Gaming on smartphones: Can any dedicated handheld really compete?

[capslock]

Just ruminating today after downloading a bunch of games on my Note 2. It's just so incredibly easy to download games on your phone, and they're getting increasingly sophisticated, and are generally cheaper compared to their console and dedicated counterparts. So are we seeing the last wave of dedicated handhelds with the Vita and 3DS? Can they really continue justifying the higher prices for their games? How will they compete with platforms whose hardware is upgraded yearly?

I mean, you can even get technically amazing, beautiful games on Android now, which didn't used to be the case. It was iOS or nothing. Why would anyone really buy a dedicated handheld anymore?

 

[whatsinaname]

Can you download Uncharted?


Seriously though, it is about the games. As long as Sony/Nintendo put out games like Uncharted, Gravity Rush, Luigi's Mansion 2, Mario 3D Land, people will keep buying the systems.

 

[Tomat]

I'll stop buying handhelds when they stop making great games for them.

I have played and purchased more than a handful of the "best of iOS" from the thread here on GAF and I regret every single purchase. I would rather buy Monster Hunter for $40 instead of getting 20-40 phone games.

 

[Arpeggio23]

Buttons.

 

[Shtof]

Can you download Uncharted?

It's a matter of when, not if.

 

[Guevara]

Buttons.

Buttons.

 

[capslock]

Buttons.

They're releasing controllers for those games now. But the fact is that consumers like you, willing to pay full price for a "full experience" game, are shrinking.

 

[Izick]

I don't own a dedicated handheld or smartphone right now, but the 3DS has games that I would actually want to play.

 

[Perfect Blue]

Why would anyone really buy a dedicated handheld anymore?

Because the games on smartphones don't interest them? lol wtf

Also, buttons and Nintendo.

 

[Jotamide]

Buttons.

The Xperia Play had buttons and it failed.

 

[jwk94]

They're releasing controllers for those games now. But the fact is that consumers like you, willing to pay full price for a "full experience" game, are shrinking.

I mostly play PSN games on my vita...

 

[AlucardGV]

It's a matter of when, not if.

obviously when vita will die sony will move all their handheld games on mobile games. i prefer handhelds and i don't even own a smartphone. i need buttons

but yes, this is the last handheld generation for sony, since they makes phones too.
nintendo will continue, obviously.

 

[giancarlo123x]

I would love to see someone attempt to climb the tree in guacamelee without buttons. I hope dedicated handhelds never die off. Both can coexist.

 

[Totobeni]

Buttons.

well there is this (and other pads like this)

 

[LeleSocho]

Aside from the buttons, do people even see the differences of the quality of the games on dedicated consoles and the one of the smartphones?

 

[Metalmurphy]

Only fun I've ever had with games on my tablet was Vector. Everything else was terrible. Just terrible. And they'd be even worst on a phone.

 

[darkside31337]

Just ruminating today after downloading a bunch of games on my Note 2. It's just so incredibly easy to download games on your phone, and they're getting increasingly sophisticated, and are generally cheaper compared to their console and dedicated counterparts. So are we seeing the last wave of dedicated handhelds with the Vita and 3DS? Can they really continue justifying the higher prices for their games? How will they compete with platforms whose hardware is upgraded yearly?

I mean, you can even get technically amazing, beautiful games on Android now, which didn't used to be the case. It was iOS or nothing. Why would anyone really buy a dedicated handheld anymore?

Yes?

There are a handful of iOS games I've enjoyed playing. The rest are honestly garbage. Personally I don't think it competes with either handheld. Android is -much- worse than iOS.

Also not really getting that pricing complaint. Yeah there are $40 games on both the 3DS and Vita but there are also great titles which are priced at a much cheaper point. On the Vita you have PSM, Minis, PSP, PS1 and even Vita games that are priced much cheaper than that.

 

[Lyte Edge]

I'll stop buying handhelds when they stop making great games for them.

I have played and purchased more than a handful of the "best of iOS" from the thread here on GAF and I regret every single purchase. I would rather buy Monster Hunter for $40 instead of getting 20-40 phone games.

Agreed with this post. There are a handful of iOS only (not ports or remakes) games I've had some fun with, but too many games are still "cell phone games".

Buttons.

And this. Touch screen controls are awful for most genres.

 

[VanWinkle]

I have a Galaxy S3 and an iPad mini, and quite often play games on them. They're great, and the marketplace has many good cheap games. However, they seriously do not remotely compare to gaming on a system like Vita. There's a massive difference in quality and feel of their game libraries. That being said, this very well could be the last generation of dedicated gaming handhelds, because there is no doubt the market is shifting away from this, regardless of the massively higher quality. That's just the way of the world.

 

[Zeppelin]

well there is this (and other pads like this)

And there's the problem with that.

 

[Omikaru]

While I've played a number of really excellent mobile games, I find the platform is filled with distractionware. There isn't much there that really catches my interest, save for a few exceptions.

Personally, on a £:Enjoyment ratio, I find I get better value for money spending £8-£35 on a 3DS/Vita game than I do spending £1-£8 on games for my iPhone. But there are of course exceptions. I think some of the best games available on Vita and 3DS are really unique from what's on offer on home consoles and smartphones, and it'd be sad if these were the last of a dying breed.

But that's just my view. I'm sure a lot of people get everything they want out of mobile gaming.

 

[Sendou]

well there is this (and other pads like this)

The problem is that the games will be never made played by buttons if it isn't the standard (or in other words if it isn't included in every sold phone and if it isn't the preferable option of gamers). It will be irrevelant before that.

I don't think dedicated handhelds will die. The most I could see them fusing into consoles.

 

[shinobi602]

I use my phone for bite size gaming.

It doesn't provide even close to the experiences as the 3DS and Vita do for me.

 

[Devilgunman]

My phone dies after few hours of playing SNES Emulator.

Fuck gaming phone.

 

[Korigama]

I may as well stop buying console games because I can play browser games instead, going by this logic. I couldn't be less interested in replacing dedicated handhelds with smartphones, let alone actually regard them as a legitimate gaming platform (a distraction suited to free games, and nothing more).

 

[GiantBreadbug]

No matter how many threads are made with this question, the answer will always be the same.

Dedicated handheld gaming systems deliver more consistent quality in experiences, and there are millions of people willing to buy them for that reason. Especially in Japan.

 

[Jay Sosa]

To me it's the other way around. No buttons, no sale.

 

[Moosichu]

Aside from the buttons, do people even see the differences of the quality of the games on dedicated consoles and the one of the smartphones?

Depends, I'd say the buttons make give developers more freedom. Games on iPhone may be high-quality. But even indy-stuff like Guacamelee is way more enjoyable to me than any phone-game I've played.

Also:

Obligatory:

 

[Takuya]

It's not the same experience.

 

[Jawmuncher]

Aside from the buttons, do people even see the differences of the quality of the games on dedicated consoles and the one of the smartphones?

I know I do.
While there are some great experiences on smart phones (chaos rings being one of them) the majority I feel don't hold up the portable consoles.

Majority of Smart Phone fare to me feels light and more to just kill some time. While portable consoles are geared towards actually enjoying some console gaming type fare on the go.

 

[sunnz]

No game from the phones interest me, those do get old within 10 minutes ( yes, I do have the latest apple and android phone.


Touchscreen gaming is not that appeal and has many negatives ( the games I actually like are ruined, racing games, shooting games, adventure games etc... Don't need to explain why its bad compared to actual buttons)

pretty much every game feels poor, linear, no depth etc...

Did I say no real games appeal to me?

 

[RM8]

I've played tons of games on iOS, Android and even Windows Phone. I'd cry if my handheld gaming consisted of that - yes, there is some fun to be had, but it's hardly a substitute for 3DS or Vita.

 

[chickdigger802]

The only difference these days is that my outdoor device is my ios thing. I enjoy playing portable games while watching tv or something and I rarely touch pc/ps3 games these days.

Can't really think of any decent bitsize games on vita/3ds, most require pretty lengthy play sessions and headphones for immersion imo.

 

[shinobi602]

Aside from the buttons, do people even see the differences of the quality of the games on dedicated consoles and the one of the smartphones?

Joke post?

 

[capslock]

I get that you guys like dedicated handhelds better. But you are vastly outnumbered in the marketplace.

 

[Carl]

Handhelds actually have good games, so yes

 

[Sendou]

Can't really think of any decent bitsize games on vita/3ds, most require pretty lengthy play sessions and headphones for immersion imo.

I can think of plenty. Especially Nintendo does pretty good job with dividing the game into small segments. On eShop and PSN there's plenty of bitsized games. Many are the same that you can find on iOS/Android.

 

[Meier]

I totally understand why some folks love gaming on iOS and Android, but for me personally, it has lost much of its luster and most of the time I'd rather just be reading Twitter or GAF. I end up playing every Kairosoft title because I love them and they're perfectly designed for a touch screen environment, but there aren't many genres where this works.

I've always been exceedingly disappointed when I buy a game that clearly is not meant to be touch only. I bought Sonic CD and lasted maybe 5 minutes with it.. the controls were just completely unpalatable. If the genre works, then they can be really fun, but it's a very dedicated type of game that fits it for the most part.

 

[sunnz]

The only difference these days is that my outdoor device is my ios thing. I enjoy playing portable games while watching tv or something and I rarely touch pc/ps3 games these days.

Can't really think of any decent bitsize games on vita/3ds, most require pretty lengthy play sessions and headphones for immersion imo.

The playstation home arcade has some pretty cool mini arcade style games ( though not many in terms of quantity)

 

[RM8]

I get that you guys like dedicated handhelds better. But you are vastly outnumbered in the marketplace.

Not revenue-wise, which is why handhelds still get main entries in important series while iOS/Android get touch-touch-swipe-tap spin-offs, that while pretty, would get universally bashed if they were on other platforms.

 

[Orcastar]

Yeah, I was kinda excited about gaming too when I got my Nexus 7, but the fact is that there are only a handful of actually good games on Android/iOS hidden under an enormous pile of shovelware, microtransactions and outright garbage.

 

[ronito]

No handhelds can't compete. Until the battery runs out. But for those 40 minutes. Man, phones are king.

Seriously though, if handhelds are the "gaming ghetto" phone gaming is the "gaming shanty town."

 

[Sendou]

I get that you guys like dedicated handhelds better. But you are vastly outnumbered in the marketplace.

It would be interesting to see the average revenue of iOS/Android developer when compared to developer developing on Vita/3DS. I think this will matter the most. Which is the best machine to put your games on. Also I still don't believe that iPhone and 3DS are direct competitiors. Different machines for different purposes.

 

[Fezzan]

There will always be a market for these handheld devices, the only question is can enough money be made.
Considering the 3DS is selling quite well I think they can still go on for quite a while but they will always be overshadowed by phones.

 

[Tomat]

I get that you guys like dedicated handhelds better. But you are vastly outnumbered in the marketplace.

Thanks for reminding everyone.

 

[Tiamant]

A marketplace saturated by ripoffs, shit controls and a very low standard, yeah.

 

[Anto]

Having gamed in every handheld generation since the original Gameboy, I hope not? But I'd also not be overly surprised if producing hardware/software for a smaller consumer base (are there numbers backing up poor sales for Nintendo's handhelds such that this assertion can be justified?) failed to remain economically viable should smartphone games become the dominant force in the market.

I don't think we're really even close to that yet, though.

 

[japtor]

I think a big issue for me isn't so much the lack of buttons (although that's definitely an issue for many types of games) or "cell phone games" or whatever (hell Super Hexagon is one of my favorites), it's the monetization model that can be really obnoxious at times. Since people don't spend on bigger titles you end up with a bunch of games that seem pretty good at their core, but are covered with a bunch of crap that's designed to get you to spend more money rather than necessarily making the game any better.

 

[sunnz]

I mean look at NFS most wanted on the ps vita and the one on the iOS, pretty much explains why the handheld is vastly better.


One is linear, very simple physics, meh graphics, no real content, same old while the other is a full on open world racing game with a lot of vehicles, races and basically exactly what you get on the consoles ( but graphics are not as good)

Then you remember the vita NFS game is pretty much just a downport with a few additional changes, imagine a full NFS game made specifically for it...

 

[Mauricio_Magus]

Can smartphones really compete? no


Do they have 100+ hour JRPG's like Etrian Odyssey with amazing art/gameplay/music? guess not


It doesn't matter if we're outnumbered, there is a market for dedicated handhelds and Nintendo is proving it.