Who Said Handheld Gaming is Dead?

With the inevitable rise and take-over of mobile gaming, many analysts speculate that handheld gaming will become obsolete because of it. However, what do those people have to say to these numbers?

[Jon_Fu_]

Happy to see handhelds alive and kicking!

[TheFirstClassic]

The 3ds is doing great, but I really hope the Vita picks up. I'm really enjoying it right now, great games come with ps+.

[Elimin8]

Who Said Handheld Gaming is Dead?

Not I said this addictive gamer!

[miyamoto]

Yup you are right.

And with the launch of the affordable but powerful gaming handheld like the Archos Gamepad handheld gaming device handheld gaming is here to stay.

At $190 the Archos Gamepad quite a beast gaming handheld at least in hardware Tech Specs department:

Display• 7’’: 1024x600 capacitive 5 points multitouch screen

Application Framework• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean

Processor• ARM CORTEXTM dual-core A9 @ 1.6GHz
• GPU quad-core Mali 400 MP
• 3D OpenGL (ES 2.0)

Capacity• Flash Memory: 8GB* + microSD Slot (SDHC compatible up to 32GB)

RAM• 1GB RAM

Video playback1 • H.264 HD (up to 1080p@30 fps)
• MPEG-42 HD (up to 1080p@30 fps)
• With the above codecs, the device can play video files with the following extensions: AVI, MP4, MOV, 3GP, MPG, PS, TS, MKV, FLV

Audio Playback1 • MP3
• WAV (PCM/ADPCM)
• AAC3, AAC+ 5.13
• OGG Vorbis
• FLAC

Photo viewer4 • JPEG, BMP, PNG, GIF

Webcam • Front camera

Interfaces
• USB 2.0: Mobile Transfer Protocol (MTP)
• microSD (SDHC compatible)
• mini HDMI Audio Video HDTV Output

Wireless technologies • Wi-Fi

Miscellaneous
• Built-in speaker
• G-sensor
• Built-in Microphone

Power source• Internal: Lithium Polymer battery

• External: Power adapter/charger

Dimensions & weight• 229.8 x 118.7mm x 15.4mm (9’’x 4.6’’x 0.6’’) • 330g (11.6 oz)

[djslimzz]

I personally hate everyone that HATES over handhelds. In my opinion, handhelds are the future of gaming

[TheGrimOfDeath]

What about next-gen consoles? Aren't those basically the future of gaming? Handheld consoles only play a very small part of future gaming, but don't get me wrong I would love if I could inject something into my bloodstream and instantly I would be in a battle zone.

[imXify]

I don't know why you get those dislikes. Yes the future is for portable devices. The world is on the move, we need something to go with it.

[ritsuka666]

I'm glad the 3DS is doing well. I will not down-talk the Vita. It’s not necessary to trash-talk the competition,especially when they’re already struggling in sales and software. I’m personally not interested in Vita, but I view its competition as a rather good thing.

[Snookies12]

I have both now, just purchased the 3DS a few days ago. It's a great little device, though it has some flaws for me personally... The speakers for one, sometimes aren't loud enough. I could barely hear what they were saying in the Dream Drop Distance demo. Also, the stylus placement is kind of bad for right handed people. As for some good points, its music player is the best ever. It's just fantastic... Also, I very much like the overall design of it.

Anyway, while I don't want to compare, the Vita is the best handheld I've ever owned. Although, the 3DS will not disappoint for those who want one. I just wish we could get some GBA games on the store. What's up with that? I want some Metroid Fusion, Link to the Past, and FFVI Advance!

[DEATHxTHExKIDx]

Metroid Fusion is on 3DS granted it was part of the 3DS Ambassadors program. And its great the first Metroid game I have ever played. I would like to see Link to the past and FFVI as downloads as well. Even tho I own FFVI on GBA already.

The primary reason why I keep my old fat DS around is for the GBA tittles.

[Venoxn4g]

you could use headphones :)

[Snookies12]

@DEATHxTHExKIDx - Yeah, but that doesn't help those who weren't around for that program lol. If they DO have it available, why don't they sell Metroid Fusion in the Nintendo shop thingy?

[Blastoise]

If GBA games DO come to the eshop I can guarantee you they will be overpriced. When I wanna play my GBA games I use my DS lite or my game boy player for Gamecube which is pretty awesome

[BigStef71]

I completely agree I know own both of them. Both are great systems but the vita is easily hands down the best handheld I have ever played. The only things that it needs are more games. I played UC:GA and AC:liberation and all I got to say is WOW!!! Its impressive how they made games look that good on a handheld. My only gripe about the 3ds is only having one circle pad. They should have abandoned the whole idea of using a stylus because it makes the experience not as fun. For the vita I love how the analogs feel and the touch screens coexist well with them

[majiebeast]

Psvita has plenty of good software you would know that if you actually owned 1.

[nassour]

Very true, i have both the Vita and a 3DS and I game on both. A few months back everyone was like oh the 3DS is doomed and look at it now, the Vita also has so much potential. The best RPG this year is on the Vita aka Persona 4 Golden

[DivineAssault]

vita is awesome.. i will never give up handheld gaming.. I enjoy my vita over the consoles sometimes... Movin on to persona

[nassour]

Persona is the best vita game, one of the best rpgs this year too

[TheLastGuardian]

>Persona 4 Golden is game of the year, one of the best RPGs of all time.

Fixed that for you.

[SandWitch]

Console gaming is dead too. Look how many PCs are there!!! They are destroying console market because you can play games on them!!!

/s

[nassour]

I wouldn't say console gaming is dead. It's not as prominent as it used to be but at the end of the day PC is trying to play games like consoles and console are trying to become as powerful as PCs. In the end it'll all be unified on one type of platform with the compliment of portable gaming

[Hicken]

GynGa was sarcasm-izing.

It's the same train of thought that the idiots who think handhelds are dying use:

Since smartphones and tablets are selling so quickly and can play a few games, they're obviously killing the dedicated handheld market.

[teezanpleez]

nice !!! now that i use a Wii U im more into the game pad than playing on the TV

[candybooty]

I'm not sure how I feel about mobile gaming. For me, I used to carry my gameboy everywhere with me as a kid, but in all honesty I feel very immature and childish doing the same as an adult.

[TheFirstClassic]

Why is it that people view gaming on a phone as mature, but gaming on a handheld childish? It's just a fad thing, all has to do with people's perception of cool.

[candybooty]

Because its cool to have an iPhone.

[violents]

Why feel childish? Are you embarassed that you enjoy video games? People carry around kindles and other tablets and laptops everyday and somehow that's not childish? You can play games on those as well. Honestly I have a vita and the only reason I got it was because I have long periods of sitting around at work and It helps me kill time. I had PSP before to help cure boredom and I couldn't have been happier with either purchase. I will gladly tote this thing around with me if I feel I may have some downtime to kill. The only reason I would feel immature or childish to have it is if I were shrugging off my resposibilities as an adult to play video games, and that's what the pause button is for. Handle yo business and go back to gaming when the work is done.

[GSpartan777]

Wait, who questioned that handheld gaming was dead in the first place?

[dennett316]

They keep saying it's "inevitable" that mobile gaming will kill off handhelds....when are they going to admit that they're wrong?
The 3DS is selling ahead of the DS at the same point in it's life, and that despite the VAST increase in competition from the likes of Apple, Android etc. Lots of people buy these cheap games for their phones, the market is large and it can't be ignored, but how many of those people actively chose a phone or iPod for gaming over the likes of a 3DS or Vita...rather than simply, needing a smartphone and downloading a few cheapo games in order to check out what it can do?
I'd say not many, and the evidence is pretty clear in the sales figures of the 3DS. If the phone market was truly taking gamers away from dedicated consoles, then the sales figures would be weaker....not stronger.
Cell phones are needed by a lot of people, more so than portable consoles. That those people grab a few cheap games of the marketplace is NOT an indication that the sales were taken from the portable console market.

[violents]

If mobile gaming were going to kill off handhelds than PC's would have decimated consoles long ago. There is a market for both and some people either cant see it or just point it out so they can get hits on thier supposed "news" site.

[Yangus]

3DS eat PsVita.
3DS many cool games, and many coming.

25 million 3DS versus 3 million Vita.
End of story. Vita never beat 3DS, never. This true.

Sony losing this fight.

[r21]

Yangus like to feel Nintendo win win right?

[3-4-5]

idiots did.

[tubers]

Nah.. I've seen too many young parents raising their children with tablets and phones for entertainment..

Then again, you'll never know if that's actually a GATEWAY towards dedicated handheld devices..

Doubt it tho.