| MS Will Destroy Sony Computer Entertainment 2005-03-14, 5:44 pm |
| http://money.cnn.com/2005/03/11/com...over/gdc_ngage/
Nokia looks forward
Maker of N-gage gaming cell phone plans next generation announcement for
May.
March 11, 2005: 11:24 AM EST
Game Over is a weekly column by Chris Morris
The redesigned N-gage QD corrected many of the original version's design
problems.
SAN FRANCISCO (CNN/Money) - If you're keeping score at home, the number of
new gaming platforms that will be introduced and discussed this May has now
jumped to four.
Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo will all show their next generation machines in
some form or fashion at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), the
annual trade show of the video game industry. Now, add cell phone maker
Nokia to the list.
Despite rumors it planned to exit the business altogether, the company
behind the N-gage gaming phone said it is gearing up for a second round.
"We will be making a significant announcement at E3 regarding our next
generation," said Gerard Wiener, general manager of Nokia's games business
program.
Launched in October 2003, the N-gage has had a rather checkered life. Within
two weeks of its retail release, Nokia was forced to cut the phone's price
by $100. Hackers soon found a way to run its games on other systems. And the
design met with nearly universal scorn.
A redesign correcting many of the design flaws hit the streets six months
later, which helped sales, but the damage was already done to the N-gage's
reputation.
To date, the system has sold just shy of 1.5 million units
But in the last few months, the N-gage has quietly been earning a modicum of
respect among gamers lately with the release of titles that are designed
around the system, rather than simply being ported over from other consoles.
Still lacking, though, are an abundance of quick in-and-out games people can
play on the run. While the idea of having "Call of Duty" or "Splinter Cell"
on your cell phone might appeal to some, the majority of people who play
mobile games prefer something that does not require a time commitment.
Wiener acknowledged this has been a problem for the company.
"We need to embrace a larger demographic," he said.
Technology has also worked against the N-gage. The graphical quality of
games has never been superior. And it looks woefully outdated compared to
the cell phone graphics technology on display at this Game Developer's
Conference. To break away from the pack and become the market leader it
wants to be, Nokia needs to polish the look of its product.
Wiener hinted Nokia (Research) is ready to face that challenge.
"The technology behind these devices has a lot in common with the computing
power in '96 and '97," he said. "In those years, you saw an explosion in
technology and we're facing one of those in our industry now."
______________________________________________________
DEAD BEFORE ANNOUNCED, LOL. (and don't bother with N-gage 2 redesign or
N-gage 3)
NEXT!
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