Iwata: Future of dedicated gaming handhelds

[Deleted_171835]

"I think that if we are able to provide experiences on handheld devices that consumers cannot get on another device, then we will continue creating software and hardware going forward, and if it comes to a point when we're not able to do that, I think, yeah, you will see portable handheld gaming devices go the way of the Dodo, I guess."

"I think a lot of this discussion is based on the premise that the handheld gaming device market is shrinking or vanishing and I don't think that is true and I'd like to address that,"

"As of last week, 3DS sales in Japan reached seven million, and that's the 77th week post-launch. If we look at DS and DS Lite which people were saying, ‘oh my gosh this thing is selling like hotcakes, it's crazy!' it reached the seven million mark at week 72. And for the Nintendo DS that was two Christmases. For the 3DS it's only been one Christmas. And we also had a large earthquake in Japan. And of course now there's a smartphone boom in Japan, we're right in the middle of it. [Note from Stephen: The Nintendo 3DS has sold 19 million units worldwide since launch, as of late June.

"I don't think there's not a bright future for handheld devices but I understand that the competition, again with the rise of smart devices is different, and I do recognize that.

"I think within games you have two needs that people fill. One is the time-filler need. The other is that it's a very important time for me and I want to have a rich experience. Those are two separate needs, I think." His implication was that Nintendo handheld gaming satisfied the latter need in a way that smartphone gaming typically did not.

I agree with Iwata. Dedicated handhelds won't be going anywhere anytime soon. Smartphones and dedicated handhelds represent two different niches with more rich experiences on the latter and quicker pick-up-and-play games on the former.

http://kotaku.com/5936557/unintimidated-by-apple-nintendos-boss-says-the-world-still-needs-dedicated-gaming-handhelds

 

[Wizerzak]

He has a good point about time-wasting. I mean, who sits down and dedicates themselves an hour to playing doodle jump etc.?

Spoiler

inb4 someone says that they do

 

[Clarky]

read this earlier, I do agree with what he is saying, you do wonder though how long will it be before some bright spark tries making another n-gage

 

[EyeZ]

The first line of the first paragraph sums it up perfectly, well as i see it anyway.

 

[BORTZ]

He has a good point about time-wasting. I mean, who sits down and dedicates themselves an hour to playing doodle jump etc.?

Spoiler

inb4 someone says that they do

Now if its one of the harder/more involved games than maybe. Like Infinity Blade or ME:Infiltrator.
But Doodle jump? no.

 

[Hadrian]

Now if its one of the harder/more involved games than maybe. Like Infinity Blade or ME:Infiltrator.

Those games are just novelties that are "gee whiz look they can do that now!" but they're hardly what they are meant to be. Personally I played maybe a level or two of each for a couple of days and then abandoned them for Wheres the Water?..which I have spent hours on in one sitting because it's pretty awesome.

 

[RchUncleSkeleton]

read this earlier, I do agree with what he is saying, you do wonder though how long will it be before some bright spark tries making another n-gage

I don't think another N-Gage will come into play with the rise of smart phones, not to mention things like the N-Gage never get any 1st party support and very limited and sparse 3rd party support.

 

[Clarky]

read this earlier, I do agree with what he is saying, you do wonder though how long will it be before some bright spark tries making another n-gage

I don't think another N-Gage will come into play with the rise of smart phones, not to mention things like the N-Gage never get any 1st party support and very limited and sparse 3rd party support.

smart phone + proper controls + good games = n gage 2?

forget the name and go with that idea there. Now there is a choice between android, ios and even windows mobile the foundations to make a good mobile/handheld game device are there, i just doubt any phone manufactorer right now is interested in making "deep" games on mobiles right now

 

[KingVamp]

The best and most balanced handheld-phone hybrids will be made by Nintendo and/or Sony.

 

[FluffyLunamoth]

The best and most balanced handheld-phone hybrids will be made by Nintendo and/or Sony.

>Balance >Sony >No

You might want to think about just how much a true Sony handheld-phone would cost...

 

[Issac]

smart phone + proper controls + good games = n gage 2?

forget the name and go with that idea there.

The best and most balanced handheld-phone hybrids will be made by Nintendo and/or Sony.

Xperia Play says Hi! (proper controls, smartphone, psx games)

 

[Clarky]

smart phone + proper controls + good games = n gage 2?

forget the name and go with that idea there.

The best and most balanced handheld-phone hybrids will be made by Nintendo and/or Sony.

Xperia Play says Hi! (proper controls, smartphone, psx games)

hardly been marketed with its own games has it? like the reason people buy into vitas or 3ds'.

 

[Hyro-Sama]

Not sure how the consumer could confuse the two different markets. Both Sony and Nintendo realize that most handheld gaming is done on the couch. Most smartphone use is done while on the go.

 

[Foxi4]

Dedicated handheld consoles will share the fate of dedicated PNA's, PDA's and Media Players. PDA's have been replaced by smartphones and palmphones ages ago, PNA's are becoming less and less popular and other than "mini mp3 players" such as the iPod Shuffle, Media Players have been made redundant - handheld consoles eventually will as well.

It's not that difficult to make a proper "gaming" handset - Noka attempted it with the N-Gage and would've succeeded if not for the portrait screen and the "click" buttons rather than standard handheld console buttons, the Xperia Play took it up a notch by introducing a wide screen, shoulder buttons and pseudo-analog touchpads - progress has been made design-wise.

People want their handheld devices to do "everything" - it's not hard to imagine a smarphone with full handheld console capabilities, really. There is a market for it, especially now when Multiplayer features have become so important in gaming. A smartphone offers non-stop connectivity - a handheld console? Not always.

The only limitation here is the battery life - a phone has to be turned on at all times, a console? Not necessarily. Once that boundry is out of the way... the future is bright.

 

[BORTZ]

Now if its one of the harder/more involved games than maybe. Like Infinity Blade or ME:Infiltrator.

Those games are just novelties that are "gee whiz look they can do that now!" but they're hardly what they are meant to be. Personally I played maybe a level or two of each for a couple of days and then abandoned them for Wheres the Water?..which I have spent hours on in one sitting because it's pretty awesome.

Really? I felt like they were like playing a console game or something. I really enjoyed my time with IB and ME.

 

[Rasas]

smart phone + proper controls + good games = n gage 2?

forget the name and go with that idea there.

The best and most balanced handheld-phone hybrids will be made by Nintendo and/or Sony.

Xperia Play says Hi! (proper controls, smartphone, psx games)

hardly been marketed with its own games has it? like the reason people buy into vitas or 3ds'.

It has some exclusives but honestly a lot of the games are just crappy ports using buttons. Just look at a GTA3 video and see the problems.

 

[shakirmoledina]

again comes the concept of hardcore v casual v time waster. i am maybe the first but unlikely the 2nd or 3rd. casual and time waster i think there is a difference. the former is to play and have a good time (limbo or its likes) while the latter is just to pass time when waiting for something or when u just pick up the device.

 

[KingVamp]

it's not hard to imagine a handheld console with full smartphone capabilities, really.

The only limitation here is the battery life - a phone has to be turned on at all times, a console? Not necessarily. Once that boundry is out of the way... the future is bright.

They're people working on it, I just wish they get here faster.

Really? I felt like they were like playing a console game or something. I really enjoyed my time with IB and ME.

This felt like a console game?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoWmeM11FR4
VS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Irz40MFYrR0

?

 

[AceWarhead]

it's not hard to imagine a handheld console with full smartphone capabilities, really.

The only limitation here is the battery life - a phone has to be turned on at all times, a console? Not necessarily. Once that boundry is out of the way... the future is bright.

They're people working on it, I just wish they get here faster.

Really? I felt like they were like playing a console game or something. I really enjoyed my time with IB and ME.

This felt like a console game?
http://www.youtube.c...h?v=ZoWmeM11FR4
VS
http://www.youtube.c...h?v=Irz40MFYrR0

?

What the hell, the ME game basically plays itself...

 

[chavosaur]

I personally enjoyed the deadspace game on ios and android. It was a really great game. Felt almost like a console game.