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planar1280 · Jul 25, 2011

this is absurd. those who will want to buy $60 games will keep on buying it. Those who buy the 0.99 games are just a bigger bunch because they have a bigger share of casuals and smaller share of hardcore gamers. This does not mean people are moving away from $60 games.

BobTheFork · Jul 25, 2011

I find it hard to argue that a person who was set to buy Gears 3 is going to be diverted by a 99 cent game. The people who haven't played gears and only play 99 cents games, that really isn't his potential audience with this game.

MikeE21286 · Jul 25, 2011

Kinda sad that Infinity Blade (albeit a good mobile game) is what constitues a "premium SKU" due to its $6.99 (?) price tag

The way I see this whole situation shaking out is something like this....

Console games will stick to their current price point. These games will then diminish in price at some yet to be determined rate (this variable will be either set by the market, publishers, first party console holders, or some combination). The end point of price decline will not be a situation that we have right now, and have had for the past several generations, where there end up being 4+ year old games sitting on shelves at a Greatest/Platinum Hits price point of $19.99/$29.99. The end point is these games will eventually become free. Publishers/developers will continue to build DLC/microtransactions as they have been doign since the middle of this generation. These will help monteize those who buy the "freemium" version of a game at what is determined to be the tail end of the games "premium" price point life cycle. What those people (neogaf members, "core" gamers, etc.) that will still live by the old business model will be paying for is almost an "early" entry into the game.

This will have adverse affects on the rate at which technology advances within the console space. We all know that the razorblade business model that console manufacturers (outside of Nintendo) have typically adopted is going away. Huge losses at the inception of hardware will not continue, it's just too risky. Technology will advance at a much slower rate within the console space as a result

Geoff9920 · Jul 25, 2011

subversus said:
what is funny they are to some extent. But The Witcher 2 devs for example won't be affected by that.

I think the only overlap here is the type of person who will be buying both.

And I don't buy the whole doom and gloom of gaming consoles going the way of the dodo. It doesn't make any sense at all.

FoxSpirit · Jul 25, 2011

Ulchie said:
Actually? Does anybody here still play anything beyond Angry Birds/PvZ on their phones now? I can't entertain myself for longer than 30 minutes on my phone. Traditional games aren't going anywhere.

Get Toki Tori and Majesty. Especially Majesty has been a great experience and I spent a few hours on it yesterday.
But that's not because it's a phone game but because it's a great game.
Something like a proper SimCity could also work really well.
The 4.3" OLED of my S-II is really well suited for games like this in it's size. But all of them are not $0.99 apps.

Actually, many of the "top paid" apps are more like $3. Still cheap but for 99cents you simply can't offer much content, only clever gameplay (nanoPanda).

That said, companies should really space out their releases more. I mean, looking at November, murder is gonna happen in the big budget sector. I hope SaintsRow 3 will do well.

stuminus3 · Jul 25, 2011

What's killing this industry is everyone believing it's supposed to be a one-horse race.

IMO there's enough customers in the world for Gears of War 3 AND Infinity Blade. I don't believe one devalues the other too much, regardless of price or even content.

SmokyDave · Jul 25, 2011

BobTheFork said:
I find it hard to argue that a person who was set to buy Gears 3 is going to be diverted by a 99 cent game. The people who haven't played gears and only play 99 cents games, that really isn't his potential audience with this game.

It's not money, it's time. I had intended to play Just Cause 2 on 360 last night but just before, I flicked on the news. Whilst I was watching the news I started casually playing, believe it or not, Infinity Blade. I'd been playing it that lunchtime and I figured I'd just finish that bloodline. Before I knew it, over an hour had passed and I didn't really have time for JC2. Because IB was on my phone, I picked it up again in bed later that night and put in another 30-45 minutes.

If that happens often enough, you start thinking twice about buying full price console games at launch. That's the boat I'm in and I suspect I'm not alone.

subversus · Jul 25, 2011

Geoff9920 said:
I think the only overlap here is the type of person who will be buying both.

And I don't buy the whole doom and gloom of gaming consoles going the way of the dodo. It doesn't make any sense at all.

I played Gears and I played Infinity Blade. Both are fun and essentially scratch the same itch. I even enjoyed "story" more in Infinity Blade but that because I don't play these games for story. Nothing really changed in action-arcade gameplay after all these years except graphics which is why console games are threatened by mobile. The core is the same.

SmokyDave said:
If that happens often enough, you start thinking twice about buying full price console games at launch. That's the boat I'm in and I suspect I'm not alone.

yes, the same for me.

Fernando Rocker · Jul 25, 2011

Wait, wait, wait... is Epic agreeing with Nintendo?

StuBurns · Jul 25, 2011

stuminus3 said:
What's killing this industry is everyone believing it's supposed to be a one-horse race.

IMO there's enough customers in the world for Gears of War 3 AND Infinity Blade. I don't believe one devalues the other too much, regardless of price or even content.

That's not the point. Take Infinity Blade, it was much more profittable than Shadow Complex, so now Epic (who have a limited resource pool) have to decide what do to next, do they make the sequel to the hugely inferior iPhone game which makes much more money? Yes, they should.

The fear some people seem to have is that console gaming won't stop being viable, it'll stop being worth the effort. When you've been around for twenty years, and Zynga come out of no where to become one of the biggest independent games companies in the world, you have to look at your business model unless you're really just in it for the 'art'.

[Nintex] · Jul 25, 2011

Raonak said:
I don't think that will be a real issue until the Xperia play catches on.

It's really hard to have complex console-like games on a mobile with only touchscreens and motion contols. No shoulder buttons, no analoges(fuck that virtual shit) and no tatical feedback.

I try my hardest to play more complex touch games, But it's too frustrating to play. There was a dual stick shooter on android, it was really good, but hot-dam, it was awful to contorl. virtual analoges are a pain to work with.

But maybe the games have become too complex for the market or at least the mainstream market so the ROI on the complex games is an issue? Maybe they're wasting money by spending money on cutscenes, expensive voice actors and hollywood writers who don't essentially make the game any better? Maybe the $0.99 app is simply more fun? Because remember, these apps are mostly made by guys and girls who got sick of the work ethic, crunch times and management issues at larger "AAA+" developers and publishers.

I think there's a market for both type of games but some publishers really need to rethink their strategy.

sixteen-bit · Jul 25, 2011

If it leads to more experiences like Infinity Blade, fine

REV 09 · Jul 25, 2011

i view iOS as a threat to handhelds. For big budget titles, i think Epic has more to fear from something like Steam than Apple. There seems to be a mentality among pc gamers to wait until games are dirt cheap before they'll make a purchase. I'm all for sales, but surely this can't be good for the industry long term. The good thing about pc gaming from a publisher standpoint is that they don't have to worry about a secondary market. Even if a game is sold on the cheap, that sale is final.

Acosta · Jul 25, 2011

Is not a problem of quality, it´s a problem of a business model that is outdated and needs to change.

The "60$ entry for a game" model it´s dead and keeps walking for pure inertia. It makes no sense anymore and the industry will have to keep on without it. There is no secret formula, perhaps some studios will go with budget adjustment and adapt their initial prices to certain conditioms, while others with go with a more aggressive revenue model, but as a matter of fact, the initial barrier of entry will have to be much lower.

The only thing that 0.99 apps, freemium games and so are doing is exposing the weakness of the "official" business model. That's not a menace, that's a call for the established companies to wake the fuck up.

CrankyKong · Jul 25, 2011

In the future, everything will be played on a piece of glass.

subversus · Jul 25, 2011

StuBurns said:
unless you're really just in it for the 'art'.

Many of them are in it for this. They love doing it. So what I predict is that we see less big-budgeted games in the future.

Dyno · Jul 25, 2011

Iphone games are in no way as satisfying and immersive as console games. Infinity Blade was a great game when I was on vacation and had no console in sight but I haven't touched it since and will probably explore the new content on my next vacation.

Also, Infinity Blade is a diamond in a see of rough. There is nothing that I've seen on the Iphone that even holds a candle to it. Most phone games are utterly disposable and forgettable. They're not even worth the time you have on the subway.

Steve Youngblood · Jul 25, 2011

BobTheFork said:
I find it hard to argue that a person who was set to buy Gears 3 is going to be diverted by a 99 cent game. The people who haven't played gears and only play 99 cents games, that really isn't his potential audience with this game.

The idea is that both Gears and the 99 cent games are competing for players' time. Sure, traditional video game players who live for the next AAA release are still going to want the big games like Gears that iOS can't deliver, but for the "I game about an hour a day and am on the go a lot" crowd, I can understand the concern.

However, from the beginning when this started getting thrown out, I've mainly been of the opinion that the concern over cheap iPhone games that too many developers and publishers are throwing all their eggs into one basket in a haphazard fashion. It's been clear for some time that focusing on the hugely expensive blockbusters is a risky proposition. However, at the other end, throwing money at the perceived endless, unexplored blue ocean of the smartphone market and undervaluing game prices due to the competition also seems to be a problem as far as I can see.

iapetus · Jul 25, 2011

DennisK4 said:
Soon buying a device just for games will seem quaint and antiquated.

Games will be something that your general device (PC and Smartphone/tablet) can do with stunning graphics at a low price, and easily downloaded from Steam/Appstore.

Exactly. That's why the PC games market destroyed the home console market a long, long time ago.

BurntPork · Jul 25, 2011

DennisK4 said:
He is right to worry that people won't buy many $60 console games or $40 handheld games when visually superior games can soon be had on the iPad 3 and company for far less.

After the PS Vita and 3DS, the handheld market will be stone cold dead. It will take a little longer for consoles but with my eyes I will watch the death of the games console.

The future belongs to the PC and Smartphones plus Tablets.

Yep! Next year is going to be amazing! Cloud gaming will destroy consoles, physical media will be dead, SSDs will replace HDDs completely, holographic storage will replace SSDs, cloud storage will replace holographic storage, the internet will replace all TV services, PCs (and Macs, which are still PCs you dummy) will be dead, and we'll have houses on the moon!

/sarcasm

Trust me; what you think is going to happen in the next year or two is at least 5-10 years away, and it won't happen quite the way you expect it to, most likely. It's more likely that handhelds will become phones than the handheld market just dying, especially given the fact that Nintendo is way too stubborn to develop as a third-party.

DangerStepp · Jul 25, 2011

DennisK4 said:
He is right to worry that people won't buy many $60 console games or $40 handheld games when visually superior games can soon be had on the iPad 3 and company for far less.

After the PS Vita and 3DS, the handheld market will be stone cold dead. It will take a little longer for consoles but with my eyes I will watch the death of the games console.

The future belongs to the PC and Smartphones plus Tablets.

Jesus, Dennis. People are going to call for your head on a stake. Go hide out in the barn while I fend them off.

However, I agree with you... I actually hope you're right.

Geoff9920 · Jul 25, 2011

StuBurns said:
That's not the point. Take Infinity Blade, it was much more profittable than Shadow Complex, so now Epic (who have a limited resource pool) have to decide what do to next, do they make the sequel to the hugely inferior iPhone game which makes much more money? Yes, they should.

The fear some people seem to have is that console gaming won't stop being viable, it'll stop being worth the effort. When you've been around for twenty years, and Zynga come out of no where to become one of the biggest independent games companies in the world, you have to look at your business model unless you're really just in it for the 'art'.

I'd argue that the issue of Shadow Complex not making as much money is partly due to Chair selecting to stay exclusive to XBLA vice releasing the game on PC via Steam, etc. You have an interesting point though.

Kintaro · Jul 25, 2011

If you see your competition as the shitty ass Netflix streaming service than you must think might low of your product.

codecow · Jul 25, 2011

The console business is definitely hurting. In my opinion some of what he's saying is correct.

We compete with all forms of entertainment and people are finding they're getting more fun or value from other sources right now.

I buy maybe 1-2 console products a month now. In the previous generation that figure was probably more like 2-3 or possibly even higher. When I look across my office at my rack of games, I have 3-4x more games from the previous gen.

The difference is, in the previous gen I have very few games up there with significant playtime. Just looking at my wall I can see maybe a couple that I have at least a day played on.

In contrast for this gen I have the CoD games, WoW, and Rift. CoD I have about 8d played which would be equivalent to 24 8 hour games from the last gen. Add in BFBC2 at 2+d played and some others and you can see where all my extra game spend went.

The funny thing is, I barely have time to play. When I look at the real hobbyists on my friends list they are posting up stuff like 40d played on CoD4 and 40d played on MW2. They are doing WoW numbers on that game with no subscription revenue.

Is this bad?

For most customers, I'd say it's great if you like this type of title. You spend a little bit of money and get a ton of quality entertainment.

I view the current market conditions as a design challenge.

KingDizzi · Jul 25, 2011

BobTheFork said:
I find it hard to argue that a person who was set to buy Gears 3 is going to be diverted by a 99 cent game. The people who haven't played gears and only play 99 cents games, that really isn't his potential audience with this game.

Indeed, while I can agree with the likes of 3DS and Vita suffering due to smartphones, console games also suffering is laughable. The amount of importance smartphone games are getting is confusing me quite a bit, particularly in this instance. I can see myself getting angry birds, tiny wings etc for the bus but not gonna spend my time on those rather than Gears 3. Just odd, in terms of the 3DS will people get blue balls when Mario Kart releases and it sells gangbusters? Would love to believe that 59p games are the future as I'm a cheap arse though.

subversus said:
I played Gears and I played Infinity Blade. Both are fun and essentially scratch the same itch. I even enjoyed "story" more in Infinity Blade but that because I don't play these games for story. Nothing really changed in action-arcade gameplay after all these years except graphics which is why console games are threatened by mobile. The core is the same.

Goodness, really? There was no story, it was a 30 minute game and regret spending even the £1.50 I did. "I will avenge you father" so same shit like that in a circle, Gears has a lulz story but come the fuck on son. If smartphones do take over console games (lol) here's to hoping games stay the price as present so 59p games. So many games so free after a month I no longer buy games anymore on iOS, been burnt several times now.

RooMHM · Jul 25, 2011

Start making games more interesting than iPhone Apps ... in terms of gameplay, then talk. Bye.

stuminus3 · Jul 25, 2011

StuBurns said:
The fear some people seem to have is that console gaming won't stop being viable, it'll stop being worth the effort.

I'm not entirely sure that's healthy, though. In fact I feel that this may be one of the major reasons "outsiders" are able to come in from nowhere with the next big thing and decimate the existing competition. Slow and steady wins the race and all that. Consumers are fickle mush-heads. Today's hot topic could be tomorrow's train wreck.

Dave Long · Jul 25, 2011

I think these games can coexist, but when technology arrives at a point where you can make a 99 cent game that looks as good as an Infinity Blade and plays as well and with as much depth as a modern console game, it's all over for the big budget software.

Surprised at the lack of Iwata in this thread. Capps is basically saying the same thing.

Also, I've been saying for years that game publishers and developers greatly underestimate the competition they face not only from these budget games but also from movies and TV and books, etc. It's all entertainment. Dollars only go so far. People will pick and choose their entertainment based on "bargains" the more they deal with bad economic factors in their own lives. $60 games will be one of the first to go unless it says Call of Duty on the box.

1-D_FTW · Jul 25, 2011

subversus said:
Many of them are in it for this. They love doing it. So what I predict is that we see less big-budgeted games in the future.

None of the major publishers are in it for the art. It's naive to think anything else. Maybe they believe catering to the hardcore is their strength and will allow them the best chance for profitability, but that's the only reason they're "in it for the art."

Studios? Maybe. But many of them are tied to the publishers heavily and don't have much say in what they truly do. They do what keeps the doors open. And those that are truly independent don't have a ton to fear because the future welcomes independence by providing robust DD services that get around the big publisher monopoly and all the problems they bring with it.

Hopefully many can pull away from the old outdated publisher model and do more creative games that don't need massive sales for profitability. But for even those, I'm sure the dream is to create an underground hit that eventually makes them rich.

lowrider007 · Jul 25, 2011

BobTheFork said:
I find it hard to argue that a person who was set to buy Gears 3 is going to be diverted by a 99 cent game. The people who haven't played gears and only play 99 cents games, that really isn't his potential audience with this game.

True, but I definitely feel that the value proposition for $60 games is slowly being re-evaluated and questioned by modern consumers, and also as I've said on this topic before it's not just $1 games that are changing peoples value perceptions but also xbla & psn titles have a part to play too, I consider myself a 'core' gamer but this generation I can honestly say that I've got a lot more enjoyment out of these 'middle tier' titles than I have from full $60 games and that is only going to increase next generation.

planar1280 · Jul 25, 2011

RooMHM said:
Start making games more interesting than iPhone Apps ... in terms of gameplay, then talk. Bye.

they are already more interesting and more immersive than iPhone games

DangerStepp · Jul 25, 2011

This has been brought up before, but a $1 game offers a wholly different experience than a $60 game.

Whether or not that $1 game is purchased more than the other is based solely on preference and quality, right?

1-D_FTW · Jul 25, 2011

lowrider007 said:
True, but I definitely feel that the value proposition for $60 games is slowly being re-evaluated and questioned by modern consumers, and also as I've said on this topic before it's not just $1 games that are changing peoples value perceptions but also xbla & psn titles have a part to play too, I consider myself a 'core' gamer but this generation I can honestly say that I've got a lot more enjoyment out of these 'middle tier' titles than I have from full $60 games and that is only going to increase next generation.

You're lucky you're not a Steam user then. You'd really be banging on this drum if you saw how this business model worked.

Steve Youngblood · Jul 25, 2011

Kintaro said:
If you see your competition as the shitty ass Netflix streaming service than you must think might low of your product.

I don't know if it has anything to do with what they think about their product, and probably has everything to do with actual metrics of usage by end users. I imagine there's real data that shows something like "gamers used to game X hours a day on the system, and now they're gaming X - Y (time spent watching Netflix) hours a day on the system." Why that would indicate a lack of confidence in their product if it clearly shows a shift in consumer usage is beyond me.

StuBurns · Jul 25, 2011

stuminus3 said:
I'm not entirely sure that's healthy, though. In fact I feel that this may be one of the major reasons "outsiders" are able to come in from nowhere with the next big thing and decimate the existing competition. Slow and steady wins the race and all that. Consumers are fickle mush-heads. Today's hot topic could be tomorrow's train wreck.

I think it's less the long term viablility of iPhone gaming that is the issue, more console gaming. You can't keep sinking forty million dollars into a game and marketing budget that needs to make 1.2M units at full price just to break even.

DLC is patching a leaking ship. The industry seriously needs to rethink it's position, and before the next generation comes because it'll take two years before they have a half respectable install base. Maybe we need subsciptions to IPs/publishers, maybe publishers need to ship less games a year and market what they do ship more effectively to funnel sales more consistently. I have no real idea how someone would fix it, but they have to.

[Nintex] · Jul 25, 2011

Gamings biggest competition is time. When the PlayStation launched, we had Sports, TV, PC, Radio and perhaps a walkman or gameboy that's it. When the Wii U comes out it'll have to compete with Sports, TV, smartphones, tablets, social media and other time consuming products and services. Netflix as a 'product' isn't the competition of Shadow Complex but the time people spend on netflix is. As the economy stalls we also need to work harder to be able to buy the same products thus losing more time in the progress.

When you took a train 10 years ago you could either listen to music, read or play on a gameboy. These days you can chat with your friends, browse facebook, listen to music, watch videos, check the news etc. the biggest saving grace for the handheld gaming market are the bandwith caps that the phone companies want to install or have already installed.

water_wendi · Jul 25, 2011

The race to the bottom will help greatly in the collapse of the gaming industry.

TheFLYINGManga_Ka · Jul 25, 2011

I think mobile games is just another platform that expands gaming. I really don't think it's going to hurt sales or destroy traditional console games. It has a place in our lives and cheap apps are a good way to have short bursts of gaming that fit into our busy lifestyle. It's nice to have a phone that can plays some cool games. However, I just don't see it taking over playing traditional games on the couch, on a big screen, and with a controller. It's like saying Netflix on the iPad will replace going to the movies or Youtube will replace watching TV. That's nonsense to me.

I'm more worried about the next generation of consoles when games will be more expensive to make which will be a lot harder for the smaller studios. Another worry is JRPGs which will also struggle even more on next-gen consoles. I'm also worried about traditional handhelds like the 3DS and PSP Vita. I think Nintendo never faced a competition like this before. That's what I'm more worried about.

iPhone games and all that are great, but I really don't think the casual consumer who plays Angry Birds and $0.99 apps were traditional gamers in the first place. It's a new audience that smart phones brought in like the Wii did with the motion controller. The people I know that have an iPhone all have Angry Birds but they don't even know what Infinity Blade is. When I showed Infinity Blade to my cousins they were like, "Holy crap, those are nice graphics!" But they could've cared less. It's the gamers, the Gears of War players, who buy games like that.

In other words, mobile gaming is a part of the future but not the future. But I think traditional handhelds are in trouble.

FoxSpirit · Jul 25, 2011

lowrider007 said:
True, but I definitely feel that the value proposition for $60 games is slowly being re-evaluated and questioned by modern consumers, and also as I've said on this topic before it's not just $1 games that are changing peoples value perceptions but also xbla & psn titles have a part to play too, I consider myself a 'core' gamer but this generation I can honestly say that I've got a lot more enjoyment out of these 'middle tier' titles than I have from full $60 games and that is only going to increase next generation.

Yeah, those mid-tier games are dangerous.

Not awesome but nice production values, a good amount of content and a focus on gameplay. Opposed to "a focus on largeness".

That said, as long as a 60 game delivers the quality of Uncharted 2 I'll pay. Infamous 2, I'm halfway though and it's been okay. But okay for 60 is a bit lacking.

Thanksfully SR3rd will come out to once again fill a city with widely varied activities as opposed to only "fight". And good humour.

subversus · Jul 25, 2011

KingDizzi said:
Goodness, really? There was no story, it was a 30 minute game and regret spending even the £1.50 I did. "I will avenge you father" so same shit like that in a circle, Gears has a lulz story but come the fuck on son.

it was pretty mysterious and ironical until they updated it with another dungeon. You were

fighting your father (or grand-grand-grandfather) again and again

. Also a lot of questions were unanswered. But then the update fucked the story a bit. At least it was sort of existentialist and almost philosophical the more you played it. There is a brilliant review on KillScreen site, they catched the essence of the game well.

Gears is just a straight-up action movie. I liked the story in first Gears because it was basic and hated the story in Gears 2.

Mithos · Jul 25, 2011

TheFLYINGManga_Ka said:
I think mobile games is just another platform that expands gaming.

Mobile gaming is multiple other platforms though, just because you have an android phone doesn't mean the android app/game will run on your phone to take one example.

And that's what keeping me from joining in.

Tobor · Jul 25, 2011

Fernando Rocker said:
Wait, wait, wait... is Epic agreeing with Nintendo?

Yes. The difference is, Epic is planning for the inevitable and exploring their options. Nintendo isn't.

Horsemama1956 · Jul 25, 2011

StuBurns said:
I think it's less the long term viablility of iPhone gaming that is the issue, more console gaming. You can't keep sinking forty million dollars into a game and marketing budget that needs to make 1.2M units at full price just to break even.

DLC is patching a leaking ship. The industry seriously needs to rethink it's position, and before the next generation comes because it'll take two years before they have a half respectable install base. Maybe we need subsciptions to IPs/publishers, maybe publishers need to ship less games a year and market what they do ship more effectively to funnel sales more consistently. I have no real idea how someone would fix it, but they have to.

I definitely think some of these companies release far too many games a year.

I also think a big part of the problem is investors waiting to get paid. People used to have to put their own money and ass on the line to start a studio and make a game, but now it's other peoples money so they really have no choice and just follow the trends without understanding that people aren't going to buy the same game 10 times a year.

It's messed up that with 100+ million consoles out there, most games can't sell a million. They simply shouldn't be making a game if you can't make a profit or at least pay for the game with a few hundred thousand in sales.

dark10x · Jul 25, 2011

I tend to enjoy both, but I never view them as equals.

The problem I have with the mobile space is the consistent lack of performance. It is still uncommon to find games delivering visuals as smoothly as the Super Nintendo did back in the early 90s, for instance. People bitch about consoles delivering 30 fps 3D titles when smart phones are commonly dishing out games with retro style visuals running at 15 fps and pretending it's OK. The occasional release of an impressive looking game is offset by the hundreds that look and perform poorly.

Show me a racing game for iPhone that looks and runs as well as something like Ridge Racer V for PS2 (a game released in 2000) or a platformer with the visual fidelity of Klonoa 2. I understand the whole budget thing, but come on, they should be able to match early PS2 efforts. It's this lack of performance coupled with generally outdated visuals that turns me off. Visuals on par with Infinity Blade are the exception and, while I'm sure it will become much more common, I'm still not convinced performance will ever receive the proper attention it deserves. We'll continue to be left with choppy looking games with awkward controls.

Mobile gaming is multiple other platforms though, just because you have an android phone doesn't mean the android app/game will run on your phone to take one example.

The Android space is so much worse than iPhone even. My above rant applies to the iDevices, but compared to Android, it's like a slice of heaven. Every single Android game I've tried running on high-end handsets simply runs like complete shit. The average Android game delivers a "solid" 15 fps while delivering visuals on par with a PC from 1997. It's a TERRIBLE gaming platform at the moment.

JohnTuk · Jul 25, 2011

The answer is simple, sale your game at 0.99$.

Gustav · Jul 25, 2011

The app market is going to collapse in the next few years. The ROI is negative for most devs and only lucky ones and/or those who have the means to publish broadly have the chance of staying in business for the mid/long term. Most indies fail spectacularly with their first offering. In a few years the market will become stable but significantly smaller. The same thing happend in the social games space. Now there's only a handful of devs that cater to the platform although thousands of others tried. They can simply not compete with Zynga and the other big cats anymore.

planar1280 · Jul 25, 2011

Dave Long said:
I think these games can coexist, but when technology arrives at a point where you can make a 99 cent game that looks as good as an Infinity Blade and plays as well and with as much depth as a modern console game, it's all over for the big budget software.

Surprised at the lack of Iwata in this thread. Capps is basically saying the same thing.

Also, I've been saying for years that game publishers and developers greatly underestimate the competition they face not only from these budget games but also from movies and TV and books, etc. It's all entertainment. Dollars only go so far. People will pick and choose their entertainment based on "bargains" the more they deal with bad economic factors in their own lives. $60 games will be one of the first to go unless it says Call of Duty on the box.

again. it is not how it looks but how immersive it is. Can you seriously get a Gears of War games with all the bells and whistles and enjoy it on a screen from 3.5 inches to 9.7 inches? I would much rather have it on the bigger screen as would most hardcore gamers

speedpop · Jul 25, 2011

Tobor said:
Yes. The difference is, Epic is planning for the inevitable and exploring their options. Nintendo isn't.

Nintendo don't really need to change because people will still buy their software and have done so even during the supposed "lean" years with the N64 and GC. What will concern Nintendo are shareholders demanding positive results. I wouldn't be surprised if in another 5-10 years time Nintendo will either go full tablet ala Wii U style with controls on the tablet itself, or they will go full broke with handhelds.

GuiltySpank · Jul 25, 2011

I personally hope that alot of $60 games get destroyed by the .99c market. There are alot of games out there that aren't worth $60.

Gustav · Jul 25, 2011

JohnTuk said:
The answer is simple, sale your game at 0.99$.

Even if sold online (no packaging and handling) for 0.99$, at 50 million 360s sold they could not break even on Gears of War.

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