The crisis of the home console
Since last year, the Japanese consumer electronics giant have exposed a huge loss. April 26, 2012, the electronic game industry milestone Nintendo also announced that the company for over 30 years first annual loss. Competitive products as a Nintendo, 3DS and Wii because of poor sales and lowered price in the industry, this is dragged down Nintendo “century-old” core issues.
30 years, face a variety of opponents Sony, Sega, Microsoft, Nintendo always smart to reshape the pattern of the game market, find a breakthrough. In 2004, the company launched the DS handheld game consoles (3DS’s predecessor) was all the rage. Next, the 2006 launch of the somatosensory game consoles Wii, creating a precedent for somatosensory game. But after Apple introduced the iPhone and iPod Touch the same innovation as the key link, the field of Nintendo in the handheld console faced serious challenges, sales fell behind.
With the rise of the iPhone game, Nintendo video game business suffered shock. Hardcore gamers and even said that the Wii has no freshness, they began to play the game through the iPhone. Analysts are constantly thinking about this problem: in the end how Nintendo home console in the end how?
WII appearance of very delicate
The traditional game industry Weiyi
From the current situation, the traditional home console / handheld and Apple iPad / iPhone competitive disadvantage, very good professional home console and handheld games, but most people go out pocket usually only installed a electronic equipment, too many electronic devices are not so many pockets, with phone features iPhone is the preferred, it is impossible without the phone, this thinking leads to another question, whether traditional handheld can also take the same ideas, add in a video game, phone and text messaging capabilities to counter the iPhone.
Handheld market is still the highest share of Nintendo NDS, but with the rapidly growing popularity of iOS and Android platforms, you can be sure that iOS and Android share will also continue to enhance, NDS will sooner or later be exceeded, which perhaps has brought us handheld game era of a new revolution.
iPhone mobile games, low price is not all because of the low cost, mainly because of its extremely low distribution channels and efficient. IPhone game pricing is only $ 1, with little more than $ 10 game home console game is popular in more than $ 20.
Hardware, iPhone several updates, and gradually explore and refine the gameplay unique touch screen phone at the same time, the rapid growth in hardware performance also allow game developers to fine some column screen 3D games onto phone. IPhone4 release several games using Unreal Engine 3, the performance has been quite impressive 3D graphics effect.
User base, the traditional handheld console platform user base seems the degree of overlap and the user base for the iOS platform is not high, traditional handheld or experienced gamers play action game masterpiece , iOS platform for non-professional players to play the main game of the leisure class, all user groups certainly game sales are even greater sales support traditional handheld game developers may convert the platform .
However, the overall gaming experience and professional degrees, iOS games or have a certain gap and traditional handheld game. But in fact, in addition to some senior players, most of the user requirements are not so high.
With the popularity of mobile devices and smart phones, especially by virtue of the success of low-cost video game sales in the App Store, Apple puerile and handheld Nintendo as the core business advantage is gradually disappearing. More important, the popularity of the game on a mobile terminal to go past Nintendo games smart, simple and Puzzle different route very similar.
It is understood that, as early as September 2010, iPod touch has become the world’s largest portable game console, has sold more than the total sales of the Nintendo and Sony portable game of the two companies. Apple iPad tablet computer rage, as well as the popular Apple iPhone smartphone, not only attracted a large number of third-party game developers, and also stole numerous mass gamers. For now, the traditional game industry momentum lower is an indisputable fact.
The crisis of the home console
The comparison of the various game platforms
In addition to the external iOS, Android, and other platforms aggressive offensive, facing the home console competitors are still many, too many games platform can also cause a lot of problems, the main problem is the platform too, development transplantation and use will increase unnecessary costs.
Current game platforms such as computers, network, home console, handheld, iPhone, platform game has its own characteristics, very difficult to unify.
Classic console game experience from the point of view, action and adventure games, home console experience is far superior to the online game, “Resident Evil,” “Dynasty Warriors”, “God of War” game experience, using a PC computer difficult to achieve.
Best PC gaming experience is a first-person shooter game “Half-Life”, “Call of Duty” and “Medal of Honor” and other first-person shooter computer experience excellent, but it is difficult to operate the consoles, players use The handle is difficult to achieve the same mouse sensitivity and experience.
Casual game is still dominated by the iPhone and iPad, Apple’s application store has a cheap and amazing sales network, users can be purchased at very low prices to experience excellent casual games, “Zombies”, “Angry Birds” and other casual games is still a touch screen game platform strengths, difficult for other platforms to reach their gaming experience.
iOS and handheld sales strategy also many differences. iOS game sales strategy for Pan players that mild gamer amount on the second quality, easy to operate and can be; the handheld sales strategy for core gamers, the touch screen, the story requirements requirements. The population differences directly affect the pricing strategy, but it is undeniable, Pan group of gamers, everyone competing for iOS performance better.
The fate of the home console in China
For fear of teenagers addicted to the game, the Chinese government from 2000 released game consoles ban order, this lock-up order of the Chinese government is very difficult to understand for many Westerners.
China game console ban led to the game host can not be sold in China, from the outset, closed the home console market, most home console in China are parallel imports and piracy, game content are mostly in English and Japanese. Game consoles ban order to destroy the home console market, but does not affect the computer online games to occupy a dominant position in the industry as a whole.
Network game is the most suitable for Chinese users of the game, although the game experience is not necessarily a good game style very single, basically similar to the “World of Warcraft” this type, but Chinese users have not paid habits, experience better home console games can not sell, the price is high, and rampant piracy, game developers finished game development costs are expected to be difficult to recover, it is estimated that the still difficult to form a kind of online games revenues and funds.
Online game is easy to receivables, piracy does not make sense, because it must be networked authentication to play, so although the stand-alone game experience better, but developers are willing to invest in it, if the home console developed a similar iPhone’s built-toll system and can be a good way to open up the domestic payment system operators, it can by free release games – Built props charging mode, it should be easier to charges some.
Similar to the Wii console failed in China is inevitable, Nintendo Wii sales strategy far as Apple iOS, Wii will not be issued in China, Chinese language interface, nor a Simplified Chinese game, ultra-high price of genuine game disc issue Apple iOS Chinese shops, Chinese casual game network issue, the average price was $ 1, as well as a lot of free games. This is bound to be successful Apple rather than a Nintendo game industry in China.
Nintendo and Sony may be because of fear of piracy, so do not attach importance to the Chinese market, however, why a large number of online games, the Apple App Store game companies game users in China who can go to a lot of money, but not these professional game in Japan.
Conclusion
Currently, most of the traditional game companies are aware of the crisis, and actively adjust the product strategy, but the depth and breadth are not enough. Traditional game should not only locked for core gamers, but should take into account the public royal, they only have to identify their own market positioning, and actively explore new ways of cooperation with mobile terminal, innovative products, in order to hold their own mountains and rivers.
Source:
http://blogworld.me/the-crisis-of-the-home-console/