However.
I seriously cannot stand the support they're getting. Take this recent article from Mashable for instance:
http://mashable.com/2010/10/11/the-sims-3-and-other-ea-games-headed-for-windows-phone-7/
A game that thousands if not millions of people play on their PCs now have access to it via the new Windows 7 Phone. This sounds good to many of you I'm sure. But let's be honest...how much time will you spend playing this on your phone when you could be getting a much richer experience on the PC version? That's the main issue I have with mobile games. For me personally, I only play games on my iTouch when I'm waiting for a class or on a car ride. But even then it's only for roughly ten minutes before I get bored. There's just not enough motivation for me to play a game on a mobile phone when I could be getting so much more out of playing on my 360 or PC.
That's what I associate gaming with though. Console/PC gaming is what I believe to be true gaming. Handhelds such as the Nintendo DS and PSP count as well, as they produce AAA titles such as Dissidia and Pokemon. But in my eyes, using mobile devices such as the iPad, iPhone, Android, and now the Windows 7 Phone just seems like a fake. These games are the off-brand food that you buy in the store, and while some off-brand food is tasty, you get much more enjoyment out of the real thing. It irritates me to see so much money, time, and effort put into the mobile games when, quite honestly, nobody is going to pay much attention to them in the first place. Quite honestly, I don't think I will ever have the desire to purchase a game for a mobile device. There's nothing impressive or innovative about them, and they're pretty much akin to the random flash games you played when the internet was young and Yahoo! Games was your main timesink (don't deny it, we've all played them).
Perhaps I'm missing out on what could be an awesome gaming experience. Or maybe I'm right. Who knows. But what I do know is that all of that talent and innovative-ness could be focused on "true gaming", but instead, is wasted on this "imitation gaming". So if you walk up to me and tell me, "Play this awesome game on my iPhone it's better than sliced bread!!!1!!!1!111", don't expect me to give a shit.
Well all I can say is that if it costs less to do than the money it makes, the companies will do it. It can't be that hard to downgrade graphics and res so it works on a smartphone (which are pretty powerful these days).
ReplyDeleteI agree completely. Entertainment on the go, yes, but not gaming! I love several of my smartphone apps and games, but the ones I love most are my console emulators! So worth the 2 and 3 dollars each...
ReplyDeleteWhen I first read the title I was strongly against what you were saying as I belive consoles like the DS / PSP and the soon to be 3DS are fantastic and push gaming forward, but then I realized you meant mobile phone gaming. Phones will never be a "platform" for gaming that people develop seriously, it will always be just a time sink for people waiting for the buss or something. I'm fine with that.
ReplyDeletePretty much. The problem with 'true' games nowadays is that there's so much focus on graphics that they need to spend more and more money just so that gaming reviews won't bash them or make snide comments on the quality of the graphics. If there could just be a bit less focus there, and more work done on gameplay, then shiiit. Imagine the innovation. So companies like the casual gaming sector--easier to do, and makes you money out of the people who bother with that stuff.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy mobile gaming, but just like you, I tend to play only when I'm stuck somewhere waiting on something. I'd much rather play it on my 50" tv.
ReplyDeleteThat said, there is a market for it, so I doubt it'll stop any time soon.
Smartphones have gone too far. There's no need for all of that extra shit.
ReplyDeleteKewl story, bro! Followin
ReplyDeleteI think it should go a step further. We should be able to go back to a time where PCs were for gaming and the ps2 was for time killing. Nearly every PC release these days is shared with PS3 and the xbox360. Thats ok if the ps and xbox had anywhere near the kind of same generation hardware pc's do but they don't.
ReplyDeleteThey both run graphics cards that are 2 full cycles old. They both only support direct x 9 when the current version is 11. I just wish that gaming was still enjoyable on the pc like it used to be.