Why Hardcore Gamers Should Respect Mobile Gaming

Over the past few years mobile gaming has seen an explosion in popularity. Unfortunately it also saw what I believe to be an unfair share of criticism. Many people claim mobile games only provide a casual gaming experience, for kids or more lighthearted gamers....

[Intentions]

I respect it, I just don't like Mobile gaming. :)

[Snookies12]

I just don't like that it takes sales away from actual dedicated handheld consoles like 3DS and Vita... Which could seriously lead to less support of those platforms. As a hardcore gamer, that's what irritates me about mobile games.

[Muffins1223]

They acully do have a few "hardcore" games on the iphone at a really cheap price...but the controls on the other hand...

[LOGICWINS]

Thats a legitimate reason to be irritated by mobile games. If current trends continue, the audience for dedicated handheld consoles will dwindle, thus giving Sony and Nintendo less of a reason to continue supporting the Vita and 3DS.

Sad to say it...but I don't see the mobile gaming craze slowing down anytime soon. It's just going to get bigger.

The convenience of paying $0-$6 to play a game(regardless of it's quality) on a device you ALREADY own is too great an incentive for Joe Schmo.

[BrutallyBlunt]

@Snookies12

Then perhaps both Sony and Nintendo need to re-evaluate what a dedicated handheld system should be. As consumers look for devices that do more than just gaming they need to show more flexibility. They need to advertsie more smaller cheaper titles as well. Why not fight the mobile space with games that are also a $1?

Nintendo is the worst culprit because they feel those devices undervalue the software pricing. Let's face it, Nintendo is an awful lot like Disney in the fact they like to have price protection. Ever notice how Disney home videos are always high priced even long after they first came out? Same thing with 1st party Nintendo games.

The problem i see with dedicated gaming handhelds is as tablets and smartphones advance at record speeds, those dedicated handheld devices simply won't be able to keep up. They are designed to have roughly a 5 year cycle. Software prices need to be high because the hardware is often sold at a loss. The other issue is the Vita and the 3DS only have a certain market. There are far more potential customers on the tablets and smartphones. It's hard to compete by sheer numbers.

[remanutd55]

i dont disrespect them, i just dont have any interest to play them lol.

[smashcrashbash]

I have no hatred for mobile gaming. You can play all the mobile games you want but stop insisting how it is better then everything else and calling me a hater and outdated just because agree with you. Everyone is allowed to like whatever they want. Just stop trying to shove your opinion that it is better down my throat. 'Mobile gaming is better then console gaming'. That's your opinion. Personally I don't see what the big deal is.Mobile games to me are only fun for about thirty minutes at best.I never understand how anyone can play them for hours.

[Wintersun616]

Couldn't agree more. Bubs for well said.

[nevin1]

Pretty much everybody has a mobile device. I find it interesting that 6 yr olds have smartphones.

[HammadTheBeast]

I'll start respecting them as soon as they stop the articles about how mobile games are the end of consoles.

[caseh]

The 'hardcore' tag that people slap about these days still amuses me, once upon a time a hardcore gamer might be someone who imported hardware/games for ridiculous prices for example: owning a Neo-Geo cartridge based console instantly showed dedication to the cause.

These days, if you play Fifa, Halo, CoD or Battlefield you're 'hardcore'. Yawn.

[Jdoki]

Your comment might be off topic, but it is the truth!

Today's so called 'hardcore' gamer is the 'casual' of 10-15years ago. I'm not even sure hardcore gamers exist any more.

I remember way back, hacksawing the edge off imported Sega Genesis games so they would fit in the Megadrive. Loved that the 'region locking' was nothing more than a slightly different shaped cartridge slot.

[caseh]

"I remember way back, hacksawing the edge off imported Sega Genesis games so they would fit in the Megadrive."

Haha same here, absolutely had to play Alien Storm but needed to cut those chunks out of the cartridge bay so I could lend it from a friend. I recall Batman getting stuck inside at one point, tears pouring down my face as I couldn't pull it out of the slot and it wasn't my game. *sniff*

I think hardcore gamers still exist to some extent, just in a different guise. Trophy hunting on a game like Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 or 1000 online hours racked up within 3 months of owning a game would probably pass as more than a casual interest.

[TheMasterShake]

F**K Mobile games. hows that for respect?

[Baka-akaB]

I'll respect it when their best games wont be mostly cheap or eye candy clones . And when people stop trying to convince me that having a Halo clone with shoddy control is as good as a console experience

[from the beach]

Quality developers can make quality games on any platform, I reckon.

[abzdine]

i do respect mobile gaming, there needs to be games for everybody.
What i dont like is mobile games on consoles... -_-'

[Venoxn4g]

three hooray for Angry birds trilogy! :D :D /j

[Jdoki]

What I respect about mobile gaming is when a developer has obviously played to the strengths of the hardware rather than trying to crowbar in console controls where they just won't fit.

We're never going to see a proper Halo / CoD clone on iPad, and people should stop judging mobile gamings success or maturity by that criteria (especially if you consider yourself 'hardcore' because you play CoD / Halo etc.

I could name a load of games on iPad that work far better than on a console - most board games for instance. Go win a few games of Ghost Stories against the AI and tell me that's not a challenge.

It's also obvious that developers are starting to get the message. Dead Trigger for instance may not be perfect - but it's a multiplayer FPS that has adapted itself to the limitations of touch controls in this genre with some success (it also has some great bot AI).

[CShadow]

The other way around. Mobile needs to respect Console/pc.

[seanpitt23]

mobile gaming is ok for 20 minutes when your battery is dead but it will never beat or replace console gaiming for me.

[BitbyDeath]

I'd respect it more if it had buttons

[gamernova]

Honestly I do both. When I'm bored and out and about I play on the ipad. When I'm home I play on my computer and I agree that they deserve their own spot. However, I think that gaming needs to change in definition because both methods are insanely different.

[mananimal]

hahaha, thats the most ABSURD & INSANE headline Ive read in quite sometime.....just add: Indoctrination or Because we said so, & there u go, forget the truth or common sense right?, geez.