PCWorld: Is Apple's iPad 2 a Nintendo-Sony-Microsoft Killer?

PCWorld op-ed asks: "Is Apple's splashy new iPad 2 a threat to game systems like the 3DS, NGP, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3? Is Apple positioning itself to grab huge swathes of gamers away from Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony?"

[DeeZee]

No, there different devices. I'm buying an iPad 2, but I'm more excited for the NGP.

[limewax]

iPad will never be a gaming device to me, no matter how much people try to force it down my throat, A gaming device to me will always be a console/rig wired into a TV/Monitor. Handhelds can be fun, but iPad etc are becoming more a fashion accessory with how often they release

[Istanbull]

iPad and iPhones are not gaming devices, no matter how hard the media tries, it will never be a gaming handheld.

Reasons:

1st: it lacks BUTTONS, the sole reason and existence of gaming. If you got no buttons, you are not in the same league.

2nd: every year, a new iPad releases with better this and better that. While a REAL gaming handheld is on the market for couple of years.

3rd: PRICE, why the f*ck would I pay 600 bucks for a tablet just to play games when I can get a NGP+3DS for the same price?

4rd: GAMES: iPad and iPhone games SUCK, I tried playing Resident Evil and CoD, lol it SUX!

iPad/iPhone games are little Arcade flash-like games: Fieldrunners, Flightcontrol, Angry Birds etc.

Yeah right, you can compete with the PSP Minis segment.

[tmoss726]

@istanbull better yet, you could get a any combination of the two of NGP/3DS/360/PS3.

[a08andan]

@Istanbull:

If you want to argue that those devices aren't gaming devices, then your reasons should look like the following:

1st: The Ipad doesn't have buttons. Buttons enables a larger variety in control-schematics that are required for more complicated games. From a hardcore point of view, the games on devices like Ipad aren't in the same league as dedicated gaming handhelds.

2nd: Every year a new Ipad is released with better specifications. A dedicated handheld is essentially the same for a number of years which ensures the ability to play all games that are made for what you buy.

3rd: Is it really possible to justify a price of $600 and saying that Ipad is for gaming, when you can get an NGP and a 3DS (which are dedicated handhelds) for the same price?

4th: Is it possible to have any other types of games than the "quick fix"-kinda type on the Ipad? Can you have games for all types of players on the Ipad?

You have valid points, but the way you present them is purely based on opinion. Valid opinions as they may be, simply saying that things "suck" is not gonna help your case.

I'm just trying to help your cause, to give you some constructive criticism :)

[gamesmaster]

at the asking price i wouldnt be surprised if the ipad 2 has trouble "killing" the ipad 1 tbh

[Christopher]

I don't get the leap in logic from calling the iPad 2 a killer of any sort if the first one wasn't as such already.

The improvements are not such that they gain much in the way of any additional advantage over Nintendo/Sony/Microsoft in comparison to the iPad.

[EYEamNUMBER1]

no remember how everyone was asking the same thing about the first ipad

so how did that turn out?
yeah i didn't think so

[Blaze929]

Don't be stupid. I hate website that make stupid ass articles.

[AWBrawler]

as awesome as iPad 2 seems. (I will be getting one soon) I doubt it will run off a dedicated gaming system, but i don't think they should care, because Apple is a beast in the computer world

[StbI990]

Although im fond into the ipad2...doesnt left nothing to say but...

Ipad2 is simply what will kill the ipad LOL

[OneWorld]

"iPad 2" ain't killing sh*t.

[B1663r]

This iPad, it doesn't replace your phone, your computer, your laptop, your tv, your books, your newspapers, your magazines, or your videogame console yet it performs all of these tasks in a substandard way.

I don't get it, but if I had 800 dollars to burn on absolutly nothing else, I would consider buying one.

[SoapShoes]

Lol, no one buys an iPad for games. Heck it's not even good for a computer.

[protekjv]

any i"device", has never killed any other device.

[B1663r]

The iPod killed the portable cassette and cd player, but after that, yeah, I am having trouble seeing any other iDevice as anything other than mildly interesting...

[Sprudling]

Portable cassette/CD players were dead long before iPod released. People had been using various MP3 players for many years already. Also there was MiniDisc in between.

[Stealth20k]

its all about the games. And ios product games arent as deep as even some gameboy color games.

They spend too much time worrying about specks and making shitty arguements.

First of all not everyoen games on ios products. Latest figure is half do. Second of all there are more pc's than consoles are well. Are those dead?

[B1663r]

Take that back, back when I had an iPhone 3g I played the tower defense games that were available on the platform, but every other type of game had the problem that your fingers were in the way.

[koehler83]

Nah.

It's a big world out there, despite tech blog tunnel vision. There's room for many options and second place isn't a loser. You don't have to be the best to be successful.

[gravemaker]

no, because 99.99% of games for ios is shit

[Baka-akaB]

I like the ipad , but i dont care at all about gaming on it .

[DelbertGrady]

Only thing it's going to kill is your wallet.

[Burning_Finger]

NO!!... NGP will kill Ipad 2.. :)

[Scottyabanks]

iHate Apple products.

[Gray-Fox]

OMG LOL that's so funny. I wish I could be as funny as you someday.

[Scottyabanks]

Lololololol blatant sarcasm lololololol

[NiKK_419]

what is this? i don't even...

[ColecoVision]

I'm not going to even read the whole article. This is one of the worst questions to ask, but i'll answer it anyway... NO! It's not a console killer. Apple is very ballsy these days, but even they are smart enough to stay away from a console attempt. IPad is as far as it goes.

[specialguest]

As of today, the iPad2 and other upcoming tablets are not a threat to console gaming. Games like Dead Space on the iPad demonstrated that console-like graphics can be achieved, but in the complexity of the gameplay, there were still limitations. In my opinion, this limitation is due to lacking real buttons.

As far as the iPad2 being a console gaming killer? Hell no! Are you crazy?!?

[antihiroprotagonist]

Anyone that would buy an ipad or iphone as a gaming system over a 3ds or ngp etc..isn't a real gamer... Unless your favorite games involve mashing your greasy fingers all over the screen

[Captain Tuttle]

nah

[llMurcielagoll]

No.

[llMurcielagoll]

Wow... A lot of disagrees, okay crazed Apple's fans, Would an iPad 2 a single device can kill 3 whole companies? No..

Gaming-wize, would an iPad 2 run Crysis for example? No. Even it did, would I sell my PC and buy iPad 2 and Play Crysis with imaginary touch keys? Nah..

I would buy an iPad 2 or the original iPad for say, E-Reading, browsing on the go, watching movies if I don't wanna bother carrying my laptop, taking notes in lectures, meetings etc, have educational apps, fun games apps, musical apps or any apps out there.

BUT would I replace everything to use iPad 2 because it will 'Kill' My Microsoft Windows, Playstation 3, Xbox 360 or Nintendo Wii??

that is a BIG fat NO!

it is kind of funny that a couple of people commenting under me have 5 disagrees as I do like 5 users are trying to do damage control haha.

[Ddouble]

Why do people keep on making these articles. It's like they want it to happen but it's not going to.

[stephmhishot]

No, no, no, a thousand times no.

Does Rovio's nearly 100 million d/l figure include the free downloads from android users?

When are people going to realize that the iPad vs 3DS/NGP offer completely different gaming experiences? (For me, the games on my phone are for those "wow the lines at the grocery store are long" moments)

The irony of the claim that the iPad, with a base level price of $499 (unless you want to jump in with the slightly discounted first model, which judging by iPod discounts after new ones are announced, should be around 20-30 bucks) is going to kill the other handhelds isn't lost on me. If the premium NGP model launches at $499, there will probably be articles from the same people talking about how $499 is too expensive and how Sony is doomed.

[Shani]

Let's keep it short.

No.

[strickers]

Tablets are stupid devices that excel at very little.They are certainly not gaming devices.I hate iPad 1 and this looks a bit better but I still struggle to see why anyone would buy one,with Smartphone,Laptops,Netbooks,Ki ndles in the world.

[bartender64]

Is this a geico comercial?

[Masterchef2007]

No way. The NGP and 3DS will sell more than the IPAD2. Its sad to see the direction that apple fanboys are going with their products.

[Saladfax]

As per usual, most people dive into the comments section to spew their uninformed joy regarding their personal favorite without actually reading the article.

Yes, the title is flamebait; there's no doubt about that. However, most of the article relates how Apple hasn't ever embraced much in the way of gaming and further speculation on what could happen if they did.

Don't forget that the iPhone and iPod Touch has been encroaching upon the handheld gaming market for the last couple of years. 20% isn't much yet, but it's been growing every year. And for overall game sales, 5% on a device primarily for music and conversation seems somehow impressive.

[ceedz]

Apple only wanted 11% of the mobile market and look now. They have the most desired mobile device on the market. I'm a Techie (Sony & Apple Fanboy) and I see that the possibility of better games being developed or ported over for iOS. So I do believe the handheld market is endanger of loosing ground to the ipad & iphone. To those of you that are iHaters is because you can't afford this type of device. Anyone who has used it realizes that Apple will give the big 3 a run for they're money. Look at the ports from Xbox to the PS3. Apple also has the ability to buy out Sony (but only a hostile takeover). The iPad 2 is definitely a shot across the bow of the mobile gaming world, will they follow through is the question. Exclusives will win the war. Nintendo is too childish, Xbox doesn't have a handheld, and Sony is too quick to push new iterations of systems out. iTunes destroyed the CD & Macs now out sell the PC, down loadble games are the future, the big 3 know this is coming. I wouldn't count them out yet.