With the rise in popularity of portable gaming consoles, such as the Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite; cloud gaming, which allows users to play their stationary console and pc games, or just stream games to the cloud, like Google Stadia, Xbox Game Pass, Project xCloud, Amazon Luna Cloud, etc., onto their mobile device.
We have already seen the implementation of these ideas before with the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play and even further back, with the Nokia N-Gage but they did not have the capacity to support console-level games and did not have a large library of games available to play, at the time.
In recent years, we have seen steps in the direction I foresee happening, with the release of game services I talked about before and gamepads that are able to attach to your device. One example of this is the Razer Kishi, which works with most Androids and iPhones. You have the same physical buttons and joysticks found in the console controllers, which save the user from having to learn new affordances since it is something they are already familiar with.
When considering the advancement of mobile gaming there are a couple of consequences to consider. For example, a new gaming console comes out around every five years; for smartphones, the newest version is released every year. This means that these smartphones might need to refresh every year or lack falling behind. Thus, creating more electronic waste from people getting rid of their old devices. Gaming devices usually attract younger audiences. There is a common concern that children could be more easily influenced by the explicit content that they might be able to access and/or become addicted to video games—both affecting their health.
Although there are a couple of concerning consequences with this new advancement in mobile gaming, right now would be the perfect time to release this new experience. Smartphones now are capable to handle more complex games; especially with cloud gaming since more on internet connectivity. Additionally, there is a greater availability of games. Not just through streaming services but in the app stores as well, that support controllers.
The smartphone console’s integrated physical controls are what sets it apart. No longer does someone need to carry a separate device, the gamepad simply slides out from under the phone—creating grooves underneath for the user to grip their phone while gaming. The buttons would be physical for more familiarity to gaming controllers. The touch screen could be used for additional interaction with the games (similar to the Play Station 4 and 5 controllers). Lastly, the device will be able to cast onto another screen—similar to the Nintendo Switch.
As a person who is not familiar with games, I appreciate how your research and the history of early smartphone with games.
I hope this can become true in the recent future.
As the focus and demand for mobile devices continue to rise, I can definitely see your concept come into play!
Yes!I love your idea of future gaming device. I also consider that every device can be accessible to different platforms.