In an interview to Pocket Link , Dennis Durkin, Microsoft’s chief operating and financial, crushed the rumors today suggesting that Microsoft were planning a dedicated portable gaming console to battle Nintendo 3DS and bitter rival Sony's PSP Vita. In fact, Dennis has questioned the viability of the business model of these dedicated portable consoles. More from the article quoted below:
Clearly, past couple of years haven't been great for portable consoles but things might change this year with 3D gimmick from Nintendo and hardware beast from Sony. Microsoft is making the right decision here by targeting Windows Phone as the only portable gaming platform. They don't want developers targeting two different platforms; assuming a new portable device is launched, it will pack better hardware features and users will demand higher quality games that only the portable console could run while the phone users would suffer the infamous fragmentation / discrimination (sigh). It's important they keep building the momentum for Windows Phone, also the Xbox live integration needs to improve (more quality games, increase frequency of release, add multiplayer, etc) since it's the only way to beat the true king of portable gaming, iOS. Long road lies ahead for Microsoft, lot of work to do but everything seems to be on target.
They are very challenging markets as phones have got smarter, and we’ve chosen to make our bed around the phone instead and add Xbox Live services to Windows Phone 7 instead,” the exec insisted.
Microsoft hasn’t hidden the fact that it believes in it’s portable gaming experience should be experienced by phone users rather than those on a dedicated console, but it’s the first time the company as actively said that it doesn't see a dedicated version as viable.
And you can see why there isn’t a fuss about creating a device to take on the Sony PlayStation Vita or the Nintendo 3DS:
“Today on Windows Phone, Xbox Live games make up less than 1 per cent of the number of games that are on there. They are over 30 per cent of the units of the games downloaded on the phone, and they over 70 per cent of the revenue. That’s because consumers value the experience and integration of the game with Xbox Live.” added Marc Whitten, corporate vice president of Xbox LIVE.
Clearly, past couple of years haven't been great for portable consoles but things might change this year with 3D gimmick from Nintendo and hardware beast from Sony. Microsoft is making the right decision here by targeting Windows Phone as the only portable gaming platform. They don't want developers targeting two different platforms; assuming a new portable device is launched, it will pack better hardware features and users will demand higher quality games that only the portable console could run while the phone users would suffer the infamous fragmentation / discrimination (sigh). It's important they keep building the momentum for Windows Phone, also the Xbox live integration needs to improve (more quality games, increase frequency of release, add multiplayer, etc) since it's the only way to beat the true king of portable gaming, iOS. Long road lies ahead for Microsoft, lot of work to do but everything seems to be on target.
