Are Mobile Gamers Spoiled by Low Prices and Throw Away Content?

Triverse writes, "In today’s mobile gaming market there seems to be a rift growing within the gaming community between gamers that want games to stay as close to free as possible and game publishers wanting to make as much money as possible off of their hard work. Many would argue this rift has been there since the dawn of time but, for the sake of this editorial we will just act like it is now rearing it’s ugly head (when else in gaming history have games been so cheap?)."

[InMyOpinion]

The article made no mention of games such as Reckless Racing 2, Dead Trigger or Osmos HD, which are both cheap and very good.

Calling mobile gamers cheap is like calling handheld gamers stupid for paying up to $49 for some games.

[triverse]

I agree with you but those games you listed are not available on other platforms such as 3DS, PSP, PS Vita or DS. The article was aimed more at showing the price differences between the platforms with games that are cross platform.

[landog]

no, devs are spoiled by $65 games that aren't worth $15

most games need to be cheaper, very, very few are worth $65

[triverse]

That is why I mentioned Angry Birds Trilogy as an example. Are physical controls worth that much? Would they be a positive or a hindrance with a game such as Angry Birds?

[Tapioca Cold]

For starters 'mobile gamers' aren't gamers. They are people going to work on a subway. It's just a convenient way to pass time.

They didn't purchase their phone their phone to game, nor did you purchase your PC or console to chat with friends.

Just stay out of our gaming business, all of you. Look at what this 'casual' bunch is doingf to our precious consoles.

Nintendo now has a controller that costs probably between 150-200 dollars. The xbox has abandoned it's hardcore gamers to lure in these idiots who just want social connectivity and fleeting fads.

Go away!

[triverse]

I believe the hardcore gamer you are alluding to is still here, still buying games and still enjoying them (even if they have to wade through a ton of crap or features they don't care about). The problem is, the hardcore gamer is not enough to keep companies afloat - this is partly due to ever increasing budgets for games and dwindling returns.

For proof, just look at the platforms that have catered to the hardcore gamer in the past, and have died- Dreamcast, Neo Geo Pocket Color, Neo Geo X (barely got off the ground honestly) and many others.

Maybe Ouya, as many predict, will be the return of the hardcore gamer, the place for indie devs that don't have million dollar budgets to flourish and make a come back with actual games rather than another "story" game that is nothing more than an in app purchase nightmare. Who knows.