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Dravenet7 on 23 January 2017
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KBG29 said:
Dravenet7 said:

I appreciate you correcting me about the Vita and phone. I should have checked to make sure before stating that.

I stll find several problems with the phone thing though. The price is one. People are already thowing fits over the price of consoles. 500 - 600 USD is steep, not to mention conversion in different regions. The market would also compete with Apple. I don't think the something the size of the phone can handle console equivalents in quality with that price. Not to mention the size of the phones would lead to even harder controll inputs: Smaller controllers/limited controlls. Of course you could use an actual controller, but it would be bigger than a phone. It could have built in controllers and that may work, but there is also factors such as it making the phone bigger.

They are capable of doing it, but I don't seeing being nearly as successful,

I don't see the price being a major issue since it is a phone in this scenario. As a phone they can sell it under contract and it will be priced the same as any other flagship product on the market. To me $300 is to much for the current Switch, however, if it had 4G, calling and text, a web browser, and streaming services, I would easily pay $500 for it, and it would be a much greater value than any smartphone I have ever bought.

As for size, that is a definite concern. I think multiple form factors would be required. A Slab style device that links with the DS4 or JoyCon/Pro controller would have to sit along side a Vita/Switch like device (what I call a handheld/phone hybrid). This would give people a "more professional option" that is smaller and more pocketable, and a more versitile option that is slightly bigger, but perfect for gaming on the go. With the expanded gaming abilities, a lot of people would accept a Vita sized gaming phone. With 10nm and 7nm die shrinks coming, Sony could make a Vita sized PS4 in that price range, but it won't happen tell 2019 or 2020. Nintendo could easily do it at 10nm next year or the year after. 

As for competing with Apple. That really can't be avioded. Any mobile/portable device is competeing against Apple, and that is why Sony and Nintendo need to change up their game plan. Your are not going to be viable in a market that offers iPhone, iPhone Plus, iPod, iPad Mini, iPad Pro, and many other similar product lines on Android and Windows, when all you offer is one sized gaming only device. You have to have a range of products that can reach a wider audience. That is why for example, if I was Sony, I would offer a 4.5" and 5.5" slabphone version of the PS Phone, a 5" handheld/phone hybrid version, and a 7" handheld version. This way you hit multiple markets, and build a sustainable userbase.

On the success of the platform. I don't expect them to be over throwing Samsung or Apple any time soon, but I do think both companies can grab a userbase of over 100M people in a span of 5 years. They can definitly build a profitable and sustainable buisness around this kind of device, and the userbase would definitly be signifgantly greater than if they only offered a wifi exclusive handheld. On Sony's side, they can not do any worse than the 5 billion dollars they have dumped into buying, paying for value adjustment, and making losses on Xperia. Since Sony and Nintendo would own their OS and Store front they would pick up a lot of revenue and profit from ads and every sale would yield them some cash. 

I just can't see how they can go wrong, and I definitly don't see how they can not even go after it. Both companies rely on thier gaming hardware to survive, and they have to adapt to a changing market if they want to survive. I just hope it happens before it is to late, and PlayStation and Nintendo have lost all market value.

You really make an impressive argument. I can't really say much against what you are saying, and you really bring up some amazing points. (would you mind making a thread? This would make for a very interesting discussion).

All I can really say is fear based. I can't imagine something like a 500-600 USD product really being received well by core gamers. While yes, regular gamers wouldn't necessarily be the key market, it will have a strong field of influence.

Even if they are able to create another blue ocean market in the console space, I doubt Apple will sit idly byand let them have it. Especially if it contains a lot of features found in most mobile devices.

I do agree that it could potentially hit a 100m market in five years nontheless, but I feel it would need to contest with overwhelming negative circumstances.