charlequin said:
Controls aren't actually the biggest problem for convergence. It's not actually all that hard to stick a D-pad and six buttons under a slide form factor like the new Xperia Gamefone, and since people mostly aren't that enthusiastic about hardware keyboards you aren't even making a huge design sacrifice to do so. The bigger issues are in distribution and system architecture -- how do people get the games (especially if they're big and they have to download them over 3/4G)? How does the device handle gaming when you need to be able to instantly switch to core functions like answering calls? How do you balance the power-draw and memory needs of a general-purpose smartphone architecture with the very different needs that are ideal for gaming?
These devices can already play games, and take calls etc. They may not be as lean and mean about game execution as a dedicated device, but they have on the other hand the advantage of ever improving hardware - kind of like the PC, new hardware is being thrown at that problem on a fairly continuous basis. Hardware is almost disposable for some segments of the market, constantly being upgraded as part of contracts.
In terms of technical nuts-and-bolts accomodation of a fuller range of game types, controls are really the big issue. However, now you're starting to see vendors come up with Android machines, at least, that can offer those controls that are exposed as a standard part of Android. Take the 'Playstation phone'. Technically I'm sure it could support all the kinds of games PSP can, and perhaps beyond. It is probably, technically, on a games performance and interface level, at least as good a games machine as the PSP was, if not better, despite being 'hampered' by its other commitments. It'll likely be joined by other vendor's gaming Android phones. Taking a longer term view, how long before there are Android devices with such controls that can offer visuals in excess of the new crop of dedicated machines (if visuals matter)?
The much bigger question is how the market for these varieties of device develop - could it ultimately grow into tens of millions? - and if the market on these devices will support 'bigger' content at bigger prices. I am not sure - those hurdles may not be overcome, and that would definitely reinforce the position and role of dedicated devices, even if their share is smaller than it was before.
marc^o^ said:
The pie is getting bigger and bigger, there's food for everyone. Light users didn't all buy a DS in the first place.
MS and Sony always said wii was a benediction, because it created new gaming habits in an expanded population. Well you could also imagine light users loving angry birds looking at the 3DS in a way they would never had done before, needing a new fix.
At last lots of gamers who didn't buy a DS will get a 3DS, because of the 3D technology factor and because of the SF4, MGS or PES.
Yes, but PSP gamers buying 3DS isn't expanding the dedicated market. It's just Nintendo dipping into Sony's pool to try and offset expected losses elsewhere. In terms of light users enjoying Angry Birds and then looking longingly at a dedicated machine...that's certainly the
hope both Sony and Nintendo has. It's the more direct hope Jack Tretton was expressing in his comments about the role of a Playstation phone. But, and as I said in response to those comments, I think it may be a very optimistic hope. It's a big leap from enjoying Angry Birds to looking longingly at $40 Nintendo or PSP games on a separate $200-$300 device.
