Handheld gaming has certainly had its ups and downs: the Nintendo DS was a huge seller and showed that the casual gamer could buy handhelds along with consoles, while the lackluster PSP showed that graphics and power aren’t the best selling points of a handheld system. Although recent handheld systems have had their share of huge numbers and successful sales, mobile gaming through phones and tablets has much more to offer, and has ultimately replaced the niche that handheld gaming used to dominate.
One of the major advantages of mobile gaming devices, as opposed to the two major handheld gaming devices, is that almost all of them offer unlimited data plans. Although the PS Vita offers a 3G function, any data must be paid for in advance, and there is no unlimited pass that allows gamers to access the internet or other services freely without worrying about running out of data. Given the popularity of internet-based applications, being unable to freely use those applications while away from a wifi hotspot is a huge disadvantage for the two major handheld devices. It’s possible that this has more to do with how AT&T negotiated with Sony during the PS Vita’s production, since AT&T ultimately decided what was available for the Vita’s 3G—but ultimately this shows that unlimited data is crucial if you want your gaming device to compete with social devices like the iPhone and Android.
In a similar rung, although there is an app store for both handhelds, neither of them properly mimics the online stores available for phones. Developing for Sony and Nintendo’s handhelds is immensely expensive compared to developing for mobile devices and PCs, and because of that, developers are less inclined to develop for the unique Vita and 3DS. What’s more, because the app stores on each respective handheld has a very strict filter system, it is difficult for interested developers to publish their game for the system. The handhelds’ lower consumer base also makes developers wary, since other platforms will certainly have more customers interested in their game. Third party developers may have no problem publishing for the Vita and 3DS, especially since the platforms have powerful tools compared to mobile phones and tablets, but the huge risks associated with it keep them away.
The last and most important issue with current handheld gaming is the ease of browsing and purchasing a variety of games. As previously stated, the library of apps that the Vita or 3DS can run is severely limited compared to the app stores of mobile devices. There’s a much more narrow range of variety and the target audience of handheld applications is still limited to gamers. Since the 3DS and Vita are not expanding their audience outside of gamers through their small applications, it’s impossible for them to draw in new customers through pitching their devices as social media machines. Although the Vita and 3DS are better equipped to handle games, they can’t do much else—giving mobile phones a huge advantage over them.
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