Angry Birds Dev Foresees Doom for Consoles

[Logan Westbrook]

Angry Birds Dev Foresees Doom for Consoles

Mobile developers are more "nimble," says Rovio's business development head.

Rovio Mobile's Peter Vesterbacka, thinks that the days of console gaming are numbered. Speaking at the South by Southwest Interactive conference in Austin, Texas, he said that mobile gaming would eventually eclipse its static counterpart, and that consoles would become obsolete.

Vesterbacka was critical of the triple A model: where games cost upwards of $40 and are difficult to upgrade. He felt that the only innovation that was going on in gaming was happening with mobile and social games, largely because the smaller teams behind such games were more "nimble." Vesterbacka railed against the term "casual games" however, saying that a person could throw him or herself into Angry Birds just as much as he or she might with Call of Duty, Gears of War, or any other "hardcore" title.

He didn't think that any developer or publisher had quite cracked the mobile gaming model yet. He said that Rovio continually tried new things, and didn't let itself become attached to any one particular way of working. Rovio would seem to be doing something right, as Angry Birds has recently crossed the 100 million downloads threshold.

It's hard to agree with Vestabacka's vision of the future. No one would deny that the mobile gaming market is experiencing significant growth at present, and this growth is thanks in no small part to companies like Rovio. But to look at that growth and think that it's going to kill everything else around it is a strange assumption to make. There's obviously some crossover in the mobile and console gaming markets, and the success of developers like Rovio will obviously affect the console market, but it's not as simple as, "one shall stand, one shall fall."

Source: Venture Beat [http://venturebeat.com/2011/03/13/angry-birds-console-gaming/]




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[JS ibanez]

Cant say I agree with him. Im sure lots of people play games to relax at home and thats where a more powerful "static" machine comes in. I-phone games seem like more on the move distractions to me. And despite what he may say I was not immersed in angry birds the way I got into Call of Duty 4's campaign

 

[unacomn]

An interesting change of pace, after every other company saying the PC market was kaput.

The thing I never got about Angry Birds is why it's so popular. There's a ton of free flash games that do the same thing on the web.

Wait... I think I've answered my own question.

 

[D_987]

"a person could throw him or herself into Angry Birds just as much as he or she might with Call of Duty, Gears of War, or any other "hardcore" title."

Utter nonsense, either this is a quote taken out of context, or the person in question is deluded as to the overall appeal of mobile games, which is that they're a fun, portable break from these big mainstream titles. Nobody takes them seriously as "proper" games, much like "social" games, however hard they try and push the agenda because the gameplay is so simplified - though that's what gives them their appeal.

 

[googleback]

The PC market will always be here, the consoles as we know them are numbered, in a few generations (maybe even next gen who knows) they'll be the size of an iphone unless they use discs.
I think the xbox will be the smallest next generation because they'll have to move into digital distribution to compete with blu ray. it'll be a tiny media centre much like onlive but perhaps with local games rather than streamed ones.

but look at onlive. it IS the future, its just not going to work for everyone right now.

it'll be something like a handheld as powerful as a high end gaming pc that you can plug into your tv and surround sound. THATS when consoles like we know them are gone.

 

[latenightapplepie]

"a person could throw him or herself into Angry Birds just as much as he or she might with Call of Duty, Gears of War, or any other "hardcore" title."

Utter nonsense, either this is a quote taken out of context, or the person in question is deluded as to the overall appeal of mobile games, which is that they're a fun, portable break from these big mainstream titles.

I do not agree with Vesterbacka. Logically, I do not see how just because mobile games are becoming more popular doesn't mean that the static gaming will become less so. I mean, it's it just as possible that all the current mobile videogame players will move on from the less complex mobile games to the more involved and deeper static games?

 

[Originality]

Saying mobile gaming will bring about the death of consoles is the same as saying e-media (i.e. ebook readers) will bring about the death of books (and libraries). It's not going to happen any time soon, if at all.

 

[PorkChopXpress]

It's a cute idea, but I seriously disagree with this guy. I'll never have the same connection to mobile that I do my PS3...I just won't. Playing games at home is one of the greatest luxuries in life, and that's not gonna change. I also don't look forward to this "single system future" I keep hearing these developers talk about. Competition makes things more interesting. Just wait for Apple to get in on it at some point.

Variety is a spice of life.

Besides...

Nobody takes them seriously as "proper" games, much like "social" games, however hard they try and push the agenda because the gameplay is so simplified - though that's what gives them their appeal.

Exactly...it's a quick distraction to break the lameness of work.

 

[katsumoto03]

"a person could throw him or herself into Angry Birds just as much as he or she might with Call of Duty, Gears of War, or any other "hardcore" title."

Either this guy suffered recent head trauma, or he's really just doesn't understand why people play his game.

 

[googleback]

He's just talking shit because he made a hit. (my rap career has BEGUN!)
we still have a while before mobile gaming reaches even ps2 standards in connectivity and actually being part of the home entertainment system. let alone techical power and graphical fidelity.

if say the psp2 had MORE power than your ps3? would you get rid of the ps3? no. because there are other things I use my ps3 for.

 

[Aurgelmir]

I am going to break this down between pros and cons of all my devices that can play games:

Consoles: PS3, 360, Wii
Pros: Connected to a 37" TV (screen size optional), Comfortable controllers (Wii arm wailing not included), Comfortable Sofa/Arm chair/Rug to sit on, Pretty nice graphics (for the most part)
Cons: Price, Non-mobile.

PC
Pros: Possibility for best graphics on the market, versatile controls, a few games only work well on consoles (RTS), loads of free to play flash games
Cons: Usually have to sit at my desk to play it

Hand Held Consoles: DS, PSP
Pros: Portable (Play anywhere)
Cons: Sometimes feels like the games would be better on another type of console, controller isn't to comfortable.

Mobile Phone: HTC Desire HD
Pros: Its a damn good phone. Pros as a gaming platform: Combines Hand Held Console with Phone (one less device)
Cons: Clunky controllers, batterylife sucks, poor graphics (at least compared to the AAA consoles)


So yeah looking at the pros and cons I say that Consoles and PC still kicks the ass of the Mobile as a AAA machine. Mobiles has its niche, but it will never beat the console/PC at its own game.

 

[LavaLampBamboo]

"a person could throw him or herself into Angry Birds just as much as he or she might with Call of Duty, Gears of War, or any other "hardcore" title."

Utter nonsense, either this is a quote taken out of context, or the person in question is deluded as to the overall appeal of mobile games, which is that they're a fun, portable break from these big mainstream titles. Nobody takes them seriously as "proper" games, much like "social" games, however hard they try and push the agenda because the gameplay is so simplified - though that's what gives them their appeal.

I think he is more trying to refer to the amount of time people put into them. Nobody is claiming that people are vested in the story of the Birds struggle against the pigs, but if you compare the amount of time placed into Angry Birds, people do take it seriously.

 

[Fasckira]

Who keeps interviewing these indie devs? Stop it!

Joking aside I seriously doubt someone could throw themselves into Angry Birds to the extent that they could with some of the heavy-hitters like CoD and GoW. I like Angry Birds but to me (and I think a large chunk of its player base) its something you play while you're waiting for other things to happen, it passes time nicely.

He touches lightly on something I do agree with and thats the upgradeability of triple A titles. This is already happening though with things like DLC so its not unrealistic to see service pack style upgrades being released for games in the future. Arguing that mobile gaming will kill console gaming is retarded though. No matter how much Angry Birds (and I use it as an example) sells, people will still want to be able to rest at home with a big screen TV or monitor and play big titles.

 

[Dana22]

I guess everyone who makes an unoriginal game on mobile platform that becomes successful, automatically becomes game industry and market specialist.

 

[Vohn_exel]

I highly doubt it'll kill off console gaming any time soon. If Angry Birds is where video games are headed, I'm scared. Someone hold me! (Preferably a woman)

 

[Smooth Operator]

Yes! Clearly those expensive flash games on the iphone are the only future there is...

Just in case you missed it, that was sarcasm

 

[WolfLordAndy]

He said that Rovio continually tried new things,

Wait... so Angry birds is a whole new thing? Its been done a thousand times in flash games, this one is just slightly shinnier with birds instead of rocks/bombs/whatever.

I can see Angry Birds as a fun game, but no more so then any other flash game, they're a good distraction, that is all

I think the success of their game has gone to his head, guy really needs a reality check. If consoles do die out, it will be due to them merging into PCs/TVs/remote gaming. Not because of a £2 game off of the app store.

EDIT: on reflection, they could, maybe knock out the portable consoles, as phones evolve and play better stuff, and I'm sure games could be stuck onto micro-sd memory cards to use phones as a new handheld some point soon.

 

[moretimethansense]

Pft, not a chance, even if handheld de4vices were capable of being as powerfull as a high end PC and had a button layout as comfortable as the best custem console pad, it STILL wouldn't eliminate consoles if only because people like to play games on their 30" - 50" TV, and if casual games (don't quibble that's what they are) are the only offering it'll be even less likley.

 

[Vaccine]

There's clearly no market for both, amirite?

Reminds me of the on-going consoles war with the fact the when someone chooses a side with a console purchase they need a pat on the head to reassure themselves their purchase was the correct one, so they will defend it to the death when someone berates it.
Seems as if mobile devs are just as childish and insecure as most hardcore gamers are.

 

[Muco5681]

i cant say i agree with this one sure ''casual'' games will grow on the mobile but big powerhouse games such as dragon age 2 mass effect 2 etc etc etc with great graphic voice overs and several things going on behind the screen (ie dragon age 2 hawk changes his tone of voice depending on what answer you give angry joke full or truth) unless mobile devs find a way to match consoles/PC's scalable HDD i don't see mobiles over take consoles/pc's