Xbox Exec Thinks Handhelds Are a Bad Bet

[Timmibal]

I like dedicated devices. I like having my music player, gaming device and phone as separate devices. Nothing is worse than getting into a game or listening to your favorite song and getting interrupted by a phone call.

Funny thing is that my friends were practicing some dance thing for school and the lead person had the song on their iPhone and they played the song off of that. It took them forever to get through the song without an incoming text or phone call screwing it up.

That's just a case of someone needing to lern2airplanemode.

To be honest, I'm a bit the opposite. I've been looking at handhelds for downtime at work as I can't risk having my workstation's resources tied up with games (And I'm bored of playing MUDs, it's the 21st century already FFS!) but there's no games out that really grab me for handhelds that I can't already play on my droid.

 

[Griffolion]

The Zune player is dead but Zune isn't dead, it lives in through Windows Phone which is alive, albeit selling slowly. Mango should help garner further mind and market share. Xbox live integration is weak at the moment, it would be good to see a XBLA section for WP with tighter integration.

That said Windows Phone does have the potential to be a force in the mobile gaming market like iOS and Android are. With their prior knowledge of gaming behind them (something Google and Apple sorely lack) they could make a compelling platform.

I'm inclined to agree, XBL is probably the best social/online game platform, so to see that extended to mobile gaming would be amazing. I use an iPad with Game Center but it's not the same, I can imagine mobile/console cross-platform games right down to just being able to collect Gamerscore for playing Angry Birds.

Whilst I respect that MS have obviously put a lot of time and research (not to mention money) into these ideas, it would be a damn cool thing were it done... Properly Better than the Zune.

Yeah that's basically it. The one thing people forget is that MS is primarily an enterprise and R&D company. They do those two things incredibly well, that's where they initially made their fortune. What they lack (which is what Apple has in droves) is the ability to put the products on a consumer level. Apart from the XBox team which have done really well, the rest of MS have trouble connecting to the average joe consumer. Which is probably why Zune died in the face of iPod and may be why WP isn't selling as well as they'd like.

 

[Saltyk]

I doubt the smartphones will cause any major waves within the Handheld market. Games on you smartphone are still different from games found on the PS...V? and the 3DS. Both smartphones and Handhelds can survive in this currant market... or atleast I hope im right about this...

Yeah, but Microsoft is probably worried that between the Sony and Nintendo handhelds, and the smartphones, they can't find a market. Makes perfect sense. Sony and Nintendo can survive in the market as they have established products. At least, I hope they can. It would really suck if smartphones destroyed handheld systems, due to the popularity of casual games.

 

[Strain42]

About 90% of all gaming I do these days are handheld. Whether it's the DS, the PSP or the iPod Touch. If Microsoft doesn't want my business in that department, that's their decision. Just means one less system for me to carry around lol.

 

[Lt. Vinciti]

Where Microsoft has failed and others have won at......

They are going to throw a hissyfit?

Well take your ball and go home...Ill be enjoying my DS

TELL THAT TO MY POKEMANS

 

[infohippie]

I'm most concerned that a Microsoft exec is telling us where he wants to put his wood.

Seriously, though, I think MS are trying to downplay the importance of handhelds because they can't figure out how to dominate the handheld market. The Zune pretty much failed. It wasn't even a particularly bad device, they just couldn't get the public to show much interest. Windows Phone 7 is also failing, and the few I've seen in the wild have dissatisfied owners who tell me they wish they'd bought an Android phone or an iPhone.

 

[Shadow-Phoenix]

I doubt the smartphones will cause any major waves within the Handheld market. Games on you smartphone are still different from games found on the PS...V? and the 3DS. Both smartphones and Handhelds can survive in this currant market... or atleast I hope im right about this...

Yeah, but Microsoft is probably worried that between the Sony and Nintendo handhelds, and the smartphones, they can't find a market. Makes perfect sense. Sony and Nintendo can survive in the market as they have established products. At least, I hope they can. It would really suck if smartphones destroyed handheld systems, due to the popularity of casual games.

Don't worry as much about that last part of casuals over unning us because there are more of us gamers than the casual core so i doubt the smart phones will outdo our handheld systems.

 

[Saltyk]

I doubt the smartphones will cause any major waves within the Handheld market. Games on you smartphone are still different from games found on the PS...V? and the 3DS. Both smartphones and Handhelds can survive in this currant market... or atleast I hope im right about this...

Yeah, but Microsoft is probably worried that between the Sony and Nintendo handhelds, and the smartphones, they can't find a market. Makes perfect sense. Sony and Nintendo can survive in the market as they have established products. At least, I hope they can. It would really suck if smartphones destroyed handheld systems, due to the popularity of casual games.

Don't worry as much about that last part of casuals over unning us because there are more of us gamers than the casual core so i doubt the smart phones will outdo our handheld systems.

The problem, as I hear it, is that casual games are very cheap to make compared to traditional games. And with smart phones, they can be delivered directly to the consumer for a small cost. On any handheld, you have to go to a store and buy physical media. The cost of a casual game is generally cheap, so it's more of an impulse buy.

I also doubt that there are more hardcore gamers than casual gamers. Most hardcore gamers would be willing to buy a casual game on their phone to play while they wait in lines or in an office. If anything the casual market is far larger.

In the end, casual games could take a bite out of the handheld market simply by making developers decide that its more cost effective and profitable to produce casual games. Though, I don't see handheld systems dieing anytime soon.

 

[Charmi the ninja]

uhm...wha??
I dunno, seems like a pretty weak statement to me. Nintendo's 3ds sales were lower because its just a another DSi with headache inducing 3d capability. Its not the best thing to base your opinions about the future of handheld gaming on. PSVita is looking mighty sharp and powerful i must say. I would actually like to get one - and i never gave a hoot about handhelds before.

Microsoft is definately feeling a bit pressured by their competitors moves, and a statement like this was expected. Xbox360 has been around for a long time, something drastically impressive needs to appear on that system to ensure people that it is still the best choice for gaming (kinect is too casual at the moment). Otherwise they're just gonna be left in the dust.

 

[mogamer]

Yes, the obvious solution is to compete with the PS3, Wii/Wii U and the PC instead of the handheld market which only has 2 competitors.

Between tablets, smart phones and dedicated gaming devices, the hand-held market has plenty of competitors. It's better for MS to sell games on Windows Phones than to enter this crowded market with more hardware. Now we can argue about Windows Phones, but that would be another topic.

 

[mew4ever23]

Handhelds are a bad bet? Look at Nintendo DS sales, and tell me that again.

Now granted, 3DS sales have been disappointing so far, and in fact I myself do not yet own one. However, this year at E3, a lot of titles that will actually make people want to make the hardware upgrade saw the light of day. Once these titles start launching, I'm predicting a pick up in sales for the 3DS.

 

[Johnnyallstar]

Well, MS at least realizes that they'd get their backsides kicked by nintendo anyway, even if sales are down.

 

[teebeeohh]

in other news i will never make a console because right now there is just no place in the market for another one so i think all consoles are crap.

 

[rembrandtqeinstein]

They are, between free flash games, tablets, and the power of phones there is no longer a place for a dedicated handheld gaming device.

 

[-Dragmire-]

awww, and I was hoping for a handheld kinect.

On a more serious note, the ToS from Nintendo's 3DS will keep me from buying it and I haven't heard enough about Sony's PSV to convince me it's worth the purchase. Microsoft would probably have better luck making a game oriented Zune.

 

[Tzekelkan]

I'm most concerned that a Microsoft exec is telling us where he wants to put his wood.

Darn it, I only came to comment to make that dick joke.

Anyway, I like having an all in one device. Never really considered à handheld until now, and since I have my Android phone, I probably never will. I carry around too much stuff anyway. I can see why people like them though, but I understand Microsoft's position. Not everyone NEEDS to join the portable device war, there's enough competition as is without stretching the already few good developers thin.

 

[Chibz]

They are, between free flash games, tablets, and the power of phones there is no longer a place for a dedicated handheld gaming device.

But the vast majority of tablets and smart phones are TERRIBLE for gaming on. Touch screens + no actual buttons + terrible games = EWWW.

There'll be a place for dedicated handheld gaming devices until the other options get their shit together.

 

[Balobo]

3DS sales are disappointing because Nintendo was stupid and thought releasing the thing in the middle of the year with a high price tag would be a good idea. It will probably pick up during the holiday season.