#NerdsUnite: Confessions of a Videogame Journalist
<editorsnote> Nerds, meet my buddy John. We started talking on the twitter not too long ago, and then he reached out and asked if he could write for us regarding his journey through the nerdy realm. I was all DUDDEEE!! That's so raaaddd!! And now, here we are. Like right now, in real time, this is happening. Pretty cool huh? HIT IT JOHN!!! </editorsnote>
#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @JohnSollitto
(Hey folks! This is John. Just want to share with you an article one of my own writers has done about tablets and mobile gaming after E3! Everyone say hello to Jesus! No, not Christ. Jesus the Intern! Follow him here at @jesustheintern on Twitter! Here's a pic of him.)
It seems in the past few years, mobile devices with touch screens have been on the rise. From the android to the iPhone, everyone nowadays has one and because of that mobile gaming has become more prominent. But, bigger is always better so tablets were made. Okay, so maybe the tablets weren't specifically made for the mobile gaming group but they did have them in mind. So much in mind that at this year's E3, tablets and mobile devices were a big presence on the show floor.
Companies like Gree held a huge part of the floor showing of their new games and applications for various devices. All varying from Farmville-esque building games to “Resident Evil: The Mercenaries VS,” some of which are exclusive to the larger tablets. With what’s already on the App store, tablets are slowly starting to take over mobile gaming as a whole.
The tablet’s success can be drawn up like this: Mobile gaming was previously just having a Gameboy in your pocket and being able to pull it out whenever. Now convenience has become a bigger issue. Why have a brick of a 3DS in your pocket, only meant for playing games, when you can have a thinner iPhone which can be used for practically everything? You can be sitting at home working on something on your tablet and with just a few taps of your fingers you can be playing Tetris. It’s a big thing to be able to do that when in the past you'd have to change a disc or cartridge. Consumers aren’t the only ones who've noticed this; big name gaming companies have too.
It can be argued that Nintendo was the first to start the "Touch" era, but it’s pretty safe to assume that their new console, the Wii U, has been at least ever so slightly influenced by the tablet craze. I mean the controller is basically a tablet with thumbsticks and buttons, and to tell you the truth it actually works. But for more on that, go check out Mike’sopinion of the Wii U. Sony is also taking part in this trend. With the PS Vita having the dual touch-screens and all the similar capabilities of a tablet, it’s not a far cry to say that this handheld was made to appeal to both tablet users and handheld gamers. It’s like I said earlier, it’s all about convenience. With these options, people who are on the fence about either getting a tablet or a gaming device can now have both in one, and this is what the companies are aiming for. To bring the core gamers and the casual gamers to one device so everyone is happy.
Now the question is: Are tablets the future for the gaming industry or are they just a fad? My personal opinion is that maybe it’s here to stay. People already have a tablet device that they can play games on. They don’t really want to shell out another 200 bucks for a DS when they already can play a touch screen game. That’s why so many companies are coming up with more mobile app games and platforms that seem similar to the tablet. There is a difference though, if you play on a tablet and a handheld system. Most people who play on a tablet only intend to play for 5 minutes or so, as a way to kill time. A handheld is meant to be an activity, spending hours and hours playing, but this could all change soon enough with the growth of the PS Vita & Wii U. Like always, only time will tell.
-Written by Jesus Acosta
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