Capcom eyes smartphone gaming future
Gamers write off the current trend for casual gaming at their peril, because big companies are very interested in the direction in which the market is heading.
Casual gaming is on the increase. On the consoles we have motion control nabbing new gamers, on the Web we have games from companies such as Zynga, and on mobile devices we have simple but addictive games entering the mainstream. What do the big games companies make of this?
Capcom Interactive president and COO Midori Yuasa told MCV:
The casual gamer that used to play on the PC and the hardcore gamer that used to play on a dedicated gaming portable now plays on their smartphone. The iPhone and larger smartphone markets are extremely important to Capcom as, like no device before, smartphones have the potential to become a universal game platform. We have a lot of stuff on the horizon for both hardcore and casual gamers, so 2011 is shaping up to be huge on Capcom’s mobile front.
The acknowledgment that smartphones could become a “universal game platform” is key. What company wouldn’t want to be involved in and producing games for a market that has the potential of reaching almost everyone in the world? And there is definitely money to be made in distributing paid-for and freemium apps.
It must also worry the established games companies that the nature of the casual market means anyone is capable of having a hit, taking the power out of their hands and back into those of people making games for reasons other than profit.
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12 Responses to “Capcom eyes smartphone gaming future”
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January 21st, 2011
2008, when I cameback to video gaming after skipping on the 128-bit era of PS2, the first question I had was, “Are the big electronic companies up to a Universal Gaming Standard (UGS) already?”
And I found out that some veteran gaming gurus: the genius named Mr. David Jaffe, Gerhard Florin EA’s International Publishing, and Hideo Kojima were predicting its inevitability. They all point the most important reason for now & the future: game development & production cost.
But who would have thought its a possibility back in 2008?
the answer might not rely on a hardware solution but a software solution…
Is this UGS being concieved within a free OS that:
… majority of the companies in the electronic hardware industry will put in their devices?
… will run games on personal computers, laptops, smarphones, tablets, multi-media players, dedicated gaming devices like consoles & portable handhelds, TV sets, etc.
… that allows millions of gamers to play games no matter what hardware they are using… thus “breaking down” the differences & barriers these gaming companies have put up over the years?
said OS must grow & spread out like wild fire on an astronomical rate tho in order to become the Univerdal Gaming standard these fellows are predicting.
Sony already embraced this OS with Xperia Play and it possibly will run the rumored PSP2 which but Nintendo & M$ will probally not bow down with out a fight.
January 21st, 2011
The article should be called “Capcom eyes smartphone gaming future, small time developers run and hide.”
January 21st, 2011
I got 71 Games on my Phone. I just counted. I can’t believe I downloaded that many since November. I haven’t even played them all. Yes Smartphones are the new mobile gaming platform.
January 21st, 2011
I just got a Droid myself. I’m still paying around with all of the pre-installed stuff. I haven’t even checked out the app store yet.
I’ll probaly put a few things on it. I kind of agree with you though. I don’t play my PSP or DS at all, but if they were built into my phone, I’d be more inclined to play.
January 21st, 2011
Albeit I think of Smartphones as a legitimate handheld gaming platform, I have my doubts about it being the definitive one. I see smartphones and gaming handhelds as analogs to the PCGaming Consoles. PC’s are very powerful, easier than ever to use and can do pretty much anything, despite of that dedicated gaming consoles are still there.
I think this is a case of software developers looking to commoditize gaming hardware. I still don´t feel comfortable with that prospect.
January 21st, 2011
Sorry, the symbol I used disappeared when posted:
“I see smartphones and gaming handhelds as analogs to the PC and Gaming Consoles. “
January 21st, 2011
I still can’t get past “touch games” unless the games is specifically designed for that type by design.
Oh..and by touch games, I mean iOS type, and not the kind that CAD and his uncle play.
Those of course are always fun
January 21st, 2011
@phranc
Don’t you mean Ivan and his uncle?
January 21st, 2011
^lmao
Akaro,
Well put. I don’t think they’ll ever be a definitive gamming device, whether handheld or console.
The market is too big, and there are already a lot of huge companies competing for a slice of the pie.
I’m not sure why the discussion of a definitive console keeps popping up. There’s not a definitive PC, TV, stereo, phone, etc
January 21st, 2011
Tower defense, turn based RPG’s, turn based strategy, point and click adventure games, puzzle games like Puzzle Quest, etc. all existed long before “touch games”; and those exact same games work perfectly fine on iOS if programmed well, even though they may not have been designed from the ground up for iOS. Other genres are also represented well at this time, but only, as you said phranc, if designed specifically for that control scheme, and if one accepts that control scheme.
As for the “universal game platform”; it depends on how one defines the term. I think Capcom meant “universal” as in the same game can be played on most smartphones throughout the world, and that game playing smartphones are the most owned and used game platform.
However if they are saying the same game developed on present gen consoles can be played on “smartphones, personal computers, laptops, tablets, multi-media players, dedicated gaming devices like… portable handhelds, TV sets, etc.” as Gunstar iterated, then they are going to be limited via the control scheme and power of the device’s hardware.
Then there is the nature of the user and their situation. Portable games vice pc/console games. Though portable games can and have had a lot of depth, many users just want something to play around with for a few minutes while waiting in line or on public transport. Others are going to want to sit with the device and delve into a deep game for hours on end.
Developers will and already have tried regardless to cash in with some games on all platforms even if the game type doesn’t fit that device, with less than satisfactory results as we have seen in the past. Some games will be able to make the cut for this by their nature, several others won’t because they demand a level of precision or power that can’t be matched on other devices.
Akaro, I don’t think you have anything to fear, because even though smartphones are the number one selling game platform, there will still be more than enough room and profit for dedicated devices such as consoles and pc’s. Not only that, but the big three are going to fight tooth and nail for hardware exclusivity even if OnLive (or another device, infrastructure, etc.) sales explode in the next 5-10 years due to BRAD (bit rate annual doubling) and other factors.
We’re also seeing the longest generation now because of the level of sophistication and freedom developers have at hand to design quality games. While PS3 may offer the most freedom to them, even Wii was still able to knock out several top notch games this year. In other words, as long as the big three can profit off of hardware exclusivity, hardware will remain exclusive. Wii probably profited day one of launch off of it’s hardware or shortly thereafter, and even though PS3 is just now starting to see really significant hardware profit, it probably has another five to ten years on the market at least, even if PS4 comes out in 2012/13.
January 21st, 2011
“I’m not sure why the discussion of a definitive console keeps popping up. There’s not a definitive PC, TV, stereo, phone, etc”
Because there is no TV show, music, etc. exclusive to only one brand of TV, stereo, etc. The universal game platform is essentially gaming’s move to where other forms of media are already sitting.
January 21st, 2011
Good point. I guess that makes sense.