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Veknoid_Outcast on 31 July 2016
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thismeintiel said:
Veknoid_Outcast said:

I ask myself that question every day. Why are folks dumping all over handhelds? Why not celebrate more options and more games?

Maybe it's just the exclusionary machismo of the "hardcore" gamer. Or the lust for things bigger and shinier and thus more expensive and less sustainable.

Oh well. When the industry inevitably drives itself off a cliff at least I can take comfort in knowing we all packed handhelds for the long trip into the abyss.

Interesting you use the term less sustainable for the home console market, a market that is still thriving.  If anything is less sustainable, it is the handheld market, and the sales prove it.  

The HH market is being slowly eaten alive by mobile gaming.  People, especially casuals, are finding less reasons to own a $249 HH when they can get the same, or at least similar, games on their phone/tablet.  It's why Nintendo had to drop the price of the 3DS so quickly, and why the Vita did so poorly.  If Nintendo wants any kind of success with the NX, it better be less than $200.

The handheld market is contracting but make no mistake; so too is the console market. There are fewer and fewer people buying consoles. Sony and Microsoft are increasingly relying on a smaller, more loyal group willing to spend more money in order to keep profits high.

Regardless of the rise of mobile gaming, there's still a place for Nintendo in the handheld market. The 3DS suffered from a high price point and lackluster library at first but once Nintendo dropped the price and introduced Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7, sales shot up. Over sixty million hardware units sold and several 3DS games selling 10+ million is nothing to sneeze at.

Anyway, the point I was making is that its foolish to fight a civil war between "hardcore" and "casual," consoles and handhelds. We should all strive to make this industry as open and egalitarian as possible. Only that will stave off collapse.