41 replies to this topic

[Narcidius]

So... Nintendo is pretty clear regarding how they feel about smartphones as gaming devices. Iwata says that phones, as non-dedicated gaming devices, can't offer the rich, deep experiences that are ultimately satisfying to their fans. Reggie has said that the company is not - and probably never will be - interested in making a phone.

But... and I'm not just parroting the silly doom-and-gloom-consoles-are-out analysts here... SHOULD they be?

The thing with phones is that - unlike a gaming device - you kind of have to have one (or at least it's becoming increasingly expected in our society that we will have one). We (speaking as the representative consumer, here) feel that it is essential for us to have a phone... and as long as we have to have one, we feel that it would be silly for us NOT to choose a phone that also has so many other things we want (like access to social networks, streaming video, email, web access, books, utilities for performing everyday tasks, and yes, GAMES). Once in the possession of such a device - one that seems to offer so many genuine opportunities for rich media - we feel that it is cumbersome and unnecessary (or at least annoying) to bother with DVD players, separate music players, laptop computers, or even to carry around a second device for gaming...

I get Iwata's argument... and I agree that smartphones, such as they are, will never replace the experience of gaming with sticks and buttons. But why not simply make a gaming phone with sticks and buttons, then (like Sony's phone, but much, much better)? The iPhone has some games of very broad scope and very deep value (few, I grant it, but they are there). It can be done, and done well... and iPhone sales are exponentially greater than iPod sales (which can do everything the iPhone does except for make calls), simply because it is also a phone.

So... why is Nintendo uninterested? And should they be?

[nintendo3DS]

Nintendo was made for making epic games. Not stupid phones. (Although I do like and have Verizon phones).

Edited by nintendo3DS, 20 April 2012 - 01:51 PM.

[Blasty]

They really shouldn't.

[Joshua]

No, that would be pretty dumb as the only thing Nintendo could add to phones are games.

[Crackkat]

i must say, this is a very interesting thread. before reading your paragraph, i probably would have said no, but now i think about it, maybe they should. with the technology that's available right now, i dont think it would be possible, but in the future it could be a good idea. heres why, i think so, nintendo...... HOLD UP, new thought process!!

OK, i got my opinion finalized they shouldnt make a phone that is like a gaming hand held, because a phone will always have to be small and very easy to quickly whip out and then put away again. to make a hand held console that can be held comfortably you would need it to be quite big, almost as big as a home console controller, plus a screen built in. this build is just not practical for phones, and the small build of a phone is not practical for a gaming system. the two should stay separate for this reason

[Furhantomp]

I'm saying no to them making phones, but I'd be fine with them making a tablet.

I'd rather sacrifice pocket space over battery life.

Edited by Furhantomp, 20 April 2012 - 02:43 PM.

[Blasty]

This is why I don't think Nintendo should make a phone.

What OS would they use? WP7? For obvious reasons no. If they decided to go the Android route they'd end up paying Microsoft for every handset sold and they'd also risk a few lawsuits. Even if they do go the Android route they'd get lost in the sea of Android devices. Unless in some alternate world smartphones end up becoming the future of gaming why should Nintendo spend the cash to make their own Operating system? Also, I'd expect a handheld-smartphone hybrid to be packed with some of the best specs available with a nice sized battery. This device could very well end up being more powerful then their dedicated handheld and eat away at its sales. A phone like that wouldn't be cheap. It could end up at $200+ on a two year contract. I'm not even gonna get into the $1000+ you'd spend over the life of a contract. It wouldn't be a very good option for those of us who are younger.

The most important part is the games. If I were to spend a large sum of cash on a Nintendo phone I'd want to play quality Nintendo IPs on it. Trust me, you aren't going to get people who have no interest in gaming to pay $40+ for quality games. If only us "gaming enthusiasts" would be buying this phone and games for it they might as well just stay in the handheld market.

Another point is battery life. People would be using their phones for other tasks other than gaming. What if you were to find yourself in an emergency and your phone is dead from playing games on it? That would suck.

The market isn't ready for a true gaming phone.

[Soul]

Calling App on next handheld would be better.

[Nollog]

No, when the console market finally crashes as it inevitably will do, they can make games on other platforms, or make hardware with games pre-installed like game&watch, but obviously more capable.

[Reaper Pin]

No.

[BazzDropperz]

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Edited by BassDropper, 05 September 2013 - 01:02 AM.

[JD2995]

I think they can do a gaming device with the feature to call people. No a phone with the feature to play games.

[Biohazard]

When Iwata says that phones (meaning advanced phones: Apple and dedicated Android phones) can't offer deep or rich experiences he's wrong and hypocritical - but that's ok, it's what you'd expect him to say considering phones are taking a big piece of the "software pie" that Nintendo used to have almost completely to itself.

I've played plenty of great games on my iPod touch (the iPhone plays the same games), and many of them have been much richer and better value than anything I've played on a Nintendo handheld. I've played Real Racing 2, Infinity Blade I, Infinity Blade II, The Dark Meadow, many high-quality tower defense games and a few platformer games that were much more fun than any 2D Mario I've ever played. All of these games were under $8, on a traditional dedicated handheld they would've costed at least $40. The only games I've ever played on a Nintendo console that come close to these iPod games are the Pokemon series, and that's down to great design and gameplay mechanics - those games could be created for the IPhone.

I fail to see how tower defense games are any better than titles like Super Mario 3D Land, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, and Kid Icarus: Uprising. High-quality and deep in a relative sense, I can see, but comparible? I guess it all comes down to preference. You could argue that Iwata is "wrong" about his opinions on smarthphone/tablet games, but hypocritical? It's not like he developed any games for the platform in the first place.

[BazzDropperz]

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Edited by BazzDropperz, 14 July 2014 - 01:23 AM.

[Rasvita]

Nintendo has no experience in making phones. They would be entering into a market with huge amount of competition. The purpose of Nintendo's existence is to make games and the hardware required to play their games. Therefore, no, or yes whatever.

[Auzzie Wingman]

If Nintendo makes a decent phone that can compete with other companies off the bat (no need for revision, pretty much something that replaces the iPhone completely on day one), then I say they should go for it.

Of course, it would really need to do anything and have that Nintendo appeal. I mean, a phone needs a lot to do to even compete. iPhones pretty much have the benchmark of what a standard phone needs to do at the moment (although there are better phones, any kind of phone that does less than an iPhone is pretty much getting the finger).

It needs be a swish deal on day one. Because there's so much risk in even going down this path, Nintendo probably won't do it. IF they did pull it off at the level they would need to, "Nintendo am Doomed" would be banned in all countries.

[Tipzil]

No.
I think Nintendo should just stick with the games
Who knows?
it may happen .__.

[PipoPito]

Instead of making phones.. they could add video calls on the 3DS. 3DS also needs 3G.

[Holloweaver]

i hope not!

[AndyG]

I don't see a reason why they should