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[Nightbringer]

Reasons for a mobile/handheld future:

1. When PS3 and 360 will hit the market the portable systems (DS, GBM and PSP) will be less expansive

2. The companies are saying that the games in the next gen will cost more money for us (60$) but the portable games will be less expansive.

3. You can sell only a console for every TV in a home but you can sell a portable system for every person in the home.

4. PS3 and 360 will be the same playabe ideas of the current generation but with better graphics. PSP and DS are the same ideas but 100% portable and portability is the key for the success today for a lot of products.

5. Today all the people with their own salary has his own cell phone and a lot of them are jumping to their own portable music player. The next step? Every one jumping to his/her own portable gaming system.

6. The next jump in the mobile games is going to be 3D chipsets for them and Microsoft is preparing DirectX for making games for the Cell Phones with 3D Chipsets.

 

[Fallout-NL]

Handheld gaming still sucks compared to what I can experience on a decent system.

Best things I can remember are Super Mario World 2 (for GB), that zelda game (Link's Awakening), Metroid Fusion and Castlevania DS. These are all o.k. games, but they're nothing compared to Ocarina of Time or Half-Life, they're not even in the same f*cking galaxy for that matter. Apart from that I just dont enjoy the annoying controls, annoying screen and I dont see that whole "gaming in line for the theater" or a train thing either. It's not as comfortable. So no, I dont see it happening.

 

[Xrenity]

Reasons for a mobile/handheld future:

1. When PS3 and 360 will hit the market the portable systems (DS, GBM and PSP) will be less expansive

Nice typo

And I think not. People will always want something to play at home, with their huge TV screens and stuff like that.

Handheld gaming is better when you're often traveling, though.

 

[123rl]

Handheld gaming still sucks compared to what I can experience on a decent system.

Exactly. Playing on a tiny screen, with tinny speakers, is NOT the future of gaming. Same reason why I think mp3 and portable video players are NOT a suitable replacement for a home system.

 

[Nightbringer]

Are you saying that PSP technically sucks for games? I cannot believe this.

I believe that the situation with the Cell Phones and the MP3 Music Players can be repeated in the videogame world.

 

[CompositeMolar]

I don't care about handleds I play games when I'm at home only. I can't skip all the good games on handleds though... :lol

 

[Wollan]

I think portables is the way to go for smaller developers.

 

[Draft]

Nope.

 

[Xellos]

I don't think so, because:

1. 20+ inch screen vs. 4 inch screen
2. Portable technology is nowhere near as powerful as the upcoming home consoles, or even current home consoles

 

[pestul]

I think portables is the way to go for smaller developers.

Bingo.

Although it does sadden me slightly.

 

[Kroole]

I agree that mobile game is not the only future for games but it will get a larger proportion of it thatn we have seen up until now.
They can never replace stationary gaming infront of a nice tv and a nice setup of speakers but for trips, relaxing in bed etc. they present a good alternative.

 

[Fallout-NL]

Are you saying that PSP technically sucks for games? I cannot believe this.

I believe that the situation with the Cell Phones and the MP3 Music Players can be repeated in the videogame world.

Playing games is much more of a hassle than listening to music, you can engage in listening to music passively, while playing a game requires pretty much all of your attention. Walking whilst listening to music, for instance, isnt a problem, playing a game is. As for cell phones, there's no significant difference between a home based phone and a mobile one, except for the most important aspect of it being portable, which makes much more sense for a phone than for a console. There's no need for a portable console, none whatsoever, save for holiday purposes and even then it's justified only because of a lack of a proper console/pc.

And personally, yes I think a PSP sucks. Same goes for all those PDA's, slow pieces of shit, with bullshit excuses for keyboards and screens.

 

[Mau ®]

In Japan, handheld/mobile gaming is actually the future, just look at the damn charts.

I don't know about NA though but I can tell you one thing. I've been playing on handhelds way more than on consoles during this year. In fact, SotC is the first console game in like 4-5 months that Ive bought. Not because I don't like console gaming but because there is no time for it anymore and I believe many can agree on this.

I prefer console gaming so that's why I prefer PSP, it offers a near-console gaming experience.

 

[cvxfreak]

It depends on the society. Something like the GB micro, PSP, GBASP or DS is perfect for the Japanese who use the subways to commute and spend as much as 20 minutes one way, and another 20 minutes. In most American society where driving is prevalent, its more reserved for kids and passengers, or people who take buses.

In the next coming years, the portable markt in Japan has to grow, while I expect the console market to stay leveled or even drop. In the US, they'll both grow as they have been doing for years.

 

[TheKingsCrown]

I have been playing games since the mid 80's, and honestly portable games do not offer the same experience and have never really attracted me.

That said, I think a very mobile society is developing and will likely value portability.

However, as far as I am concerned personally: I would much rather play a good Zelda/Final Fantasy etc. in the comfort of my own home, on my couch, than be playing a game on the go.

 

[genjiZERO]

It depends on the society. Something like the GB micro, PSP, GBASP or DS is perfect for the Japanese who use the subways to commute and spend as much as 20 minutes one way, and another 20 minutes. In most American society where driving is prevalent, its more reserved for kids and passengers, or people who take buses.

In the next coming years, the portable markt in Japan has to grow, while I expect the console market to stay leveled or even drop. In the US, they'll both grow as they have been doing for years.

I agree completely. But I think this is due largely to a lack of console innovation from Japanese devs, which is kinda sad because those are the games I like most.

I think the handheld and mobile phone market in the US will get bigger, but never to the level it is in Japan. I wouldn't be surprised if console gaming shrank in NA next gen. If prices really do go up, then it'll keep a lot of people away. I know for me if games are going to cost $60 and a console $400, I'll buy significantly fewer games, only ones I'll know I'll enjoy and get every penny of worth out of. But with cheaper handheld games, well I can more easily take a gamble with them.

 

[Fallout-NL]

Havent consoles always been that expensive to begin with?

And on play.com a DS game is only 5 pounds less than a regular xbox game.

 

[elostyle]

Exactly. Playing on a tiny screen, with tinny speakers, is NOT the future of gaming. Same reason why I think mp3 and portable video players are NOT a suitable replacement for a home system.

Some food for thought... so far handheld games are less prone to have low framerate or camera issues. For some reason secondary things like that are totally capable of destroying a good game experience more easily than say a tiny screen for me :-/ It's apples and oranges though and just my recent personal thoughts on this topic, so don't mind me.

 

[Deku]

It doesn;t really matter to me. I play games on all platforms that I enjoy, but I can say that I've found myself playing more portable games as the time I have to play games has shrunk.

portable /mobile gaming allows me to sneak in 15 minutes here and there , rather than sitting for 2 hours infront of a TV. Its off putitng.

 

[Belfast]

I think they will be the future, but they have to be adaptable to the home experience. A handheld that reaches the power of next gen consoles + new media type for storage + video/audio out may be a reality in the future. That way, the portable IS essentially the console. You can play the game on the big screen at home while using the Output features, but then you could continue playing the SAME game (not a port, the same exact game) on the go via a smaller screen.

Resolution issues might be a problem, but if the storage solution was there, it could work at some point in the future.

 

[drohne]

if handhelds ever eclipse consoles, it will be because video gaming as we understand it has died. and i really like handhelds.

 

[Speevy]

Nope, and I'm happy for that.

 

[HooDoo]

Some food for thought... so far handheld games are less prone to have low framerate or camera issues.

Quite like the home consoles before 3D became a standard. I don't see why handheld games won't suffer from the same problem now that the DS/PSP are powerful enough to get 3D games.

 

[elostyle]

Quite like the home consoles before 3D became a standard. I don't see why handheld games won't suffer from the same problem now that the DS/PSP are powerful enough to get 3D games.

I think they will too but right nowl it is not the case in portable games thus far and those have become very popular while interest in consoles is a bit on the decline. Just saying that maybe there is a core of truth in the "games got to complicated" argument. Whereas complicated not as much in the sense of sophistication but a disparity in the scale and details of the worlds we are presented with and how they are presented to us and how we can interact with them. Handheld games up to this point didn't set out to do quite as epic and amazing things but by the same point are usually a bit more focused and "on target". Don't really know what exactly I am trying to say, sorry.

 

[sidnotcrazy]

Interesting topic. I think handheld sales will continue to grow both here, and in Japan. Will they become more popular than consoles? I don't really see that happening.

I know that I play my handhelds more than any of my consoles. The reason is time, as I get olded I have less and less time to sit in front of a tv and play games.

 

[anotheriori]

imagine this:

or this:

with ps2/xbox like graphics,

but then people will complain about looking dumb/getting jacked or not being aware since they're too absorbed into a game in public hrm people are never satisfied.

btw ds rules.

 

[fse]

Handhelds/Mobiles will not be the main platform in the future, it will have more people using them though. Tons of people have GameBoys and Cell phones...

 

[Troidal]

It depends on the society. Something like the GB micro, PSP, GBASP or DS is perfect for the Japanese who use the subways to commute and spend as much as 20 minutes one way, and another 20 minutes. In most American society where driving is prevalent, its more reserved for kids and passengers, or people who take buses.

In the next coming years, the portable markt in Japan has to grow, while I expect the console market to stay leveled or even drop. In the US, they'll both grow as they have been doing for years.

Let me just add to this...

in the US it seems people enjoy the luxury of their homes...mostly have large spaces and rooms, so big screen TVs and 5.1 speakers are not a problem at all. Hence, consoles will probably still be prevalent in the future.

In Japan, most people spend leisure outside since their room tend to be pretty small. That's why we got manga cafes, internet cafes, karaoke places, love hotels, you name it, any activities you want to engage in, there is a place just for that outside your home. Most people play games on their cell phone (or a handheld system for some people) in between these activities (i.e. commute).

 

[ratcliffja]

I think eventually we'll have handhelds that send wireless signals to TVs and other monitors so we'll be able to have the best of both worlds. I think all game systems will become handheld, yet will have the option for more cinematic and/or immersive gameplay as well.

 

[Willco]

Handhelds and consoles will become one in the same. If you can't grasp that, you're dense.

 

[VOOK]

Handhelds and consoles will become one in the same. If you can't grasp that, you're dense.

So the new Gameboy will be called the Homeboy? Now thats gaming in the Ghetto!