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Three Reasons Why A Microsoft Handheld Will Always Fail

RulerofGondor · 2012-01-22 10:44:59

The handheld market belongs to Nintendo. Nintendo are the handheld Gods, and there is no question about that. However, with the PSP, Sony has managed to carve itself a slice of that market (that it may or may not lose with the PS Vita, which has had a troubled launch, but may yet recover). Collectively, Sony and Nintendo have an entire market by the balls (Nintendo more so than Sony), but considering how profitable handhelds have helped Sony and Nintendo through rough spots in the past (Nintendo with GBC and Pokemon in the N64 days, and the GBA/DS in the Gamecube days; Sony with the PSP during the disaster that was the PS3 launch), it might be a very logical question: why has Microsoft not ventured into the handheld market yet? After all, it would only make sense to do so, especially considering how profitable handhelds are, and considering how they can often offset the heavy losses consoles can lead a company to suffer (which means they would have been very useful for Microsoft back when the 360 was bleeding money).However, here are seven reasons as to why a Microsoft handheld is always doomed to fail:3. THERE IS NO PLACE FOR THEM IN THE MARKETLike the larger gaming market in general, the handheld gaming market can be neatly trifurcated into the super casual, the core enthusiasts and the tech junkies. Apple, and to a lesser extent Android, has an iron grip over the super casual market. iOS gaming, with 99 cent apps and Angry Birds, is enough to satisfy the needs of that market, and that won't change. Nintendo has the largest slice of the market- it rules the core enthusiasts with its handhelds, and its handheld exclusive franchises like Pokemon and Advance Wars. Sony has the final niche- the tech junkie. It is the segment of the market that the PSP appealed to, and it is the segment of the market the PS Vita will appeal to.What segment of the market will Microsoft appeal to? They can't go after the iOS segment- one could argue they already tried with Windows Phone 7 and failed. Going against Nintendo is pure foolishness, and it would take them down. So that leaves the Sony segment of the market. Sony has already manufactured a tech heavy handheld with the backing of its first party that it selles at a heavy loss. What would Microsoft do? Make an even more powerful handheld? Sell it at an even bigger loss? Isn't that missing the point entirely?2. THE HANDHELD WILL HAVE NO THIRD PARTY SUPPORTThird party support for a handheld never comes from western developers and publishers. Western developers and publishers see handheld as third tier development platforms. A handheld always gets its premier games from Japanese developers. This was the case with every single Nintendo handheld, and it was the case with the PSP. The PS Vita is struggling right now because it has no Japanese software.Microsoft has failed at achieving any sort of market penetration with its Xbox brand in Japan. They have failed to gain any significant third party support and then retain and sustain it. A Microsoft handheld would fail at gaining any traction with Japanese developers, and with the Japanese market, and it would therefore be an exercise in futility.1. MICROSOFT HAS NO GODDAMN FIRST PARTYMore than anything else, a handheld is always sustained by its first party games. Nintendo handhelds always sell because you know you're getting a new Mario Kart, a new Pokemon, a new Advance Wars and a new Zelda. The PSP sold on the back of games like God of War: Chains of Olympus. Third parties often neglect handhelds because, as stated above, they see them as second and third tier platforms. In situations like these, it is up to the console manufacturer to sustain the handheld.But Microsoft has no first party to sustain its system with. What franchises would be exclusive to an Xbox handheld that you would buy it for? Halo? Forza? Fable? And...?And why wouldn't you just play those games on a home console? More than even Sony's games, Microsoft's games are centered and constructed around the home console experience. Heavy Xbox LIVE integration, long quests and missions, and control layouts all point to a console centric development philosophy (which is also evident in Microsoft's failure to handle PC gaming). How will they sustain a handheld platform exactly?---And there you have it, folks. A Microsoft handheld is doomed to fail, no matter what. So all you lemmings rejoicing prematurely at the PS Vita's 'failure,' STFU. At least Sony has the balls to tackle the handheld market. Microsoft won't even f*cking dare to enter it, because it knows it'll fail. And say what you will, the Vita will have a rough start, but will then go on to sell about 50 million units at least. Not as much as the 3DS, but an awful f*cking lot.So much for 'failed system,' huh?

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brennanhuff

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#51 brennanhuff

Member since 2011 • 957 Posts

Why even discuss this? There is no indication what so ever that MS would create a portable system and MS' strategy is to take over your living room anyway.
SuperFlakeman

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13 years ago