Is Time Up For The Dedicated Handheld Gaming Device?

[Hero-of-Time]

I was reading this interesting article from NintendoLife yesterday.

 

HERE

 

There once was a time when "portable gaming" basically meant "Game Boy". Nintendo's line of handheld systems ruled the mobile world for well over a decade, and its reign was only ended by the arrival of its successor: the Nintendo DS.

 

While Nintendo continues to dominate the portable console arena with its best selling 3DS system, it has seen its influence eroded by the arrival of cheap and powerful tablets and smartphones. Fresh research from Futuresource Consulting indicates that more UK children play games on a tablet than they do on 3DS or other portable games console, with 44 percent of UK nippers aged between 3 and 12 now owning a tablet of some kind.

 

Quizzed parents also revealed that a tablet is the item they are most likely to purchase for their offspring in the next six months — in fact, they're twice as likely to buy one than they are a traditional handheld or domestic gaming machine.

 

The figures change with kids aged 9 and over, with smartphones becoming more popular than tablets — an understandable consequence of children growing up and being trusted with mobiles so that parents can keep in touch with them at all times. 25 percent of all 9 to 10 year olds in the UK own one, and this figure rises to 46 per cent for the ages 11 to 12. 53 percent of girls own a handset, while the number drops to 38 percent for boys of the same age.

 

Gaming may be on the rise due to the growing number of devices available, but it still ranks lower than traditional toys and other hobbies.

 

54 percent of UK kids play video games for five or more hours per week, climbing to 63 percent for those aged 11-12. Contrast this to time spent playing with "proper" toys — 63 percent dedicate the same amount of time to fiddling about with toys, while 39 percent of UK kiddies expend five or more hours a week on board games and jigaws. Reading is apparently the most popular activity for UK kids, with 45 precent reading every day of the week.

 

What are your thoughts on the stats? Can traditional consoles ever hope to compete with the now-ubiquitous tablets and smartphones? Are kids getting the same quality of entertainment from their tablets as they are from the 3DS? Will Nintendo's next portable system capitalise on the popularity of such tech? Stop playing Candy Crush Saga on your iPad for a second and leave a comment to tell us.

 

It certainly is a trend I see within my own family.

 

Two of my nieces usually play games on their iPads, as does my sister-in-law.

 

Last Christmas one of my sisters bought my two nephews and niece little kiddie tablets. They were around £60 and they uses them all the time to play cheap and quick games. It keeps the kids occupied and if they grow bored of the games they have then they can pick up another for for something like 99p.

 

I've asked both of them why don't they get something like a 3DS for the kids? Their answer was that they get more games at cheaper prices on theses tablet devices. I see his point. I mean why spend £30 on a game when you can get a bunch of games for that price. Yes, they maybe be quick, throw away titles but this seems to be what the masses want.

 

The sales figures for the 3DS, while good, aren't a patch on the DS and with a lot of the big guns already released I can't see it shifting in crazy numbers anytime soon.

 

The Vita is also on life support, with Sony seeming to positioning it as a companion of the PS4 and indie machine, rather than giving it the support it really needs. Again, look at how well the PSP done and compare that with the Vita sales.

 

The mobile market is huge in Japan, with many of the big companies trying to chase that pot of gold. Many have shifted development from gaming devices to the mobile market. As for the West, they have never really supported handheld gaming and I doubt this will be changing anytime soon.

 

So, with decline we are seeing, is it over for dedicated handhelds? Sure, the mobile bubble may burst but if it doesn't then we could be waving goodbye to these portable consoles.

 

What is worrying is that a large part of Nintendos success and income is from the handheld market. With their console not doing great this generation and the handheld market shrinking it could be a bleak future for the company, especially if these trends continue.

[Debug Mode]

Handheld gaming will never truly die, but the boom years are over and that could mean good things (less focus on dumbing down game mechanics for casual appeal) or it could make things worse software wise (less incentive to push for new ideas).

 

I really do think that publishers should be a bit more flexible with their pricing though, even if that meant they made some games priced into a new 'premium' band. An example of this is Mario Kart 8 & Smash Bros sharing the same RRP as New Super Mario Bros, the latter should be way cheaper and I think this is why I find it funny at the notion they believe making titles that compete with smart phone games will devalue their titles, despite the fact they're doing it themselves any way!

 

Sony had the problem of making a handheld too powerful for its own good, being too expensive to own and develop for in a very uncertain climate. Although it's a shame they're now playing it safe and selling it purely based on the ecosystem rather than the Vita's independent features, it's probably the best bet to keep it afloat at this current point.

[Hero-of-Time]

I really do think that publishers should be a bit more flexible with their pricing though, even if that meant they made some games priced into a new 'premium' band. An example of this is Mario Kart 8 & Smash Bros sharing the same RRP as New Super Mario Bros, the latter should be way cheaper and I think this is why I find it funny at the notion they believe making titles that compete with smart phone games will devalue their titles, despite the fact they're doing it themselves any way!

 

Sony had the problem of making a handheld too powerful for its own good, being too expensive to own and develop for in a very uncertain climate. Although it's a shame they're now playing it safe and selling it purely based on the ecosystem rather than the Vita's independent features, it's probably the best bet to keep it afloat at this current point.

 

The point about pricing is a good one. As I mentioned, the main reason why my nieces and nephews play on the tablets is due to the price of games. Handheld gaming companies simply can't compete with 99p games but, as you said, they can make them more affordable.

 

Vita games seem to launch around £20-25 pound these days. Tearaway was around £20 when it got released, which is a great price for a new handheld game.

 

Some Nintendo games have also launched at a cheaper price, with Kirby arriving at £25 at places like Shopto.

 

I do believe that Nintendo need to sort out the pricing of their back catalog though. Things like Luigi's Mansion 2, New Super Mario Bros. 2, Donkey Kong Country 3D and Fire Emblem should not be costing people £30-40 at this point.

 

My mate has been after Luigi's Mansion 2 for ages now but he refuses to pay top dollar for a game that was released over a year ago.

 

I personally think the Vita would have seen more success if they didn't have those memory cards. It's crazy how much that jacks up the price of things.

 

If you look at the Vita it's not that much different than the PSP in terms of what they set out to do. Both were/are high end portable machines that offered console gaming experiences on the go.

[Goron_3]

There will always be a market for dedicated handhelds but it's getting smaller and smaller. For young children it's much better to get them a tablet but they are MUCH better for basically everything, particularly educational games. I have nephews aged 3 and 6 and their parents can get some great software very cheap on there. Yes, the traditional games are harder to control but they don't really need them given the surplus of other software.

[Daft]

I have both a 3DS and a Vita and I rarely play either of them. I use remote play on my Vita if I'm at my bf's house or I use it as an extra controller when I'm at home for the PS4. I sometimes play the Plus games because I'm getting them for free (kinda). I don't even touch my 3DS. I bought it for Animal Crossing, Pokemon and Luigi's Mansion and haven't completed any of them (not that you can complete AC and Pokemon, well that was just dull after the third gym).

 

Their both nice but if I'm out and about I don't have time to play games and when I'm at home I have my console to play.

 

I think the markets will shrink massively but I think the remaining people who pick the machines up will be the ones who invest the most in them. I think that's pretty much the situation the Vita is in. It's not sold well at all but the people who have bought it are highly engaged.

 

...I just want more games like Tearaway and even Killzone Mercenaries.

[Jimbob]

It is sad to see that the Vita isn't doing as well as the PSP in terms of sales, it's a fantastic machine if i do say so myself. Nice mix of touchscreen and button control gaming and some great games (most of which have been/will most likely arrive on PS+). But i guess Sony being thrifty with not bundling a memory card with every Vita as standard probably has something to do with small sales (the bundle i had i think it came with a 16gb card). I still think the 3DS is doing pretty well for itself still in terms of hardware and software sales, some great games for that machine.

 

But as a whole, with the rise of the tablets and mobile gaming (as it's been mentioned), they suit the younger generation and many commuters on public transport as it allows a quick game of (and i'm using this as an example) Candy Crush Saga whilst travelling to the next station/stop. It passes the time as it were, where-as myself i've usually got the 3DS out playing whatever is on there.

[Rummy]

I was reading this interesting article from NintendoLife yesterday.

 

HERE

 

 

 

It certainly is a trend I see within my own family.

 

Two of my nieces usually play games on their iPads, as does my sister-in-law.

 

Last Christmas one of my sisters bought my two nephews and niece little kiddie tablets. They were around £60 and they uses them all the time to play cheap and quick games. It keeps the kids occupied and if they grow bored of the games they have then they can pick up another for for something like 99p.

 

I've asked both of them why don't they get something like a 3DS for the kids? Their answer was that they get more games at cheaper prices on theses tablet devices. I see his point. I mean why spend £30 on a game when you can get a bunch of games for that price. Yes, they maybe be quick, throw away titles but this seems to be what the masses want.

 

The sales figures for the 3DS, while good, aren't a patch on the DS and with a lot of the big guns already released I can't see it shifting in crazy numbers anytime soon.

 

The Vita is also on life support, with Sony seeming to positioning it as a companion of the PS4 and indie machine, rather than giving it the support it really needs. Again, look at how well the PSP done and compare that with the Vita sales.

 

The mobile market is huge in Japan, with many of the big companies trying to chase that pot of gold. Many have shifted development from gaming devices to the mobile market. As for the West, they have never really supported handheld gaming and I doubt this will be changing anytime soon.

 

So, with decline we are seeing, is it over for dedicated handhelds? Sure, the mobile bubble may burst but if it doesn't then we could be waving goodbye to these portable consoles.

 

What is worrying is that a large part of Nintendos success and income is from the handheld market. With their console not doing great this generation and the handheld market shrinking it could be a bleak future for the company, especially if these trends continue.

 

I definitely agree with a lot of your sentiments, but I feel it's only over for dedicated handhelds at the same time it's over for dedicated home consoles. The markets are shrinking though, PCs and Phones are more and more commonplace, things like Steam and online, social media etc are eating up more time that could otherwise be on the more 'dedicated' gaming front.

 

However whilst shrinking I do still believe there's a market out there, mostly in the form of us as lifelong gamers, that will continue to keep these systems going, at least for a while. Personally over the last few years I've found myself 'video gaming' less and less and less, but found that the 3DS/portable was a bit more of what took up my time when I was 'video gaming'. Right now though it's Game of Thrones that's going with me everywhere I go - and weren't people at one point saying that books would be losing their place soon too :p?

[nekunando]

I've never really been much of a handheld gamer, only really taking a proper interest when Nintendo brought the DS lite out. It was a great little machine with some truly unique experiences that just wouldn't be possible on a home console, so I can appreciate that devices such as the DS and 3DS certainly have their place.. but times are changing fast

 

I've been a little disappointed with the 3DS after the initial buzz at launch, despite several good games, but it doesn't seem to provide as many notably unique gaming experiences that made the original DS so much fun. When you consider that I never really play it on the go, it doesn't really feel as indispensable as something like a mobile phone.. and that's probably where the future is.

 

I don't own an iPhone or Android device, so I can't really give impressions on the experiences they provide but I feel that we'll soon be at the stage where the majority of people will have that one device that can just do everything, something that can be carried around with them at all times allowing access to films, music, TV and a plethroa of 'throwaway' games as well as blockbuster hits! I know that a lot of people are maybe at that stage already, but in another decade there could well be that tipping point where not just handheld consoles become phased out, but also home console gaming as we know it.

 

I'm not qualified enough to be able to say where it will all end up, obviously, but why wouldn't you want that one device that can do EVERYTHING..? If a Nintendo DS phone existed, I'd be all over it.. if done right

[darksnowman]

Merging everything into one device is probably the future (how long has this been getting said though!) but at this point I don't feel its an ideal one. I like gadgets as much as anyone but I'm very happy to be able to keep music to my iPod Touch, phone stuff on my iPhone 5 and game stuff to 3DS. I have one game on my iPod and I don't play it any more, I just haven't removed it because it was originally a great game and I paid like 49p for it so I'm not deleting it. :p Its ChuChu Rocket. If I was going to play it I would rather dig out my GBA Micro to be honest.

 

I've tried out games on my various smartphones and to me, they have all sucked. No exceptions. Know why? The touch screen controls. I need buttons - heck, I'm still not even a fan of typing on the touchscreen! The touchscreen gameplay the DS brought to the table works because its not the only option; there's still buttons as well.

 

(The only music on my iPhone is a couple of ditties I use for my alarm clock like character select from Mario Bros. 2 and A Poem for Everyone's Souls from Persona 3.)

 

The only real problem is pocked space. If I want to carry my 3DS around to rack up some steps and maybe get some Streetpasses, there's nowhere to put the thing! Either I have to have a bulging pocket (har de har har) or carry the thing in my hand like a nerd! Maybe a Nintendo flip phone 3DS thing is the way to go. They could even put Pokémon Crystal pre-loaded on its Virtual Console, eh?

[darkjak]

I think it's the end of the line for portable consoles being a seperate entity from home consoles. It's a pain in the arse for developers, it's expensive and confusing for consumers.

 

Portable, dedicated gaming devices will bloom again, but only if you'll be able to hook them up to your TV and have big-screen AAA experiences on them. I myself regret buying a 3DS, because I sometimes don't play it for months at a time.

[Falcon_BlizZACK]

I think yes, portable consoles are coming to its end. Current portable consoles are anything but portable; they are not easy to take around, either due to size or battery life.

 

Mobile phones are doing the portable gaming job perfectly now. I'm playing this game called Real Racing 3 which is like a portable Gran Turismo, where Im playing one or two races on tea breaks at work etc etc. I can even play my phones music collection while playing, link the game to Facebook and upload camera pics as avatars.

 

It just makes sense.

 

I think for Nintendo especially, having the next gen console be a home/portable combo will be amazing. No longer longing for home console Pokemon games etc.

[Dog-amoto]

The point about pricing is a good one. As I mentioned, the main reason why my nieces and nephews play on the tablets is due to the price of games. Handheld gaming companies simply can't compete with 99p games but, as you said, they can make them more affordable.

 

Vita games seem to launch around £20-25 pound these days. Tearaway was around £20 when it got released, which is a great price for a new handheld game.

 

Some Nintendo games have also launched at a cheaper price, with Kirby arriving at £25 at places like Shopto.

 

I do believe that Nintendo need to sort out the pricing of their back catalog though. Things like Luigi's Mansion 2, New Super Mario Bros. 2, Donkey Kong Country 3D and Fire Emblem should not be costing people £30-40 at this point.

 

My mate has been after Luigi's Mansion 2 for ages now but he refuses to pay top dollar for a game that was released over a year ago.

 

I personally think the Vita would have seen more success if they didn't have those memory cards. It's crazy how much that jacks up the price of things.

 

If you look at the Vita it's not that much different than the PSP in terms of what they set out to do. Both were/are high end portable machines that offered console gaming experiences on the go.

 

Posted this in the Wii U/3DS bargains thread, but tell your mate Luigi's Mansion 2 is £20 here.

 

http://www.tesco.com/direct/search-results/results.page?catId=4294967294&searchquery=3ds+games&SrchId=4294967294&_requestid=2793335

[Hero-of-Time]

Posted this in the Wii U/3DS bargains thread, but tell your mate Luigi's Mansion 2 is £20 here.

 

http://www.tesco.com/direct/search-results/results.page?catId=4294967294&searchquery=3ds+games&SrchId=4294967294&_requestid=2793335

 

Nice one. Just fired him a text to let him know. Cheers.

[Grazza]

(Meant to reply to this earlier, sorry)

 

Tablets have definitely taken the casual market, and there might not be any way back from that. But to me, that's not a bad thing. What if gaming in general is going back to being more of an aficionado's hobby? As I've said before, I'm not a snob, but gaming is what it is, and it's there for everyone who wants it. The important thing is that the business model is geared towards this. Handhelds still sell millions - there is surely enough money to keep them going.

 

Personally, I find it a great shame that, as handhelds get better and better, they become less popular! The 3DS original model was the first time I thought a handheld had a decent PPI (the hi-res illusion shattered by the XL, admittedly). Finally, portables genuinely had a chance to match consoles. In fact, I've enjoyed the 3DS more than any home console since the PS2. I hear a lot of people saying that if they want to play a game, they want to do it on a big TV, and I can understand that, but just don't feel the same.

 

If I'm playing, say, Wind Waker HD on the TV, then switch to the GamePad, the drop from 1080p to 480p is drastic - so much better on the TV. But the Wii U is still a home console. If we had a genuine handheld that could display games as hi-res (even if the screen was much smaller), I'd prefer it on the portable. Handhelds are so incredibly convenient - I can lounge about anywhere with one, and the screen is always with the device.

 

The bottom line is that I want to continue playing handhelds, but I don't ask that they be different from home consoles. If Nintendo's next system was a system that you could purchase in different forms, and play the same games on both, I suspect I would buy the handheld version and not regret missing out on the big screen, console experience.

[Hero-of-Time]

@Grazza I agree with your thoughts about console games on a handheld.

 

I love the PSP and Vita and both were critised for having games too similar to consoles yet I didn't mind at all. It's great having massive JRPGs to play on the go. I prefer a meaty game over bite sized mini games. Sure, there's room for both but I prefer the former.

[Grazza]

@Grazza I agree with your thoughts about console games on a handheld.

 

I love the PSP and Vita and both were critised for having games too similar to consoles yet I didn't mind at all. It's great having massive JRPGs to play on the go. I prefer a meaty game over bite sized mini games. Sure, there's room for both but I prefer the former.

 

Definitely. Handheld games don't need to be bite-sized, they just need to have convenient save features, suspend points etc - things that wouldn't hurt console games either.

 

The best experiences I've had on handhelds have been fairly deep - Link's Awakening, Dragon Quest IX, Etrian Odyssey series...

 

Long may they continue.

[Happenstance]

For me, I still enjoy playing my Vita but I would probably be happier playing the games on a big TV which is why I play on buying the Playstation TV when its released here. Ive never been into taking handhelds out and about with me, whenever I used them it was at home so I only really ever bought them because I couldnt get the games elsewhere. If handhelds were phased out I would be fine with it I guess.