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LFTE: The Future Is Ringing, Will Someone Please Pick Up (Nov 10)
Everyone came out of E3 shot-out-of-a-rocket amazed at the Nintendo 3DS. The fact that you didn't have to wear 3D glasses overcame the biggest obstacle facing the born-again technology, and the list of partners supporting Nintendo's new platform is a who's who list of talent. Though the tech is impressive, I have to wonder how Nintendo will maintain its handheld market share without built-in mobile phone capabilities.
Apple and every other mobile phone company on the planet is targeting handheld gaming, and the argument that there is only so much pocket space for mobile devices calls into question the draw of gadgets that only handle one aspect of mobile computing, even if they do that one thing extremely well. Handheld sales have continued to decrease over the past year, but the Nintendo camp isn't panicking. With the power of mobile phones continuing to increase, however, you have to wonder where the tipping point is. When will convenience outweigh what gamers perceive as "true" gaming?
Since the debut of the poorly designed N-Gage, I have said that a single device is the future of handheld gaming. It's just a question of who will create the silver bullet that will change the handheld market forever. Some believe that device already exists with the iPhone. While it may be the closest device on the market to demonstrating the future of mobile gaming, I don't think it's there yet. I know some mobile phone lover is going to tell me mobile phone gaming is already on par with handheld devices, but that is simply not the case. Angry Birds, Solipskier, and Doodle Jump are all amazing games, but pale in comparison to the richer experiences games like Chrono Trigger or Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story offer. Mobile phones tend to lean towards quick in-and-out experiences, whereas the dedicated handheld devices offer longer, more involved sessions.
I travel with my DS, iPhone, and PSP, but if Nintendo or Sony teamed up with a mobile manufacturer to create a device that handled smart phone duties and delivered games at the level I expect from handheld gaming devices, I would ditch my collection of gadgets and jump on board in an instant. If they want to protect their place in mobile gaming, these companies need to embrace the future and start including smart phone capabilities in their handhelds as well.
I can't wait to play the 3DS, but I get the sinking feeling that it will only pacify us until this inevitable innovation happens. If Sony and Nintendo don't build the one device to rule the pocket of gamers everywhere, someone else will.
Cheers.
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