I've been hearing for what seems like forever that mobile phones are going to replace dedicated gaming systems. That the days of console games are nearly over. That "mobile devices" are becoming so much more powerful each passing day. Well, I say horse$hit to all that!
Console gaming has come on stronger than ever! While Nintendo is experiencing woes because of their own missteps, Microsoft is selling Xbox One consoles at a faster rate than the Xbox 360. Sony has blown away everyone's expectations with sales of the PlayStation 4 outpacing those of the PS2....which is the best selling console of all time.
Despite all the "analysts" and their predictions, the fact is there is no way gaming on a cell phone or tablet can give gamers the experience that sitting down in front of a television screen or computer monitor can. If the simple fact of how well these consoles are doing isn't enough proof, one only needs to see the Oculus Rift and Project Morpheus on their way.
It's true that mobile gaming has taken a big bite out of the sales for dedicated handheld systems. I think while unfortunate, this is natural given their similar nature. But sales of the 3DS line remain decent nonetheless because the experiences of playing games like Mario 3D Land, Zelda and others can't be mimicked on a touch-screen only device.
As well, a lot of the popularity of mobile games and their "big sales numbers" boil down to the fact that they (for the most part) are cheaply priced games. Angry Birds can sell a bazillion copies because its both a simple game and it's priced around two bucks or on Android devices, for free. On the flip-side, we have IAP titles that try to milk you for money at every turn under the guise of being a free-to-play game.
So what do you guys think? Do you believe that mobile devices will eventually make consoles completely obsolete? Or do you believe like I do that there is plenty of room in this world for both and that console/PC gaming will never die?