How Can Android Gaming Be Saved?

MasonicGamer.com - You must have read the news – Madfinger Games’ new zombie FPS, Dead Trigger, has gone free-to-play on Android. This may come as good news to some, but once the developers declared their reasoning behind the price cut, things became a little more worrying. As it turns out, the game has suffered massive piracy, and the solution Madfinger settled on was to eliminate the initial cost (which angered those who’d already shelled out their money) and offer premium in-game purchases.

This model is often referred to as “freemium”, and is seen across many games on various platforms. Although it’s not necessary to buy the special weapons and items, one can’t help but feel that they’re not getting the full experience without additional spending. This is especially frustrating for those who paid up-front for the title.

[chukamachine]

Who cares.

You don't buy phones,tablets for gaming.

You buy either a decent pc,vita,3ds,console for your gaming needs.

DONE.

[Ares84HU]

You said it!!

But that 23 year old Manhattan kid in the tightest jeans, 80's glasses, 343243543million piercings, fuck the man attitude will disagree with you.

And there is many of them......

[Anon1974]

I suppose they should also carry around a separate Ipod as well? And a laptop for internet? And a phone? And a portable game player?

You shouldn't overlook the sheer convenience of having one device that does it all. I used to carry around my phone and my PSP. I didn't play it all that often as I'd only use it when stuck on the bus or in a dr's office, etc... but now that my smartphone has an abundance of cool titles, why would I carry around a separate device? My phone I need on me for business. I know the games pale in comparison to what you see on dedicated consoles like a Vita, but I'm not looking to sit down and spend hours with a game, I just need something to kill some time and for that I game on my phone.

And that happened to be one of my major factors in considering which phone to buy. I needed a new phone and I wanted something for gaming. Last year the mobile gaming market was worth $12 billion and game apps represented the biggest section of apps played daily on mobile, beating out social networking. Clearly I'm not the only one in this situation.

[Hicken]

It's all well and good if you're gonna waste a little time here and there, but too many people are trying to paint the mobile gaming market as a threat for console and dedicated gaming, when that shouldn't even be its purpose.

Gaming on a phone or tablet is already inherently limited, yet people in the industry, and a weird contingent of fans insist that it can be and IS so much more than reality shows it to be: a good time waster that will never compare to dedicated gaming. There's nothing wrong with working within those confines, but no one involved seems to be satisfied with that.

That will be why it dies.

[BrutallyBlunt]

What the person above me is really saying is he hopes it dies.

People don't buy an Android device just for gaming just like how people no longer buy an IPhone just for making phone calls. The point is these devices have become hybrid devices that can do many functions now. The article is also about how a game on Android failed to catch on yet did incredibly well on the IOS. So this isn't about the decline in consumer interest in smartphone games, it's about the mentality on Android and how differently they feel about actually paying for games. It's a much more open platform and much like the PC market it too has its issues with piracy.

http://www.cultofmac.com/16...

"According to the report, the number of US mobile gamers has gone from 75 million to 101 million, with 69% playing on smartphones and 21% on tablets. The biggest segment of growth, though, is in the segment of paying gamers. Newzoo reports that the number of paying players has grown to 37 million US mobile gamers, which is 36% of all mobile gamers. That’s a lot of paying customers."

That is why some are very concerned. So to dismiss it and act like games on tablets and smartphones doesn't mean much is pure idiocy. It also explains why people go out of their way to make comments even though they disguise that they have no interest.

Game developers will go where the revenue streams are and where they can get better exposure.

[DeadlyFire]

hahaha. Saved? It hasn't begun yet.

Windows ARM/Andriod OS + NVIDIA ARM 64-bit multicore(8 core) CPU = 2013. It begins.

[NeoTribe]

Battery life playing a game=15min

[ginsunuva]

Don't do initial purchase AND in-app-purchases for one game.

Google has to take care of sideloading.

Also make better games. Madfinger makes mobile games with amazing visuals but basic and repetitive gameplay.

[geth1gh]

There's a reason it went "free to play". It's simply the best model with rampant piracy these days. Not only on android but pc as well.

Don't complain about it, just accept change and take my micro transaction money and shut up.

I also agree about the above comment. You DON'T buy a phone for gaming, you buy a phone because you need a phone. That said we are starting to rock powerful technology in these things. The fact that my skinny phone has a 1.3ghz duo core cpu with effective battery life amazes me.

Nvidia's terga(mobile gpu series) 4 is right around the corner too. This gpu will have MORE processing power than a ps3 or a 360.

So while you don't buy a android for gaming, you would be a ignorant gamer if you wanted powerful tech sitting in your hand to be overlooked for your favorite hobby.

[Summons75]

by letting it die quietly

[mamotte]

Make games for android. Stop trying to get console hits on those devices. Want examples? Just get some inspiration from the touch screen in the DS, the lack of physical controls doesnt matter when you PUT EFFORT in make a game that actually uses the touchscreen, instead of mapping areas of a screen to make "a stick" and "buttons".

Just look at non casual games like Phoenix Wright, Professor Layton, Elite Beat Agents, Ghost Trick, Big Bang Mini, Rhythm Paradise, Kirby Canvas Course, Advance Wars, Picross 3d (love that game), and some other games that works wonders on touchscreen or mouse, like World of Goo, Auditorium, Fractale, Eufloria...

Just dont be lazy and make those devices a niche for forgotten kind of games that dont require loads of bullets, blood, action and frantic control impossible to get in a touch screen. Make graphic games, good puzzle games, story-driven games, strategy games... games designed for android devices. Not console games trying to get a spot in a place not designed for'em.

[pinwheelherman]

You just named some of my favorite games, and I totally agree with everything you said. However, the problem isn't getting the right games for the platform, it's stopping people from pirating them. Android games are just too easy to copy and we'll never see titles of this calibre if developers can't figure out a way of stopping thieves.

Oh, and Elite Beat Agents FTW!

[WeskerChildReborned]

Does it need to be saved really? Any mobile gaming pretty much can't compared with Console or portable gaming. Just my opinion.

[KMCROC54]

Why & Who wants to save it.

[mochachino]

For this particular problem I'd hazard a guess and say...better security/oversight - maybe a more closed system would solve the problem.

And lol at the people that don't think the future of gaming/computing isn't already in your pocket. They basically just needs the right OS and the ability to connect to any screen now.

[AzaziL]

I had hopes for tablet gaming but it's obvious they're all doing it wrong. I thought a tablet would be perfect for a game like Sim City, and so I tried the various clones out there. No matter what, within 15 minutes of playing, I would have to shell out some cash to be able to progress.

Granted the games were free and that's how they monetize it, but I figured even if I paid $20 for in game credits, within a week I'd be stuck at the paywall all over again. Screw that.