This topic keeps popping up more and more. It makes me happy I've been right for the past 2 years about smartphone-class gaming taking over next-gen handhelds.
Yes, there are tons of trash games on Smartphones, but as the revenues continue to increase, more AAA development will come to phones with DS and PSP-like experiences. Although there aren't a ton of world-class games on the phones, it is certainly changing for the better. Microsoft has brilliantly ensured viability on its platform with cross-platform XNA titles, which will be great. iOS is getting more and better top-shelf titles, and eventually Android will fix its problems.
Infinity Blade and Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars are two great examples of good iOS games. Square-Enix is porting more and more of its catalog to iOS which is a sure sign of good support in the future. It will only be a matter of time until we see a contemporary Final Fantasy on iOS/Android instead of the DS ports like Final Fantasy 3.
I will re-hash the same statement I made 2 years ago: NGP/3DS will survive and do well. But don't expect their successors to look anything like the current iterations. Sony's Xperia Phone with Playstation support is the right way to go. Eventually, we'll see more hybrid-class devices that combine major company catalogs and mass-gamer support.
Why will that be the case? Because Nintendo can sell a lot more Marios to 2-3 billion smartphone consumers than 100 million 3DS/Wii consumers. The prices may need to come down to $9.99-$19.99 for such a title, but Nintendo has always been the one offering great experiences at lower-than-normal retail prices. Funny now how they attack the ultra-low pricing of titles.
Back from the dead, I'm afraid.









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