Tag: game industry

Nintendo may be eyeing mobile games

| May 9, 2013

Wii U - Mobile GamesMobile games may be the future of the Wii U

Acclaimed Japanese game developer Nintendo has been struggling to find a foothold in the industry it helped create. In the past, Nintendo held a commanding presence in the game industry and often used its influence to dictate the success and failure of particular genres in the market. While Nintendo remains one of the most influential companies in the game industry, it has lost much of its luster therein and is often accused of being a company devoted to children’s games. This may soon change, however, as the company begins to show interest in mobile games.

Wii U continues to struggle in the market

Nintendo’s Wii U, which has been billed as the company’s next generation console, has performed poorly in the current market. The company had invested heavily in the Wii U, but the console has yet to meet the sales expectations of the developer. Nintendo attributes part of the problem to marketing, but is unwilling to abandon the console for greener pastures. Nintendo is now seeking out new avenues that could help the Wii U find success, and mobile games may be the key.

Rumor suggest Nintendo interest in mobile games

Rumors are circulating around the game industry concerning Nintendo’s interest in mobile games. These rumors suggest that Nintendo has been making conversion software available to applications developers. This software is reportedly designed to allow app developers to publish their mobile games to the Wii U. These games would not be played on the console proper, but will largely be contained to the console’s GamePad, which is similar to a tablet device, fully equipped with a touchscreen and comprehensive controls.

Game industry becoming increasingly interested in mobile

Nintendo has remained relatively aloof concerning its potential interest in mobile games. If the company truly is pursuing the mobile field, it would not be the only large developer that is doing so in the game industry. Developers and publishers alike have been flocking to the mobile space in droves in order to take advantage of one of the fastest growing sectors in the game industry.

Forced feedback to return to mobile games

| May 5, 2013

Mobile Games - return of forced feedbackForced feedback may make mobile games more engaging

Researchers from Germany’s Hasso Plattner Institute are working to bring forced feedback to mobile games. Forced feedback refers to textile stimulation that people can experience while playing games. In the past, this was accomplished through controllers equipped with technology that would send a vibration through a gamer’s hands. In the advent of mobile games, forced feedback has lost much of its popularity, but researchers believe they can bring forced feedback back to the limelight.

Mobile games lack features of bygone generations

Forced feedback is often considered a way to foster immersion into particular games. This feature was common in the arcade era of racing games, where steering wheels would react to in-game events. Mobile games lack this feature mainly because most mobile devices are not large enough to accommodate the technology involved and the general disinterest that comes from device makers concerning how consumers experience mobile games.

Researchers envision future where forced feedback matters

Researchers from the Hasso Plattner Institute have been working on a method to recreate this experience by delivering a small electrical current through a mobile device. This current stimulates the muscles in a noticeable fashion, but is not dangerous as it complies with medical standards. Researchers are currently working on a bracelet-like system that could be connected to a mobile device, allowing gamers to experience forced feedback in the mobile games that they play.

Interactive technologies may be a better fit for current gamers

The concept of forced feedback has only received modest attention in the modern game industry. Many consumers are calling for more immersive games, but forced feedback may not be the best way to meet the needs of consumers. Augmented reality, which is already widely used in entertainment and marketing, may be a more appropriate pursuit for the gaming world as it allows for more dynamic sensory stimulus than conventional forced feedback products.