Analyst: DS and PSP growth 'peaked,' iPhone to drum future growth
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Oct 23rd 2009 at 2:00AM } 
The company found that of over 8,000 surveyed respondents, 54 and 69 percent of North Americans and Europeans, respectively, had played a game on their phone in the last year. The report found that the the most popular service for purchasing apps for their phone was Apple's App Store -- shocking, right?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Dr. Bradwart @ Oct 23rd 2009 2:06AM
The CrApp store? Really?
Seriously, though, the only iPhone games I've really enjoyed have been id's. I'm sure I'm in the minority here, but I just don't find the rest that interesting. I prefer my DS and GBA, for their wonderful ports of 16-bit titles.
rTwelve @ Oct 23rd 2009 3:00AM
so basically you like doom and snes/genesis titles. got it
SimbaDogg @ Oct 23rd 2009 4:16AM
i wish i was an analyst...so i could be paid for whatever stupid shit came to my mind first thing in the morning like this idiots. DS and PSPs handhelds peaked? So i guess selling 1.5 million DS lites and 550k psps in one month is...well, nothing. boo these man...
SimbaDogg @ Oct 23rd 2009 4:19AM
damnit....was looking at the wrong month, its 500 ish and 200 is respectively in the US
S. Tiger @ Oct 23rd 2009 12:55PM
*Cough* The Super Famicom version of Tales of Phantasia is superior to the "wonderful GBA port."
me @ Oct 23rd 2009 2:14AM
Hmm....how long before someone makes the obligatory and oh so retarded , "Huh huh....iFart app, the App store suks!" comment?
Phil @ Oct 23rd 2009 3:18AM
A good question. Let's find out. A One... A.two-HOO...A three..
A three!
giantenemycrab @ Oct 23rd 2009 2:21AM
Does the app store even have one "must have" title? I mean, I own an iPhone and an iTouch, and there's not one game that I have played more than a handful of times. The most I've played a game was probably Peggle, and even that I've only played ~10 times. I mean, the app store is cool, but the games on there are still cell phone games in the strictest sense.
ill trooper @ Oct 23rd 2009 2:51AM
"...but the games on there are still cell phone games in the strictest sense."
C'mon, be realistic. The iPhone platform has moved closer to being on par with the PSP/DS consoles than the 'cell phone games' you talk about. Firemint's 'Real Racing' and "Modern Combat: Sandstorm" dispel what you're saying within a minute. I'm not saying this analyst is correct, I'm not saying the iPhone is better, but I will say that the platform has some complete and solid games, like the DS and the PSP. And conversely, there are shitty games, just like on the DS and the PSP... It just helps when it was $2.99 on the iPhone rather than paying $19.99 for a stinker on the DS.
It's also the only platform a lot of people are carrying on their person on a regular basis. I've stopped dragging my PSP on trips with me. I'm impressed by the iPhone's better games; only one game on my old Sony-Ericsson p910 was even close to the quality of games I get on my iPhone, and that was a kick-ass phone for the time. They certainly elevate beyond the 'cell phone game' we think of when you say that term.
And of course, no one is taking away your PSP or DS; you can still play those even if the iPhone continues to grow as a gaming platform.
Premature ejaculation man @ Oct 23rd 2009 2:54AM
Sorry to not really continue your chatter (I play Doodle jump to pass the time, so you know), but I really hate the usage of iTouch. Do you call the rest of the range the iNano, iClassic and iShuffle?
esposch @ Oct 23rd 2009 3:02AM
@ill trooper.
Firemint's 'Real Racing' and "Modern Combat: Sandstorm" can't stand up to real games like TWEWY or Crisis Core. There just isn't enough money in the iPhone market. (By that I don't mean that there is no money there, I just mean that too many people are trying to take it that your game will be lost in a sea of shit.)
Maverick Saturn (Igor) @ Oct 23rd 2009 3:11AM
Illtrooper, I think the quality of gaming is not in question here, but instead how long it will be before this 'quality' gaming becomes well established, the analyst is talking 2014, buy that time, I'm assuming a smaller, more widely available and widely spanned PSP or DS would be out to compete, and thus is the development of technology. As it is, I personally do not think the Iphone has what it takes to uphold my gaming desires, lack of control systems beond touch screen, lack of other options (multiplayer online) and various other tid bits contribute to this. Saying this, I do not for a second believe iPhone cannot develop further, but then, I would be a fool to think PSP and DS won't either over the comming years, adding phone capabilities if they have to as well as advance camera tech just so they stay competitive, the fact that PSP has the PSP store and DS is now developing the store is a bonus which means they can still stay right there next to iPhone with a vast array of new games.
To counter the claim of games being more expensive, if I'm getting what I'm paying for (God of war) then yeah, I don't mind putting down $19 instead of $2.99, thats the whole point of PSP minis, although its down to devs to think of reasonable prices, PS1 games ad various other arcade games go for as cheap as $2-3, have you looked at PSN lately?
samfish [is sad there is no Gene in Tats v Cap =( ] @ Oct 23rd 2009 9:08AM
The iPhone has some potentially Must Have games...if there were a better way to control them, at least. Zenonia in particular springs to mind. So does Space Invaders Infinity Gene.
Right now I don't think Nintendo and Sony have much to worry about. Now, if Apple releases an official controller attachment type thing...THEN they might have something to worry about. But until then, gaming on the iPhone is nothing more that a quick, short time waster.
In that sense, I agree that iPhone games are ultimately cell phone games.
[ArchiGamer] [Controlling you through a chip in your butt since 1999] @ Oct 23rd 2009 2:26AM
Petty as this may sound, until the iPhone has stylus capabilities or damn buttons for better gameplay, I can't see myself playing any games on it. And hell, I have a DS and PSP that do much better with games than the App Store will ever do.
Maverick Saturn (Igor) @ Oct 23rd 2009 2:45AM
Have to be kidding me, yeah the PSP may be missing pointless applications like guns and farting and shake the bottle, bit it too has a growing store and the games are far more attractive to me then two minute fun games, but then, thats why I'm in the minority
S. Tiger @ Oct 23rd 2009 2:45AM
"Let's face it, the Internet was designed for the PC. The Internet is not designed for the iPhone," Ballmer said. "That's why they've got 75,000 applications — they're all trying to make the Internet look decent on the iPhone."
Source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jbxIrqoe_wNEzhqlKkSDWiuQpxgQD9BFNKV80
esposch @ Oct 23rd 2009 2:50AM
If the iPhone is the future then gaming is fucked.
NintendoJunkie @ Oct 23rd 2009 3:03AM
You sir win comment of the evening.
esposch @ Oct 23rd 2009 3:09AM
Thanks man. You made me smile. :D
esposch @ Oct 23rd 2009 3:31AM
Oh, and if anyone wants a reason why I hold my contention it's the company philosophies:
Nintendo and Sony's primary goal is to profit off the software (e.g. when the Wii launched Nintendo only profited $6 per console, and Sony LOST $200t), so they'll invest huge amounts of money in that and thus support and produce lots of great games.
But Apple's goal is to make money selling hardware, so they'll invest their money in making the iPhone 4g/4g s/5g etc. etc. This is made worse by Apple's other philosophy of planned obsolescence. Basically, they deliberately hold back features so that they don't have to innovate (and thus invest) as much for the next model. Thus, consumers are expected to buy a new system every year or so when they could easily pack "6 years worth" of features into one model. And so all the money from the iPhone market ends up being spent by Apple faux-innovating, unlike the money from the "real" handheld market which goes into software developers and publishers' pockets helping them produce new games.
And I don't know about you, but I'd like good games to play on my piece of hardware thank you.
CitizenSnips @ Oct 23rd 2009 2:58AM
a gaming console where controls are the biggest drawback. Yeah, that's the future.
pasta @ Oct 23rd 2009 5:24AM
Hey, it worked for the Wii.
NintendoJunkie @ Oct 23rd 2009 3:04AM
I'll stick w/ my DSLite w/ GBA slot & (eventually) PSP thanks.
JeremyR @ Oct 23rd 2009 3:50AM
I think this is a bit overblown. But I do think both Sony and Nintendo need to open up their systems a bit more to smaller developers.
Both have made moves, with the PSPMinis and the DSiware. But requiring the Minis to be rated by the ESRB adds a huge layer of red tape and expense to the system (why the US store only has about 1/2 the minis the EU one has). And the PSN store is a pain to use. So even though many of the games are on the PSP as Iphone, they are priced 2-3x as much.
Can't speak for the Nintendo one, as I just have a DSLite...
esposch @ Oct 23rd 2009 4:00AM
Also, Sony disallow people (like me) with Custom Firmware to access the PSN store!
Even with the latest firmware, 5.5 Gen-D, - which plays 6.0 firmware games.
It's like "You have access to pirated content - no legal stuff for you!" Completely ignoring the fact that some of us use CFW because we don't like UMDs or do like SNES emulators on the go, yet like to support the devs.
Oh, and DSiWare is a joke. Srsly.
esposch @ Oct 23rd 2009 4:02AM
Also, Sony disallow people (like me) with Custom Firmware to access the PSN store!
Even with the latest firmware, 5.5 Gen-D, - which plays 6.0 firmware games.
It's like "You have access to pirated content - no legal stuff for you!" Completely ignoring the fact that some of us use CFW because we don't like UMDs or do like SNES emulators on the go, yet like to support the devs.
Oh, and DSiWare is a joke. Srsly.
esposch @ Oct 23rd 2009 4:03AM
And another innocent man falls victim to the wrath of the Joystiq comment system!
Ninbrendo @ Oct 23rd 2009 4:04AM
Call me "old school", but I'm all about dedicated devices. An iPhone/iTouch is great for texting, watching videos, and/or internet access (not to mention the initial purpose of making actual voice phone calls). The PSP and DS(i) are great for playing video games. My Sansa Clip is great for music on the go.
Any device that tries to be all things rarely does any one of those things well. Apple is trying its best to market convergence, but without a tactile interface any video game on a touch screen is doomed to fail (unless the game in question was designed with an iPhone touch screen interface in mind).
Gimme my DSi for video games, or even a PSP if gave an eff about Sony. But true gaming? It ain't gonna happen on anything Mr. Jobs throws at us, despite all the "There's an app for that" commercials.
Just my opinion. Now please excuse me while I play "Star Trek: Phaser Strike" on my Microvision.
JeremyR @ Oct 23rd 2009 4:27AM
Actually though, if you look at the Iphone, it's got many older classics. Maybe not Microvision old, but C-64 and Amiga old.
Both original/updated versions of classics (like Archon) and also knock-offs, like Bard's Tale and Elite clones.
No real professional developer would make them, can't make enough money off of things like that, but smaller companies, 1-3 people or so can and apparently do on the Iphone...
JizzyB @ Oct 23rd 2009 5:07AM
There's a reason why the phrase "jack of all trades master of none" exists and this is a great example. Now I'd be lying if I said that that the iPhone is not a great device, I love mine. It's the best phone I've ever owned. And the games are the best cellphone games I've ever played, but I still think that they're not doing much more than revolutionizing cellphone gaming. That's a great feat, but at the end of the day it is what it is, a cell phone, not a gaming device.
Ninbrendo @ Oct 23rd 2009 5:18AM
I agree. It's a sad story that developers have no financial incentive to create unique and innovative games ("World of Goo" not withstanding), but it's even sadder that the ports of old games do not translate well with a different control scheme. Hell, I've purchased every home console version of "Tempest" with the hope that I would experience a proper control scheme that works as well as the arcade version (I guess I should invest in one of those USB flywheel knobs - does anyone have any input about this?). Even playing something as simple as Pac-Man with a D-Pad just isn't the same. Anyone who's tried to play "Centipede" without a trackball can concur (I hope).
I must confess that I really have no idea what is available on the iPhone as far as games go, but anything other than a "Monkey Ball" tilt type of game seems to me like a futile effort. "Super Mario Bros" with a touch screen? Pass...
I suppose I'm glad that the iPhone has created a subculture of videogames for the masses (win-win), but in my world videogames should only be played on dedicated gaming devices.
Social @ Oct 23rd 2009 6:56AM
Too much piracy on Iphone. It has a 90% piracy rate.
esposch @ Oct 23rd 2009 7:40AM
SERIOUSLY!?
I didn't realise it was that bad.
esposch @ Oct 23rd 2009 7:51AM
Holy shit!
http://blog.costan.us/2009/04/iphone-piracy-hard-numbers-for-soft.html
Social @ Oct 23rd 2009 7:57AM
I came across an application a while ago that managed to detect pretty quickly if the application running was downloaded legally or not.
It popped up a little box saying that you were running an illegal version and that you can't continue. That was pretty sweet.
Of course, a pirate just stops using the application and doesn't buy it or waits for a better cracked version.
Social @ Oct 23rd 2009 7:43AM
The piracy rate can vary between 60% and 96%.
Indy developers keep confirming these numbers.
example= http://www.geek.com/articles/mobile/the-little-tank-that-could-for-iphone-was-pirated-96-percent-of-the-time-20090729/
GewurztraminerX @ Oct 23rd 2009 8:11AM
I'm still firmly rooted to using my phone as a phone, my iPod as an iPod, and my DS to play games. Might even get a PSP as well.
All bets are off once Tricorders hit the market.
mac5048 @ Oct 24th 2009 4:00PM
If you want a good drum app get the KJ Sawka DrumBanger....
Mattchewie @ Oct 23rd 2009 9:06AM
I can't but help agree that if the future is iPhone, gaming is doomed. As it stands I'm seeing the iPhone become the windows of mobile internet. Where iPhone only sites are popping up that ONLY work with the iPhone (see playfire and now gamefly) due to using things as coverflow. This gives me nightmares of being able to ONLY use IE to view a sight view a standard webpage due to activex controls or other MS-isms.
Factor in that your also locked to ATT for service and its easy to see the "icky soup" that can develop by iPhone being all the rage.
samfish [is sad there is no Gene in Tats v Cap =( ] @ Oct 23rd 2009 10:01AM
Firstly, if you can't buy an iPhone on another carrier next year, I'll eat my hat.
Second, I don't know that gaming is doomed from the app store. Although the over whelming amount of creatively bankrupt developers (and publishers, which doesn't matter in the iPhone's case much, but I digress..) certainly make it seem like it's doomed.
I see the iPhone and the Wii as potentially needed...reboots of the gaming sector. Ideally, said reboot will occur and bring the best of today's gaming along with the things like motion controls, GPS tracking, touch screens, etc.
Unfortunately, that...so far isn't really happening. Developers seem absolutely baffled by these things.
Mattchewie @ Oct 23rd 2009 10:18AM
I assume your comment about the need for iPhone and Wii is to fill the casual gaming market. Which if thats the case I do agree there is a market their. Right now I don't find apple all to intrusive but the signs are all to obvious for potential monopolistic scenarios where using non apple hardware becomes a grave mistake.
Example: My preferred MP3 player is the Sansa Fuze. It supports mac by acting like a thumb drive but I wanted an actual media player to manage the device and my music library.
I was shocked to find that there is NO multi-device media player and library management software for mac. When I asked the community I was gifted with "ZOMG, WHY ARENT U USING ITUNES and just drump the fuze and get an Ipod"
After this experiance it was a about a week later that ID announced they would drop java deving mobile games and only working on iPhone/pod games.
As a android user I saw writing on the wall that this would most likely be the first of many devs to take such action...its only a matter of time
S. Tiger @ Oct 23rd 2009 9:32AM
Nintendo advertised, "Touching is Good." Apple took it the wrong way. 8[
Hardy @ Oct 23rd 2009 9:53AM
The future is in the app store.
That's not a good thing though because the app store is everything a video game platform SHOULDN'T be.
The App store is clearly appealing to dumb, non-gamers who have no concept of quality. And there is more of them than real gamers who understand quality in games or at least depth and story, not a simple toss away minigame.
Lurkero @ Oct 23rd 2009 10:27AM
The Ap store has definitely taken legitimate business away from DS and PSP potential. Games going for the lowest common denominator on one of the most popular devices will eventually bring the price of portable gaming so low the market will no longer be sustainable.
Apple's lack of quality control will allow the market to flood...and the dam will burst.
(This is very similar to the book pricing war that is going on between Amazon.com and retailers. Books used to be $25+ for hardcover, and now some are debuting at $10 with no profit margin.)
yoshi_killer @ Oct 25th 2009 7:09PM
Sounds like the old video game depression, also caused by the lack of quality control. Though this time Nintendo might not be able to save us...
ralans17 @ Oct 23rd 2009 12:42PM
It's just like when publishers toss movie-tie-in games and cheap sequels out the door...
They'll marginally profit, but there wasn't much thought needed to make the game. What they don't make in sales on the front end, they'll save in production costs on the back end.
The Apple App Store will become (if it hasn't already) the Dollar General of the gaming community.
Profitable for the studios and publishers? Sure. Good for people that actually care about video games? Not so much.
JeanP @ Oct 27th 2009 1:48AM
I say bullcrap.