Sony's announcement of the PSP2, or NGP, or whatever they're calling it brings up a good question about the future place of portable gaming systems. Where is their place in the world of smart phones?
That's not to say it isn't a capable gaming machine. Looking at it purely as a gaming device, it's better than the iPhone or any other smartphone. It has the hardware for a much wider gamut of game types. Real buttons and real thumbsticks, a capacitive multi-touch screen, gyroscopes and motion sensors, it's got everything. You can play iPhone-style multi-touch games, you can play Uncharted, you can play Mega Man. It's a pretty serious gaming machine. I'm also very interested in how the backside multi-touch panel gets used. But this is all beside the point.
Why do I need all of this with me at all times, or even just on the go?
Why do I need PS3-caliber games outside of my apartment? When I'm out and about, do I have the time or attention needed for a deep and immersive experience? Not really. When I play an iPhone game, it's because I have a few minutes to spare and I like the intellectual stimulation. I'm not looking to play Heavy Rain when I'm sitting on the toilet or waiting for my tires to be changed.
I have an iPhone, and I have a PS3/Xbox/Wii. They are incredibly well suited for these two different situations. I own a PSP and a DS, but never play them outside my apartment. I simply don't want to be carrying an extra device around with me. This is why I think the future of "extra" mobile gaming devices is limited. It's a pain to carry around another plastic brick just so I can play Uncharted at work. The use case for portable gaming systems seems to be getting smaller and smaller. Air travel or vacationing seem like good opportunities to bring a handheld PS3 along, but are these situations happening enough to justify a new gadget? They don't for me, but I'm just one dude.
It seems like portable gaming changed with the technology. Before, you had systems like the GameBoy. Gameplay was very simple and easy to pick up and play, just think about the success of Tetris. But as the technology got more advanced, so did the ambition of the developers. Now it's possible to create experiences very similar to home consoles. I think that's moving down the wrong path, and smartphones are taking mobile gaming in a direction that makes more sense.
Maybe the solution is to build an Android phone into the new device. It's already so similar to a phone. It has a touch screen, a microphone, speakers, a front and rear camera, GPS. All it needs is a cellular chipset and to be comfortable held against your ear.
Gaming is diverging into different groups, and different devices are handling each group. I think that trying to bridge those two groups, make the "best of both worlds", will end up being ignored by those worlds. At least, I don't think it will ever be as successful again as the Nintendo DS is.
Things change.
No comments:
Post a Comment