KMC Forums - Smartphones vs Handhelds

Some people would say that the handheld gaming market is dead.

I mean, the Playstation Vita's utter failure in sales must be proof of that, right?

The 3DS isn't selling nearly as many systems as smartphones, so smartphone games are clearly superior.

I disagree.

What people forget about smartphone sales, is that it is still a phone. People use phones for more then just games, and in this day and age, it's almost impossible to pick up a phone that ISN'T a smartphone.

You know what I used for to game for the smartphone market? It wasn't a smartphone at all, it was an iPod touch, because why would I wanna go out and buy a brand new phone, huge SD card and such, when I already have something that can play all those big games.

Handheld gaming isn't dead, nor are handhelds themselves dead either.

All of the awesome 3DS games. Smash Bros, Ocarina of Time 3D.

Playstation Vita with awesome games like Borderlands 2 including multiple DLC packs, Killzone Mercenary, all the PSP classics.

So, just because more smartphones are being bought, does not mean the handheld gaming market is dead, it just means that people... want phones. Nothing more, nothing less. They want phones because they want phones, they didn't see some android game trailer and say "WOAH, I GOTTA PICK UP THE NEW SAMSUNG GALAXY SO I CAN PLAY THAT SHIT!"

No, that doesn't happen. Whereas a person looks up game trailers for the Vita, 3DS, and such. Why is that? Because that is what they are made for, and people pick them up for the games, not to browse the internet, or watch youtube videos, or text their friends, but to play games with their friends, have an awesome time, and so they can take their games on the go.

One of my most fond memories was playing Final Fantasy: Dissidia Duodecim on my PSP on a plane to Florida for 3 hours.

Or when my friend Dylan brought his Vita with him and we played Injustice on the plane for our senior trip, trying to beat Lobo using Batman on "Very Hard" mode.