IGN: 10 Reasons Nintendo Should Fear iPhone

[nizy]

IGN posted an article titled "10 Reasons Nintendo Should Fear iPhone". Its an interesting read, and they make some valid arguments.

Link Here (http://uk.wireless.ign.com/articles/978/978891p1.html)

Some of the Highlights

10. The iPhone is primarily a phone, but when users go to the app store they are confronted with a plethora of affordable games. As gaming is a secondary function, the potential user base is even wider than what is possible with the DS or Wii as they are focused on games. Apple is attracting phone users and its iPod user to the app store as a secondary item.

8. Its a 3G phone, thus always connected. App store available anywhere not just wifi hotspots.

6. Games are often better priced as developers/publishers decide the price. Nintendo offers a more traditional rigid price structure. And iPhone games have the ability to be patched or upgraded with fixes and new content. (And OS 3.0 will add DLC to the mix too).

2. Developers of all sizes welcome on the app store, from indie 1 man show to the big boys like EA and Konami. Its more of a level playing field - just look at Apple's all time list with Pocket God mixing it up with Super Monkey Ball. With WiiWare and DSiWare Nintendo are much more selective about who can become a developer and access the development kits.

Those 4 points really stand out to me, highlighting some major differences between the platforms. :)

[LBG]

I hate anything from nintendo, especially the wii. The only good thing that came from them was the good old gameboy color.

[Masmo]

Lol, yeah i still have my Gameboy Colour and I play Tetris on it from time to time.

[yourofl10]

Pretty nice article to read.
idevice pwns all other mobile gaming devices

[Phil_Synowiec]

I hate nintendo aswell past gamecube and gamebot advanced.

[LBG]

Well, then good thing for Nintendo DS and Sony PSP that they aren't mobile platforms but portable game systems and thus in a separate segment of the market.

I think he meant mobile as in 'Potable'. Why do you have to be so damn pedantic, lol :rolleyes:

[Swordplay]

I hate how the wii and dsi download service has a lot of crappy and expensive games. I haven't dowloaded anything for my DSI and the last game I downloaded for the wii was Secret of mana.

[No Hero]

"By the way, the free demo of Final Fantasy Crystal Defenders on iPhone has more content in it than the $8 WiiWare game." :0

[K.D!]

"By the way, the free demo of Final Fantasy Crystal Defenders on iPhone has more content in it than the $8 WiiWare game." :0

Crystal Defenders has been released (or due to be released) on WiiWare. Personally I don't care much though because I hate Tower Defense games.

[Kamazar]

Yeah, after accumulating a fan-base that spans several decades, Nintendo's gonna fear a platform that features games lasting 2 hours, if the battery holds out. Ok, sure.

[mrbass]

Nintendo needn't fear. Currently iphone has appstore that's about all going for it. Still has compared to Nintendo DS crap speakers, crap battery life, crap power (need to hook it up to your computer to charge or spend another $30 on usb charger well at least for ipod touch that is..that's a bunch of crap.) Crap standards, apple is effectively killing iphone first generation and iphone third g eneration and ipod touch first generation by keep upping processor speed every generation. Give it two more years and I'm sure ipod touch second generation probably be useless too for the latest 3D games.

I'm guessing give Apple two more years to iron a few of these things out only then should Nintendo inc. turn on their air conditioning to avoid breaking a little sweat.

I personally prefer ipod touch to my Nintendo DS but I don't think I'm one of the masses. The masses are the kids and teenagers. Although I do see a few teenagers getting iphones lately to replace their existing ipods so their is hope in that regard.

[asbjoern]

iTouch/Phone is a MOBILE platform. NOT a portable game system. It is NOT in the same market as DS or PSP. It is NOT a system primarily focused on playing game software. This is why the industry itself holds that mobile platforms and portable game systems are NOT in the same segment of the overall video game market.



I agree there is a huge difference between a fully fleshed gaming device and a iTouch/iPhone. However one thing I think will be interesting to follow in the future is how the iTouch develops. Especially since an iPhone is out of reach for most children who are contributing significantly to the DS sales. However the iTouch as a gaming system is within reach economically for when parents are doing their Christmas shopping – if apple manages to turn the iTouch primarily a gaming device they would be able to pick up this segment. Speculative but not impossible :-)

Also taking Apples controller patents into consideration and their aggressive hiring of gaming execs, there can be no doubt that we will see some sort device targeted towards a gamer segment.

[Axl Lowe]

I think the biggest gap will be if/when Apple finally allows devs to release adult-themed games or apps. This is something that Nintendo will never, ever do, and as such, it's an untapped market that could topple the DS as far as mobile popularity goes.. but maybe I'm just overestimating the potential of the iDevices.

[LBG]

Nintendo should fear the iPhone like Swine Flu. The PSP should too.

[armaankhan]

I think the DS and iPhone reach significantly different markets to the point that Nintendo doesn't have to "fear" Apple. Certainly the iPod Touch has replaced the DS as my preferred portable gaming device, but I still keep my DS close by just in case an exclusive game comes out for it that I want. The two systems aren't mutually exclusive by any means.

[SomeRandomGuy18]

The only valid argument they make is that iPhone, because it is not primarily a game system, casts a wider net. But that's because it's a mobile platform...and thus not in the same market as the portable game systems. That Matt from IGN of all people kinda ignores that basic fact (he alludes to it...but then ignores it...strange) shows that the IGN article is bunk.



three highlights, one lowlight.

iPhone 3G users...no offense...you guys make up a small percentage of the total userbase. And that's where this "point" is right away invalidated:



*sighs

Matt ignored a basic fact:

Only ONE of the devices in the platform (iPhone 3G) is a "3G phone". And the iPhone 3G only represents a portion of the iTouch/Phone platform userbase (notice what I did there - it's important, and Matt ignored it). The original iPhone, and both the 1st and 2nd "gen" iPod touch do NOT have 3G capability.

So, no, the platform is NOT always connected because the majority of the devices out there are not always connected. It is only connected for those that own an iPhone 3G, and, as I stated, that is a small portion of the total userbase. WiFi remains the preferred method of downloading on the go for the vast majority of users on the platform because 3/4 of the devices out there don't have a choice.

Matt didn't think this through.

There are a slew of other issues with that article, and with people agreeing with it.

Matt alluded to the one thing that should have stood out to everyone, including himself, but most seemed to ignore it:

iTouch/Phone is a MOBILE platform. NOT a portable game system. It is NOT in the same market as DS or PSP. It is NOT a system primarily focused on playing game software. This is why the industry itself holds that mobile platforms and portable game systems are NOT in the same segment of the overall video game market.

You do not see industry known analysis firms like NPD or the rest count iTouch/Phone game sales in their analysis of the portable game system segment of the video game market. Why? Because they ain't portable game systems. You will see, however, analysis firms recognized by the industry crowing about how iTouch/Phone game sales make up a very lucrative percentage of the mobile platform segment's market for games.

Arcade. Home console. PC. Portable. Mobile. Those are separate segments of the overall market. Everyone, especially "professional video game journalists" like Matt should know this fact already.

Actually original iPhone is always connected through EDGE. Very slow but still exists. ;)

[asbjoern]

Not so long as it remains over the $149.99 magic price point of a portable game system.

But it needn't hit that price point because, as I stated, it's not a portable game system. It's a mobile platform. $229 isn't a lot for a "do everything" mobile platform like this or Android or even Windows Mobile devices. But...is that the type of thing that parents buy for their kids? Not really. That's why the iTouch/Phone market skews older...older even that the PSP market. And that's taking into consideration even the iTouch owners who are typically younger than iPhone owners. It's upper teens to those in their early twenties for iTouch, and slightly older for iPhone. It's those with more disposable income.


Fair point with the pricing – although it is not that far from the DSi is it?

I agree with your statement that this is not a gaming system as of yet – but we are getting closer and closer. If the shoulder button rumors hold true we are definitely nearing a gaming device.




If so, I look not to iTouch/Phone, but rather their "hobby" Apple TV as a sign of what they could pull off. A totally digital download set top box with games as the primary selling point. Or, maybe merge the idea of iTouch/Phone and Apple TV (as what is Apple TV in design and use but a giant iPod without the screen?): the Apple TV "box" would be the hard drive storage along with connection to iTunes, and closed connection to sites like Hulu and Youtube (wouldn't be connected to the net proper so as to stifle piracy), and the iTouch/Phone, or the version shipped as the "new" Apple TV, would actually be the hardware and used as the system controller.

Exactly :-)
I would be surprised if this gaming system/apple tv is not fully integrated with the iTouch/iPhone interface. The controller they recently patented was basically a iTouch interface as you describe. Maybe Apple will actually be the first ones to make an integration between handheld gaming device and home console that actually makes sense (I don’t know if you remember Nintendos GameCube/GameBoy, experiment, a good idea but just so freaking expensive in hardware.)

[asbjoern]

Exactly :-)


So I guess the question is whatever the iTouch is more likely to be a Nintendo competitor if this is the case (the seamless integration with a home gaming console)

[Coachflaps]

Neither idevice is a competitor to Nintendo in hand-held gaming. As someone else said they target different markets.

Three of my kids (the other two aren't old enough yet) have a Nintendo DS. At their current ages none of them could have an iTouch. The DS is extremely durable and they get beaten down all the time without one even breaking, can't say the same for the the touch or the phone or even the PSP.

As for pricing, the DSi sells for $169 and they sold 435,000 in the first week of sales (more than twice the amount of DS Lites sold in the first week) - even though it's over the $150 magic price point. If you have quality games people will pay for the hardware - especially if their kids want it.

Oh and they make M rated games for the DS (not many, but they do). Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is the latest.

As for interoperability the PSP and PS3 have this, they call it remote play. Also the PS3 can stream content from your PC, which the PSP can stream, via wi-fi, from anywhere in the world.

I play games on my iPhone often but don't consider them a replacement for the games I play on my DS or PSP.

Apple will continue to get game sales from people who don't own any gaming system though, so there's definitely money and incentive to improve on the platform.

[crimson.]

Hahahahahaha....Nintendo..fearing the IPHONE!...That made my day. What a joke.

[asbjoern]

Hahahahahaha....Nintendo..fearing the IPHONE!...That made my day. What a joke.

Maybe a little off topic – but just came to think of this:
One other thing that is actually interesting is how Nintendos and Apples product development cycles are strikingly similar. They both come to market quickly with early iterations of their products, and then they introduce updates in short cycles. If you think about it the GameBoy, GameBoy SP, DS, DS Lite, DSi, iPod, iPod touch and iPhone the product iterations are strikingly similar.

One thing that is amazing about both Nintendo and Apple products is that as soon as a new product comes out the old one feels completely outdated. I felt this way going from my first iPhone to my second – this was the same feeling when I had to replace my first DS with a DS Lite (although I don’t have a DSi yet).

So what is interesting is that Apple has the same approach to its market as Nintendo just coming from the complete opposite side, and there is no doubt as the market gradually merges these two companies will become bigger competitors. Question is just whatever Nintendo will move into Apples domain as well. Looking at the DSi’s image editing capabilities for instance suggest that Nintendo is also moving into a broader segment.

[Sierra275]

Don't forget your oft-overlooked but (currently) twice as big cousin, the iPod Touch!

[goldglover411]

yea the iphone way better than the ds or wii. Microsoft should also fear this because the potention is great for the games

[crimson.]

yea the iphone way better than the ds or wii. Microsoft should also fear this because the potention is great for the games
Hahahaha that was a great joke. That was hilarious. I really hope you were joking.

[robertf224]

ya the wii and ds suck now. Well the ds doesn't but i broke my screen hinge and i haven't played it in months but i want fire emblem and a few other games. The wii is garbage though. I don't know why microsoft would have to fear the iphone though that makes no sense at all

[inferi22]

id really given up on my ds and psp but i might have to start using them again for monster hunter unite-rock band unplugged-ff:dissidia-kh:bbs-kh(ds)-new ds zelda

[asbjoern]

Not really what I was thinking in terms of the hypothetical Apple game system (iGame? iPlay?).

It wouldn't be a separate system communicating with another, but one single system that hits two (possibly even three) markets in one: mobile and home console use. The hub would just be used for storage, connection to the network, charging, and facilitate output to a tv set.

How about integrated Time Capsule, TV, gaming device hub - that would be neat :-)