Apple Steals Nintendo and Sony Thunder with iPhone Gaming

"Yesterday, Apple released iOS 4.1 and fixed many bugs with the iPhone and brought along new features like HDR photography and the ability to rent or purchase TV shows and movies in iTunes. Perhaps one of the bigger features added was Game Center, an application that allows users to befriend other iPhone gamers and earn achievement points as well as challenge each other to games. With a growing selection of Game Center compatible games, Nintendo and Sony should take notice.

It's no surprise to both Nintendo and Sony that Apple is really making a big dent in the handheld gaming market with the iPhone. App developers are making increasingly better games which take advantage of the phone's new features, like its gyroscope, accelerometer and capacitive touchscreen. The popularity of Game Center was evident when I mentioned my username on Twitter, and within minutes I had dozens of requests coming in.

Bloomberg reports:

"With casual gaming dominating the market, the iPhone is starting to give the traditional hand-held DS and PSP models a run for their money and will likely continue into the future," iSuppli researcher Pamela Tufegdzic said. Revenue from hand-held gaming units is estimated to be little changed between $5 billion and $6 billion this year, iSuppli said.

While the Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP are fun gaming handsets, some users find that paying for a separate device and additional games isn't worth the cost.

"It's not worth having a hand-held," said Batch, who spends about 2 euros a month on mobile-phone games and tried out Sony's Playstation Portable at the Gamescom fair in Cologne, Germany, last month. "I have an iPhone and when I want to play, I download something from the app store."

There is also the convenience of downloading apps from the iTunes App Store while on the go for iPhone users.

It isn't just the iPhone that portable gaming makers need to fear, but it's the iPad, too. Apple sold 3 million iPad tablets in its first 80 days, and to date over 4 million have been sold. There are 25,000 dedicated apps for the iPad and many of them are very popular games.

Both Nintendo and Sony may need to rethink their strategy when it comes to the portable gaming market, or smartphones and tablets could easily eat into their sales and profits."

Link.

What do you guys think? I personally play on my iPhone way more than my DS and my PSP is collecting dust somewhere in my house.

iPhone gaming is finally handheld gaming that makes sense. Cheap, simple and based around portable play. Ninja-Hippo

Yeah, I can understand how a lot of casuals would enjoy the iPhone for gaming more than the DS/PSP.. But personally the quality difference between the iPhone and DS/PSP is generally large.

iPhone gaming is finally handheld gaming that makes sense. Cheap, simple and based around portable play. Ninja-Hippo

Most iPhone games are games that can be played on flash with any Android 2.2(Froyo) phone.

iPhone isn't more than a collection of random crap. It isn't a gaming platform until it has some actual games, not these Mario Party mini-games you pay 99 cents for.

Gaming isn't the reason why most people buy an iphone or ipad though.

No quality control vs quality control.

I think i would take quality control.

90% of the apps on the iphone are utter crap.

iPhone isn't more than a collection of random crap. It isn't a gaming platform until it has some actual games, not these Mario Party mini-games you pay 99 cents for.

felipebo

[QUOTE="felipebo"]

iPhone isn't more than a collection of random crap. It isn't a gaming platform until it has some actual games, not these Mario Party mini-games you pay 99 cents for.

Ninja-Hippo

Thinking this is stealing sony and nintendo's handheld thunder is like thinking transformers is a better movie than citizen kane.

I've played a few iphone games myself... like Angry Birds awesome game... I do think its getting there, and now it has a game room where you can invite friends to play with you i think.

Thinking this is stealing sony and nintendo's handheld thunder is like thinking transformers is a better movie than citizen kane.

topgunmv

The sad part about that statement is you are guaranteed there are people out there who would agree with both those awful opinions :x.

[QUOTE="topgunmv"]

Thinking this is stealing sony and nintendo's handheld thunder is like thinking transformers is a better movie than citizen kane.

The sad part about that statement is you are guaranteed there are people out there who would agree with both those awful opinions :x.

who buys an iPhone as a Gaming Machine again?

I have an iPhone 4, and I love the few games that I have on it. Peggle, Plants vs. Zombies, Bejeweled 2, Final Fantasy, MGS Touch, Angry Birds, Fragger, Fruit Ninja, Flight Control etc. are all fantastic (and addicting) games for what they are. That said, they obviously don't compare to DS and PSP quality wise. Since I've had an iPhone (started with 3G) I can honestly say I've been carrying my DS and PSP around in public a lot less.

who buys an iPhone as a Gaming Machine again?

LegatoSkyheart

who knows.

Gaming isn't the reason why most people buy an iphone or ipad though.

brendanhunt1

so?

But is one of the biggest uses obviously.

I do for my iPhone and iPad.

For years Nintendo has been dominating the gaming handheld front taking out Sega and now Sony.

Finally it looks like they have proper competition now against the beast that is Apple.

who buys an iPhone as a Gaming Machine again?

LegatoSkyheart

and your trying to deduce that people who initally buy an iPhone/iPod and iPad for other media uses awill not have a big impact on games for the devices.

your wrong.

[QUOTE="LegatoSkyheart"]

who buys an iPhone as a Gaming Machine again?

and your trying to deduce that people who initally buy an iPhone/iPod and iPad for other media uses awill not have a big impact on games for the devices.

your wrong.

Yet the iphone or itouch still hasn't stopped nintendo from releasing the 3DS. Apple can say all they want about cheap pick up and play flash games it still wont diminish Nintendo's impact on the market.Sp4rtan_3

sounds more like fear talk to me

Yes Nintendo will still make portables and so will Sony to a lesser extent. However that hasn't stopped Apple from competing and expanding into this market.

Game Centre

new iPod

demos from Epic and Valve on what the iDevices are capable of

iPhone, iPod taking revenue from Nintendo and Sony

http://www.electronista.com/articles/10/03/22/apple.devices.carve.out.19pc.gaming.revenue/#ixzz0z5KnKy00

Nintendo singles out Apple as "enemy of the future"

http://www.electronista.com/articles/10/05/07/nintendo.shifting.attention.from.sony.to.apple/#ixzz0z5KwBUVu

iTunes (enough said really)

Nintendo is a very successful and popular company, but so is Apple and Nintendo takes them seriously. SW should not underestimate Apple.

I mean seriously, if you have a phone or a portable music player that you generally take out with you everyday it's just so much more convenient that you have games available to you right away as opposed to having to carry 2 devices.

[QUOTE="LegatoSkyheart"]

who buys an iPhone as a Gaming Machine again?

Kashiwaba

who knows.

not SW thats for sure

yaybuttoms.com by kevin bacon should have the ipod on it

[QUOTE="LegatoSkyheart"]

who buys an iPhone as a Gaming Machine again?

AdmiralBison

and your trying to deduce that people who initally buy an iPhone/iPod and iPad for other media uses awill not have a big impact on games for the devices.

your wrong.

Hey people buy Xbox 360s to play Xbox Games, People buy PS3s to play PS3 Games and People buy Wiis to play Wii Games.

So People buy iPods and iPhones to play iPhone games? or to play Music and Call People?

[QUOTE="AdmiralBison"]

[QUOTE="LegatoSkyheart"]

who buys an iPhone as a Gaming Machine again?

LegatoSkyheart

and your trying to deduce that people who initally buy an iPhone/iPod and iPad for other media uses awill not have a big impact on games for the devices.

your wrong.

Hey people buy Xbox 360s to play Xbox Games, People buy PS3s to play PS3 Games and People buy Wiis to play Wii Games.

So People buy iPods and iPhones to play iPhone games? or to play Music and Call People?

[QUOTE="AdmiralBison"]

[QUOTE="LegatoSkyheart"]

who buys an iPhone as a Gaming Machine again?

LegatoSkyheart

and your trying to deduce that people who initally buy an iPhone/iPod and iPad for other media uses awill not have a big impact on games for the devices.

your wrong.

Hey people buy Xbox 360s to play Xbox Games, People buy PS3s to play PS3 Games and People buy Wiis to play Wii Games.

So People buy iPods and iPhones to play iPhone games? or to play Music and Call People?

now I don't even understand what you are trying to get at.

The App Store is filled with endless amounts of crap. I don't think it's going to be a big deal to Nintendo and Sony.

Sure you can play a game that will get old after 5 minutes, but until it makes a nice lengthy eight to nine hour game...

The App Store is filled with endless amounts of crap. I don't think it's going to be a big deal to Nintendo and Sony.

Sure you can play a game that will get old after 5 minutes, but until it makes a nice lengthy eight to nine hour game...

Crazyguy105

The only thing iPhone games can be compared to are Playstation Minis and DSiWare, and iPhone games kick the crap out of both. You just can't compare it to full release titles on PSP and DS, iPhone games can't come close to those. If you think getting bored of iPhone games happens, you've obviously never played an iPhone game. I've put a disgusting amount of time into Angry Birds, Flight Control, Plants vs. Zombies and Peggle.

Yeah...people blow a lot of money on IPhone apps. Its easy, quick and cheap. Some of the games provide mild entertainment and distraction. But nobody i know takes any of those games seriously and generally play them breifly and occassionally when they a have a few spare minutes to kill. This is not the same for people who play hand held games on DS or PSP...they expect a lot more out of the games. The games are more expensive. In most cases you have to go to a store to buy them. They might buy one or two games in a few months. Totally different customers between the two formats.

You can play all these games: http://m.kongregate.com/ On the android for free. When it comes to games like that, Android has the edge. When it comes to full games. PSP/DS have the edge.hexashadow13

The App Store is filled with endless amounts of crap. I don't think it's going to be a big deal to Nintendo and Sony.

Sure you can play a game that will get old after 5 minutes, but until it makes a nice lengthy eight to nine hour game...

Crazyguy105

iphone gaming is massively populated with family/casual games. if you like that, then by all means play the iphone. meanwhile, ill take the games with more substance on ds/psp.

so here we go again.

Is this coming down to hardcore vs casual now?

because if it is the casual market wins.

I mean really 1 billion apps downloaded and a game center to centralising and dedicated to games will only make it more enticing for publishers and devs to make games on the iPhone.

All the big popular games will get better notice, online play and 'achievments' too

Gamecenter is theXboxlive of Smartphones with the added benefit of existing content, iTunes and Apps store as well.

I know a lot of people here hate Apple and their products in general, but you can't deny their success and pretend they don't matter especially when Nintendo takes them seriously.

I think it's good for the industry that Nintendo handheld has some serious competition for a change and actually give Sony a wake up call in the handheld market to spur more innovation and with Apple's image it may bring in even more people who are never interested in Video games into the market.

Sony can't appeal to them, Nintendo does it's own thing so maybe Apple can.

hypothetically if Apple officially enters the Hand held or gaming scene in general will this cause Sony to

1.create and improve PSN so that it would be seamless across all Playstation devices to better compete with iTunes/Apps/Game Centre?

2.Will they take the digital approach akin to iTunes for the PSP2 to make it more convenient, accessible and cheaper by forgoing UMD(PSP GO was a poor attempt to copy the iPhone/iPods model btw)

3.Will Sony expand the game portfolio for the PSP2 so not only will it attract DS owners, but iPhone/iPod users too!

4.If Sony where to make a phone/PSP will they include dual stick controls, at the same time make the phone just as functional so it can be the all in one device so people will only need one choice when going out?

Youdon't want Nintendo, Sony or MS resting on their laurels where they can jack up prices, have no incentive to innovate and there being less choices on the market.

That's nice. I might consider it if the games were worth playing.

Yeah, I can understand how a lot of casuals would enjoy the iPhone for gaming more than the DS/PSP.. But personally the quality difference between the iPhone and DS/PSP is generally large.

Yangire

iPhone isn't more than a collection of random crap. It isn't a gaming platform until it has some actual games, not these Mario Party mini-games you pay 99 cents for.

felipebo