Topic: New Additions to the Console Wars

[D_Average]

I think people can justify buying an iPhone more than they can justify a dedicated gaming system cause that's for children.

Plus the iphone is more convenient.  You don't have to decide to take it with you, and if so, which games to grab.  That is my issue with the DS and PSP, I never feel like lugging it around.  So this gen, I've spent the vast majority of my handheld gaming time with Iphone games that are not as good as the DS and PSP games I own but never play.

The iPad is even more of a decision, in terms of bringing it with you for the day.  That said, I don't think it'll beat out even the iPhone for portable gaming.  Even though I would love the new version of Geometry Wars with it. 

[Morari]

As much of a xbox hater as I am, I find the idea of a xbox portable quite appealing. The idea of playing Halo, Gears of War, Mass Effect and Fable on the go seems pretty good.

I can already play all of those on the go. It's called a laptop!

[BlackNMild2k1]

this is the Direction the iPhone should take
http://www.flickr.com/photos/angel-art-3d/3403901215/

the same direction many other phones that wanted big touchscreens but realized buttons might be a good thing too took.

[ThePerm]

thatd be good for gaming, as far as i can tell Apple is the biggest threat to Nintendo in the longrun of handhelds, but the pc has never really threatened the console. Apples line would be the pc of handhelds. Microsoft seems like they are not ready to jump into the handheld business because Nintendo is too dominant, they have said something to that extant.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Apple could force their hand though.

Zune was already trying to mark out a section of the iPod market for itself, I have no idea how that's going, but iPod has already moved into phones and now gaming, so I think MS would have to do something crazy to even compete.

Windows Mobile 7 is their phone platform.
-it plays games and it has apps. Currently sitting at 3rd or 4th in the market behind iPhone, Android and possibly Palm Pre
Zune is their Portable Media Player
-Plays music, movies and a limited amount of games.

MS has invested in 3D tech a while back, but the would have to merge their XNA developing platform with WM7 and the Zune department to come up with something to compete with Apple and even then, there is no built in audience for any of that.

They will need to keep making inroads from multiple angles until they have an audience for their platform and a platform for that audience. A portable Zune360 Phone doesn't have a market that would guarantee any sort of success and therefore would be too costly to push right now.

[Louieturkey]

They will need to keep making inroads from multiple angles until they have an audience for their platform and a platform for that audience. A portable Zune360 Phone doesn't have a market that would guarantee any sort of success and therefore would be too costly to push right now.

They did a demo at GDC where they took a game that they could transfer the save from the PC to the phone and then to the 360 all while keeping the same place you left off previously.  Their portable system will be the phones that use the Phone 7 OS and you can transfer saves between that and the PC and the 360.  I don't think the Zune is in the equation at this point, but I wouldn't be surprised if the next Zune uses some aspect of the Phone 7 OS.  They are also integrating the Zune marketplace into the 360 so I think connectivity between all their systems is what they are striving for now.

So it looks like they are trying to build a market by first introducing it with the Phone 7 OS.  My guess is that the Phone 7 OS phones will be able to access the Zune store and control the 360 dashboard remotely.  They seem to be making a market from multiple angles I guess.  I really don't think they'll ever release a dedicated portable gaming machine though.  It's not feasible with the competition (including themselves).

[ThePerm]

lol that feature only sounds like features addicts need that travel

[NWR_insanolord]

I've got to hand it to Microsoft: given their history, I wouldn't have expected them to realize that they couldn't beat Nintendo in the handheld arena. It seems like all the smart people in the company work in the Xbox division (except not in the part of the Xbox division that designs the hardware).

[ThePerm]

the shell or the chips, i think the shell looks sleek