Dead Space lands on BlackBerry PlayBook and Android ... well, Xperia Play

In this chart of non-iPad tablets compared to "obscure" video game consoles, the BlackBerry PlayBook is somewhere between the Philips CDi and the Atari Jaguar. That is to say, the PlayBook hasn't set the world, or really much of anything, on fire. Google's Android OS, on the other hand, is increasingly taking over the mobile space (albeit not the tablet space, where all Android tablets combined are somewhere between the 3DO and the Virtual Boy).

While gaming on Android is still something of a challenge, thanks to a fragmented install base, unique platforms, and multiple stores, that hasn't stopped EA from giving it the ol' college effort. So Xperia Play owners can go to EA's own Flexion Android Store to download EA Mobile and IronMonkey Studios' excellent Dead Space mobile game -- easy! We weren't able to confirm that ourselves, not owning an Xperia Play, so we've put a word into EA for confirmation.

But EA didn't stop there – it's also ported Dead Space to the PlayBook. Premiering today for the same $9.99 price as its far more popular iPad-based twin, the PlayBook audience is getting one of mobile gaming's most successful "core" games. And yes, it's a small audience (smaller than the Xperia Play?) but if EA plans to continue its mobile dominance, it helps to be everywhere.

[Thanks, Gerry]

Reader Comments (26)

Some of your comments about the state of the tablet market space are really . . . how should I say . . . interesting. Not that I am a fan of RIM or anything, but last check, the Blackberry Playbook was outselling pretty much every Honeycomb tablet on the market. Not that this is a huge accomplishment, as no one is really buying Honeycomb devices compared to say, the iPad. Just that, it would help the validity of your articles not to just assume that because Android is lighting the world on fire in the cellphone space, that they are doing likewise in the tablet space.

@Tachyonic Cargo

Yea I agree. If the Playbook and tablets like the Xoom and the Acer Iconia A500 are selling as well as the CDi, Jaguar and the Virtual Boy, then those systems did a LOT better than I thought they did.

Last I checked, HP was really the only tablet that was actually sucking in sales, and that's WebOS, not Android. Blackberry and Android tablets are still a far cry from sales than the iPad, but comparing them to failed consoles is a bit harsh, no?

@Shockwave

You didn't visit the link dude!

http://www.marco.org/2011/08/12/tablets-vs-obscure-video-game-consoles

Grant was just referring to that.

@Shockwave they sell a lot, but then most are returned.

@Shockwave Ehh... Chris Grant has shown time and time again that he's an Apple fanboy. I've pretty much given up using this site for mobile gaming.

@glibglop
You are quoting an article about return rates that was an outright lie. Stop doing so.

Great news for those device owners... I bought this on the app store during the iOS sale in late spring/early summer. Good stuff. The story's a bit skim compared to the other titles in the series, but it's still worth a play.

@That One Guy
Srsly. I know this could easily sway some naysayers toward buying a 3DS with DEAD SPACE added to the library.

It makes sense to port it to as many similarly specced systems, especially for a niche cutdown game like this.

@That One Guy

Because EA hates money.

Seriously, if I was EA I'd lay it down hard on the 3DS before NIntendo's games start hitting the scene this fall. Get some sales from gamers itching to play something new.

I'll confirm it. Dead Space is available for the Xperia Play.

@That One Guy

I feel like beating my head against a wall when it comes to Nintendo. There are so many articles that ask how Nintendo can stay relevant in a post iOS/Android world, and the answer is so simple: OPEN UP THE ESHOP!! Seriously, that's Nintendo's key!

The games on iOS are 99 cent time wasters mostly, but occasionally we get gems like Dead Space. I would certainly drop some cash on a premium version of the game JUST so I could play it with physical controls.

@Meganinja

I may be wrong but isnt blackberry still huge in England? Not sure if im remembering that correctly

the game runs great even on old xperia X10, must be a timed exclusive

i hate dead space. that game scares the crap outta me x_x i never even finished the demo for the first game :( was too scared.

Sadly this wont be coming to the HP Touchpad... Ever... Seeing as how HP is abandoning the WebOS now...

That just goes to show you... When you get a huge discount on something (roughly 60% off) through a promotion at work, ask questions, don't just instinctively buy!

@liquidsoap89 It's still a solid tablet, and devs are working to bring Android to the tPad. It'll be worthwhile soon, promise.

@Fadakar

Oh I totally agree that it's a good tablet... I've been using mine for about a week now and WebOS is DEFINITELY it's shining point. I'm just saying that now that HP has abandoned their WebOS devices app developers will be soon to follow. Which sucks for me, seeing as how I just bought this thing a week ago.

I really, really loathe Joystiq's negativity toward RIM products. They don't even offer a new mobile version of Joystiq for Blackberry. I still remember one writer (possibly Christopher Grant, but maybe it was someone else) answering several reader questions in the comments section when Joystiq posted a story a few months ago about the new mobile sites launching. But when I asked about a version coming to Blackberry, I was met with a deafening silence. Not cool.

I know non-Blackberry users typically love to rail on RIM products, but I'm not here to get in a pissing match. I'm just saying - stop the hate, and maybe make a mobile version of your site for Blackberry users, Joystiq.

@OmgUmad
They're popular in Atlantic Canada as well. Many people just get them for BBM messaging.

I say this every damn time somebody writes is wrong (which is every time somebody tries to write it, because nobody EVER does it right): the proper term is "installed base".

Read that head line as "Dead Space Island...". The necromorphs are technically "space zombies" right?

Hey Chris Grant, you just had to take every shot you can at bashing Sony, don't you?

Umm.. it isn't just on Android Xperia play... It works great on my Android HTC Thunderbolt. I've been playing it for the last 2 days. =)

@That One Guy
Its just 100X more annoying when you're viewing joystiq through the 3DS shop like me... Just knowing the game would work well if Nintendo actively pursue content from third parties. Makes it tons worse that the Eshop is the perfect platform for it. I only see 11 piece of specifically created content... n i'm not too keen on golf...

@Red Deer

*3DS Internet Browser; not shop

Dead Space lands on BlackBerry PlayBook and Android ... well, Xperia Play

Reader Comments (26)

Posted: Aug 19th 2011 2:39PM Tachyonic Cargo said

Posted: Aug 19th 2011 2:46PM Shockwave said

Posted: Aug 19th 2011 2:53PM NaeemTHM said

Posted: Aug 19th 2011 2:56PM glibglop said

Posted: Aug 19th 2011 3:01PM MowDownJoe said

Posted: Aug 19th 2011 4:10PM mrmojoz said

Posted: Aug 19th 2011 2:40PM foxhound said

Posted: Aug 19th 2011 2:41PM foxhound said

Posted: Aug 19th 2011 2:42PM Rain said

Posted: Aug 19th 2011 2:48PM Shockwave said

Posted: Aug 19th 2011 2:56PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 19th 2011 2:56PM NaeemTHM said

Posted: Aug 19th 2011 2:58PM OmgUmad said

Posted: Aug 19th 2011 3:04PM rubadub72 said

Posted: Aug 19th 2011 3:07PM Knives Chau said

Posted: Aug 19th 2011 3:09PM liquidsoap89 said

Posted: Aug 20th 2011 2:39PM Fadakar said

Posted: Aug 20th 2011 3:05PM liquidsoap89 said

Posted: Aug 19th 2011 3:12PM The Pork said

Posted: Aug 19th 2011 3:20PM KyGuyTC7 said

Posted: Aug 19th 2011 3:24PM Fuzunga said

Posted: Aug 19th 2011 3:40PM ObiBen8 said

Posted: Aug 19th 2011 3:50PM eNriqeu said

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Posted: Aug 20th 2011 10:28AM Red Deer said

Posted: Aug 20th 2011 10:29AM Red Deer said

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