Bad news for hardcore gamers – at the Games Developer Conference 2005 firms are focussed on “the casual gamer, connected via the ubiquitous cell phone, and the “serious” gamer, utilizing game technology to teach and learn, not for entertainment”. Games on mobile phones are likely to remain casual, in that they will be played while waiting and against the mobile rather than against other people. “With all the panelists citing lack of carrier support and technological bottlenecks, especially regarding speed, as major hurdles to overcome before multiplayer gaming could take a major next step, the picture looked bleak for anyone hoping to play anywhere, anytime simply by whipping out their phone and dialing up a game.”
On the other hand, the author (Cory Casciato) does have an interesting suggestion resulting from the panel moderator encouraging the audience to send “You Suck” SMSes to what turned out to be a wrong number… “The future of mobile multiplayer gaming may not be in slicker interfaces for casual games or technology to allow MMOs and first-person shooters on the go, but in utilizing the power of the social networks inherent in cell phones to create unique gaming experiences”. A more detailed description of the panel is at GameSpot.
Also, Steve Jackson is looking to put ‘Ogre’ and ‘Car Wars’ on mobile phones …
Related stories:
รข
Comments have been disabled for this post