Another portable contestant a possibility?

An official handheld Dremcast would be great. Most of Dreamcast games fit into a SD Card, Sega could make the games available for download at a site and you could store the games in your computer and download it into a card when you want (you could be able to downlaod videos and MP3 also)... We still see some Dreamcast games being launched (even Sega launched a game after the system was discontinued), so maybe a handheld version would stimulate the creation of new games.

But I'm saying all this just because I'm a Dreamcast fanboy... I don't think it would generate sales compared with Game Boy or Nintendo DS and would probably be a niche product, althought I think it has all the qualities to completely pwn the PSP.

I'd say the next company to come out with a new portable game system would be....

Applesoft!!

The problem is that all of these ideas put forth up there are already out there in the marketplace. Cell phone companies already make game-capable phones. Devices like the Tapwave Zodiac have tried to blend gaming with other functionality. The GamePark GPX32 or whatever they're calling it is the "modder's delight" that's spoken of up there, and it will also emulate pretty much anything else (except the PSP and DS, really).

I think the only thing that *hasn't* been tried is a system that's capable of directly playing current-gen home games. But that would not be easy, because the only manufacturer that could do that at this point (knowing that Sony and Nintendo already have handhelds) is Microsoft... and they're not gonna shoehorn an entire Xbox into a little portable system. Even if they did, it would have to be unreasonably large to accomodate DVD-based games - it's be a pretty giant brick compared to the already-large PSP and DS. And battery life would be atrocious.

Nintendo is the only company that I think really had the foresight to accomplish something like this when they designed the GameCube, which could more easily be adapted to a portable. But they're already successful with the DS and GBA so there's no point to them rocking the boat right now. Still, you never know what might happen in the future - they could always "reintroduce" the GameCube as a portable machine some time down the line. Start producing new games for it again while at the same time promoting backward compatibility with older GameCube titles. We'll see. But that doesn't really fit what we're talking about here, as a competitor to Nintendo and Sony.

I don't think there's really any way for anyone but MS to get into that market, and not even MS has a really obvious way to do it. One thing's for sure, though - the world doesn't need any more N-Gages or Gizmondos.

Someone could make a game-specific device... like for MMORPG fans who would want to take a limitted version of their game with them to level up on the go.

Pocket WoW, beamed directly to you, while you're out on the town! No longer constrained by proximity to a computer with an internet connection, you'll never have to live entirely in the real world again.

Or for a new game, how about one where gameplay was affected by the conditions the portable machine is in. It could have a thermometer built into it, and your tamagachi could shiver along with you in the cold. Or how about a portable that senses accelerations like the Revolution controller. It'd know when you're walking and you could actually hold the whole game while you interacted with it. Punish your Black and White monster by shaking it like a British nanny.

Oh, and I don't think Microsoft is going to put out a portable. Their stuff is huge and power hungry. There are also those who believe the 360 isn't very durable either, which is important for something that fits into your pocket. Microsoft hasn't done anything to show they're capable of producing a good portable, so they're smart to wait and research more or stay out of it all together.

There isn't room for a third product. If there is any chance of someone else joining the fight, they will have to get in early on the next generation when consumers are making their choice. MS wouldn't do it cuz they need to focus their resources on establishing a companding percentage of the home market. Not necessarily beat PS3 but at minimum, a second place position that closes the gap on Sony's leadership.

Nintendo already got 2, iThink they are smarter than adopting a Sega strategy of releasing more systems than they can support.

Apple would be a absolute negative. A game system doesn't jive w/ they do. At this point, Apple cannot afford any failures; it will tarnish their image. They want to keep focused on their current products to grow the company b4 they take such risks. Although, if properly equiped, the Mac Mini would make a fierce game system...

what about the iriver new g10. I think it has a shot if they include WiMX and don't stop hackers from putting emulators on it. because it is a win mobile device I think it has a lot of potential.

Microsoft has already included Direct3D into their WM5.0 OS for Pocket PC. Games has already been developed for PDAs. There is a Tony Hawk 3D game for Axim x50v. The problem is good button placement has prevented good games from being designed.

Not to mention lack of retail presence. Microsoft talks big about online distribution but the fact remains many people still buy games in shops. The lack of street presence meant that Tapwave failed. It will also mean Gizmondo will fail.

RE: #3

There is already a mobile version of an MMORPG available for cell phones. It's called Tibia Mobile Edition.

http://www.tibiame.com/home/?language=en

I have friends who play the PC version. The developers are German, so it's not really that popular in the US. It's no WoW, but it could be the first step in that direction.

Interesting topic, and i would have to agree with some earlier stated facts. Gamepark has the GP2X, although still flawed with bugs (when will u fix all the bugs gamepark, when?!?), it is a modders delight and a 2D powerhorse, not to mention that it can play any media file under the sun and every emulated arcade and home console up to the PSX! and all for under 200 bucks, only if the system wasnt so riddled with bugs. Then there is Gamepark Holdings, a split from the original gamepark group, which promisies a more in-line gaming system that is suppose to match, if not out perform the PSP...but heres the problem, great potential, but who besides the hard core has heard of these small Korean companies, and being that they are so small, do they really stand a snowballs chance against the big three who rule the home gaming roost? So that leaves us with Microsoft, who has said time and time again that they have no plans for a portable, and honestly, i do not see them venturing into the portable arena anytime soon...perhaps a few years from now, but let them at least hold ground with the 360 before testing waters with king nintendo and the mediocre PSP (sorry to offend, i too wanted great things from the PSP, but its just not living up to its potential) Now there are modders out there selling "portable" version of home consoles, portable playsations, dreamcast, playstation 2, even older systems like atari and snes...but these are, once again, only for the hard core, and who really wants to carry around a semi-portable brick of plastic? But, if funding was there, it goes to show that the possibility does exist with such hard core gamers and modders...it would only take the backing and money of the corporate world to slice and dice these ideals into something that would actually work and appeal to a mass market. Who knows, perhaps we will all be suprised and NEC will pop out of no where with a new kick ass portable like the TG-Express and we can all play our xbox, ps2 or gamecube on the go! Or even better yet, maybe nintendo's fabled next gen gameboy will be backwards compatable with all prior nintendo systems, console or handheld...and, can i wish upon wish and hope upon hope, have full media player capabilities and wifi too?!?

Steve Jobs Are You Listening? What about the ipod? It has a huge installed base, it is massively modifiable, and it accepts various add ons - so why not a small controller? The video quality is excellent, as is the battery life... Why not? And it would break the Nerd Barrier (by which I mean that no one I know older than 30 would ever play a gba or psp in public). Ipods are ubiquitous and available everywhere. My idea is that apple could release a game operating system (if you will), downloadable from itunes for a couple of dollars - or better yet, give it away - and then sell licenced games on itunes as well. I'd buy it. Future ipods will probably have wifi and larger screens, so this could figure into it as well.

#2. A portable system that played current-gen games has been tried. The Turbo Express (pictured)was able to play the same games you baught for your Turbo Grafx 16. It had a beautiful screen and was easily playable with the game pad recreated on the system. It also sold a TV tuner as an add on.
Why didn't it work? A number of reasons. It was expensive. It was $299 and that was in the early ninties. You could get a game boy or game gear for 100 and even a genesis for 199. No need to pay so much. Battery life was poor. It took 6 AA's and got like 4 hours.
Wait a minute, had a beautiful screen, but was expensive and had battery life issues...I'm thinking of something but can't make the link....hmmmm