Are mobile games a threat to portable gaming?

[Esperahol]

I somehow doubt that myself, but this is something that comes up again and again. In my opinion, mobile gaming is to portable gaming, what tablets are to laptops. Tablets do well, but they just don't have the capabilities of a laptop. Mobile games are fun, but they don't tend to have much in terms of depth or replay value. What are your thoughts?

 

[ozadin]

A threat to portable gaming? Not at all. I don't see the downside of mobile games, as it is related to any other kind of gaming. Mobile games are just like gameboys, and ds.

 

[joshAnthony]

Well I play mobile games a lot more than portable games. Handhelds are still in contention, but mobile gaming is more convenient because I always have my phone around, unlike my Nintendo DS or Gameboy.

 

[Donkey Punch]

Mobile games a threat to gaming, period. Yes, the gameplay is shallow, and there is lot of crap on the market, but people don't care. Most people are perfectly happy with playing garbage like Temple Run to kill 20-30 minutes on the train, and when they're tired of playing, they'll surf the web or go on Facebook. That's how people spend time these days.

Ultimately, it's not just a fight for the mobile market, it's a fight for people's entertainment of choice, and Nintendo has always understood that. They're competing not just with Angry Birds, but with Nexflix, Instagram, YouTube, and all the apps that people choose to waste their time on instead of video games.

 

[Jpix]

Mobile games a threat to gaming, period. Yes, the gameplay is shallow, and there is lot of crap on the market, but people don't care. Most people are perfectly happy with playing garbage like Temple Run to kill 20-30 minutes on the train, and when they're tired of playing, they'll surf the web or go on Facebook. That's how people spend time these days.

Ultimately, it's not just a fight for the mobile market, it's a fight for people's entertainment of choice, and Nintendo has always understood that. They're competing not just with Angry Birds, but with Nexflix, Instagram, YouTube, and all the apps that people choose to waste their time on instead of video games.

This is basically what I was going to say. I mean, I have a crazy hard time just finding other people to street pass with on my 3ds. Me and my husband have this conversation plenty when we're out at the mall and instead of seeing kids with portable consoles you see them with cell phones. Even worse that they hang out in big groups.. all on their cell phones.

Fact of the matter is, you already have a Cell, typically an android, your music and nets are there, why not just make it easier and play a shitty game?

 

[Esperahol]

Mobile games a threat to gaming, period. Yes, the gameplay is shallow, and there is lot of crap on the market, but people don't care. Most people are perfectly happy with playing garbage like Temple Run to kill 20-30 minutes on the train, and when they're tired of playing, they'll surf the web or go on Facebook. That's how people spend time these days.

Ultimately, it's not just a fight for the mobile market, it's a fight for people's entertainment of choice, and Nintendo has always understood that. They're competing not just with Angry Birds, but with Nexflix, Instagram, YouTube, and all the apps that people choose to waste their time on instead of video games.

I honestly don't believe that. Mostly because of how mainstream gaming has become while still being a niche that is looked down upon. There is a channel - G4 that is geared solely to gamers. There is E3 amongst other conventions that are not only huge, but made for gamers. You can get paid enormous amounts of money being a professional gamer. Entertainment giants like Sony and corporate monsters like Microsoft are putting in time and effort to produce the Xbox One and PS4. Nintendo is still alive and kickin'. I mean there is always this sort of panic going on, but the sky is not falling in anyway shape or form.

PC gaming is not going to kill the console, tablets are not going to kill laptops, and mobile gaming is not going to kill portable gaming. I can't play anything really serious on my mobile phone, and I don't want to. That's why I have multiple portable systems - Vita, GBA, DS, GBC, etc. They fit in my pocket or coat or bookbag and when I have the time I use them. Considering I ride the bus I have time to get through several levels at a time. Does that mean I don't play on my cellphone? No, but even then I'm playing Oregan Trail or Tetris or Sonic the Hedgehog 2 or something with some level of depth to it. And I'm pretty sure I'm not the only person like this.

Besides which Nintendo is behind the curve, Microsoft is the only appealing to folks who like Youtube and whatever. Not that it matters, because half of Youtube is videos of video game walkthroughs, video game cutscenes, video game tutorials, video game glitches, funny moments from video games, etc. There are over 500 FB groups related to video games mostly Call of Duty. Movieverse and Gameverse are meshing more and more. I mean I just don't see the threat. Ah, well.