Cross-Platform Mobile Gaming Gaining Traction 43
andylim writes "Several mobile gaming companies are developing cross-platform multiplayer games allowing Android and iPhone users, for example, to play games against each other. Last month touchArcade reported on a cross-platform baseball game developed by Com2Us called Homerun Battle 3D. Unlike turn-based multiplayer mobile games, Homerun Battle 3D allows players to compete against each other instantly, but you don't see the other player — instead you only get to see your competitor's score being updated. Pushing cross-platform multiplayer games even further, a company called Bulky Pix has created a table-football-style game that displays the action as it happens — both players see the ball moving around. This hopefully suggests that cross-platform, multiplayer mobile shooters aren't far behind."
Correction (Score:4, Insightful)
Cross Platform? (Score:4, Insightful)
Pitting one cellphone against another cellphone does not seem like cross platform. Looking at the specs the hardware is almost totally identical on many.
Similarly pitting one gaming console against others of the same ilk seems only slightly more impressive.
Ditto for general purpose computer gaming.
It will truly be cross platform when PC/Mac/Linux gamers can be in the mix with Play stations and iPhones with skill (and ping) being the only deciding factors.
Checkers and Chess, no problem. First Person shooters or team combat type games are a whole different story.
This is levels of magnitude harder than porting a game to yet another ARM processor with a slightly different video chipset.
I don't see anything but turn based games having much prospect of competing fairly across all platforms.
Re:Correction (Score:2, Insightful)