In some ways, the situation could even be considered predictable. Smart phones are always leaning towards having better and faster processors, larger storage and better features. Nintendo’s handhelds on the other hand, have always stayed pretty much the same –gaining only relatively minor upgrades throughout the years and having a minimal degree of multi-functionality aside from playing games (a disadvantage that the Sony PSP does not share).
In the gaming industry, Nintendo would always have a place in the hearts of many hardcore gamers who have long since moved on to console devices from Sony and Microsoft. Many of these players have grown up with iconic Nintendo characters such as Mario, Link and just over a decade ago, Pikachu. Unfortunately, having a space in the heart does not necessarily mean a place in the budget allowance.
Sales of Nintendo’s console and handheld are still doing well, though the numbers have been slowly decreasing throughout the years. As the Kyoto-based game company focuses more and more on casual titles, many game developers feel limited when making games for the Wii or the DS –opting to make games for systems that have better hardware such as the PS3 or the Xbox 360 (and the PSP as well).
In the casual game market, Nintendo is also losing its’ grip; its target demographic are now preferring to own an iPhone over the DS (mostly influenced by the fact that casual players would rather have a single device that does both as opposed to carrying a DS and a mobile phone.
Experts agree that if Nintendo wants to break the vicious cycle that it has been on recently, they would have to crank out a real console worthy of next generation games (and ease up on their approval policies) or take the Apple route –turn the DS into a device that does more than play games.
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