried. Nothing will bring it back.

  • N-Gage? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by ZephyrXero ( 750822 ) <zephyrxero@[ ]oo.com ['yah' in gap]> on Wednesday July 20, 2005 @01:13PM (#13114833) Homepage Journal
    This might be possible for the N-Gage if it were an open platform that other phone companies used, but by it only being in certain Nokia phones the likelihood of that happening is pretty low...

  • As if the N-Gage comment didn't throw me off... (Score:3, Funny)

    by sH4RD ( 749216 ) on Wednesday July 20, 2005 @01:16PM (#13114858) Homepage
    ...this had me really going: "It's the same reason US cars are better than Japanese cars: We've been doing it longer."

    What a great joke site, that's the funniest thing I've seen all day...oh...wait...that's not a joke? Oh...sad...

  • Disparity (Score:4, Insightful)

    by vethia ( 900978 ) on Wednesday July 20, 2005 @01:18PM (#13114880)
    The problem with the idea of using a cellphone for handheld gaming is that the best features of a cellphone aren't necessarily the best features to have in a handheld. For instance, today's most popular cellphone models are too small to make effective handhelds, and the N-Gage is too large to be a worthwhile phone. Unless it has the same level of functionality as a Sidekick, nobody's going to want to use something that clunky as a telephone.

    It's true that cellphones are tending more towards visuals and including more games, but I doubt the kind of games that cellphone users want to play are the same as the ones that handheld console owners want. Cellphone games are mostly a way to kill time, whereas most handheld gamers are looking for a little extra.

    In short: people who want to play handheld games will just buy a handheld console, and people who want to play cellphone games are content with the existing, non-N-Gage options.

    • I agree.

      The only type of dual function portable game device I would by is maby a Pocket PC/XBox portable. That would be cool, since I cary a Pocket PC seperate from my cell phone anyway.

  • Okay, I have to continue my commentary... (Score:4, Insightful)

    by sH4RD ( 749216 ) on Wednesday July 20, 2005 @01:22PM (#13114920) Homepage
    He claims that the N-Gage will succeed in the fact that it will have the largest installed user base. N-Gage game compatable phones will be purchased by people who don't care, and ignorant pundits will then claim that means it's a successful console. When can we start measuring success in games sold, not consoles? It's the games where the money is made after all...
    • Actually, the whole point of it is that having that huge installed base, will result in people who will pick up a game or two. And the N-Gage will start getting games that are more popular on a more mainstream basis (Puzzle, platformers, etc.)
    • It's the games where the money is made after all...

      This is kind of a myth. It's only ever true for about the first year or so of any new console's existence, but plenty of systems have been profitable from a hardware standpoint on day one (the GBA SP, for example).

      It is true that most recent consoles have necessitated a period of losses in order to subsidize market share gains that would later reap profits. But this isn't always the case, nor is it really a fact that it's the system itself causing thos

      • the business model of selling razors and blades [is] not a proper analogy. A better analogy, at least in this context, would be between the business model of the game industry and the business model of the auto industry (cars and gasoline).

        Car companies don't intentionally lock out competing car companies' brands of gasoline, unlike Gillette and Schick that produce razors compatible with only the manufacturer's own set of blades. Given the lockout mechanisms on video game consoles, which have been in pl

    • I agree that people buying the phones won't be buying them to play N-Gage games, that's common sense as they would just buy an N-Gage itself.

      But, imagine if your DVD player broke down every 2-3 years and you go out to get a new one. Now your new DVD player just so happens to be able to play PS2 games or any other consol game plaform's games. Would you go out and grab a game to see how it plays? Because it's something new and innovative? Because it's simply a new feature that's freakin cool? I think so.
    • "When can we start measuring success in games sold, not consoles? It's the games where the money is made after all..."

      I agree. Box office sales aren't ranked by the number of theaters a movie played at; they're ranked by number of tickets sold (or by the money made from those tickets). By the game industry's current logic, gadgets like iPods, cell phones, and graphing calculators are completely destroying the PS2 in terms of system sales. But it doesn't matter, because few people use them for games. Deve

  • Horrible misuse of statistics (Score:3, Funny)

    by Andy_R ( 114137 ) on Wednesday July 20, 2005 @01:30PM (#13115010) Homepage Journal
    There are 40 N-Gage games in the shops and only 32 PSP ones, therefore the N-Gage is better than the PSP. The same logic also shows that Snake is a better game than Half-Life, and ants are more intelligent than people*

    * which in the case of the autuor of this article might actually be true.

  • One problem. (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Kelbear ( 870538 ) on Wednesday July 20, 2005 @01:34PM (#13115044)
    Marketing and brandname are tough categories to compete in when dealing with such a tiny market. Nintendo and Sony are pretty much the only big players here.

    Nokia's N-Gage came out as a joke, a well-repeated and oft-referenced comedy. Side-talkin!
    They'll need to sink a lot of money into producing innovative and affordable products. But on top of that, they'll need to dish out a massive marketing campaign to remedy a terrible first impression.

    If the writer envisions a multi-purpose handheld gaming system taking over the market due to integrating with other gadgets...Nokia won't be the one dishing it out.

    My bet is a later generation of a Sony handheld due to the way they've been trying pack extra features into the PS3 past it's gaming features(Still remains to be seen what features survive into release...). Nintendo will probably try to stick to games and pleasing its hardcore fans.

    In my opinion, integration is nice, but people are buying these handhelds for playing games first and foremost. The rest is window dressing.

  • 360th? (Score:1, Flamebait)

    by Fr05t ( 69968 )
    "Sony has just now produced its third console, while Microsoft is already on its 360th."

    I'm sure this is a joke, but it's not well delivered. It comes across as far to serious which had me thinking the guy was really that dumb for a moment.

  • Only got to page 2 (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Fr05t ( 69968 ) on Wednesday July 20, 2005 @01:53PM (#13115230)
    I'm sorry I tried to read the entire FA, but I couldn't do it. By the end of the second page this guy must have referred to himself in the third person close to 10 times. "Steele Style" was my favorite.

    This is the second post The Escapist has gotten, and so far I've found it painful to read an article half full of self horn blowing.

    Seriously though, "Max Steele"? Who comes up with this shit?
  • Sure, nokia may sell a bunch of smartphones, but that doesn't mean that volume of sales is an automatic indicator of some level of success as a gaming platform. You have to convice consumers that the features the phone offers are valuable to them. I don't think this is a question of units sold. Its more a question of whether the person buying the phone uses the features. Working for Verizon I can tell you that many people over 30 aren't interested in text messaging, picture messaging, data services, cameras

  • dedicated devices are better (Score:3, Insightful)

    by cycledance ( 812080 ) on Wednesday July 20, 2005 @02:16PM (#13115458)
    1) pc for work/console for gaming.

    2) mobile phone for calls/gba,ds for gaming/ipod for portable music.

    3) games draw way too much power from the mobile phones.

    4) gaming while waiting for call=bad.

    5) games on mobile phones SUCK.

    • Re:dedicated devices are better (Score:4, Insightful)

      by NanoGator ( 522640 ) on Wednesday July 20, 2005 @04:19PM (#13116726) Homepage Journal
      "1) pc for work/console for gaming.

      2) mobile phone for calls/gba,ds for gaming/ipod for portable music.

      3) games draw way too much power from the mobile phones.

      4) gaming while waiting for call=bad.

      5) games on mobile phones SUCK."


      Yet, all these points are completely moot if you have your cell phone with you, but not your game machine. It is truely amazing that so many people assume that everybody carries a digital camera, video camera, iPod, and GameBoy around everywhere they go.

  • So funny. (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Rod Beauvex ( 832040 )
    It sends me into fits of laughter to see people get all hot and bothered because Nintendo is successful. Rather than admit Nintedo won, they'll support the N Gage. Pathetic.
    • Yeah, and what's up with the charts on this page? [escapistmagazine.com] Somehow they predict that the PSP will magically quadruple its sales in the next 12 months, while the DS will maintain the exact same sales rate? Did he get this from an analyst, or just make it up on the fly?

      There's also a problem with his theory that the PSP will win because of easy ports. In the recent article State of the Handheld Industry, [nintendoinsider.com] handheld developers seem to believe that Sony won't tolerate console-to-PSP ports. It sounds to me like they're
  • Are poorly conceived jokes at best. These people demonstrate a lack of basic understanding in the games industry. What the often fail to mention is how profit pans out, as far as profit goes, Nintendo won this generation big time.
    • I stumbled upon another article about Midnight Club Racing for the PSP here's a quote

      "The few puzzle games on the PSP are almost an afterthought; it's as if someone at Sony suddenly remembered how many Gameboy Tetris sold."

      I thought this would be followed by "jk lol" but it was not. C'mon, for one thing Sony doesn't make all the PSP games ya jackass, and for two, Lumines is not even remotely close to being an afterthought oh lookie there it's the number one rated on gamerankings.com.

      • C'mon, for one thing Sony doesn't make all the PSP games ya jackass

        True, Sony doesn't develop or promote all PSP games, but Sony does develop the code library used by all PSP games and does manufacture all UMD discs.

        and for two, Lumines is not even remotely close to being an afterthought oh lookie there it's the number one rated on gamerankings.com.

        Lumines is no longer a PSP exclusive title.

      • You know Lumines is great. I know Lumines is great. Someone should tell the rest of the world; it was dead last in total sales at launch.

        The only other decent PSP puzzler is Mercury, and no-one gave Archer the budget to promote that one, either.

  • Penny-Arcade (Score:3, Funny)

    by tprime ( 673835 ) on Wednesday July 20, 2005 @02:55PM (#13115857)
    If you want a much better (and funnier) view on where gaming has been and is going, read JiveMagazine.com's interview with Penny-Arcade's Gabe and Tycho. [jivemagazine.com]The author of the Jive article doesn't keep referring to himself in the third person. Max Steele reminds me of the Simpsons where Homer changed his name to Max Power because it sounded cooler.

  • N-Gage, Series 60 and Nokia (Score:3, Informative)

    by LKM ( 227954 ) on Wednesday July 20, 2005 @03:46PM (#13116389)

    I'm one of the three people who actually own an N-Gage, so I feel qualified to comment on its chance as an opponent of the DS and the PSP.

    It has no chance.

    The N-Gage sucks. The screen is too small and tall instead of wide, which makes it useless for most games (Sonic N actually doesn't use about 30% of the screen, which means it's even smaller than most N-Gage games). The buttons are crap. The directional pad is crap. It sounds worse than the cheapest Radio I've ever heard. It's capable of 3D graphics, but not of usable 3D graphics, so most 3D games are pretty much unplayable, and since people don't seem to want 2D games anymore, most N-Gage games are 3D. Even though you don't have to take the battery out to switch the game, you have to tell the N-Gage that you want to switch the game, wait for it to confirm that, open the N-Gage Game slot thingie, switch the game, wait till the N-Gage acknowledges the game, start the game. Turning the N-Gage on takes at least 30 seconds and took me up to 2 minutes in some cases. It has no shoulder buttons, and the button placement makes it really hard to use more than two or three buttons. The N-Gage actually needs a SIM card, otherwise you can't even turn it on. It is so slow that it can't emulate classic Gameboy games at decent speed. Zelda is playable, but you can forget about action games. The N-Gage is a pretty decent phone, and I like the button placement, but it's too big, and it has no touch screen, which would be useful for the phone interface.

    And these are only some of the problems I've been having.

    Of course, some Series 60 phones can play N-Gage games, but the button placement is even worse than on the N-Gage.

    Nokia might become a serious player in the handheld gaming segment, but not with this hardware.

  • The author essentially puts the DS and N-Gage over the PSP for some good reasons. Playing the PSP _is_ quite an involved experience, where you have to press through a few menus to even get at the gaming for most games (though the "loading time" for Midnight Club is way exaggerated in the article), and the DS _is_ "innovative" in the sense that it has two screens, one of them being a touch screen. I think that his whole "smartphones are ubiquitous, therefore n-gage will beat out psp eventually" argument is

    • Games will cost similarly for both systems for the consumer, but in the case of optical storage, fabrication costs _much_ less

      Fabrication of Nintendo DS game cards isn't as much cheaper than fabrication of UMD discs as you'd think, given that Nintendo will soon be moving to new cheaper OTP memories manufactured by Matrix Semiconductor [matrixsemi.com] for Nintendo DS game cards. Given that Nintendo could afford to give away DS cards containing the Zelda: Twilight Princess trailer at E3 2005...

      The games that _do_ use

    • Really, the higher capacity offered by PSP discs is useful more for things like long, epic RPGs with lots of cut scenes and the like. While this is a definite advantage on consoles, I don't know of anyone who would want to produce an epic RPG for a handheld. After all, it would sell better and have more freedom on a console in the first place.

      You also fail to take into account the fact that handheld games are meant to be 'pick up and play', not deep, involved affairs that require load times. They should of
      • To an extent, I disagree with you.

        I am very excited about the possibility of long, epic RPGs for the DS. I want to play though Crystal Chronicles. I hear there are remakes of vintage RPGs coming to the DS: Super Nintendo Style Final Fantasy, ChronoTrigger, Earthbound, etc. Many of these qualify as "epic RPGs", and many of these I look forward to playing on my DS>

        On the other hand, I agree with you. I will not suffer through of PreRendered Motion Crap. Its a different story on my console, but not o
    • Ultimately, I don't really care. DS games were made to be fun, not to look pretty, even though Mario Kart DS does. They were made for FUN, which the PSP does not have, Mr. Graphics Whore.
    • Sure, the DS may have TWO screens, one of them being a touch screen, allowing developers to get a bit creative, but it's just a matter of time for the novelty effect to wear off and for people to realize that these features do not actually enhance the gaming experience by much.

      I dunno man, I own a DS and the touch screen is a real pleasure to use. When I go back and play GBA games, I almost feel out of place playing without using the touch screen. Try playing Pac-Pix [namco.com] and you'll understand.
    • "Sure, the DS may have TWO screens, one of them being a touch screen, allowing developers to get a bit creative, but it's just a matter of time for the novelty effect to wear off and for people to realize that these features do not actually enhance the gaming experience by much."

      A touchscreen is much more efficient for any menu-based game, any game requiring a virtual keyboard, games with user-created content, "hands-on" games like card games and board games, and any PC-based genres like RTSs and FPSs. T
    • Sure, the DS may have TWO screens, one of them being a touch screen, allowing developers to get a bit creative, but it's just a matter of time for the novelty effect to wear off and for people to realize that these features do not actually enhance the gaming experience by much.

      Go, right now, and find a store with a DS demo. Play Kirby: Canvas Curse for 10 minutes, and come back here and tell me the the gaming experience hasn't changed by much. That thing is a triumph, an experince that just wouldn't be pos

  • 1. DS is teh kiddeh!!11!!1
    ~Care to prove this one for once? 2. PSP will get success from having lots of ports.
    ~Again, that ps2 games can be ported to psp doesn't mean people will buy them. 3. Ngage gaming on consumer phones will make ngage #2.
    ~This one is possible, but not remotely a sure thing.
    • Gah, stupid formatting. Here's an easier read:

      Many false assertions in article... (Score:2)
      by incom (570967) on Wednesday July 20, @05:13PM (#13117197)
      1. DS is teh kiddeh!!11!!1
      ~Care to prove this one for once?
      2. PSP will get success from having lots of ports.
      ~Again, that ps2 games can be ported to psp doesn't mean people will buy them.
      3. Ngage gaming on consumer phones will make ngage #2.
      ~This one is possible, but not remotely a sure thing.

  • Don't forget the DS VoIP demo! (Score:3, Interesting)

    by earthbound kid ( 859282 ) on Wednesday July 20, 2005 @10:35PM (#13120270) Homepage
    I agree with the comments everyone else has made: namely, the author is on crack and the N-gage is dead. However, I'd like to point out that no one has mentioned the demo Nintendo did at E3, where they used DSes to make VoIP phone calls. In other words, if Nintendo ever feels like releasing the software for it, you'll be able to make free call to other DSes and possibly computers and phone lines at any WiFi hotspot. So basically, it's a portable phone that makes cheap calls.

    Score one more for the DS.
  • Nintendo is still projected to ship more DSs than Sony will PSPs in the next twelve months.

    Also, I would like to point Mr. Steele to the Japanese sales figures. [m-create.com]

    Two titles have been released in the past couple months that are very interesting: "DS Training for Adults: Work Your Brain" and "Gentle Brain Exercises."

    Both of these games are tearing up the charts. This ain't kiddy fare. They are aimed squarely at gamers older than 18-24 years old. "Gentle Brain Exercises" was number 2 for the week ending the

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