Small Biz Spotlight: Slide to Play (Pt. 3)
This is the final post of a three part interview series about the mobile market, particularly gaming, with the editors of Slide to Play, Tim Rattray, Assistant Editor and Andrew Podolsky, Editor-in-Chief.
In this post, we cover the soon to be launched iPad as well as the impending next generation iPhone and how both devices might impact the mobile gaming market.
TR: Any thoughts on how the iPad or even the next generation iPhone may change or enhance mobile gaming?
Tim Rattray: The iPad is going to be huge for social gaming. Board games in particular will benefit from the larger real estate as a family can sit around the living room table and share the device. This removes the need for storage space, tons of tiny pieces that easily get lost and preparation. Fun will just be a tap away.
For an older crowd, the iPad will allow them to have a constant supply of crossword puzzles and similar pastimes. Not only does it eliminate the need for paper but gives people the opportunity to delete mistakes and have a new puzzle ready at any time, anywhere you go.
For the hardcore crowd, there are definitely genres that will benefit from the enhanced touch-based experience of the larger screen. One such genre is real-time strategy games, which boil down to creating units and sending them to attack an enemy base. Unit selection, map navigation, and quickly issuing commands will be possible in ways never seen before.
AP: I'm glad that the iPad will come out of the gate with tens of thousands of games, most of which will translate from the iPod Touch or iPhone versions just fine. Games where you have to hold the device and tap virtual buttons towards the center of the screen will probably need to be altered for comfort's sake.
Mostly I'm looking forward to seeing how the iPad changes the social manner of gaming. Like Tim said, sharing the device will be a big draw, more than the personally-focused iPhone or iPod Touch. Plus, it's yet to be seen if developers can squeeze more graphical power out of the iPad to produce better-looking games.
Besides more speed, I really don't know what to expect from the next generation of iPhone. This device already does so much, and it already feels so future-proof, that I can't even imagine the next steps the platform should take.
Follow Technorati