Colonel Mustard
Banned
Revenue for one Pokemon game is higher than all of Apple's DD ecosystems combined.
-
Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!
Gaming on smartphones: Can any dedicated handheld really compete?
- Thread starter capslock
- Start date
Revenue for one Pokemon game is higher than all of Apple's DD ecosystems combined.
Incidentally I wonder if this is part of why Sony lost much of their market share to Microsoft this gen and Microsoft could screw up and flip it back around next gen. Nintendo has a nice stable of IPs to keep a lot of people coming, whereas Sony's don't resonate as well and Microsoft's been pretty low on putting out their own non-XBLA titles, and most of those would be released without another publisher on another other platform BUT XBLA.
Actually the Vita sorta proves it, the 3DS is holding strong, but the Vita practically collapsed out of the gate, mainly with the fanbases of niche Japanese games and indies keeping it afloat.
These threads always devolve into some bad Nintendo forum fan fiction.
I don't have a hard line. I have some mobile games I like. IMO P&D is the best mobile game to date. But I'm just calling it like it is. While its a great game, its got nothing on the vast majority of well made handheld games on Vita and 3DS. And when you dive into the Vita and DS backlog, its just, not even close.
Vita is a pretty small portion of the handheld market. If you're really going to try to prove that handhelds don't stand a chance, start comparing to the 3DS lineup. And also, why wouldn't I want to play Uncharted on a trip on the bus, or my lunch, or just about any other time someone might choose to game on a phone instead of some other system?
Because people will buy these games for handheld devices and because they don't currently translate well into smartphones, the answer is yes. Yes they can compete.
opticalmace
Member
Pretty impressive. How long will it last though? How much more could they make with Pokemon on smartphones?
I'm just speculating. I'm not a hardcore mobile gamer, never played Pokemon, etc.
Japan is keeping that series afloat though. It might be semi-popular in America, but nothing like in Japan.
And we haven't gotten to the point in Japan yet where people have old iPhones and androids sitting around because they upgraded phones. But that day is coming soon.
The developing costs would be the same (or higher, considering phones are higher-tech, plus optimization for different devices with different OS and different versions of the same OS). Yet they obviously can't sell it at $40 on phones. If freaking Gunman Clive sells more on 3DS than on Android and iOS combined, I'd say Pokémon "probably" would too.
Colonel Mustard
Banned
Barring Monster High, tell that to Activision/Nintendo/TLC that make millions/billions off these properties with each new iteration. Dog you even visit NPD threads? Look at press releases?
Mauricio_Magus
Banned
This
and now a lot of the smarthphone market is getting saturated as fuck, the only way a lot of games even win money is by being f2p with transactions, which limits the way the game can work
it's awful. I was playing that Sonic game for iOS which was supposedly awesome and I just couldn't take it.
Pokémon Black & White Sell 2 Million In Two Weeks In U.S.
http://www.siliconera.com/2011/03/27/pokemon-black-white-sell-2-million-in-two-weeks-in-u-s/
Sorry...
Nope.
Sgt.Pepper
Banned
I like many games on iOS. The biggest problem, for me at least, is that there are barely exclusive games that match exclusives for handhelds to me.
Kingdom Rush, PvZ, Ghost Trick and Cook, Serve, Delicious! are my favorite games on the iPad, but none are exclusive or were made with iPhone/iPad in mind, just like the ones you mentioned. The only ones that I can think that are of high quality and exclusive are Ravenmark and Sworcery, the last one is already available on PC.
My point is that dedicated handhelds exists because they get a healthy number of great quality and exclusive games unavailable everywhere else.
Many mobile games wish they get the same money, sales and popularity as Pokemon worldwide.
Kid Icarus
Fire Emblem
Luigi's Mansion 2
Mario 3d Land
Revelations
Mario Kart
Gravity Rush
Persona 4
Uncharted
Come on now, each of these games gives an experience so head and shoulders above anything you could find on a smart phone that I don't know how you could even pretend to ask that question.
Even if you can find similar genres, the level of polish Nintendo has been putting into handheld titles lately keeps the two platforms from being remotely comparable.
I'm going to say that Nintendo would make FAR LESS if they sold Pokemon on phones. They'd have to sell it for 5 bucks max, give 30% to Apple, and wouldn't be getting the extra money that they would get from Pokemon selling extra handhelds. AND they would be at the mercy of Apple to promote the game within the App Store. You better believe that Nintendo will be sending out SpotPass panels, Swapnote notes, system notifications, and whatever else they can do to promote Pokemon.
Fire Emblem
Luigi's Mansion 2
Mario 3d Land
Revelations
Mario Kart
Gravity Rush
Persona 4
Uncharted
Come on now, each of these games gives an experience so head and shoulders above anything you could find on a smart phone that I don't know how you could even pretend to ask that question.
Even if you can find similar genres, the level of polish Nintendo has been putting into handheld titles lately keeps the two platforms from being remotely comparable.
I'm going to say that Nintendo would make FAR LESS if they sold Pokemon on phones. They'd have to sell it for 5 bucks max, give 30% to Apple, and wouldn't be getting the extra money that they would get from Pokemon selling extra handhelds. AND they would be at the mercy of Apple to promote the game within the App Store. You better believe that Nintendo will be sending out SpotPass panels, Swapnote notes, system notifications, and whatever else they can do to promote Pokemon.
UncleSporky
Member
People expect it to cost 99 cents, so not much.
What?
I feel like I should clarify, I'm not completely poo-pooing phone games. They obviously have a big place in the market, and yes there are people totally okay with them.
But as it stands, what they offer does not excite me in any way. It doesn't satisfy a craving for deeper gameplay experiences, it doesn't satisfy me emotionally, and as a result, I just do not care about it. What it offers is quick-hit games that are short experiences and that you immediately forget about, and that, I do not care for. That to me is like a sitcom. Like yeah, it's short and gives you something to watch for 20 minutes, and it doesn't hurt anyone. But at the same time, I would way rather spend my time with something else more interesting.
Source?
And?
SneakyStephan
Banned
OP got his thread title backwards:
Should be: smartphone pseudo gaming can't compete with dedicated handhelds, because the controls are ultragarbage,.
Should be: smartphone pseudo gaming can't compete with dedicated handhelds, because the controls are ultragarbage,.
The Room, Knights of Pen and Paper, Year Walk, Sword and Sorcery.
Steve McQueen
Member
That could be true. Most of us grew up with Mario, most kids these days grow up with Angry Birds. Guess the day will come that we are going to be replaced by a new generations of 'gamers'. A generation that's never heard of Metroid, Mario, Metal Gear, Persona etc. Hell, when I speak to kids they only seem to be interested in facebook, whatsapp and 99 cents games.
It's hard to ignore that the market for phones is way bigger than for dedicated handhelds. But...I hate to see dedicated handhelds go, just gotta love those damn things.
There is no 'And', he is flat out wrong. A series mainline entry moving 2 million in its first two weeks in the U.S does not qualify as merely "semi popular". He is flat out pulling this stuff out of thin air to try and solidify his position.
Whats this post for? I know I have S&S on Steam IIRC.
And how much did it sell in Japan. Like I said, it's pretty popular in the US but incredibly so in Japan.
But it doesn't matter. More and more moms will simply hand their old iPhone and android to their kid. I have the family I already discussed as well as another friend who refuses to buy a handheld for her son as he broke his DS years ago. So she gave him her old android and added him to her family plan. Now he has a game machine, video machine, and phone that is with him 24/7. Sorry but that is the future of handheld gaming.
I've got both. I really like playing Survivalcraft and Pinball Arcade on my Nexus 7 and I really like playing Fire Emblem Awakening, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, etc. on my 3DS. Good times.
Walter Matthau
Member
I like my iPhone/iPad and don't own a 3DS or Vita, but dedicated gaming handhelds are superior in my opinion. They are more versatile in terms of control options and developers put out more ambitious projects because returns are often better. They have classic games in the original forms, cross promotional content, and most importantly, they have Nintendo or Sony games.
Dynamite Shikoku
Congratulations, you really deserve it!
Gonna need those sources
Mauricio_Magus
Banned
I don't think the problem is buttons, there are games like Rpgs, PvZ, Cave Shooters, a million puzzle/Adventure games that would work perfectly.
But then you get the worst version of the walking dead and cheap ass ports, and everyone trying to make a fuck FPS
But then you get the worst version of the walking dead and cheap ass ports, and everyone trying to make a fuck FPS
I lived in Japan for 2 years. People were just jumping into android and iPhone. That means they haven't made their first upgrade yet to have an old iPhone sitting around to hand to the kids.
dispensergoinup
Member
This, really.
I was confused because though I do see friends purchasing 99c mini-games on their phones, the majority still play on their DS/PSP variants. I don't ee any excitement when any 'new' games release on smartphones as opposed to the craziness that happens when a new high profile handheld game comes out. Obviously anecdotal but yeah, not sure handheld gaming will be in trouble any time soon.
opticalmace
Member
I bet you could sell a $10 Pokemon game on iOS/Android and make a fortune.
I was there last month. People carry their 3DS and their phones/tablets. EVERYONE is playing Animal Crossing, it's crazy.
No they don't. Square refuses to make down any FF game and they still sell. And none of them are priced anywhere near $1.
chickdigger802
Banned
Colonel Mustard
Banned
Pokemon sells hardware and has been doing so since like 1997. Is it just a 16 year fad?
I highly doubt a phone Pokemon would make near as much. It would need to be price-appropriate for the platform, need exposure so it's not drowned out by 500 'Pokemon Jumper' games and you'd need to compensate for the PL from not selling your own hardware.
Congrats, you're now playing a port of an iOS game on your PC which validates my point about the quality of the game.
Sgt.Pepper
Banned
Um, are you just mentioning mobile exclusive games or is it some counter argument?
I've already played all. The Room is great, but too short; Knights is pretty crap IMO; liked Year Walk, but not too much.
Yeah well Japan will be the last to fall, but our handheld gaming habits in the US are changing. Japan uses mass transit everywhere so might as well game. US drives everywhere except in a few select cities.
I've had an iOS device since 2009. iPod Touch and most recently iPad 5. Not even the games that are considered "the best" manage to hold my attention for more than maybe an hour or so. On the other hand, games like Fire Emblem Awakening kept me glued to my 3DS for over 70 hours.
There is simply no comparison between the quality of gaming a dedicated system will offer vs a "smartphone".
There is simply no comparison between the quality of gaming a dedicated system will offer vs a "smartphone".
Not at $40. Pokémon XY will retail at $40 and move a ton of hardware.
It sounds like...you're an expert.
Those are the games that were initially iOS exclusive that are easily on par with your average handheld game but are better suited to the iPad. You might not like Knights, I loved it and finished it twice.
Mauricio_Magus
Banned
It's been proven again and again that there are gamers that want awesome games so they aren't buying a fucking smartphone to play games. You just have games in there because you bought a phone
No you did no say that. You said it was semi-popular and nothing like it was in Japan. Its absolutely massive and one of the largest gaming IP's in the US region. Its not Semi popular, its huge, and its a large as it has ever been. It is not in any way being 'carried' by Japan.
Yeah, now that you are proven wrong, interesting how suddenly it doesn't matter.
Yeah it's NEOGAF. We're all experts. Are you new here?
Colonel Mustard
Banned
I'll update this post when I'm off work. I'm on my shitty smartphone.
Look at the console charts over the last 10 years. Gamers have proven again and again that they'll buy shit en masse. Don't underestimate the size of the casual gaming crowd, they're just as happy swiping as they are tapping and for the serious gamers like me there's some incredible niche titles on iOS that I personally cannot miss out on.
I bow down to your superior intellect about the popularity of Pokemon. I fall on my sword in disgrace. I guess the reduced popularity of handhelds is just a fad and they'll bounce back, just like the reduced popularity of PC sales.
It competes in a quality experience and dedicated handhelds currently squash phones for that. I'm sitting here with a 4S and after reading this thread, thanking The Lord that I have a 3DSXL next to me that I bought on Saturday.
The only game I've managed to finish on this is Phoenix Wright and that was a re-play through. Ghost Trick and Touch Detective are also awesome, but not finished them yet due to finishing them on the DS previously. Ridiculous Fishing and Kairosoft games are excellent in small bursts, but nothing that would pull me away from my 3DS or Vita (if I had the latter).
The only game I've managed to finish on this is Phoenix Wright and that was a re-play through. Ghost Trick and Touch Detective are also awesome, but not finished them yet due to finishing them on the DS previously. Ridiculous Fishing and Kairosoft games are excellent in small bursts, but nothing that would pull me away from my 3DS or Vita (if I had the latter).
Why do companies keep making games for handhelds, then? It's almost like they're profitable.
Sorry but if -right now- phone gaming would be such a gold mine then 3DS wouldn't be drowning in 3rd party exclusives, even Vita is getting a lot of indie support for some reason. Install base doesn't equal profit, it just doesn't.
Sorry but if -right now- phone gaming would be such a gold mine then 3DS wouldn't be drowning in 3rd party exclusives, even Vita is getting a lot of indie support for some reason. Install base doesn't equal profit, it just doesn't.