I've never even once played a game on any of the 3 iPhones I've owned, and I have over 45 boxed and numerous downloads for my 3ds. A lot of kids (the older ones anyway), realise that mobile gaming only satisfies for a short attention span and that they would have to move to traditional handhelds for a 'deeper' longer play experience. I think all the handhelds are doomed opinions are wrong, handhelds still have an important role, as they cater for a different market. like someone said, I don't think Apple or any mobile manufacturer can call themselves a serious video game's company when they don't develop a single game themselves and rely soley on third parties. For me, Nintendo will always be around, and they will always be Nintnedo, because they are a master of their market and have always produced amazing 1st party titles and that is what will drive them forwards regardless of the marktet conditions.

I haven't got a single game on my smartphone. My sister doesn't have a single one. My parents have never even entered the app store on their phones. Every single handheld purchase on the other hand was made to buy and play games. See the huge difference? Mobile took the handheld crown just as bread took the mobile crown (damn man, this bread sh!t sells about 500m every single day!! Imagine that!). You don't buy a phone to play games. You buy a handheld to play games. I'd really want this whole mobile gaming market to start declining, cause it's hurting the real gaming market without bringing much of value to the table.

The only exception is going to be when next gen tablets start supporting SteamOS and the Steam controller. That's when I'm gonna buy a tablet to play games and most probably kiss my handhelds goodbye. Current mobile devices won't kill the handheld market. SteamOS can.

Individual cases don't equate to an overal trend.

Install acounts, however, are a nice indicator of usage.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.naver.SJLGRUSH&hl=en
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.naver.SJLGPP
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.naver.SJLINEPANG
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.gungho.pad

Price of a title doesnt make it any less of a title, nor does complexity or format, just because you and a few other people don't play games on your phone doesnt mean thats the same for everyone - not everyone has a 3ds, it doesnt make it any less of a handheld console.

again, people just like to discredit and discount the mobile platform as a gaming device because it messes with the loosely held belief that their console or platform is in some way suprior - in effect what you and others are doing is the same thing people argue about when the xbox and playstation fans say nintendo consoles are for casuals and not "proper games", exemplified by your attitude towards wishing the demise of the mobile market because its "doing harm" to "proper games", its a very hypocritical attitude to on the one hand defend your console against "casual platform" claims and suggestions that your games arent "proper games" then to turn around and do the same.

A mobile phone is purchased to be used as a mobile phone - however many, and were talking tens of millions, buy phones for the entire experience - or are you implying that if games are not a primary function theyre not REALLY gaming platforms? because if thats the case, i know a fair few PC users that want a word with you.

Essentially you cannot write of mobile devices because of the price or lack there of, of games, the simplicity or the complexity of games, the small format, or F2P nature, nor can you write it off because the hardware isnt specifically built for games - however i would argue that in this day and age that is a poor assumption - mobile devices are coming equipped with purpose built GPUS these days. what has graphics processing got to do with making calls? andddd with that you have your answer.

Fact of the matter is, they are games, and the hardware is capable of playing them, so by and large, like it or not, when a device is capable of playing games, it is by definition a gaming system.

So tired of seeing people talk crap about mobile gamers, or mobiles just because the numbers oblitorate their beloved consoles.

nightsurge said: tbone51 said: *looks..... Just answer me one Question.... Does it have Pokemon? Nuff Said Yes it does. Or at least Android phones do. Lots of emulators :) I have Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire and Black on gameboy advance and DS emulators.

and that's one of Androids biggest problems....piracy.  So, again the answer is no unless you like breaking the law.

I think your point is spot on for what should be considered "real games".  I also think that this newest generation of iphones and coming other phones with 64 bit processors are what will reallly change the capabilities of the phones.  Within 2 years, these phones will have 300 million+ install base.  You don't need to have the gimmicky add ons to create content, but it sure doesn't hurt.  By then, there will be cheap chinese knock offs that sell for $15-$20 dollars. 

Also, someone commented that they wouldn't want to be bothered to find the add on to play games.  Well, you always have your cell phone in your pocket, but it sure does suck to have to go grab that darn handheld...  At least with my phone, i am not bringing 2 pieces of hardware and 2 chargers and whatever.

It is not an if, but a when before the dedicated handhelds shrink to a niche market.  Sony/Nintendo will migrate their precious 1st party to whatever the dominant OS is out there.  Just a matter of time.

Not to be rude or anything if you do feel then I'm sorry and this is about just sharing a fact, I hate nintendo because they don't use the technology very well and also don't take risks on new IP's for evolving and innovating differnet gameplay experience which the game media can deliver. They always after earning profits first with same IP's,  so they don't take risk at all which can be proved with the exclusive deals from Capcom, Platinum and Sega recently for games(taking advange of already popular charectes/games) even though they have so much money(on the other side sony is risking and trying to innovate games in differnet way in games even though they don't have money) which also proves very well that Nintendo is not really after Game industry with a passion. They make games for Fun which i agree, but the game media has the power to be more than Fun which can tell a Great story like a Movie, can give us feelling/emotion, can provide great puzzles, can give us a adventure etc., The game should be an Sweet and short(can be long only if that can deliver an experience worth) not like a one which kills our time and keep us addicted from the rest of life. Hoping that Nintendo soon change and bring new IP's and experiences which game media has the power to deliver instead of depending on Same IP's, otherwise they are going to be doomed.

These types of phones will never succeed. I don't get why people don't understand that.

As long as the phone industry is stuck on the replace your phone every year, the dedicated gaming phone will never succeed.

this is like the 7 trillion'th time people say this

ok so a 500$ product will compete with a 150$ one for the same market....hmm i dont thinkso

People should realize that mobile game revenue already surpassed dedicated handheld for the last few quarters

http://blog.appannie.com/app-annie-idc-portable-gaming-report-2013-q2/

And in a country like Japan its larger then the entire console market..

http://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/thread.php?id=166140