150°

2012 Portable Gaming Charts Indicate Mobile Games Already Surpass 3DS, Vita

Leviathyn.com says: "App Annie and the IDC (International Data Corporation) have recently released their 2012 Portable Gaming Report. Showing all manner of numbers and other fancy statistical goodies, there’s plenty of predictably shocking facts you can shake your head at. Among the top spots, Nintendo, the Android OS and Pokemon sit comfortably well. Also, the Asian-Pacific market REALLY loves their Google Play games."

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fluffydelusions4077d ago (Edited 4077d ago )

$0.99 toilet games you play in 5 minute spurts vs full on portable games...I wish people would just stop with this comparison.

infestedandy4077d ago

The quality can't be compared, you're right, but it's still interesting to see the numbers and how the industry is fully changing.

rezzah4077d ago

Statistics never reveal the entire story.

Anon19744077d ago (Edited 4077d ago )

It just never ceases to amaze me how quickly people on this site are to dismiss mobile gaming as nothing more than "0.99 bs". When you can get games like The Walking Dead, Bastion, Civilization, Baldur's Gate, Grand Theft Auto, etc on mobile devices, isn't it time to give the "toilet games" nonsense a rest? Sure there's a lot of time wasters on mobile, but don't act like that's the only thing mobile gaming has to offer because it's a lie and you all know it. If choose to use another platform, more power to you, but you don't need to create falsehoods and sweeping generalizations to support your position. Just say that's your preference and leave it at that.

Personally, when I'm on the go I like to grab my Vita. It's the best mobile gaming device going in my opinion, but I wouldn't dismiss the great content out there on mobile over the years simply because I prefer my Vita. I'm still very capable of enjoying a few rounds of Angry Birds Star Wars (fantastic game, by the way) or helping my 3 year old play some Cut the Rope, or even spending some time with Game Dev Story on the ole Galaxy S2.

People who choose to ignore mobile gaming are no better than the PC snobs who insist they'd rather poke out their own eyes than play a console game. There's plenty of great gaming experiences to be had on mobile. If you don't like the time wasters, don't play them, but don't pretend that's all mobile has to offer.

AtomicGerbil4077d ago

I think for the most part the problem is not that mobile games seem to sell in substantial numbers, it's that every brain dead journalist sees it as the arrival of the four horsemen for dedicated consoles.

Unfortunately while the internet is awash with uninformed journalists who only look at numbers instead of the whole picture, a hornets nest of passionate and sometimes irrational gamers will speak out.

IMightBeRetarded4077d ago

While there are good mobile games, they just aren't comparable to the games you can get on dedicated handheld gaming devices. And they don't have buttons which has always been a major downside.

Anon19744077d ago (Edited 4077d ago )

No one is comparing the quality of mobile games with other devices. That's what bugs me. Personally, I didn't feel Wii games compared to what I was playing on the PS3/360, but I didn't for a second write off all Wii games for that reason. They're just different. Of course there was still some excellent gaming to be had on the Wii, just as there is on mobile, just as there is on dedicated mobile game devices. I just can't stand the notion that there's nothing decent on mobile. Now I might be a tad biased due to the fact that I make mobile games for a living, but I'm not wrong because I don't tar and feather an entire slate of games just because of the device you can play them on. That's just ridiculous to me.

And as for the lack of buttons, touch screens are different and there's nothing wrong with that. People need to get that through their heads. If you're playing a game meant for the touchscreen and you find yourself going "I wish I had buttons" the developer didn't do a very good job. I can't stand games that just try to shoehorn in buttons or d-pads on screen. It just reminds people that they're not using a controller. If a game is made properly, you don't even notice the input. I can't imagine using anything but a touchscreen for a game like Angry birds or Fruit Ninja. You play a game like Mass Effect Infiltrator and the controls are so smooth you never miss buttons. It just depends on the game. Tap the screen, tap a button, if it's done properly, there's no difference. We're doing things with our latest game that simply couldn't be done without a touch screen. It'd be unplayable with a regular controller. You'd need either a touchscreen or at the very least a mouse and even then you still need the ability to rotate your device to play the game properly. It all depends on the game and how they use the inputs they have to work with.

Mounce4077d ago

Yo man, Angry Birds sold 500 Billion times so it's like.

Mobile Games clearly surpass the gaming industry as a whole for both console and handhelds.

Mobile Games clearly just are the PINNACLE of Gaming, all the cool kids play it.

[/mass sarcasm]

I don't see awesome fucking games like MGS Peacewalker on the iPad. The most Hardcore game that Mobiles have is Infinity Blade.....and I'd still say that game should bloody go on the Vita.

IMightBeRetarded4077d ago

I honestly don't get the appeal of infinity blade. Sure it had good graphics, but that's really about it. Everything else about it was just meh.

Mounce4077d ago

To me I like it, simply because it had an RPG edge of strategy/reaction time and collecting better equipment. Idunno, it looks interesting, guess I'd only know if it was a Spam-drag-fest more than 'Fun' if I had a chance to play it on something that wasn't an i-device.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 4077d ago
Wintersun6164077d ago

IDC if they're speeding by when measuring sales. Vita and 3DS are far superior for many obvious reasons. It's stupid to compare them like apples and apples.

admiralvic4077d ago

Most (if not all) phones in the past 4 years can play games on some level.
A good percent / most people own a smart phone.
You can get a phone that can play games for free with contract.
Mobile games have plenty of titles in the free to .99 range.
...

Portable games are beating dedicated systems? You don't say...

Yodagamer4077d ago

I think the top 5 games on each market shows the quality gap between mobile vs. Dedicated. Plus when mobile games come over to dedicated handhelds at the same price they have sold better. Gunman Clive is a great example and outsold both the android and ios versions.

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60°

Sony Could Increase Your Game's Difficulty If It Sees You Complain About It

Sony has recently published a new patent that wants to dynamically handle the games' difficulty and gameplay based on the player's emotions.

80°

Nintendo's Massacre Of The 3DS And Wii U Is Finally Complete, Regrettably

Hanzala from eXputer: "The cruel hammer of Nintendo has fallen. Farewell, 3DS and Wii U, you surely brightened my life and many others; you won't be forgotten."

280°

Xbox's Preservation Step Sets A Much-Needed Example, Especially For Nintendo

Hanzla from eXputer inquires: "If Xbox can care about preserving its games and legacy, what exactly is wrong with Nintendo, trying to kill game preservation single-handedly?"

purple10111d ago

Ahh yes the good old game preservation of saving all your games to a removable hhd on the Xbox 360, taking it round your mates house, setting up multiple tvs to
Be met with “save data corrupted, please re download”

Or how about removing 360 games
From the store
, download them now or else, and, better hope to god that save data doesn’t corrupt, or it’s lost for ever

Nice one ☝️

Zeref10d ago

It's better than what Nintendo and Playstation is doing. It might not be perfect but at least they are TRYING. Unlike the others.

DarXyde10d ago

Trying? Take off the blinders for a moment, mate.

1. A failure to preserve games is just that: a failure to preserve games. Don't try to sugarcoat it: NO ONE is doing it properly. Better than awful is nothing to write home about.

2. At the time of this comment, isn't it the case that you need an internet connection to play Xbox games even if you buy physical discs that are hardly in circulation anymore? I don't have a Series X and I can't verify, but I think that is correct. I'm fairly certain you can at least play PS5 games at version 1.0 (not much of a win really when many games require day one patches). I think Microsoft's all digital, licensing approach is by far more aggressive than anyone else's. They really try to push you to game pass where you lose your entire library by umm.... Skipping a month of payments.

I don't think anyone is doing it right whatsoever. Don't get me started on Nintendo, who goes after anyone looking to preserve their games better than they ever would with extreme litigation.

Don't be a simp for any of these companies. Get it together.

PhillyDonJawn10d ago (Edited 10d ago )

@DarX never speak on Xbox again. You lost all credibility with your internet connection comment. Smh you have 0 clue and misinformed yet speaking on something you don't no squat about.

Einhander197210d ago

What has Sony done exactly? You guys keep deflecting to Sony but I am not actually seeing any results, and ai am certain nothing that you can come up with even comes close to what Microsoft has done and what they have tried and failed to do, like tie all your disks to your account on xbone.

Microsoft removed their whole indie section when they moved to the xbone because they were going to only allow games on the service that came from a publisher, id@xbox started after xbone launched and it only exists because Sony embraced indie and Microsoft was forced to cancel their plans and reverse course.

And every single game that was part of games for windows live including disk games (I have gta 4 on disk that won't work) so hundreds of games that use that DRM no longer work unless the company themselves patched it out which of course very few did.

MrBaskerville10d ago

Not trying. Tried. they killed of the backcomp program years ago. They set something up again, but sounds like it's more of an attempt to save the current library on whatever they are planning next. With luck they save everything and more, but let's see. I could see them killing off parts of the OG xbox and 360 libraries. Can't imagine that they would allow us to play Forza 5-7 in the future.

With that said, I do like what they've done and really wish they could have done more.

shinoff218310d ago

Zeref

So killing off physical media is trying what exactly. Ms don't really give a fk if you think they do your kidding yourself.

Profchaos9d ago

They are not trying this team is established for forward compatability the team is. It interested in preserving Xbox or 360 games.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 9d ago
isarai11d ago

Is that why Hellblade 2 is digital only?

Zeref10d ago

Just because it's digital only doesn't mean you can't preserve it. Just put it on an external and you have the exact same functionality of what a disc does.

MrNinosan10d ago

Guess you're trolling, but if you actually think that's how it works, I'd recommend buying some braincells.

mkis0079d ago (Edited 9d ago )

Volitile vs nonvolitile data. A disc will not corrupt either. A drive can be corrupted.

Einhander197210d ago

This is just a scammy PR move to distract from the fact they are going digital only and trying to push streaming and subscriptions only.

No gaming company has pushed harder to remove ownership than Microsoft.

Without discs there is no preservation, preservation can't be done by the rights holders it can only be done by the consumers, anything else is a lie.

10d ago Replies(3)
Einhander197210d ago

Anyone remember xblig which Microsoft removed their whole 360 indie section removing hundreds of games from people?

10d ago
10d ago
Zeref10d ago

Do you know you can put your games on an external and preserve them that way? There are no benefits to discs. ZERO. Idk why some of you are still obsessed with them.

DarXyde10d ago

Because games like Persona 5 exist. It's STILL V1.00. On Playstation, that's a win because 1.00 is installed on the disc—no need to download anything.

If a game does not require any updates, it's all on the disc.

Extremely low bar in the modern era, of course. It's not much of a win by any stretch.

But for now, physical media does have a purpose, at least on Playstation.

Einhander197210d ago

That is factually not how game licensing works, try plugging your hard drive into someone else xbox, It's not going to work, and it won't work if the licensing servers ever go down.

Einhander197210d ago

Anyone remember games for windows live.

I have around a dozen games, some on Steam itself that will not work because Microsoft shut off the licensing servers.

BehindTheRows10d ago (Edited 10d ago )

I do. I STILL have games (Gears of War being the big one) I cannot access because Games for Windows LIVE is total garbage and no one has held Microsoft accountable.

Zeref10d ago (Edited 10d ago )

You don't have an Xbox apparently. Because you can 100 percent plug in your external and play games from it on any Xbox console lol. You just have to be logged in to prove ownership.

Chevalier10d ago

"You don't have an Xbox apparently. Because you can 100 percent plug in your external and play games from it on any Xbox console lol. You just have to be logged in to prove ownership."

Damn how many times do people got to explain your idiocy to you? You can take a copy of Persona 5 like someone used as an example and play that game on ANY console WITHOUT logging in which means I can lend the game to a friend without internet and they can play my game. Can you lend your hard drive to anyone without logging in for them to play? NOPE. That is a huge difference and if you think otherwise then sorry you're an idiot.

Tacoboto10d ago

"No gaming company has pushed harder to remove ownership than Microsoft."

Ubisoft is literally erasing games people bought from their libraries... My PS1-3 discs are useless on modern hardware. Nintendo's re-published and resold almost their entire Wii U library, and the eShop is completely dead with no BC mechanism in the Switch software. Microsoft publishes everything they make today day one on Steam and Xbox/Windows. Sony only brings to PC the titles they think you might want some years later and Nintendo won't even design a functional long-lasting joystick.

You're absolutely trolling and not serious if you think Microsoft today is the worst offender.

shinoff218310d ago

Yay steam

Not everyone fks with computers though. The disc is still the best way as a console player. Period.

Tacoboto9d ago

How do Sony and Nintendo feel about these discs from 2001-2013?

Don't be stupid, you know Xbox is the best at this today.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 9d ago
Hofstaderman10d ago

Nobody wants this. Sales or the lack of it in the case of XBOX is very telling. I wonder how the adorably all digital series X will fare. Adorably dismal perhaps?

crazyCoconuts10d ago

Only time will tell, but for from someone like me suspecting that Xbox is trying to gracefully exit the console market, that "forward compatibility" team is trying to get Xbox games playing on Windows PCs. I mean, it's nice that they're not planning on exiting with a "enjoy your games while the hardware still works" message, so that's nice. They still have a brand to protect via Microsoft so probably feel obligated to have a better exit strategy.

Xeofate10d ago (Edited 10d ago )

That is not their plan, their plan is to transfer users accounts to the cloud.

Phil Spencer himself said as much a few months back, plans could have changed but I think people are reading way too much into one statement where Phil said he would allow Epic on xbox because he wants to be able to sell xbox games directly on other platforms. Aka, instead of selling Sea of Thives through PSN he wants to have an xbox store to sell his games on PlayStation without giving PlayStation any money.

Again, it's extremely unlikely that Phil plans to put PC on xbox and licensing would prevent them from just giving out other publishers games purchased on xbox copies of thier games on PC, Microsoft does not own their games.

crazyCoconuts9d ago

The thing that doesn't align with the cloud strategy is the giving up on exclusives. You'd still need strong exclusives for cloud streaming - it's still a "platform" , just with a lower upfront hardware investment. I feel like they've learned what PS learned with PSNow long ago. We're not ready to stream games and it's only gonna lose them money to try at this point

FinalFantasyFanatic9d ago

I would love that, I'd buy up some of the Xbox games if they could run on PC, like the Rare Replay, Lost Odyssey and Dead or Alive Ultimate, probably a pipe dream though.

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