In light of yesterday’s N-Gage news, I thought it would be interesting to list out the reasons that mobile gaming on your handset is inherently better than console gaming. Obviously you could argue both sides, but from an end-user and business perspective, mobile gaming is very clearly the better opportunity.
1. It’s everywhere. Obviously you *can* load up your PS3 and take it to a buddy’s house, but you can’t necessarily play it just anywhere.
2. New games and content are instantly available. With mobile gaming, you can get new games instantly, directly to your handset, and easily. With consoles, there’s game discs or cartridges that you must care for and keep up with.
3. New ways to play. With mobile gaming, there are so many options of gameplay. Some newer phones have TV-Out, which means you would simply use your handset as a controller, and others have accelerometers built in, so you can use movement for controls.
4. Cheaper for developers. For countless reasons, it would cost ALOT less to develop a quality game for a mobile handset rather than for an Xbox 360. Consoles need higher graphics, which means more pixels/polygons, and more complex controls. Mobile games don’t need either.
5. Bluetooth gaming. With a mobile handset, you can use bluetooth to play against someone on the same train, or go to your buddy’s house and play.
Regardless of whether it’s through N-Gage or through other mobile phone gaming platforms, I’m convinced that mobile handset gaming is superior to console gaming for most consumers. Don’t you agree?
I can see your point there, but I do think you are plucking at straws. Yes N-Gage platform will be good for the mobile games industry and Nokia in particular, yes it is handy having a few games on your handset to pass the time. But for dedicated gamers not even one would agree that mobile gaming is “better” than normal gaming. Simpler and quicker perhaps, but better? I would have to disagree. The gaming scene is full of gamers, and are dedicated to gaming, there is obviously a transition between the gamers and mobile enthusiasts and me being one would not agree that mobile gaming is better than the actual games console gaming experience.
The mobile platform is limited and is not a viable way of spending time playing real games, sure I can’t take it wherever I go, but that’s not what console gaming is about, mobile gaming on the other hand is. Both platforms have their pros and cons, but mobile gaming cannot be considered better in anyway other than being mobile.
For gamers, yes. But for *most consumers*, they’re far more likely to play a game on their handsets than they are consoles.