Back in June, I got a shiny Nintendo 3DS as a replacement for the broken DSi. I have played around with it for nearly two months and I think it’s a good handheld gaming console. However, it cost a bit more money and many of the first party and worthwhile titles weren’t out, except Ocarina of Time, which is why it was underperforming for a while until now.
Just recently, Nintendo has slashed $80 dollars from the price, bringing down the price of the 3DS to $169. In addition, they are giving incentives to early adopters with free downloadable games. Sadly for most investors, it wasn’t enough. They insist that the 3DS will still flop and Nintendo should give up on the console business to make games on smartphones. This idea made me angry since they don’t understand gaming more than just playing a mini game of “Angry Birds” or “Cut the Rope.”
The problem with mobile gaming is that while the games are considerably cheaper than the handheld consoles, they aren’t specifically designed for it. I know smartphones are becoming more capable. We can now play music, surf the Internet, read emails, view maps, take pictures and etc. I still feel that gaming is one of those areas that it does horribly in. While touch orientated games like “Angry Birds” works well with the smartphone, more complicated games that requires more controls makes the gaming experience subpar or downright horrible. This is because touchscreen controls don’t give any feedback compared to physical ones. In addition, most mobile games don’t have depth and typically shovelware because the makers are more concentrated on making a quick profit than on quality. While quality games exist on the app stores, most of these games still give a very forgettable experience.
For Nintendo, making games for smartphone devices are not in their DNA. They are the visionaries of the video game industry. If they give up on making hardware or start making games on other platforms such as the iPhone, they will completely lose their mojo and their ability to innovate. They have to devalue their games and probably end up in the same boat like SEGA is in.
In conclusion, I strongly disagree that Nintendo should just give up. I know smartphones are becoming more popular, but I think there is still a place for handheld gaming consoles. I believe the 3DS will eventually take off and become popular once good games are released for it. People just have to be patient.
Personally, I’d be curious and horrified to see how Nintendo fares (read: take apart) smartphone gaming.
They are an established company with proven brands, known for fun AND experimented with touchscreen gaming way before the fly-by-night mobile gaming companies cottoned on to the idea.
Their branding, talent and experience in the field of touchscreen gaming might conceiveably destroy the smartphone gaming industry forever.
Also, the problem with the 3DS is that apart from the 3D gimmick, it brings nothing new to the table, apart from the motion controller. The WiiU is even worse. A single iPad-like controller for a console? Unless there are a bunch of killer games for that, I can’t really see it being the runaway success that the Wii was.
Nintendo making a smartphone games division would be a hilarious idea. In fact, I’d like them to do it, just to see the consequences. If only to inject some creativity into their games, because as much as I like Nintendo games, they are becoming stale. Very, very stale.
For games like Zelda and Mario, I don’t think it will ever work in a touchscreen only smartphone because it needs precise controls get the right movement.
I think the problem stems from focusing too much on innovation and not enough on future proofing their hardware. Compared to the Playstation Vita that has the latest hardware, Nintendo decided to use an older processor and GPU, mostly for compatibility sake. If they could figure out how to fit the latest CPU and GPUs while maintaining good battery life to match something similar to what the current smartphones have, the 3DS would have justified the higher price tag.
In the end of the day, the games is what matters. Shifting to making smartphone games is not the solution since they are essentially killing the video game industry. While the WiiU finally catches up with the HD consoles like the PS3 and 360, there is more work needed to future proof while being innovative. A balance is needed and perhaps some new or revisiting older intellectual properties.
Not shifting, diversifying.
Future-proofing isn’t about the hardware. The PS Vita has the latest hardware, but to the consumer, apart from the snazzier graphics, it brings even less to the table than the 3DS. (Tilt motion and touchscreens have already been done by Apple) And then there’s the AT&T tie-up, which is not gonna win any fans over.
And then there’s the developer side to think of. Part of the reason for the Wi”s huge library of games (admittedly, most of it is shovelware) is because the Wii was easy to develop. How do the devkits for the respective consoles stack up?
And do you really want to know what’s killing the gaming industry? People like Bobby Kotick. The industry splitting into different directions isn’t what’s killing it; in fact, having distinct conventions for different consoles is a GOOD THING.
Online distribution will eventually factor into mobile gaming and unless Nintendo and Sony don’t seize the moment and diversify, they’ll end up like Activision; ruled by one greed-obssessed little prick running people and brands into the ground. Hell, I want EA to sit on some of Activision’s franchises and not do anything with them at all, instead of what Kotick does to games.
I understand the need for diversification, but it’s still risky and could potentially cut into the sales of consoles… However, this doesn’t remove the fact that any type of action or platformer games on the smartphone is going to suck hard unless they implement controls like the Xperia Play. Considering that most of the Nintendo games are that, it simply not going to work except a select few.
Also, any platform is going to have a number of shovelware since companies are out for the bottom line. While its pretty bad on the game consoles, its even worse with mobile gaming since it’s cheaper and easier to develop games on these platforms.