It is much easier to develop for iOS and Android. I know a 12 year old guy that makes iOS games by himself. For PSP and DS you need big companies with high experience to even start on a game. So there is bound to be a lot more apps.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iOS and Android Grab 58% of U.S. Portable Gaming Revenue
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
It is much easier to develop for iOS and Android. I know a 12 year old guy that makes iOS games by himself. For PSP and DS you need big companies with high experience to even start on a game. So there is bound to be a lot more apps.
Right. I'm sure that's what Satoru Iwata is saying as well . . . "Meh, COD ripoff, that's all these are, just lazy ports. Nothing to worry about."
Not.
Write off new market realities at your risk.
Nokia was also the top smartphone vendor for several years after the introduction of the iPhone.
Actually what Iwata really said was
Those smartphone games with less value includes your Gameloft IP ripoffs
mirroring
Have any of you tried the mirroring on the new idevices? I cant see how Nintendo or Sony is going to try and replicate this on their mobile devices as it will eat into their consoles. This will kill the competing mobile gaming devices and will start to eat away into console sales...especially as the processor gap gets smaller.
Have any of you tried the mirroring on the new idevices? I cant see how Nintendo or Sony is going to try and replicate this on their mobile devices as it will eat into their consoles. This will kill the competing mobile gaming devices and will start to eat away into console sales...especially as the processor gap gets smaller.
Has anyone here tried to play a platform game or adventure game on an iOS device? It's a pretty frustrating experience. Without physical buttons the iOS platform doesn't give you anywhere near the precision you need for those types of games. iPhone games are fine for what they are—quick pick up and play time wasters but Nintendo DS offers a way better overall gaming experience. I do think Nintendo needs to offer a more robust eStore with more top-drawer titles and lower prices.
Last edited:
Agreed
I wish me and a couple of my friends could get into that company and turn it around..
Seriously though ..What the hell are they doing ?/? Sitting on their thumbs ???
So I bought one game on my iOS device, played it once, hated it. I dont ever play games on it. My Dad has an iPad and I installed a free game for him, he doesn't play it, doesn't play any games.
I assume for stats purposes we are both considered gamers on iOS devices?
These stats are skewed because the definition of Gamer and Gaming is pretty ambiguous.
I assume for stats purposes we are both considered gamers on iOS devices?
These stats are skewed because the definition of Gamer and Gaming is pretty ambiguous.
From the link in the article
The figures are based on revenue generated for mobile gaming industry. As the games you used were free then likely not then it looks like you are not included.
Just a couple of comments I would say.
Firstly yes, I can see hand held gaming on Phones and Tablets (of various brands) becoming more popular over time.
Secondly, there is still a MASSIVE problem with the lack of physical controls which will never go away.
Thirdly, and perhaps very importantly, we are very much in the "Novelty" period of things like Phones and Tablets. All new and exciting. It is entirely possible than in years to come things will change in this respect.
Fourthly, It's easy to buy lots and spend lots on iOS type games as their price is at a more "It's cheap, let's buy it and see what it's like" as opposed to a considered purchase.
For myself, I've bought more games on my iPad than probably any other device ever, and you know what. I've only "Played" about 2 or 3 of them seriously. 90+% of the games I've looked at once and never touched again.
And lest we forget, the quality (not perhaps the 1st impression "look") of many iOS type games is VERY low compared to the depth of a good handheld console game.
Firstly yes, I can see hand held gaming on Phones and Tablets (of various brands) becoming more popular over time.
Secondly, there is still a MASSIVE problem with the lack of physical controls which will never go away.
Thirdly, and perhaps very importantly, we are very much in the "Novelty" period of things like Phones and Tablets. All new and exciting. It is entirely possible than in years to come things will change in this respect.
Fourthly, It's easy to buy lots and spend lots on iOS type games as their price is at a more "It's cheap, let's buy it and see what it's like" as opposed to a considered purchase.
For myself, I've bought more games on my iPad than probably any other device ever, and you know what. I've only "Played" about 2 or 3 of them seriously. 90+% of the games I've looked at once and never touched again.
And lest we forget, the quality (not perhaps the 1st impression "look") of many iOS type games is VERY low compared to the depth of a good handheld console game.
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A334 Safari/7534.48.3)
But people are buying expensive smartphones and tablets at an alarming rate. Not to mention the sales of the iPod touch.
The reality is the market place for stand alone portable gaming devices shrinks every day. There will always be a hardcore group who want them but it is unlikely that group is large enough to support the market so it will eventually go away. Not to mention they are working on extremely long console like life cycles versus other portable devices on a much faster development cycle.
The iPhone was not originally envisioned as a portable gaming device but apple does a good job of seizing on what people do with their devices and expanding in it.
I think the console market is still there but the dedicated portable gaming market is nearing an end. The number of people who will carry around an extra device just for gaming shrinks daily.
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A334 Safari/7534.48.3)
I can rest assured you have never owned or operated a succesful business. Did you also miss out on nintendos gaming revenues being off over 40% in the mobile market and Sony over 30%?
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A334 Safari/7534.48.3)
Nintendo is down over 40% and Sony 30% according to the numbers in this thread. So what do you say about that?
Clearly Nintendo and Sony are losing the portable gaming market and are quickly becoming a small niche segment of the portable gaming market.
But people are buying expensive smartphones and tablets at an alarming rate. Not to mention the sales of the iPod touch.
The reality is the market place for stand alone portable gaming devices shrinks every day. There will always be a hardcore group who want them but it is unlikely that group is large enough to support the market so it will eventually go away. Not to mention they are working on extremely long console like life cycles versus other portable devices on a much faster development cycle.
The iPhone was not originally envisioned as a portable gaming device but apple does a good job of seizing on what people do with their devices and expanding in it.
I think the console market is still there but the dedicated portable gaming market is nearing an end. The number of people who will carry around an extra device just for gaming shrinks daily.
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A334 Safari/7534.48.3)
Liquorpuki said:
I can rest assured you have never owned or operated a succesful business. Did you also miss out on nintendos gaming revenues being off over 40% in the mobile market and Sony over 30%?
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A334 Safari/7534.48.3)
something3153 said:
Nintendo is down over 40% and Sony 30% according to the numbers in this thread. So what do you say about that?
Clearly Nintendo and Sony are losing the portable gaming market and are quickly becoming a small niche segment of the portable gaming market.
Last edited by a moderator:
Completely different markets.
Console markets; there's a manufacturer, a small list of first party studios and massive list of third party developers.
Phone market; you sell a phone - the end.
Just because Nokia went down is no indication that Nintendo will too, or Microsoft or Sony. They sell software. Hell Microsoft sacrifice profit on the initial console because they want to be in living rooms. It's all about pushing software. And Nintendo (as manufacturers) predicted huge 3DS sales and didn't hit their target, they still beat their older hardware (the DS) in life to date sales. But Nintendo (software) and their 2nd and 3rd parties are raking it in - http://www.vgchartz.com/worldtotals.php.
You mean Sony who only have a 6 year old handheld system, new one out next year?
Nintendo who only just released a new platform that's outperforming their previous one (which was the best selling handheld of all time)?
I think your statement needs some focus.
They are losing the "Casual" gaming market. The pick something up for a couple of minutes type market.
I can't imagine anyone spending weeks and weeks, many hours a night on an iPhone.
Price of the device currently is WAY too high.
Battery life is terrible.
The devices are much much too fragile.
Touch screen controls for many many games is just hopeless.
It's like saying Classical music will die, as the kids are currently into pop music.
Casual gamers are very fickle people.
First came the Wii, and it was adored by the casual market.
Then came Facebook games, and they were adored by the casual market.
Then came the iPhone, and it was adored by the casual market.
As a dev I do wonder what will be next. I could never have predicted the Wii would be that successful in the casual market (considering it took a year for those casual titles to be released). Or the rise of Facebook gaming. And the fall of both with the rise of mobile phone games. A market that also peaked in 2003.
I would also state it's a myth that iOS games are cheap, their's a reason that in the Top Grossing app store chart Smurfs Village is number 5, Tap Zoo number 7 and Tap Pet Hotel is number 8, all those games are 'free' with in app purchases, I bet you would be horrified how much some will have spent on them.
And as for Gameloft, they have a very skewed idea of pricing, you pay top price for Modern Combat 3 only to discover you also get in app purchases for packs that are priced at:
£2.99
£1.49
£2.99
£1.49
£6.99
£6.99
£13.99
£13.99
£34.99
£69.99
And that is the list as it appears in the app store, and for the Americans that translates to:
$4.76
$2.37
$4.76
$2.37
$11.12
$11.12
$22.27
$22.27
$55.71
$111.44
Now, quite how ANYBODY can tell me that spending the equivalent to the UK price of COD MW3 Prestige edition is 'good value' for ONE in game purchase is beyond me!! In fact, I think it's a ****ing joke that they are charging so much for a mobile phone game in app purchase!! After I've already had to buy the game!
So yes, you are being affected by that reality field if you think iOS gaming is cheaper or good value. The only thing touch screen devices are good at are tower defence games or games like Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja. They are incapable of offering anywhere near the same gameplay experience of the 3DS or VITA due to lack of controls.
And as for Gameloft, they have a very skewed idea of pricing, you pay top price for Modern Combat 3 only to discover you also get in app purchases for packs that are priced at:
£2.99
£1.49
£2.99
£1.49
£6.99
£6.99
£13.99
£13.99
£34.99
£69.99
And that is the list as it appears in the app store, and for the Americans that translates to:
$4.76
$2.37
$4.76
$2.37
$11.12
$11.12
$22.27
$22.27
$55.71
$111.44
Now, quite how ANYBODY can tell me that spending the equivalent to the UK price of COD MW3 Prestige edition is 'good value' for ONE in game purchase is beyond me!! In fact, I think it's a ****ing joke that they are charging so much for a mobile phone game in app purchase!! After I've already had to buy the game!
So yes, you are being affected by that reality field if you think iOS gaming is cheaper or good value. The only thing touch screen devices are good at are tower defence games or games like Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja. They are incapable of offering anywhere near the same gameplay experience of the 3DS or VITA due to lack of controls.
There is still a problem with games on pure touch devices. It is crap on most games. (I know, lots of people have said it in this topic). It works well for some games. Angry Birds, "puzzlegames" etc. but playing thimgs like 2D Mario and other platformgames, 1. Person shooters etc. is useless.
I hope Nintendo gets out of whatever mess their inn. I love both the DS and the Wii. Great platforms. But there is a problem with both. The lack of good games. Nintendo took a direction to causual, family and childrens marked. They actualy shut down the official nintendo forum in Norway (and other places I guess) so they would strip the nintendo name for any "hardcore gamer image".
This have resulted in a majorety of childish games and incredible lame games as well if you don't count their own titles like Mario, Zelda etc. that works great for people of all ages.
It is fine that they wanted to focus more on "normal users" and I guess it was a smart move at the time. Anyway I hope they can manage to become a platform for both causuls and gamers from now on. One of them does not have to exclude the other.
The DS run in circles around iOS devices even on games that are mostly touchcontrolled with stylus.
I hope Nintendo gets out of whatever mess their inn. I love both the DS and the Wii. Great platforms. But there is a problem with both. The lack of good games. Nintendo took a direction to causual, family and childrens marked. They actualy shut down the official nintendo forum in Norway (and other places I guess) so they would strip the nintendo name for any "hardcore gamer image".
This have resulted in a majorety of childish games and incredible lame games as well if you don't count their own titles like Mario, Zelda etc. that works great for people of all ages.
It is fine that they wanted to focus more on "normal users" and I guess it was a smart move at the time. Anyway I hope they can manage to become a platform for both causuls and gamers from now on. One of them does not have to exclude the other.
The DS run in circles around iOS devices even on games that are mostly touchcontrolled with stylus.
I have an XBOX and a PSP but have never touched a Nintendo machine. I stopped playing with my XBox years ago. Last games I purchased for it was DOOM and Halo (original versions) and my PSP hasn't been used even longer. I don't play shooter games on my iPad, though I have them, its more for puzzles, board games and cards. I don't miss the others.
You're right to a point... but the fact is, look at the trend. Sony and Nintindo are loosing marketshare like crazy. Connivence is winning and eventually, the games will be there for iOS and Android so that advantage will be gone.
Sure... I love Mario too, but it won't be long before similar style games start taking over and the new generation of mobile gamers won't even know who Mario is. Building the hardware for gaming is quickly loosing it's advantage.
Now... if Apple would just energize AppleTV to be more gaming savvy (with bluetooth controllers). That would be cool.
This is my new pet hate.
Either a "Free game" and I think it's about time Apple stopped allowing these games to be called "Free" as they are not.
Or paid for games (bloody cheek of the programmers)
When you go to run the game, you think is either free or you think you have paid for. You find that, it's either unplayable, very difficult or very limited unless you pay more to buy extras in the game.
This only started happening very recently and it's a worrying trend that I've seen grow very quickly.
I will never pay for any in game add-on purchase out of principal.
It's a very sneaky and underhand concept that some companies are using. And should be made very VERY clear before you buy the product in the 1st place.
This. If anyone think's that Nintendo is going down the drain, they don't know what they are talking about. Nintendo is going through product transitionary period. The games they are making a better and better, the platforms they are making are better, more immersive, more innovative. All that is needed now is they need to move away from their retail routes and work long on hard on getting an awesome online storefront. Cutting game prices to 30 bucks (just through the savings in manufacturing carts and retail cuts) will position themselves even better, and then u have eShop for your iOS style, cheaper, less immersive games. Win, win, Nintendo will adapt. iOS will continue to grow, Sony and PSP will continue to grow, and Android as a gaming platform will continue to falter.
+ NintendoRevenue figures can be misleading. What's important is where the revenue goes - is it the platform holder, or the publisher/developer?
The high revenues of iOS/Android are distributed very widely, and more information would be helpful in understanding the real importance of the figures.
Does the drop in Sony/Nintendo revenues match the increase in iOS/Android revenues (are they taking business or generating new business - I think the latter is expected to some extent anyway).
The same is already true of the iOS vs Android handset sales situation. On the face of it Android is beating iOS in volume. But iOS is taking the bulk of the profit (and it all goes to one company, no less).
I think the figures matter more to Apple and Google than they do to Nintendo and Sony, who historically have other things to worry about (such as each other). That said, the times they are a changing...people are enjoying fresh breaths of innovation in the mobile front, and both Sony and Nintendo need to get their acts in gear, and not just release 'newer versions' of the same hardware platforms.
I gave up on the PSP years ago, because they just didn't get it. Games on UMDs, too big of a device to fit in a pocket, rehashed PS1 games, no internal hard drive to store games on. Then the PSP Go comes out with a still-too-tiny hard drive and they don't let you transfer your old UMD games over, and the online game price is still stratospheric. I said goodbye and never looked back.
Without going into too long of a rant, it's simple -- why carry around another device when you're already carrying around a phone that can play games?
Goodbye, Nintendo.
----------
They're both in deep, deep trouble. The world is shifting under their feet.
I've been the good fanboy, waiting 5 years for Gran Turismo 5 to come out, snapping up the latest edition of Madden every year, the 15th version of Mario Kart...
It becomes stale. Innovation is long gone from the console industry.
Just like we've learned to live without Sega (despite the necromancy of Sonic every few years) we can learn to live without Nintendo and Sony.
Funny how none of them could do something so simple as Angry Birds or Pocket God. In fact, the simple games used to be Nintendo's forte.
Between the fact that the console/handheld players are stale and aren't innovating; that the phones are getting more and more capable and ubiquitous; and the sheer factor of price, the portable consoles are toast.
It's the same reason you stop carrying an iPod once you get a music capable phone -- why carry multiple devices?
Without going into too long of a rant, it's simple -- why carry around another device when you're already carrying around a phone that can play games?
Goodbye, Nintendo.
----------
They're both in deep, deep trouble. The world is shifting under their feet.
I've been the good fanboy, waiting 5 years for Gran Turismo 5 to come out, snapping up the latest edition of Madden every year, the 15th version of Mario Kart...
It becomes stale. Innovation is long gone from the console industry.
Just like we've learned to live without Sega (despite the necromancy of Sonic every few years) we can learn to live without Nintendo and Sony.
Funny how none of them could do something so simple as Angry Birds or Pocket God. In fact, the simple games used to be Nintendo's forte.
Between the fact that the console/handheld players are stale and aren't innovating; that the phones are getting more and more capable and ubiquitous; and the sheer factor of price, the portable consoles are toast.
It's the same reason you stop carrying an iPod once you get a music capable phone -- why carry multiple devices?