Mobile vs. handheld gaming = PC vs. consoles on a different front or not?

Up until recently, I didn't give this subject much thought. I always thought mobile gaming was almost exclusively aimed at casual audiences and that these 2 parts of the industry didn't have much interaction with each other. After stumbling upon an article titled "the future of mobile and handheld gaming", I decided to reconsider my stance regarding this. The article is quite lengthy and full of digressions, but it raises some good points. If you don't have the time (n)or the patience to read it, let me just summarize the (imo) main points:

- smarthpones/tablets grew immensely in terms of hardware power and can compete with handheld consoles without any trouble

- developing for Android/iOS is cheaper and faster

- you don't have to rely on people buying xy console to consider them potential buyers, (almost) everybody owns at least a smartphone

- gaming tablets with physical controls removed the last advantage handheld gaming had over mobile gaming

I started a similar discussion in another forum and someone compared this mobile vs. handheld "battle" to the "pc vs. consoles" (hence the title). However, imho this is not the same because back then, the question was "will the dedicated systems push out hardcore gaming from everywhere else?" and now it's the complete opposite of that scenario.

I rambled enough, thoughts?

I do not really trust mobile phones becoming a hardcore gaming platform! While they might get super visuals and hardware power the lack of proper controller button is very negative for me!

What I really appreciated is PS vita's new approach. It combined hardware power + touch screen + gyroscope + 2 cameras + 3g/wi fi internet connection and the most important it still kept it's buttons! So you can use it the way you like!

For me true mobile gaming lies in handhelds and not phones or tabletops!

While I still love my Android phone (galaxy s3) I do not use it for gaming and never will! Angry birds is not a option!

Mobile gaming is a joke with touch screen. Games like angry birds are great but when you start talking about its the future:lol: PC vs Console? You get what you pay for...

I think you have the same situation indeed. Sony and Microsoft will be obsolete in terms of hardware, and only Nintendo remains because they actually have a valuable first party.

Even consoles have good exclusives. Mobiles have no good exclusives at all and handhelds dominate them in quality.

Bad comparison for multiple reasons.

Phones and tablets with games still aren't considered "gaming". They lack buttons.

gaming tablets with physical controls removed the last advantage handheld gaming had over mobile gamingrenome

So far i'll take PSV/3DS anyday over tablets / mobile phones....

I do not really trust mobile phones becoming a hardcore gaming platform! While they might get super visuals and hardware power the lack of proper controller button is very negative for me!

What I really appreciated is PS vita's new approach. It combined hardware power + touch screen + gyroscope + 2 cameras + 3g/wi fi internet connection and the most important it still kept it's buttons! So you can use it the way you like!

For me true mobile gaming lies in handhelds and not phones or tabletops!

While I still love my Android phone (galaxy s3) I do not use it for gaming and never will! Angry birds is not a option!

V3rciS

Just out of curiosity, what do you use your $700-wortth smartphone for?

As for the guy who asked about tablets with controls: there's gamepad, wikipad andjxd s7100 with more to come next year.

Phones and tablets with games still aren't considered "gaming". They lack buttons.

GamerwillzPS

[QUOTE="V3rciS"]

I do not really trust mobile phones becoming a hardcore gaming platform! While they might get super visuals and hardware power the lack of proper controller button is very negative for me!

What I really appreciated is PS vita's new approach. It combined hardware power + touch screen + gyroscope + 2 cameras + 3g/wi fi internet connection and the most important it still kept it's buttons! So you can use it the way you like!

For me true mobile gaming lies in handhelds and not phones or tabletops!

While I still love my Android phone (galaxy s3) I do not use it for gaming and never will! Angry birds is not a option!

renome

Just out of curiosity, what do you use your $700-wortth smartphone for?

As for the guy who asked about tablets with controls: there's gamepad, wikipad andjxd s7100 with more to come next year.

Dude as I mentioned... if I want to play outdoors or on a train/bus I'll take my Ps vita with me!
About the phone now. To be honest I actually believe I over reacted and bought it only because I am tech freak nothing more... I mean I couldn't yet find a good reason to justify the money I paid for it. However with my phone I do... browse on the internet, chat, watch series, read sometimes, take pics, listen to music, tweak android, and use all the other applications that I need! Like train schedules, stock market, newspapers etc etc

No one games on mobile. They just happen to have a phone that plays games that they may use occasionally. There is a big difference. Ghost120x

[QUOTE="GamerwillzPS"]

Phones and tablets with games still aren't considered "gaming". They lack buttons.

PCgameruk

No one games on mobile. They just happen to have a phone that plays games that they may use occasionally. There is a big difference. Ghost120x

Handheld and bulky desktop PC sucks vs:

Phones and tablets with games still aren't considered "gaming". They lack buttons.

GamerwillzPS

Up until recently, I didn't give this subject much thought. I always thought mobile gaming was almost exclusively aimed at casual audiences and that these 2 parts of the industry didn't have much interaction with each other. After stumbling upon an article titled "the future of mobile and handheld gaming", I decided to reconsider my stance regarding this. The article is quite lengthy and full of digressions, but it raises some good points. If you don't have the time (n)or the patience to read it, let me just summarize the (imo) main points:

- smarthpones/tablets grew immensely in terms of hardware power and can compete with handheld consoles without any trouble

- developing for Android/iOS is cheaper and faster

- you don't have to rely on people buying xy console to consider them potential buyers, (almost) everybody owns at least a smartphone

- gaming tablets with physical controls removed the last advantage handheld gaming had over mobile gaming

I started a similar discussion in another forum and someone compared this mobile vs. handheld "battle" to the "pc vs. consoles" (hence the title). However, imho this is not the same because back then, the question was "will the dedicated systems push out hardcore gaming from everywhere else?" and now it's the complete opposite of that scenario.

I rambled enough, thoughts?

renome

We need something like the Asus Transformer Prime, except as a phone, and with a gamepad instead of a keyboard. People who really want to game on the go will have no qualms flipping their phone open to answer a call, and people who only want to game occasionally can detach the gamepad and carry it in their backpack or whatever.

Maybe in the future, but right now hell no.

I feel the mobile platforms are growing in terms of gaming. As of right now i think the mobile platform is more of a casual way to play games. But in the future i wouldnt be surprised to see more core games on it. i am already seeing big devs like Square Enix making mobile games regularly. May not be as big as handheld gaming but sure is growing in a way ninty and sony cant ignore.

@Timstuff, google Wikipad.renome

Well, yeah. Also, if you don't mind non-removable physical control, there's always SUPER cheap Archos Gamepad. Oh, and, has anyone seen WynCASE? That thing sounds genius.