Mobile market shows signs of stagnation

Eh... not so sure.

Gamespot.com is having this big to-do with John Carmack's new "Orcs & Elves" for the mobile market. Interesting read, but I tend to believe that while games like this will help out in the demand for games on phones, it will still be a niche market.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6148693.html

Why game on a 1 1/2" square screen when you can play better quality games and have more control using a DS or PSP?

I just recently bought a new VCAST phone with "3D Accelerated Graphics Capabilities", but I have no desire to play any games on it.

The draw of mobile gaming appears to be for those few minutes when you're waiting for the bus, the plane, maybe you've got nothing to do at the office - I don't know.

For me, simple side scrolling type games would be enjoyable, but the controls are incredibly awkward, you know the frame rate is gonna be awful, and games are like $4.99 a pop.

How about giving up some free demos and maybe more people would be interested.

If I've said it once, I've said it a million times....

Multi-functional devices try to please everyone, and end up pleasing no one.

None of the functionality ends up being as good as a device dedicated to that function.

If you don't use the function the multi-function device performs, you just spent money on something you don't use.

And if you break your multi-function device, you've just broken ALL your functionality.

Just buy what you need, for what you need, when you need it.

Sometimes....less is more.

Awesome post, Derbeste. It's somewhat akin to making a console with dual HDMI outputs that support 1080p, can support any number of devices for memory, seven Bluetooth device support...

I'll stop. I think my point should be clear. Who here has two HD setups with HDMI inputs? I know, not now, maybe in 10 years...

I said I'd stop, didn't I? Why is the P$3 going to cost so much? More to the point of this article, why do new "phones" cost so much? If you're not using the MP3 player and the GPS and the fax/scanner/copier/printer why put it in? Also, I agree with Hoffy's statement about the free phone demos. Give people a taste of what's available. If they like it, they'll purchase it.

I have no problem carrying my phone, my DS, and my iPod around. Each one, although separate, is 100x better than any multifunction device. I'm an (almost) pure separatist when it comes to my portable electronics (almost in that I don't mind having a crappy camera on my phone for random snapshots). I even went as far as to delete the preloaded games off my phone 'cos I knew I'd never use them. It's going to have to be one stellar mobile game to get me to pay for it.

I see no future for mobile games. First and foremost, the great majority of mobile games are absolutely terrible. Secondly, some of them are way too expensive. I'm not paying over $5 for what may be a worthless game on a platform that doesn't exactly have the most intuitive control scheme.

I don't understand the focus on this "market." Branding on the mobile platform has little to no effect on gamers like myself because I'm well aware of the limitations of mobiles. Splinter Cell for example has no place on the mobile platform because the essence of the game is destroyed in the transition. The only types of games that may possibly be good for the mobile platforms are card games and other simplistic fare.

I think a lot of you complaining about mobile games simply haven't given mobile gaming a chance. Or if you have, it was a long while ago. I absolutely agree on pricing... the top tier is now over $10 which I feel is much too high, but the fact is there's a lot of really great playing, great looking mobile titles out there worth much much more than their $4-8 price tag. this game I reviewed recently is a good example:

http://www.modojo.com/reviews/wireless/monkey_on_your_back/20060419/294/

Mobile is the only place where you can still get original, 16-bit style gameplay. Long live pixel art, I say. I miss the days when games looked like this:

http://www.modojo.com/games/wireless/monkey_on_your_back/media/

I'm not some angry old gamer who rebels against 3D... I love all videogames across all platforms. I just really enjoy the creativity and inginuity that is currently appearing up with increasing frequency on mobile phones. Lumines Mobile is another great example. It looks fantastic, features new original music, and is doing more to progress the franchise than Lumines 2 on the PSP:

http://www.modojo.com/news/20060501/609/

There's a LOT of crappy mobile games out there. The mobile market has sagged in the first quarter of 06 because of this. People try it out, and get burned. If gamers played some of the great games I've given 4 and 5 stars on Modojo the last few months, they'd be hooked on cellphone gaming. The best games are worth much more than their pricetag and offer a better value than most $20 GBA titles. Tower Bloxx, Monkey on Your Back, Doom RPG, Marc Ecko's Getting Up (the mobile version is fantastic)... there's GREAT games out there.

Read Modojo more often... we work hard to educate open-minded gamers about how mobile gaming is maturing. When we give something 4-5 stars and its in a genre you like, give it a try. I'm confident you'll be surprised at how far the market has come in just the last year, let alone 2-3 years.

If I switch over to Verizon (the contract with Qwest is almost over), then the only mobile game I'll ever buy is Phoenix Wright.