Shareholders, however, would not have been happy. Bloomberg is reporting that Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi would have lost around $300 million in a single day, as the value of the shares dropped 21 per cent. Yamauchi is the company’s largest shareholder, and owns 10 per cent of Nintendo.
It’s our general opinion that the market has considerably changed, and Nintendo (and ultimately Sony) are struggling to push top tier games for £35 when Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch offer similar entertainment prospects with games costing less than a pound and the likes of Facebook offer social gaming for a very low entry fee.
The next twelve months will be very interesting indeed.
SavageOranges
I don’t really think it’s fair to compare the 3DS and the Vita to the iPhone/iPod/Various smartphones. Smartphones are really just casual gaming, something you would do for about 10 minutes on a bus or something, and the games are either arcadey things (a repetitive game where the objective is to get a high score ie. Doodle Jump) or very short.
The 3DS and the Vita are more about a proper gaming experience, with long games with a proper objective, a good story. However, I can see how people would prefer casual gaming, as opposed to a more ‘”real” experience, and I know that both the Vita and the various smartphones can play movies and music, (I’m not sure if the 3DS an, correct me if I’m wrong) so what I see is that really the only similarity, IMO, is that there portable, and yes, they can offer entertainment, however the time periods of said entertainment could vary dramatically.
(sorry about lack of paragraphs. Typed on iPod :P)
KeRaSh
I agree. Phones are great at handling casual games like Angry Bird, Cut the Rope or 1000 Heroes but anything that requires complex controls is automatically ignored by me because it’s just not fun to play a game with too many virtual buttons.
I’d gladly pay more for a full game on a solid handheld than spend less than a Pound for a dumbed down version that enrages me every time I die because I missed a virtual button.
I guess people like me are the minority…
MrSpeedyGonzales
I agree with you on most of your points, but there are some amazing games on the iphone/ipod etc. I’ve been playing TowerDefence for hours on my ipod.
I also don’t see why anyone would buy a PSV for almost the same price as a PS3! It just doesn’t seem like it’s worth it.
bunimomike
Maybe not compare but definitely be aware as they have the ability to steal from their alleged competition. Casual gamers wanting more. Hardcore gamers wanting something a little lighter when they’re out and about.
Both types of platforms are shaping the mobile gaming industry and it’s good to see how they influence each other even though they’re not in direct competition all of the time.
Tuffcub
Yowsers that’s a lot.
SavageOranges
It’s the power of the PSV though. You’re getting more or less the power of a PS3 in a Vita and it’s about €50 less and portable of course. I’m pretty happy with that :)
Tuffcub
The way i see it, console fans may like the odd game of Angry Birds but they wont trade in a PS3 powerhouse for a shitty little screen. All these stats that say “50% of gaming is now mobile” or whatever fail to take in to account that today there are millions of ‘gamers’ on phones who five years ago wouldnt of touched a game.
The number of ‘big console’ gamers is still going up, but with an influx of casual gamers it skews all the stats.
There’s no reason console and ithing games can both exist – and quite frankly, I’d shoot myself in the head if all I had was smegging Iphone for games.
3shirts
Spot on. You also have to remember that an awful lot of console gamers probably have a smartphone that they use for the odd spot of casual gaming too.
I love Android and have some corking games on my Nexus S that are brillo pads to play when I’m on a bus or waiting for the missus to try clothes on but if I’m sat at home with some free time, I’m never gonna pick up the phone while the PS3 is working :)
Kovacs
Brillo pads? I’m hoping that was an autocorrect hiccup.
:)
nofi
Casuals now play games on their iPhones, not 3DS / Vita. Both machines are going to struggle like hell.
XisTG
But those casuals were never the target for 3DS/Vita. The casual phone gamer plays games because they are available to them on their phone. If their phones didn’t play any games, then a portable console in the range of 200€ would certainly entice them. It would be like buying an iphone just to send a couple SMS a day and nothing else.
XisTG
I meant WOULDN’T entice them :p
nofi
“But those casuals were never the target for 3DS/Vita.”
Of course they are, you can’t make a success of a console by just selling to the hardcore.
DirtyHabit
‘If their phones didn’t play any games’
But they do, and there lies the problem…
skibadee
till the Vita is released not so sure this quarter the 6 year old PSP is out selling the 3DS 2-1.
Jaffa-the-Cake
@nofi, this is the problem I have spotted with all thesixthaxis staff. You forget that people playng casual games on iPod/iPhone eventually move up to the main consoles. Sony execs say this all the time. The more people being introduced to gaming, in whatever form, is a good thing. Also let’s not get confused between the 3DS and the Vita, which you seem to love to do. The 3DS is basically a ds with a parallax screen, it has terrible multimedia capabilities and the games released so far leave much to be desired. People are not willing to upgrade from a ds to a 3Ds if all they get is games that cost more and are not as good. The vita on the other hand can do everything under the sun, including interacting with ps3 games. Is is a better all round package. The 3DS was a quick cashin from Nintendo who gave it little or no thought and were arrogant enough to think it would fly off shelves, and so did most TSA staff, with poor games lineup. That’s why the 3DS failed and why the Vita won’t.
GTRsannin
@Jaffa I agree with you. The 3DS didn’t bring much new except the 3D thingie and i think it was too expensive when it came out of course it could start selling more now but i think that a lot of people are waiting for the Vita i know i am. I’m not really that interested in the 3DS
boschbourne06
i actually said that to a mate of mine that the iphone and ipod touch win in the handheld apartment just because its cheaper if you already own one and you get apps for dead cheap.
TSBonyman
i have an ipad and aside from some simple gesture-based puzzle games i’m not impressed by the gaming experience they offer compared to any home console with sticks and buttons connected to a large screen. If the experience was really comparable then the pricing would be closer across formats.
Starman
I’ve worked with people who used to play PSP’s in their lunch hours but now they’ve been replaced with playing games on there phones. The problem the vita & 3ds have is a lot of people are fine with playing several cheap games on there phones whilst on the bus/lunch/waiting in general. The days of charging £30-£40 for a game on a portable system are over.
bunimomike
It’s an interesting observation. Hardcore gamers who want good, solid gaming on the go will reach for the PSPs/Vitas/etc, but that doesn’t stop them also reaching for an iPhone (or equivalent) when they want a fix. People don’t always want to carry multiple items with them and the smart-phone market has show that it’s not just emerging but here to stay. My mate’s a massive gamer and buys most everything but the days of him taking his PSP with him are over. He’d rather get a quick fix of gaming on his iPhone/iPad and then watch a film too (once again, on either device) when he’s on the train.
All I want to see on the Vita is the full gamut of gaming and pricing. Bring the Angry Birds, the Cut the Ropes but also have titles like Wipeout, Uncharted, etc. There’s room for them all and if Sony are sensible with pricing, the online store will be busy as hell. Casual gamers spending pounds here and there (but in uber-millions) with hardcore gamers loving their meatier titles like Naughty Dog’s output. There truly is room for all and it’s something the iDevices can’t compete with when it comes to analogue sticks and real buttons.
Anyway, I digress. 3DS. Underwhelming and Nintendo are trying to address that. Lesson learnt, I’m sure.
Starman
I agree that the biggest thing sony & nintendos devices have over iDevices is buttons. The on screen sticks are terrible to use. I’d like to see a proper decent FPS on the vita, and generally focus on games other portables can’t do.
Michael
@Kocacs “brillo pads” is, well, a brillo pads expression.
TheJaguar
I believe gaming on the handheld is not dead but more needs to evolve with the times. This is why I have a feeling the Vita will outshine the 3DS quickly, with 3G, mini’s and social functions.
People already own DS’ and many see no point in leaving the DS yet when it i still being supported so well and is cheap.
Lewis Murray
LOL at idiots that think 99p Android/iPhone games are similar on scope to PROPER games costing £20..
EPIC FAIL.
Starman
I think you are missing the point. Say you have a 30 minute bus ride every day, you could play 5 phone games to pass the time or 1 proper game. The difference being you’d spend £5 or £40. Thats why i think handhelds are struggling