Random Gaming Thoughts

[marlowe221]

Here's my random gaming thought of the day:

What if, no matter how much we grognards might like to deny it, iOS/Android really IS the future of gaming?

Personally, I find the thought both a little exciting and a little scary. Certainly there are lots of poor business practices and lots of crap games on mobile right now but... there are a lot of poor business practices and lots of crap games on the more "traditional" gaming platforms too. And really, the ratio of crap games to true classics has always been lopsided on the side of the crap going all the way back to the Atari VCS.

I have been thinking about this a lot since I saw my twin nephews at Christmas. They are 11 years old and love them some Minecraft on phone/tablet. I was amazed watching them play this first person game using only touch controls - it looked so easy! I gave it a try and almost immediately found myself stuck in the corner of a wall, unable to turn around. But my nephews played the game like there was nothing to it at all.

They have a Wii U but my sister-in-law says they spend the overwhelming majority of their time playing games on their tablets (mostly Minecraft and some strategy games I don't know the names of).

Honestly, I have had serious thoughts about downloading Minecraft on my iphone just to train myself to use the controls - I don't like the idea of being left behind like my father has been by the modern internet.

Is this the future?

[ElkinFencer10]

I think Android based gaming is a future, but I'm not sure if I think it's the future. We'll definitely see more and more Android based games, and some of them will be quite good; for all of the criticism it's gotten (much of it earned), there are some truly solid games on the Ouya, and that's an Android platform. That will be the direction that casual gaming takes, though, I think. We'll see a decline in true handheld gaming (because I'm an elitist who draws a distinction between "handheld gaming" and plebian mobile games) and browser based games in favor of a shift to Android and iOS. With the core gaming market, though, there may be some core games that are ported to Android or even developed originally on it, but that will stay mostly Windows (as sad as I am to admit it, I don't think we'll have home consoles running proprietary OSs for much longer, though how much longer, I don't know).

[Sarge]

It may be the future, and then the future caves in on itself. I don't think anyone can really bank on the casuals to keep the industry going. They are a fickle lot, and they drove a lot of the Wii sales, for example.

It may be the future of mobile / handheld gaming, which makes me kinda sad.

[marlowe221]

I think Android based gaming is a future, but I'm not sure if I think it's the future. We'll definitely see more and more Android based games, and some of them will be quite good; for all of the criticism it's gotten (much of it earned), there are some truly solid games on the Ouya, and that's an Android platform. That will be the direction that casual gaming takes, though, I think. We'll see a decline in true handheld gaming (because I'm an elitist who draws a distinction between "handheld gaming" and plebian mobile games) and browser based games in favor of a shift to Android and iOS. With the core gaming market, though, there may be some core games that are ported to Android or even developed originally on it, but that will stay mostly Windows (as sad as I am to admit it, I don't think we'll have home consoles running proprietary OSs for much longer, though how much longer, I don't know).

I also wonder how much longer true gaming consoles can last. And I also agree with your handheld vs mobile distinction too!

That said, some of the statistics are staggering. From what I have read there are something like 1.4 BILLION devices that run Android in the world right now. Obviously, those are largely smart phones/tablets. Meanwhile Windows systems are way up there too, but the sales figure show mobile doing WAY better than desktop PCs and even traditional laptops. Of course, there are probably more people building their own PCs these days than ever before but that is probably limited to various enthusiast markets.

By and large, game developers are going to make games for the platforms that people have, especially when it comes to the non-console platforms. It's a very interesting time to be following the industry.

[ElkinFencer10]

That said, some of the statistics are staggering. From what I have read there are something like 1.4 BILLION devices that run Android in the world right now. Obviously, those are largely smart phones/tablets. Meanwhile Windows systems are way up there too, but the sales figure show mobile doing WAY better than desktop PCs and even traditional laptops. Of course, there are probably more people building their own PCs these days than ever before but that is probably limited to various enthusiast markets.

By and large, game developers are going to make games for the platforms that people have, especially when it comes to the non-console platforms. It's a very interesting time to be following the industry.

Keep in mind, though, that there's a much lower entry cost with Android devices. Phones and tablets - especially used ones - are usually much cheaper than a gaming PC. The other thing with mobile games is that most consumers aren't wiling to pay much if anything for them whereas legit PC gamers will drop $60 or more for big releases. I see what you're saying about the numbers and growth rates, but given the types of games consumers want on each platform, I would be EXTREMELY shocked if Android games ever overtook PC games.

[isiolia]

I also wonder how much longer true gaming consoles can last. And I also agree with your handheld vs mobile distinction too!

I think it's going to be less of a transition to Android/iOS per se, and more of a (further) conversion to account-based platforms/ecosystems.

That's what the new generations are going to grow up with and see as normal. In a general sense, it's what we already have. Any phone or tablet you get wants to log in with an Apple/Google/Amazon/whatever account. Any current console, same thing, and same for mainstream operating systems or content distribution platforms like Steam.

Hardware has already become less "special" (which is a good thing, IMO), and software is more abstracted from it (also a good thing). With both MS and Sony having speculation/reports about upgraded versions of their consoles, I think we're going to see that shift away from having fixed specs for a 5, 10, whatever years. Probably also not the free for all that PC hardware can be, but instead something analogous to how iOS is. Frequent hardware refreshes,with older versions staying useful for a decent amount of time, but still giving (relatively) limited scope to target/test software for.

It's less the touchscreens and LTE connections and all, and more the general model of computing that mobile OSes have popularized. It's one that works for hundreds of millions, likely billions of people worldwide. That's what I think will take over, due to gaming platform holders adopting it.

[marlowe221]

Keep in mind, though, that there's a much lower entry cost with Android devices. Phones and tablets - especially used ones - are usually much cheaper than a gaming PC. The other thing with mobile games is that most consumers aren't wiling to pay much if anything for them whereas legit PC gamers will drop $60 or more for big releases. I see what you're saying about the numbers and growth rates, but given the types of games consumers want on each platform, I would be EXTREMELY shocked if Android games ever overtook PC games.

I agree that the cost of entry is lower for Android vs. Windows devices (of whatever form factor) - that's why I think there is a decent possibility of the gaming industry moving in that direction. Not ALL of the industry, mind you. After all, the market is not centered on a single platform now. But a big chunk of it could be on mobile platforms.

Interestingly enough, there are a couple of groups developing forks of Android for x86 processors, which could mean Android on the desktop/laptop/non-mobile computer being an option in the future. Then again, I could see the computing world (the consumer computing world that is) being basically all mobile one day with docks at your home or office that you could jack your tablet/surface/etc. into for keyboard/mouse/etc. support

RE: Android "overtaking" PC gaming - I guess that depends on what you mean by overtaking. Do you mean financially? Because we might already be there! If you mean in the size and scope of the games, then yes - we are quite a ways from Android being the equal of PC. But that gap seems to be getting smaller all the time.

I think it's going to be less of a transition to Android/iOS per se, and more of a (further) conversion to account-based platforms/ecosystems.

That's what the new generations are going to grow up with and see as normal. In a general sense, it's what we already have. Any phone or tablet you get wants to log in with an Apple/Google/Amazon/whatever account. Any current console, same thing, and same for mainstream operating systems or content distribution platforms like Steam.

Hardware has already become less "special" (which is a good thing, IMO), and software is more abstracted from it (also a good thing). With both MS and Sony having speculation/reports about upgraded versions of their consoles, I think we're going to see that shift away from having fixed specs for a 5, 10, whatever years. Probably also not the free for all that PC hardware can be, but instead something analogous to how iOS is. Frequent hardware refreshes,with older versions staying useful for a decent amount of time, but still giving (relatively) limited scope to target/test software for.

It's less the touchscreens and LTE connections and all, and more the general model of computing that mobile OSes have popularized. It's one that works for hundreds of millions, likely billions of people worldwide. That's what I think will take over, due to gaming platform holders adopting it.

Oh I think we are pretty much already there when it comes to account-based gaming. Between Steam, PSN, and Xbox Live most gamers are already used to that as a standard practice. People give Nintendo a hard time because they DON'T do it!

I certainly agree that touchscreens themselves may not be the future (although I think they will be a significant part of it) but that's why I keep talking more about Android and not iOS so much. Android is more flexible with allowing the pairing of peripherals like controllers than Apple products have traditionally been.

But you certainly articulated it better than I did - the model of mobile computing may well be the future of computing overall and, therefore, the future of gaming in many ways.

Still, I need to brush up on my touchscreen controls - my kid nephews making me look bad hurt my pride!

[Xeogred]

I was an admin at Vizzed like 10 years ago haha.

Weird.

[strangenova]

Random gaming thought is more of a random gaming question. Is fast racing neo worth the fifteen dollars?

[ElkinFencer10]

Random gaming thought is more of a random gaming question. Is fast racing neo worth the fifteen dollars?

FUCK YES IT'S WORTH THIRTY DOLLARS BUY THAT SHIT NOW.