Do you consider iOS a major gaming platform?

[Urzu402]

Before i got my iPhone I used to think cellphones were just for making calls and texting. But the App store has an insane amount of good games, like Chaos Rings that make me start to think otherwise.

[Swamperon]

No. No more than I consider the applications such as Solitaire on windows to be in the same realm as actual gaming.

Do I think one day it will be? No doubt, but not right now. I think most people are just eager to see someone new enter the gaming hardware market. When I start seeing idevices etc being sold in game stores along side Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft then I will.

[Icarus Moonsight]

Not really. I think that anything to be considered a major gaming platform it's function necessarily has to be, at least primarily, gaming. All-in-one devices always have trade-offs for their broad functionality. Specialized design and application doesn't allow for such trade-offs. Ask an engineer.

[c0ldb33r]

I do. You can't ignore the fact that the hardware is powerful (at least with iPhone 4) and it's attracting major titles.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Before i got my iPhone I used to think cellphones were just for making calls and texting. But the App store has an insane amount of good games, like Chaos Rings that make me start to think otherwise.

Yes I do, and I firmly believe that your minor epiphany based on hands-on experience is what many "core" slash "hardcore" gamers are experieincing during ownership of iOS platform devices and the down-time of the end of the current generation of portable systems.

Likely the launch of the 3DS and NGP will steal back some thunder as far as our choice of portable games ... BUT I don't think that many who have an open mind, the proper perspective and have spent a decent amount of time with the best that iOS has to offer can deny that it's a freakin' gaming force to be reconed with, buttons or no buttons!

[megasdkirby]

I do.

While not something we usually associate with dedicated video game consoles, it has brought us a wealth of games that are quite playable. Yes, some games are terrible, but so are some console games.

This same argument can be said about games on the PSN or Xbox Live. Some may say "Yes, but at least I play those on an actual console", which is correct. But if those games (the ones released on iPod related products) were released on XBL or PSN, opinions would differ about them. Hell, if the iOS was a standard video game console, those who say no would now say yes.

[killersquirel]

I believe that the bally astrocade is the future!

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I believe that the bally astrocade is the future!

I just got back from the future and I can confirm that this is an accurate statement.

However the Bally Astrocade of the year 3000 is actually based around nano-technology that is injected directly into your bloodstream. Through your eurethra.

I don't even want to get into how DLC works.

[Dobie]

I think the iPhone, and to a lesser extent, Android platforms have changed the portable marketplace. I no longer carry a DS with me--its primarily used at home. I have a really hard time paying $30 for a DS game these days, when often I can find a similar experience on the iOS for much less.

That said, the casual nature of the iPhone's games makes a large majority of the titles "throwaway," in that I play most of them a few times and never again. I think Nintendo and Sony are making the right move by countering this with unique, "hardcore" game systems geared less towards portability and more towards a mini-console. Because they can't survive against $1-3 iPhone games.

Also, being a parent, I see the soccer-mom crowd everyday skipping out on buying their kid a DS or PSP in favor of downloading a cheap game onto their phone and handing them that to play in the car/store/airplane, because its much cheaper and easier. I have an old iPod touch that I gave to my daughter, and when she requests a game for it, its much easier to fork out a couple bucks on the spot than going to the store and buying whatever game for 30x the price.

[j_factor]

No. No more than I consider the applications such as Solitaire on windows to be in the same realm as actual gaming.

Agreed. I would also put flash and java games in the same category.

[Urzu402]

Though when you see games like Chaos Rings http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUqYAdTOPOU - there's the trailer, its a little hard to discredit the iPhone and others so easily I know I said that in my opening post, but how many of you actually seen what Chaos Rings is? Its basically a console quality RPG on a cellphone.

[retroman]

I would say yes...iOS crushes nintendo ds and is better then the pap..has HD graphics on iPad and retina on iPhone 4. I personally own a iPad and a iPhone 4.

[exit]

I've been playing Dead Space on a buddy's Itouch and it has surprisingly smooth gameplay for a game of it's type. So I would say that the Iwhatevers and Androids have the potential to put out some formidable games, that is if the developers are willing to go the extra mile.

[WCP]

Unfortunately, yes I think iOS would qualify right about now. The problem with this is no buttons. That's my only issue. No buttons. No D-Pad. No thumbstick. F a gyroscope.

[Icarus Moonsight]

I don't deny that iOS is a gaming platform. That would be closed minded. It's the "major" stipulation I take issue with. I've never considered Tiger handhelds to be major gaming products either. iOS is filling a similar role, the tech utilized is just much better today. So of course you get better results. I didn't call my Dish receiver a major game system either, though you can play games on it and Dish is a large company. That would be a result of a mind so open, things start falling out.

[Swamperon]

I don't deny that iOS is a gaming platform. That would be closed minded. It's the "major" stipulation I take issue with. I've never considered Tiger handhelds to be major gaming products either. iOS is filling a similar role, the tech utilized is just much better today. So of course you get better results. I didn't call my Dish receiver a major game system either, though you can play games on it and Dish is a large company. That would be a result of a mind so open, things start falling out.

Exactly.

I really don't see the idevices taking anything significant away from the handheld market anytime soon. If anything I'd say most people would go for both as iDevices all have another primary function (phone, mp3 player etc). If Apple released a dedicated gaming device then yes maybe.

Also Sony's and Nintendo's catalogue of titles, which will never see release on another format, will always ensure a healthy audience for their handhelds. Nintendo perhaps more so. Pokemon isn't going away anytime soon.

[portnoyd]

I don't deny that iOS is a gaming platform. That would be closed minded. It's the "major" stipulation I take issue with. I've never considered Tiger handhelds to be major gaming products either. iOS is filling a similar role, the tech utilized is just much better today. So of course you get better results. I didn't call my Dish receiver a major game system either, though you can play games on it and Dish is a large company. That would be a result of a mind so open, things start falling out.

I like this.

Considering I have about 20-30 games on my DroidX and the only game I ever play is Wordfeud (scrabble), I'm going to say it's most definitely not a major platform in my book.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I don't deny that iOS is a gaming platform. That would be closed minded. It's the "major" stipulation I take issue with. I've never considered Tiger handhelds to be major gaming products either. iOS is filling a similar role, the tech utilized is just much better today. So of course you get better results. I didn't call my Dish receiver a major game system either, though you can play games on it and Dish is a large company. That would be a result of a mind so open, things start falling out.

I think generally speaking the word "major" is relative and also unnecessary. It only serves to confuse in this debate.

If your qualification is the primary function of the device as a gaming platform - personal computers from the very beginning and continuing all the way through modern versions have always been considered "gaming platforms" and none of those are strictly dedicated gaming devices.

iOS devices are essentially personal computers. Some make phonecalls as a primary function, but I'd venture to guess that those who own the iPhone variety of iOS devices probably put more hours into gaming/web browsing/using apps on it than they do using that phone feature.

Also, if the combination of the largest AAA developers/publishers (EA, Activision, Square, Namco, Konami, etc.) developing software product that is equivalent in graphical presentation, substance and content to what they're releasing on Sony and Nintendo's dedicated gaming devices, AND the independent game development community having a window into the marketplace to develop, distribute and profit off of games on a GREATER scale than they do with DS or PSP development (I doubt that companies like Rovio, Ngmoco, Chillingo etc. would have made the impact on the market and the very culture of portable gaming on PSP or DS even IF they had developed and produced games like Angry Birds, Rolando, Cut the Rope etc. for those systems instead of the iOS) doesn't stand to legitimize the platform as a place for real developers and real games - I'm not really sure what does.

Though, as I've stated in the past, I think that the marketplace is sorting this all out organically. With the natural saturation of iOS devices in the hands of more skeptical/doubting gamers there are more and more of these "epiphanies" every day via hands-on experience, and it won't take very long for a majority share of "core" gamers to come around to accept iOS as some type of equal, even if it's in a begrudging sense.

[Bojay1997]

I think generally speaking the word "major" is relative and also unnecessary. It only serves to confuse in this debate.

If your qualification is the primary function of the device as a gaming platform - personal computers from the very beginning and continuing all the way through modern versions have always been considered "gaming platforms" and none of those are strictly dedicated gaming devices.

iOS devices are essentially personal computers. Some make phonecalls as a primary function, but I'd venture to guess that those who own the iPhone variety of iOS devices probably put more hours into gaming/web browsing/using apps on it than they do using that phone feature.

Also, if the combination of the largest AAA developers/publishers (EA, Activision, Square, Namco, Konami, etc.) developing software product that is equivalent in graphical presentation, substance and content to what they're releasing on Sony and Nintendo's dedicated gaming devices, AND the independent game development community having a window into the marketplace to develop, distribute and profit off of games on a GREATER scale than they do with DS or PSP development (I doubt that companies like Rovio, Ngmoco, Chillingo etc. would have made the impact on the market and the very culture of portable gaming on PSP or DS even IF they had developed and produced games like Angry Birds, Rolando, Cut the Rope etc. for those systems instead of the iOS) doesn't stand to legitimize the platform as a place for real developers and real games - I'm not really sure what does.

Though, as I've stated in the past, I think that the marketplace is sorting this all out organically. With the natural saturation of iOS devices in the hands of more skeptical/doubting gamers there are more and more of these "epiphanies" every day via hands-on experience, and it won't take very long for a majority share of "core" gamers to come around to accept iOS as some type of equal, even if it's in a begrudging sense.

I feel like we just had this same discussion a few weeks back in a similar thread about the 3DS. In any event, I agree that iOS is a gaming platform. Having said that, I have played quite a few iOS games in the past few weeks and the depth and complexity of game play is not there yet on a lot of titles. Part of it has to do with pricing I'm sure and the sense that people won't pay $20-$30 for iOS games just yet. That could change in the future. There are also quite a few older games that are getting re-released for iOS especially on the graphic adventure side which in my mind, makes iOS a more serious platform for older gamers. Having said all that, I don't think iOS is a direct threat to the DS and PSP and probably won't be for a very long time, if ever.

[Urzu402]

Ok, By major I mean something thats gonna last for a while and be known for games, and not just be remembered simply as a cellphone that could play games. Sort of like the N-Gage no one remembers that, besides it's a cellphone that plays better than cellphone quality games. but they also remember it being shaped like a Taco and don't take it too seriously also other things help it from not being taken to seriously but I'm not going to get into that.

So to sum that up, Do you think iOS devices are going to last the test of time and be remembered as a gaming platform. or go the way of the N-Gage.