You really got me there. I did expect the Wii to have sold more hardware and less software
Quote:
"The Wii was a gimmick"
That all depends on what you define as a "gimmick". In a sense most of the tech we buy is a "gimmick".
However, I stand by that the Wii is a gimmick. In the sense that people bought it because it sounded WICKEEED, not because it was going to increase the quality of games. And it didn't, this I dare you to prove otherwise
Quote:
"Legend of Zelda titles weren't impressive to anyone that doesn't worship Nintendo."
I'm not sure if your intention here is to state the obvious (i.e. people who don't like Nintendo games were not impressed by Zelda titles) or to attempt to marginalise people who liked the Zelda series (i.e. "if you disagree with me you must be a Nintendo worshipper").
I mean that compared to the top PS3 titles, Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword falls short. It's just like Ocarina of Time, just with 2001 graphics instead of 1994.
What's the guy on about at 1m:20s saying that '3G' is only used in Asia and '3S' is the standard in 70% of the other countries. I have never heard of such a designation and can't find any info to back up such a claim to that percentage.
I've never heard of the term 3S being used but it's possibly Softbank 3G - I think he's talking about the CDMA vs GSM issue. GSM has a 70-80% marketshare but if you get a CDMA 3G model, it won't work with GSM carriers. The iPad is the same:
"If you decide on an iPad with Wi-Fi + 3G, be sure to select the model that corresponds with the carrier you?d like to use for 3G service. The iPad model you purchase is specially configured to work with either AT&T or Verizon ? not both. So while you don?t have to activate 3G service right away, you should choose your iPad with Wi-Fi + 3G according to the carrier you prefer."
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX
728,000 unit sales on first day in Japan. Pretty damn good.
Yeah, that's a decent number. Significantly higher than the 200k PSP first day sales. It was a pretty good idea to launch in December but they probably should have done a worldwide launch.
They should release a bigger iPod Touch because it would be a better iPod Touch. It won't make any difference against Vita or any other dedicated gaming system. They wipe the floor with iOS devices due to the controls. Some 90% of games are not optimal on touchscreen. The other 10% just hasn't shown up on iOS. Developers apparently do not believe iOS users will pay for good strategy games, etc.
I'm pretty sure if the Vita does some shaking of the market, that shaking will be in the form of the new touch controls which enable the device to do things the PSP was not capable of and (3)DS is not capable of.
It's no threat to iOS devices because non-gamers won't carry a Vita, and iOS devices are no threat to it because iOS games are garbage and even good games which could conceivably be released on iOS are only a small part of the market.
The best current consoles render AAA games at lower resolutions than that. PPI is completely irrelevant to mobile gaming.
I think some consumers will consider a device like the Vita an alternative to the Touch and vice versa. It does seem to me that the one flaw in the current design of the Touch is that a screen size well-suited to smartphones is being employed for a portable computer that could and should come with a bigger screen.
The Touch is basically an iPhone minus the phone part and while for a time that was not a bad thing, now I think there should be some separation of the two products because they are, despite many similarities, different devices with different priorities.
While it is true that the Touch is not a dedicated portable gaming device, there is an awful lot of gaming that is going on with this product right now. As such, whatever makes the Touch a better gaming device is a good thing. Fortunately there is one spec upgrade that would enhance many of the activities that people are using the Touch for. That's upping the size of the screen. Browsing. Check. Gaming. Check. Reading. Check. Media playback. Check. In fact, absolutely anything that one would care to do with a Touch, one would do better on a bigger screen. The key lies in not making the device so large that it becomes awkward to slip into one's pocket.
I hope the Vita does well because if it does erode, somewhat, the Touch's market share, Apple will be forced to respond. Apple could avoid losing share unnecessarily, though, by increasing the size of the screen sooner than later.
They should release a bigger iPod Touch because it would be a better iPod Touch. It won't make any difference against Vita or any other dedicated gaming system. They wipe the floor with iOS devices due to the controls. Some 90% of games are not optimal on touchscreen. The other 10% just hasn't shown up on iOS. Developers apparently do not believe iOS users will pay for good strategy games, etc.
I'm pretty sure if the Vita does some shaking of the market, that shaking will be in the form of the new touch controls which enable the device to do things the PSP was not capable of and (3)DS is not capable of.
It's no threat to iOS devices because non-gamers won't carry a Vita, and iOS devices are no threat to it because iOS games are garbage and even good games which could conceivably be released on iOS are only a small part of the market.
The best current consoles render AAA games at lower resolutions than that. PPI is completely irrelevant to mobile gaming.
You obviously don't keep up with current trends. Let me educate you. The top two age groups for smartphone users are 25-34 (27.2%), followed by 35-44 (21.5%). Why does age matter? Because its those age groups that have the spending capital to buy not only the platforms, but the software to run them. Here are some more statistics for you. Flurry Analytics thinks its 'game over' for portable gaming machines like the PSP and Nintendo DS. From 2009-2011, iOS and Android captured 58% of all software revenue, while Sony PSP had 6%, and Nintendo DS had 36%. Android and iOS TRIPLED their market share in less than 3 years. Combined, Android and iOS games delivered $1.9 billion in software sales over the 3 years combined. Where do you think developers are going to go? Certainly not to the Nintendo, who has been crushed down to owning only 1/3 of the portable gaming market in 2011, where they owned 70% of the market in 2009. Sony also lost half of their portable gaming market share as well.
The moral of the story is that the trend is clear of where portable gaming is going. Sony and Nintendo are trying to play catch up to an industry that they completely missed. Nintendo should license all of the Mario series to Android and iOS, and as for Sony, the Vita is DOA. Do a little research before embarrassing yourself.
I have my 4S, so I can play Infinity Blade II, record amazing video, text and call, check emails, and fling some angry birds while I'm waiting on my toast in the morning.
But if I'm commuting 9 hours between shows, staying up a little late with headphones on, or really wanting an experience when I'm not in front of my 52" and PS3, I'd rather have in depth fun games that feel substantial. The HD remake of Final Fantasy X seems fantastic, plus I can move all my games from my PSPgo (that, ladies and gentlemen, was a miss of a handheld.) and know I can enjoy future titles from major publishing houses designed for this system. The games on iOS are great fun in their own way, but I think dedicated portable gaming devices will have a few more impressive entries before there's truly a do-everything-at-once device to make them irrelevant.
I want two analog sticks, shoulder bumpers and eight hardware buttons when I'm running around slaying enemies and zipping a car through hairpins.
I don't want two analog sticks, etc., when I'm on the phone with a promoter or poking around for 5 minutes before sound check.
We may be a dying breed, but there are still some who want the exact thing Sony is offering with the Vita. Apple isn't going to lose even a handful of sales over the Vita, so I welcome any innovation this might bring and wish them good luck with this device.
I'd hope that dedicated handhelds like the 3DS and Playstation Vita can co-exist alongside the iOS devices. The gaming on these is just better - due to the physical controls. It's to be expected.
However, I don't have the time to warrant purchasing either of these devices and it seems others don't either. They can still occupy a profitable niche, I think Sony has gone the right way in aiming towards a 'premium' gaming experience.
I think you've hit the nail right on the head. The way Sony's console business is set up, they have to charge big money for the apps, whereas Apple has a much bigger ecosystem and can afford to charge small change due to the massive volume they have built up.
That is changing, though - small casual games can be purchased and downloaded for PSP and PS3 from Playstation Store. I got Flight Control for my PS3 (with Move support), and I'm pretty sure I've spotted Angry Birds and number of other titles I've seen for iOS as well.
Price was OK - not as cheap as for iOS, but within a few NZ$. Don't know if developers are a bit greedier for PS3 version, or if Sony is enforcing some pricing rules. Or maybe Move support makes it more complicated to create. But didn't really care.
You can also get remakes of old classics - Sonic and likes, as well as ports from PS1, older 16 and 8 bit consoles as well... I think.
The Patents received by Apple in the past 12 months and counting will reveal your claim about ``don't fool yourselves people,'' as truly naive.
SONY should have released this in 2007.
Because... someone else had portable more powerful than iPhone 4s back in 2007..?
I don't understand why people are calling recent Playstations a failure. Even PSP, considered not much of a success, sold over 60 million units. That is 60 million units dedicated to gaming, and when developer does a game, they know they can count on 60 million owners who purchased PSP pretty much only to game.
While there are more iOS devices out there, majority of them were not purchased primarily for games, and some were not purchased for games at all. That is why you don't get too many BIG games for iOS - developers simply cannot even guess how many owners will purchase expensive, high end game.
Your worldview is embarrassingly America-centric. You should get out and travel the world more often. You'll look less like a boorish Yank.
Sony is headquartered in Japan. They often roll out new products in their home country first. Sony is thinking like Japanese.
They don't celebrate Christmas there; the official state religion is Shinto. The 25th day of December is a regular day (except for this year, since it falls on a Sunday which is in fact normal day off for most Japanese workers).
Yeah, yeah, some of the younger Japanese couples trade extravagent presents as Western consumer practices extend their cultural hegemony over the world, but it's really no long-standing tradition of celebrating Christmas in Japan.
And guess what? They don't celebrate Thanksgiving either!
Note that many U.S. gaming product launches have occurred at large trade shows like CES (January) or E3 (spring). Since the industry historically did not ship product the same day they announce, they would pre-announce to generate hype over the upcoming months.
Apple has changed the game.
While I agree with you in general, Sony does like $ and ? like anyone else, and if you want to get those from European and North American customers, Christmas time is good time
Sony didn't create this to counter Apple iOS - okay, maybe the lame Howard Stringer said it is but it's just a portable gaming system unlike the iOS devices which is much more suited for doing 90% of other things.
It's only for hardcore gamers like myself.
C'mon, dudes, cut us (the gamers) some slack here - I like to do work and most of the other things on my Apple devices but let me game on other systems. Please.
Unless Apple released their own game console (officially), I'll game on other dedicated gaming systems.
Actually... no. It is supposed to do many other things as well. Major difference here is, Sony is starting from completely different starting point, compared to Apple (and Androids).
Apple started from idea of device(s) that are designed for communication (iPhone) and media consumption (iPhone, iPad, iPod), but are also capable of playing games.
Sony started from idea of device that is designed for playing games, but is also capable of communicating, playing media etc. Primary design is dictating form factor, but function wise, Vita can do everything iPod can, most of what iPhone/iPad can. How well will those capabilities be utilised, now that remains to be seen... but with screen estate, touch interface and physical controls, webcams, Wifi (and optional 3G), speakers and microphone, and rest of underlying hardware, possibilities are there.
Of course there are, but there are strategy games like chess that don't require any computing device and there intense first-person shooter games for consoles that I'd consider "hardcore". I'm not seeing how anyone can call themselves a "hardcore" gamer using a handheld device. If you want to call consoles monster trucks and the iPhone a Prius then a handheld console would be this?
Prius Monster Truck. Hardcore?
I'm sure there is a use and it can be a lot of fun the way novelties and go cart racing can be fun, but defining it as hardcore seems unfitting.
This doesn't make much sense to me.
A chess player can be hardcore, if he is spending a lot of time and is, to some degree, organizing his life around playing... like, planning to and attend tournaments, competitions, or is organizing them with his friends or anyone else. "Sorry darling, cannot have lunch with you next Saturday, boys and I are playing chess in Central Park" sort of dedication.
PC or console gamer can be considered hardcore likewise, if he/she is spending significant part of time and is, to some degree, organizing his life around gaming. Attending/organizing lan parties, be it local or remote, scheduling time to play online with friends etc. It is nothing to do with hardware - iOS gamer can be hardcore, not that I know any of them but in theory, person can be dedicated to iOS gaming to a degree it can be called hardcore.
But like I said, I don't know anyone who is hardcore gaming on iOS - everyone I know will run iOS games just to kill some time they don't have to do anything else. I never ever experienced situation like "Sorry darling, cannot have lunch with you next Saturday, I'm planning to play Angry Birds from 11am till 4pm". It just isn't there.
These companies just don't get it. How is this any different than the Nintendo DSI or XL or 3DS, or Sony PSP or PSPgo for that matter? The addition of 3G is not the answer.
What makes the iPhone, iPod and iPad the 700lb gorilla in the room is not only the fluid and extremely portable design, but the infrastructure. Mobile gaming is where the big money is. Sure, I like to sit down to an in-depth PS3 game every now and then, but with my busy lifestyle, all I really want is a brief distraction from time to time. That's what makes the Apple system great, is that it has millions of distracting titles to play, and it does a host of other things as well, with Siri being at the top of the potential list. This of course does not include the holistic approach that Apple is shooting for with flawless integration of devices, both mobile and home, as well as tying it all together with iCloud.
Again, Sony just doesn't get this, but really should learn from the tablet failures, as all I heard were about how heavy the specs were on some of the emerging devices over the Apple iPad, but at the end of the day, they never made it out of the gate, as Apple has planned this for years.
Portable gaming has taken on a new form, and offerings from Nintendo and Sony are missing the mark by a large margin.
You didn't really spend much time to check how's Vita different from other portables you have mentioned, did you? 3G is the least important new/improved feature of Vita.
Google around and check YouTube for Vita games - there are some really neat ideas there.
- the most active, committed, or doctrinaire members of a group or movement:
OK, that certainly fits with someone who is willing to build their own PC for $3k just to have a couple more frame rates than the next guy and some goofy accessories that assist in making the gaming experience more involved, so I guess what perplexes me is why anyone would brag about such a setup (imagine someone with a luxury sports car bragging. That's right, they're a douche). And that's a real investment, unlike buying a consumer handheld gaming device.
Nothing to do with gear. Geez. I know hardcore PC gamers with gear worth 30% the price of some posh laptops and custom made desktops some wealthy people use for Facebooking etc., because they can.
Hardcore is dedication. If game - any game, any platform - plays important part in your daily routines, time planning, socialising - I believe you can be called hardcore gamer, even if you are playing Yahtzee. Cards. Chess. Anything.
My brother was playing cards with 2 of his mates, 4 to 5 times a week, couple of hours in a session easily. That was their afterhours unwinding time, and it went on for years. They played in very small amount of money - not for money itself but for the prize. As there were 3 of them, looser would buy newspapers to winner (give money, actually, but money could have been spend on newspapers only, and looser had right to read them the next afternoon), while middleman wouldn't get free newspapers, but wouldn't pay anything likewise.
At some stages, they were scheduling their game time for a week in advance, and were following agreed schedule with passion. TV, bad weather, cold... could not stop them.
I'd call that pretty hardcore, even if the gear was deck of playing cards.
These companies just don't get it. How is this any different than the Nintendo DSI or XL or 3DS, or Sony PSP or PSPgo for that matter? The addition of 3G is not the answer.
What makes the iPhone, iPod and iPad the 700lb gorilla in the room is not only the fluid and extremely portable design, but the infrastructure. Mobile gaming is where the big money is. Sure, I like to sit down to an in-depth PS3 game every now and then, but with my busy lifestyle, all I really want is a brief distraction from time to time. That's what makes the Apple system great, is that it has millions of distracting titles to play, and it does a host of other things as well, with Siri being at the top of the potential list. This of course does not include the holistic approach that Apple is shooting for with flawless integration of devices, both mobile and home, as well as tying it all together with iCloud.
Again, Sony just doesn't get this, but really should learn from the tablet failures, as all I heard were about how heavy the specs were on some of the emerging devices over the Apple iPad, but at the end of the day, they never made it out of the gate, as Apple has planned this for years.
Portable gaming has taken on a new form, and offerings from Nintendo and Sony are missing the mark by a large margin.
I disagree with much of what you have written, and whilst I don?t like the terms ?casual? and ?hardcore? gamer, these types of gamer are a reality. I have been playing videogames for 30 years, and I am also an iPhone user.
For me, the fundamental difference between the iPhone (and other smart phones) and the PSvita (and other dedicated handheld gaming platforms) is the control mechanism. Touch screen phones and tablets are not at all suited to playing many types of games on, unless they are relatively simple (i.e. Angry Birds).
Many have tried simulating analogue control systems with on-screen alternatives, but quite frankly, they are utterly useless!!
I have pre-ordered my PSVita and am very excited about it. I am also just about to upgrade my old 3GS for the 4S, but I don?t find that anywhere near as exciting.
One further point?. Nintendo are a phenomenon creator, and dismissing them, as you have, could mean you ending up with all sorts of egg on your face )
I disagree with much of what you have written, and whilst I don’t like the terms “casual” and “hardcore” gamer, these types of gamer are a reality. I have been playing videogames for 30 years, and I am also an iPhone user.
For me, the fundamental difference between the iPhone (and other smart phones) and the PSvita (and other dedicated handheld gaming platforms) is the control mechanism. Touch screen phones and tablets are not at all suited to playing many types of games on, unless they are relatively simple (i.e. Angry Birds).
Many have tried simulating analogue control systems with on-screen alternatives, but quite frankly, they are utterly useless!!
I have pre-ordered my PSVita and am very excited about it. I am also just about to upgrade my old 3GS for the 4S, but I don’t find that anywhere near as exciting.
One further point…. Nintendo are a phenomenon creator, and dismissing them, as you have, could mean you ending up with all sorts of egg on your face )
I have been playing games for 30 years myself, and back in the early 80's, if you recall, there was a video gaming crash' caused primarily by the introduction of too many low quality games into the market which lost consumer confidence. I think that the same thing is happening with console gaming to an extent, which directly translates to handhelds like the PSVita and Nintendo. The prices are too high and only certain games reach epic status. This is responsible for the 6 Billion dollar decline from 2008 to 2010.
Yes, Nintendo used to be a driving force of innovation, but the truth of the matter is, they rode the Wii train for too long and didn't innovate (i.e. MS Kinetics), and have lost 15% of their market share in only 2 years. Sony is also on its way in terms of decline. And on top of that, they continue to churn out the same old same old every year (i.e. Sony PsVita and Nindendo 3DS)
Again, you are missing the fact that the video game consumer is changing, and that is evident of the amount of support from developers that the portable platforms like iOS and Droid are getting. Games are reasonably priced, if not a major fraction of what a DS or PSP game costs, which gives consumers the ability to buy multiple games within a confined budget. That was not available back in the 80's, and a reason for the first crash. Portable platforms ilke the iPhone, iPad, etc. are also getting extremely powerful, coupled with quad processors and iCloud storage options. For those that want true controllers for their portable devices, well they are already in production as well, but the majority are looking for a quick hit of entertainment without having to power up a device, pull the controller out, turn on the television, etc. etc. etc.
I invest long in companies that I think are going to be game changers in the future. Nintendo is off my radar in that regard. The best thing that they can do at this point is reinvent the Wii to competes a true home media, internet device, and/or license off the Mario franchise to iOS and Droid. I doubt that they will do either, and you will probably see them file some time within the next 5 years if things don't change. As for your PSPVita, I see it going by the wayside in similar fashion as the Atari Lynx system. You might want to keep it as I'm sure that it will be a valuable rare collectible in about 30-40 years. Hope you didn't pay too much for it.
Yes, Nintendo used to be a driving force of innovation, but the truth of the matter is, they rode the Wii train for too long and didn't innovate (i.e. MS Kinetics), and have lost 15% of their market share in only 2 years. Sony is also on its way in terms of decline. And on top of that, they continue to churn out the same old same old every year (i.e. Sony PsVita and Nindendo 3DS).
Nintendo's main asset Shigeru Miyamoto is also getting on a bit in years and wants to focus on smaller titles:
Multi-year development cycles are killing the games industry. Look at id taking 6 years to build Rage and it doesn't even work properly yet iOS Rage has no problem and was just a side project.
The good thing with Nintendo and Sony is that they have had stricter standards for game quality on their platforms so you expect a certain level of immersion that you don't expect with iOS and Android games.
Phone developers don't even try to match low-end Playstation games for some reason:
They aim for simplistic gameplay, poor or no voice acting, weak stories and graphics below what the latest devices are capable of.
There are a few exceptions but mainly they are ports that have been developed for other platforms.
For now, I'd say that's Nintendo's and Sony's sole advantage - software quality - and it's something Apple and Google don't really have any control over. Good software gets lost in a sea of very poor, low quality software.
The advantage that Apple and Google have is progressing hardware much more quickly and aiming at a much bigger market.
The good thing with Nintendo and Sony is that they have had stricter standards for game quality on their platforms so you expect a certain level of immersion that you don't expect with iOS and Android games.
Phone developers don't even try to match low-end Playstation games for some reason:
They aim for simplistic gameplay, poor or no voice acting, weak stories and graphics below what the latest devices are capable of.
There are a few exceptions but mainly they are ports that have been developed for other platforms.
For now, I'd say that's Nintendo's and Sony's sole advantage - software quality - and it's something Apple and Google don't really have any control over. Good software gets lost in a sea of very poor, low quality software.
The advantage that Apple and Google have is progressing hardware much more quickly and aiming at a much bigger market.
Why would you quote a strength of Apple and Droid as having quickly progressing hardware, but link to a game that was made in 2008? There's no comparison to the hardware stats of an iPad 3 versus the iPad 1. The expectation is a quad core processor, high end GPU, and retina display.
The developers are merely scratching the surface of graphical and immersion potential with current iOS games such as Metal Storm, Dead Space, Dungeon Hunter 2, Infiniti Blade, and The Bards Tale, and are attracting the likes of Electronic Arts, Rockstar Games, Atari, Capcom, Warner Brothers, and Gameloft for starters. You obviously haven't played any of their recent offerings, as they are every bit as good in capability versus a Playstation 1 and even 2 in some cases. And again, this all has developed within a 2 year period. The game Infinity Blade itself raked in over $30 million in revenue in one year by itself, and that's at a $6.99 price point. How many console games can you say that about that average a $35-$40 retail? Not many.
You've also unknowingly outlined the failure of the Sony and Nintendo offerings. First, by taking so long to develop a game, there is no way that type of business model can continue to compete in this new world of quick game development. You also stated that the goods ones drown in a sea of bad software. That is what killed the video game industry the first time in 1983, and it will happen again. IOS and Droid certainly have its share of bad games out on the market, but the difference is that most of them are either free, or .99 cents. Big difference, as games have almost become disposable on the device, and that's what makes the platform so successful.
Comments
Some interesting software sales stats from http://www.vgchartz.com/
Wii (Console sales: 92,300,000)
Total software sales: 736,060,000
Million sellers: 124
Game count: 1341
1st party game count: 84 (6.26%)
1st party sales: 368,460,000 (50%)
Attach rate: 7.97
X360 (Console sales: 61,500,000)
Total software sales: 566,310,000
Million sellers: 133
Game count: 997
1st party game count: 66 (6.62%)
1st party sales: 115,820,000 (21%)
Attach rate: 9.21
PS3 (Console sales: 58,200,000)
Total software sales: 480,370,000
Million sellers: 122
Game count: 846
1st party game count: 93 (11%)
1st party sales: 112,000,000 (23%)
Attach rate: 8.25
You really got me there. I did expect the Wii to have sold more hardware and less software
"The Wii was a gimmick"
That all depends on what you define as a "gimmick". In a sense most of the tech we buy is a "gimmick".
However, I stand by that the Wii is a gimmick. In the sense that people bought it because it sounded WICKEEED, not because it was going to increase the quality of games. And it didn't, this I dare you to prove otherwise
"Legend of Zelda titles weren't impressive to anyone that doesn't worship Nintendo."
I'm not sure if your intention here is to state the obvious (i.e. people who don't like Nintendo games were not impressed by Zelda titles) or to attempt to marginalise people who liked the Zelda series (i.e. "if you disagree with me you must be a Nintendo worshipper").
I mean that compared to the top PS3 titles, Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword falls short. It's just like Ocarina of Time, just with 2001 graphics instead of 1994.
What's the guy on about at 1m:20s saying that '3G' is only used in Asia and '3S' is the standard in 70% of the other countries. I have never heard of such a designation and can't find any info to back up such a claim to that percentage.
I've never heard of the term 3S being used but it's possibly Softbank 3G - I think he's talking about the CDMA vs GSM issue. GSM has a 70-80% marketshare but if you get a CDMA 3G model, it won't work with GSM carriers. The iPad is the same:
http://www.apple.com/ipad/3g/
"If you decide on an iPad with Wi-Fi + 3G, be sure to select the model that corresponds with the carrier you?d like to use for 3G service. The iPad model you purchase is specially configured to work with either AT&T or Verizon ? not both. So while you don?t have to activate 3G service right away, you should choose your iPad with Wi-Fi + 3G according to the carrier you prefer."
728,000 unit sales on first day in Japan. Pretty damn good.
Yeah, that's a decent number. Significantly higher than the 200k PSP first day sales. It was a pretty good idea to launch in December but they probably should have done a worldwide launch.
They should release a bigger iPod Touch because it would be a better iPod Touch. It won't make any difference against Vita or any other dedicated gaming system. They wipe the floor with iOS devices due to the controls. Some 90% of games are not optimal on touchscreen. The other 10% just hasn't shown up on iOS. Developers apparently do not believe iOS users will pay for good strategy games, etc.
I'm pretty sure if the Vita does some shaking of the market, that shaking will be in the form of the new touch controls which enable the device to do things the PSP was not capable of and (3)DS is not capable of.
It's no threat to iOS devices because non-gamers won't carry a Vita, and iOS devices are no threat to it because iOS games are garbage and even good games which could conceivably be released on iOS are only a small part of the market.
The best current consoles render AAA games at lower resolutions than that. PPI is completely irrelevant to mobile gaming.
I think some consumers will consider a device like the Vita an alternative to the Touch and vice versa. It does seem to me that the one flaw in the current design of the Touch is that a screen size well-suited to smartphones is being employed for a portable computer that could and should come with a bigger screen.
The Touch is basically an iPhone minus the phone part and while for a time that was not a bad thing, now I think there should be some separation of the two products because they are, despite many similarities, different devices with different priorities.
While it is true that the Touch is not a dedicated portable gaming device, there is an awful lot of gaming that is going on with this product right now. As such, whatever makes the Touch a better gaming device is a good thing. Fortunately there is one spec upgrade that would enhance many of the activities that people are using the Touch for. That's upping the size of the screen. Browsing. Check. Gaming. Check. Reading. Check. Media playback. Check. In fact, absolutely anything that one would care to do with a Touch, one would do better on a bigger screen. The key lies in not making the device so large that it becomes awkward to slip into one's pocket.
I hope the Vita does well because if it does erode, somewhat, the Touch's market share, Apple will be forced to respond. Apple could avoid losing share unnecessarily, though, by increasing the size of the screen sooner than later.
They should release a bigger iPod Touch because it would be a better iPod Touch. It won't make any difference against Vita or any other dedicated gaming system. They wipe the floor with iOS devices due to the controls. Some 90% of games are not optimal on touchscreen. The other 10% just hasn't shown up on iOS. Developers apparently do not believe iOS users will pay for good strategy games, etc.
I'm pretty sure if the Vita does some shaking of the market, that shaking will be in the form of the new touch controls which enable the device to do things the PSP was not capable of and (3)DS is not capable of.
It's no threat to iOS devices because non-gamers won't carry a Vita, and iOS devices are no threat to it because iOS games are garbage and even good games which could conceivably be released on iOS are only a small part of the market.
The best current consoles render AAA games at lower resolutions than that. PPI is completely irrelevant to mobile gaming.
You obviously don't keep up with current trends. Let me educate you. The top two age groups for smartphone users are 25-34 (27.2%), followed by 35-44 (21.5%). Why does age matter? Because its those age groups that have the spending capital to buy not only the platforms, but the software to run them. Here are some more statistics for you. Flurry Analytics thinks its 'game over' for portable gaming machines like the PSP and Nintendo DS. From 2009-2011, iOS and Android captured 58% of all software revenue, while Sony PSP had 6%, and Nintendo DS had 36%. Android and iOS TRIPLED their market share in less than 3 years. Combined, Android and iOS games delivered $1.9 billion in software sales over the 3 years combined. Where do you think developers are going to go? Certainly not to the Nintendo, who has been crushed down to owning only 1/3 of the portable gaming market in 2011, where they owned 70% of the market in 2009. Sony also lost half of their portable gaming market share as well.
The moral of the story is that the trend is clear of where portable gaming is going. Sony and Nintendo are trying to play catch up to an industry that they completely missed. Nintendo should license all of the Mario series to Android and iOS, and as for Sony, the Vita is DOA. Do a little research before embarrassing yourself.
I have my 4S, so I can play Infinity Blade II, record amazing video, text and call, check emails, and fling some angry birds while I'm waiting on my toast in the morning.
But if I'm commuting 9 hours between shows, staying up a little late with headphones on, or really wanting an experience when I'm not in front of my 52" and PS3, I'd rather have in depth fun games that feel substantial. The HD remake of Final Fantasy X seems fantastic, plus I can move all my games from my PSPgo (that, ladies and gentlemen, was a miss of a handheld.) and know I can enjoy future titles from major publishing houses designed for this system. The games on iOS are great fun in their own way, but I think dedicated portable gaming devices will have a few more impressive entries before there's truly a do-everything-at-once device to make them irrelevant.
I want two analog sticks, shoulder bumpers and eight hardware buttons when I'm running around slaying enemies and zipping a car through hairpins.
I don't want two analog sticks, etc., when I'm on the phone with a promoter or poking around for 5 minutes before sound check.
We may be a dying breed, but there are still some who want the exact thing Sony is offering with the Vita. Apple isn't going to lose even a handful of sales over the Vita, so I welcome any innovation this might bring and wish them good luck with this device.
Can't wait to get mine!
However, I don't have the time to warrant purchasing either of these devices and it seems others don't either. They can still occupy a profitable niche, I think Sony has gone the right way in aiming towards a 'premium' gaming experience.
728,000 unit sales on first day in Japan. Pretty damn good.
Other reports are saying just over 300k in the first 2 days:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/...7BJ0FM20111220
Healthy numbers but par for the course, especially given the launch date.
I think you've hit the nail right on the head. The way Sony's console business is set up, they have to charge big money for the apps, whereas Apple has a much bigger ecosystem and can afford to charge small change due to the massive volume they have built up.
That is changing, though - small casual games can be purchased and downloaded for PSP and PS3 from Playstation Store. I got Flight Control for my PS3 (with Move support), and I'm pretty sure I've spotted Angry Birds and number of other titles I've seen for iOS as well.
Price was OK - not as cheap as for iOS, but within a few NZ$. Don't know if developers are a bit greedier for PS3 version, or if Sony is enforcing some pricing rules. Or maybe Move support makes it more complicated to create. But didn't really care.
You can also get remakes of old classics - Sonic and likes, as well as ports from PS1, older 16 and 8 bit consoles as well... I think.
Enjoy it. One day you can sell it at auction.
The Patents received by Apple in the past 12 months and counting will reveal your claim about ``don't fool yourselves people,'' as truly naive.
SONY should have released this in 2007.
Because... someone else had portable more powerful than iPhone 4s back in 2007..?
I don't understand why people are calling recent Playstations a failure. Even PSP, considered not much of a success, sold over 60 million units. That is 60 million units dedicated to gaming, and when developer does a game, they know they can count on 60 million owners who purchased PSP pretty much only to game.
While there are more iOS devices out there, majority of them were not purchased primarily for games, and some were not purchased for games at all. That is why you don't get too many BIG games for iOS - developers simply cannot even guess how many owners will purchase expensive, high end game.
Your worldview is embarrassingly America-centric. You should get out and travel the world more often. You'll look less like a boorish Yank.
Sony is headquartered in Japan. They often roll out new products in their home country first. Sony is thinking like Japanese.
They don't celebrate Christmas there; the official state religion is Shinto. The 25th day of December is a regular day (except for this year, since it falls on a Sunday which is in fact normal day off for most Japanese workers).
Yeah, yeah, some of the younger Japanese couples trade extravagent presents as Western consumer practices extend their cultural hegemony over the world, but it's really no long-standing tradition of celebrating Christmas in Japan.
And guess what? They don't celebrate Thanksgiving either!
Note that many U.S. gaming product launches have occurred at large trade shows like CES (January) or E3 (spring). Since the industry historically did not ship product the same day they announce, they would pre-announce to generate hype over the upcoming months.
Apple has changed the game.
While I agree with you in general, Sony does like $ and ? like anyone else, and if you want to get those from European and North American customers, Christmas time is good time
Sony didn't create this to counter Apple iOS - okay, maybe the lame Howard Stringer said it is but it's just a portable gaming system unlike the iOS devices which is much more suited for doing 90% of other things.
It's only for hardcore gamers like myself.
C'mon, dudes, cut us (the gamers) some slack here - I like to do work and most of the other things on my Apple devices but let me game on other systems. Please.
Unless Apple released their own game console (officially), I'll game on other dedicated gaming systems.
Actually... no. It is supposed to do many other things as well. Major difference here is, Sony is starting from completely different starting point, compared to Apple (and Androids).
Apple started from idea of device(s) that are designed for communication (iPhone) and media consumption (iPhone, iPad, iPod), but are also capable of playing games.
Sony started from idea of device that is designed for playing games, but is also capable of communicating, playing media etc. Primary design is dictating form factor, but function wise, Vita can do everything iPod can, most of what iPhone/iPad can. How well will those capabilities be utilised, now that remains to be seen... but with screen estate, touch interface and physical controls, webcams, Wifi (and optional 3G), speakers and microphone, and rest of underlying hardware, possibilities are there.
Of course there are, but there are strategy games like chess that don't require any computing device and there intense first-person shooter games for consoles that I'd consider "hardcore". I'm not seeing how anyone can call themselves a "hardcore" gamer using a handheld device. If you want to call consoles monster trucks and the iPhone a Prius then a handheld console would be this?I'm sure there is a use and it can be a lot of fun the way novelties and go cart racing can be fun, but defining it as hardcore seems unfitting.
This doesn't make much sense to me.
A chess player can be hardcore, if he is spending a lot of time and is, to some degree, organizing his life around playing... like, planning to and attend tournaments, competitions, or is organizing them with his friends or anyone else. "Sorry darling, cannot have lunch with you next Saturday, boys and I are playing chess in Central Park" sort of dedication.
PC or console gamer can be considered hardcore likewise, if he/she is spending significant part of time and is, to some degree, organizing his life around gaming. Attending/organizing lan parties, be it local or remote, scheduling time to play online with friends etc. It is nothing to do with hardware - iOS gamer can be hardcore, not that I know any of them but in theory, person can be dedicated to iOS gaming to a degree it can be called hardcore.
But like I said, I don't know anyone who is hardcore gaming on iOS - everyone I know will run iOS games just to kill some time they don't have to do anything else. I never ever experienced situation like "Sorry darling, cannot have lunch with you next Saturday, I'm planning to play Angry Birds from 11am till 4pm". It just isn't there.
Vita... we'll see.
These companies just don't get it. How is this any different than the Nintendo DSI or XL or 3DS, or Sony PSP or PSPgo for that matter? The addition of 3G is not the answer.
What makes the iPhone, iPod and iPad the 700lb gorilla in the room is not only the fluid and extremely portable design, but the infrastructure. Mobile gaming is where the big money is. Sure, I like to sit down to an in-depth PS3 game every now and then, but with my busy lifestyle, all I really want is a brief distraction from time to time. That's what makes the Apple system great, is that it has millions of distracting titles to play, and it does a host of other things as well, with Siri being at the top of the potential list. This of course does not include the holistic approach that Apple is shooting for with flawless integration of devices, both mobile and home, as well as tying it all together with iCloud.
Again, Sony just doesn't get this, but really should learn from the tablet failures, as all I heard were about how heavy the specs were on some of the emerging devices over the Apple iPad, but at the end of the day, they never made it out of the gate, as Apple has planned this for years.
Portable gaming has taken on a new form, and offerings from Nintendo and Sony are missing the mark by a large margin.
You didn't really spend much time to check how's Vita different from other portables you have mentioned, did you? 3G is the least important new/improved feature of Vita.
Google around and check YouTube for Vita games - there are some really neat ideas there.
hardcore |ˈhɑrd ˈˌkɔ(ə)r|
noun
- the most active, committed, or doctrinaire members of a group or movement:
OK, that certainly fits with someone who is willing to build their own PC for $3k just to have a couple more frame rates than the next guy and some goofy accessories that assist in making the gaming experience more involved, so I guess what perplexes me is why anyone would brag about such a setup (imagine someone with a luxury sports car bragging. That's right, they're a douche). And that's a real investment, unlike buying a consumer handheld gaming device.
Nothing to do with gear. Geez. I know hardcore PC gamers with gear worth 30% the price of some posh laptops and custom made desktops some wealthy people use for Facebooking etc., because they can.
Hardcore is dedication. If game - any game, any platform - plays important part in your daily routines, time planning, socialising - I believe you can be called hardcore gamer, even if you are playing Yahtzee. Cards. Chess. Anything.
My brother was playing cards with 2 of his mates, 4 to 5 times a week, couple of hours in a session easily. That was their afterhours unwinding time, and it went on for years. They played in very small amount of money - not for money itself but for the prize. As there were 3 of them, looser would buy newspapers to winner (give money, actually, but money could have been spend on newspapers only, and looser had right to read them the next afternoon), while middleman wouldn't get free newspapers, but wouldn't pay anything likewise.
At some stages, they were scheduling their game time for a week in advance, and were following agreed schedule with passion. TV, bad weather, cold... could not stop them.
I'd call that pretty hardcore, even if the gear was deck of playing cards.
cant wait to play more game im into, my bro got 8 games, most arent my thing tho.
the quality of the unit is awesome, the controls feel natural to me & the touchscreen is pretty sexy & very responsive.
These companies just don't get it. How is this any different than the Nintendo DSI or XL or 3DS, or Sony PSP or PSPgo for that matter? The addition of 3G is not the answer.
What makes the iPhone, iPod and iPad the 700lb gorilla in the room is not only the fluid and extremely portable design, but the infrastructure. Mobile gaming is where the big money is. Sure, I like to sit down to an in-depth PS3 game every now and then, but with my busy lifestyle, all I really want is a brief distraction from time to time. That's what makes the Apple system great, is that it has millions of distracting titles to play, and it does a host of other things as well, with Siri being at the top of the potential list. This of course does not include the holistic approach that Apple is shooting for with flawless integration of devices, both mobile and home, as well as tying it all together with iCloud.
Again, Sony just doesn't get this, but really should learn from the tablet failures, as all I heard were about how heavy the specs were on some of the emerging devices over the Apple iPad, but at the end of the day, they never made it out of the gate, as Apple has planned this for years.
Portable gaming has taken on a new form, and offerings from Nintendo and Sony are missing the mark by a large margin.
I disagree with much of what you have written, and whilst I don?t like the terms ?casual? and ?hardcore? gamer, these types of gamer are a reality. I have been playing videogames for 30 years, and I am also an iPhone user.
For me, the fundamental difference between the iPhone (and other smart phones) and the PSvita (and other dedicated handheld gaming platforms) is the control mechanism. Touch screen phones and tablets are not at all suited to playing many types of games on, unless they are relatively simple (i.e. Angry Birds).
Many have tried simulating analogue control systems with on-screen alternatives, but quite frankly, they are utterly useless!!
I have pre-ordered my PSVita and am very excited about it. I am also just about to upgrade my old 3GS for the 4S, but I don?t find that anywhere near as exciting.
One further point?. Nintendo are a phenomenon creator, and dismissing them, as you have, could mean you ending up with all sorts of egg on your face
The PS vita has the best button layout but the software is hit and miss.
Give it a chance - it's only been out a few weeks in Japan!!!!!
As for "hit and miss" hahahah!! have you checked the games avialble for iphone/ipad?
I disagree with much of what you have written, and whilst I don’t like the terms “casual” and “hardcore” gamer, these types of gamer are a reality. I have been playing videogames for 30 years, and I am also an iPhone user.
For me, the fundamental difference between the iPhone (and other smart phones) and the PSvita (and other dedicated handheld gaming platforms) is the control mechanism. Touch screen phones and tablets are not at all suited to playing many types of games on, unless they are relatively simple (i.e. Angry Birds).
Many have tried simulating analogue control systems with on-screen alternatives, but quite frankly, they are utterly useless!!
I have pre-ordered my PSVita and am very excited about it. I am also just about to upgrade my old 3GS for the 4S, but I don’t find that anywhere near as exciting.
One further point…. Nintendo are a phenomenon creator, and dismissing them, as you have, could mean you ending up with all sorts of egg on your face
I have been playing games for 30 years myself, and back in the early 80's, if you recall, there was a video gaming crash' caused primarily by the introduction of too many low quality games into the market which lost consumer confidence. I think that the same thing is happening with console gaming to an extent, which directly translates to handhelds like the PSVita and Nintendo. The prices are too high and only certain games reach epic status. This is responsible for the 6 Billion dollar decline from 2008 to 2010.
Yes, Nintendo used to be a driving force of innovation, but the truth of the matter is, they rode the Wii train for too long and didn't innovate (i.e. MS Kinetics), and have lost 15% of their market share in only 2 years. Sony is also on its way in terms of decline. And on top of that, they continue to churn out the same old same old every year (i.e. Sony PsVita and Nindendo 3DS)
Again, you are missing the fact that the video game consumer is changing, and that is evident of the amount of support from developers that the portable platforms like iOS and Droid are getting. Games are reasonably priced, if not a major fraction of what a DS or PSP game costs, which gives consumers the ability to buy multiple games within a confined budget. That was not available back in the 80's, and a reason for the first crash. Portable platforms ilke the iPhone, iPad, etc. are also getting extremely powerful, coupled with quad processors and iCloud storage options. For those that want true controllers for their portable devices, well they are already in production as well, but the majority are looking for a quick hit of entertainment without having to power up a device, pull the controller out, turn on the television, etc. etc. etc.
I invest long in companies that I think are going to be game changers in the future. Nintendo is off my radar in that regard. The best thing that they can do at this point is reinvent the Wii to competes a true home media, internet device, and/or license off the Mario franchise to iOS and Droid. I doubt that they will do either, and you will probably see them file some time within the next 5 years if things don't change. As for your PSPVita, I see it going by the wayside in similar fashion as the Atari Lynx system. You might want to keep it as I'm sure that it will be a valuable rare collectible in about 30-40 years. Hope you didn't pay too much for it.
Yes, Nintendo used to be a driving force of innovation, but the truth of the matter is, they rode the Wii train for too long and didn't innovate (i.e. MS Kinetics), and have lost 15% of their market share in only 2 years. Sony is also on its way in terms of decline. And on top of that, they continue to churn out the same old same old every year (i.e. Sony PsVita and Nindendo 3DS).
Nintendo's main asset Shigeru Miyamoto is also getting on a bit in years and wants to focus on smaller titles:
http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2011/1...oto-interview/
Multi-year development cycles are killing the games industry. Look at id taking 6 years to build Rage and it doesn't even work properly yet iOS Rage has no problem and was just a side project.
The good thing with Nintendo and Sony is that they have had stricter standards for game quality on their platforms so you expect a certain level of immersion that you don't expect with iOS and Android games.
Phone developers don't even try to match low-end Playstation games for some reason:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zshE0CU4Yk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBH4lnNXDqI
They aim for simplistic gameplay, poor or no voice acting, weak stories and graphics below what the latest devices are capable of.
There are a few exceptions but mainly they are ports that have been developed for other platforms.
For now, I'd say that's Nintendo's and Sony's sole advantage - software quality - and it's something Apple and Google don't really have any control over. Good software gets lost in a sea of very poor, low quality software.
The advantage that Apple and Google have is progressing hardware much more quickly and aiming at a much bigger market.
The good thing with Nintendo and Sony is that they have had stricter standards for game quality on their platforms so you expect a certain level of immersion that you don't expect with iOS and Android games.
Phone developers don't even try to match low-end Playstation games for some reason:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zshE0CU4Yk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBH4lnNXDqI
They aim for simplistic gameplay, poor or no voice acting, weak stories and graphics below what the latest devices are capable of.
There are a few exceptions but mainly they are ports that have been developed for other platforms.
For now, I'd say that's Nintendo's and Sony's sole advantage - software quality - and it's something Apple and Google don't really have any control over. Good software gets lost in a sea of very poor, low quality software.
The advantage that Apple and Google have is progressing hardware much more quickly and aiming at a much bigger market.
Why would you quote a strength of Apple and Droid as having quickly progressing hardware, but link to a game that was made in 2008? There's no comparison to the hardware stats of an iPad 3 versus the iPad 1. The expectation is a quad core processor, high end GPU, and retina display.
The developers are merely scratching the surface of graphical and immersion potential with current iOS games such as Metal Storm, Dead Space, Dungeon Hunter 2, Infiniti Blade, and The Bards Tale, and are attracting the likes of Electronic Arts, Rockstar Games, Atari, Capcom, Warner Brothers, and Gameloft for starters. You obviously haven't played any of their recent offerings, as they are every bit as good in capability versus a Playstation 1 and even 2 in some cases. And again, this all has developed within a 2 year period. The game Infinity Blade itself raked in over $30 million in revenue in one year by itself, and that's at a $6.99 price point. How many console games can you say that about that average a $35-$40 retail? Not many.
You've also unknowingly outlined the failure of the Sony and Nintendo offerings. First, by taking so long to develop a game, there is no way that type of business model can continue to compete in this new world of quick game development. You also stated that the goods ones drown in a sea of bad software. That is what killed the video game industry the first time in 1983, and it will happen again. IOS and Droid certainly have its share of bad games out on the market, but the difference is that most of them are either free, or .99 cents. Big difference, as games have almost become disposable on the device, and that's what makes the platform so successful.