The only company that's found economic success in the portable market besides Nintendo is Apple.
The PSP line is designed and marketed towards the "hardcore gamer bros". Unfortunately for Sony not only is their target audience a small but vocal minority of our hobby (the vast majority of gamers are casual) but that minority also seems uninterested in portable gaming anyways (outside of Japan).
I think the 3DS might be too far towards the high end of portable gaming as well. If not it's certainly flirting with the line. I think the market could support one more handheld but it would have to fall in between Apple and Nintendo aiming for a middle ground of $10-$20 games with the types of games you would find on XBLA/PSN/WiiWare.
---------- Post added at 11:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:43 PM ----------
Rumor:
Quote:
Sony’s NGP is touting its 3G mobile connectivity features, but Sony has unsurprisingly confirmed this will not be free, and consumers and even Nintendo’s CEO all appear extremely hostile to the idea.
SCE’s European boss has confirmed that the NGP’s 3G connectivity will not be a free service, meaning contracts with mobile phone providers will almost certainly be involved.
If the market for smartphones is anything to go by, this will likely mean $20-$100 monthly data plans, minimum contract periods and a variety of other inconveniences, all without the benefit of actually being able to make phone calls or do much beyond play games (which of course also have to be bought).
Nintendo’s CEO actually rubbished the NGP for just this reason, saying he thought it would be extremely difficult to persuade consumers to stomach the costs of a mobile data plan:“I won’t deny we’ve been looking into [3G support for the 3DS]. However, with the separate subscription fee required it is a very difficult option to consider.”
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