You wouldn't sound crazy if you said mobile was the future of gaming, the real future might not be so clear. Here's why.
Given due time, it's likely the mobile landscape of smartphones powered by Apple, Android, Windows, etc, will evolve into something more resembling the handheld gaming devices we've already used. Sure, it's hard for the Nintendo 3DS or Sony Playstation Vita to match mobile's rapidly growing install base, library of games, or ease of controls. But as the tastes of mobile gamers evolve, they'll eventually match the more traditional handheld landscape (after all, the 3G PS Vita is really only a VOIP app away from being a smartphone). Here are some reasons wh
#1: Minecraft: Pocket Edition was released on Xperia Play first.
|
|
|
Mojang knows you like buttons. |
When one of the biggest PC games was ported to Android, it was first on the Sony Xperia Play, the Android phone with the slide-out controller; from there it was ported to the greater Android Market and iOS. Developers want more traditional control schemes. Right now, mobile gaming is based around swiping and tapping. Eventually the dedicated gamers will want deeper experiences, which will lead to more complex control schemes. It's like how we were kids playing Super Mario Bros with a four button controller, wishing Mario could run backwards, and arrived at today, with Mario running over tiny planets, controlled by a motion sensitive wand with seven buttons.
|
|
|
Smudge your screen, or use a controller? |
#2: Everyone wants to play GTAIII with a controller.
Grand Theft Auto III: 10th Anniversary Edition may have been an impressive port of a PS2 game to mobile platforms, but reviews like Gamespot's said the touch-screen controls got in the way. Gamers want deeper control schemes to match the deeper experiences more complex games are going to have.
#3: HTC is getting Playstation certification.
According to leaks, HTC is going to announce Playstation certification at Mobile World Congress this year. This means Playstation One titles would be coming to an array of HTC devices, plus for developers, an original game that is Playstation certified will play on all devices that carry that title. Classic titles like Jumping Flash and Syphon Filter are already playable on Xperia Play phones, imagine playing a game on your PS3 and continuing in the breakroom at work. These are deeper console-level experiences which are going to require more complex control schemes for those who don't want to wrestle with on-screen buttons.
#4: Android 3.0 and higher allows controller connections.
On any Android tablet and on any Android device running Ice Cream Sandwich (AKA 4.0, 4.0+), you can just plug in a USB controller and go. Developers have also found code buried in the SDK that would allow bluetooth connections, so your Xbox 360 or PS3 controller might work in the future. Imagine being able to plug your phone/tablet into a TV via HDMI, push a button on a controller and play Minecraft or GTA3 like a full-on console. Mobile platform developers apparently know this is the way mobile gaming is going and are preparing.
#5: There's a digital storefront for every platform.
Sure, iTunes and Android Market are great, allowing developers a cheaper entryway into gamer's hearts with potential for great profit if they stumble on the next Plants VS. Zombies or Words With Friends. But by now, every platform available has some kind of digital storefront, whether it's the Playstation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, or even the PC stalwart Steam. Once these storefronts can match the level of friendliness that mobile markets have, we'll see a big shift in how gamers get their content. Hey, just about everything already has Angry Birds, now we just need to match things like lower price points. Steam has already proven their annual sales are winners, now we need the others to catch on.
I enter this into the online world with the caveat that this is my informed opinion, and freely admit it could be wrong. If you think I am, please feel free to say so, and let's get the discussion going.