Could app and cheap social network games actually benefit the big three?

[Kantor]

noname2200 said:

Kantor said:

None of the above. It's two completely different markets. Nobody is going to forego Call of Duty and Metroid and Uncharted and Gears of War for Farmville and Mafia Wars, or indeed for Angry Birds or Fruit Ninja. They are completely different experiences.

Yes, the latter will unfortunately end up being more popular, but they have mass market appeal, and they're not cannibalising the sales of full games.

"No one will ever drive those cheap, weak Japanese cars when they could buy a real car from GM!"

Mobile and browser games are already starting to draw more and more development talent, which is a finite resource, and more and more consumer time/money, also a finite resource.  It may only have a pinprick effect on more traditional games at this moment, but it does not automatically follow that such will forever be the case. 

The difference is that Japanese cars aren't inferior to American cars. They can do anything that an American car can do, and for a lower price with a better fuel economy.

More people watched Charlie Bit Me on YouTube than 99% of films ever released in cinema. And yet, YouTube has not destroyed film. A short and enjoyable minigame is no substitute for a deep, varied, fascinating and enjoyable long experience.