Capcom: Gamers no longer use handhelds

By Fred Dutton Published 21 January, 2011

Smartphones have taken over.

Both core gamers and casual PC users are no longer interested in dedicated handheld consoles and are happy to get their portable gaming fix via a smartphone, reckons a top Capcom exec.

Taking a healthy bite directly out of the hand that feeds, Midori Yuasa, president of Capcom Interactive, the publisher's mobile gaming wing, told MCV, "The casual gamer that used to play on the PC and the hardcore gamer that used to play on a dedicated gaming portable now plays on their smartphone."

Elsewhere in an interview that's surely set to win her lots of new friends among internal teams behind the publisher's forthcoming DS and 3DS titles Okamiden, Super Street Fighter IV 3D and Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D, she went on to explain that mobile gaming was set to be a big focus for the company in 2011.

"The iPhone and larger smartphone markets are extremely important to Capcom as, like no device before, smartphones have the potential to become a universal game platform.

"We have a lot of stuff on the horizon for both hardcore and casual gamers, so 2011 is shaping up to be huge on Capcom's mobile front."

Well, what with the recent MaXplosion plagiarism furore, the division has certainly got off to a cracking start.

Picture of Fred.

About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

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Comments (66) Latest comment 1 year ago

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  • elvenscroll #1 1 year ago

    Capcom think gamers no longer play Handhelds? They make Monster Hunter don't they?

  • nofear360 #2 1 year ago

    Wow, simply wow.

  • Eraysor #3 1 year ago

    Considering Monster Hunter is the only game I play on my PSP...oh dear.

  • captain_Carl #4 1 year ago

    Haha, ignorant tossers

  • lockload #5 1 year ago

    Totally agree i have no need for a seperate gaming handheld, i have a console at home and a phone for on the bus i dont want to carry two things

  • drhappy #6 1 year ago

    why would they say something as stupid as this?

  • jackdoe #7 1 year ago

    She says one thing, but Capcom is completely doing something else by throwing shovelware at mobile phones and actual games at handhelds.

  • CaptainKid #8 1 year ago

    Play on smartphone?
    Mine only has a touchscreen, not exactly gamer friendly.

  • MattEdWithCheese #9 1 year ago

    I don't own a smartphone, I use handhelds a lot especially my psp. Playing Birth By Sleep RIGHT NOW.

    untill smartphones can offer a gamepad-like control scheme I won't buy one

    I can deal with the psp analogue nub but not a fake touchscreen one thanks!

  • Eraysor #10 1 year ago

    The only game I have played on the iPhone as much as a GBA/DS game is Game Dev Story.

  • Futaba #11 1 year ago

    Capcom's fall from grace continues...

  • MARKIV #12 1 year ago

    All Apple need to announce now is that the iPhone 5 is 3D!

  • Grayvern #13 1 year ago

    If she'd said handheld numbers have stayed stable and attach rates or sales of games have fallen 5% as more and more people's contracts give them game capable handhelds; I may have believed her.

  • theonomous #14 1 year ago

    Even my dog knows not to poop where she sleeps.

  • vegard #15 1 year ago

    i don't see the need for a dedicated handheld gaming device any longer. but then again, i'm OLDZ and not really in touch with gaming trends these days!

  • rogueJT #16 1 year ago

    That's great promotion for SSFIV on the 3DS.

  • Hulle #17 1 year ago

    Hmm. I disagree with her... I consider myself a hardcore gamer. I own all the consoles and I own a IPhone, but I dislike playing on it.. Why? Touchscreen controls only work properly on DS.. Control is a really big issue on smart phones. It just isn't on par with a dedicated gaming device.

  • midnight_walker #18 1 year ago

    Interesting, considering anyone vaguely interested in a 3DS is wanking themselves into a veritable frenzy over SSFIV 3D

  • Phishfood #19 1 year ago

    "You think you're better than me? WRONG! I'm better than you, fuckin casual gamer"

    is the email she'll be getting from her colleagues.

  • UncleLou #20 1 year ago

    I wouldn't say "no longer use", but smartphones are probably replacing handhelds like consoles replaced PCs for many people. There'll still be a market, but I doubt it'll play the same role as it did in the past.

  • Apaar #21 1 year ago

    Only something like a PSPhone could I imagine actually bridging the gap between smatphones and dedicated gaming devices. The current offerings and control systems of the smartphones leave me absolutely cold. And even with a device like PSP phone, is it really 'universal gaming'? Will anyone but a hardcore gamer actually purchase a PSPhone?

  • Floppy #22 1 year ago

    Whereas I see it completely the opposite. I play my handhelds more; and can see a future where handhelds get to point where they catch up with fixed console capabilities and replace them.

    They'll have full HD portable screens, and HDMI output to TVs should you want it on a big screen.

    Which to be honest, isn't far away. Some smart phones already have HDMI outputs to display video.

  • the_merchant #23 1 year ago

    But if the PSP2 ends up doubling up as a smartphone...

  • peterfll #24 1 year ago

    But what about the hardcore PC gamers and the casual console gamers? Are they interested in the hardcore portable platforms, or are they just interested in casual smartphone market.

    And what about people who wear casual slacks?

  • Xboxfanuk #25 1 year ago

    I wish I had a smart phone...I don't like my PSP.

  • drumbaby #26 1 year ago

    Hey Twatcom, what other wonderful plagarised handheld games have you got in store for us now that you've forgotten all about Monster Hunter?

  • kissgz #27 1 year ago

    Sorry to say but I tend to agree. Me and my friends just don't play our handhelds anymore (I have a DS, a GBA, and a PSP).

    On the other hand, Capcon still don't invest in the iPhone much. Maybe they're just playing safe (want their games to be playable on all generations). Just check RE4 on the platform and compare it to the 3DS ones, or check the upcoming DMC4. Up to this point the only thing they did right on the iPhone was SFIV.

    BTW it it official now? Okamiden and Ghost Trick on iPhone in 2011?

  • Der_tolle_Emil #28 1 year ago

    Gamers no longer use handhelds

    Actually, they do. The only thing I really play on my mobile is Game Dev Story. All the other games are fun for 5 minutes and then I curse the touch only controls, or the lacking depth. I haven't played a single game on a mobile phone that comes even close to the gaming experience a handheld offers.

    I also don't want to be bothered by a "new email arrived" message every 5 minutes. The same reason why I don't use my phone as my media player. Phones do so much at the same time but they don't excel in anything.

  • Cronan #29 1 year ago

    I think there is a point to be made here. The mobile platform of choice for the mass-market was the handheld, now it's smart-phones. I think you can make a case for this, it all really depends on how well the 3DS sells.

  • Widge #30 1 year ago

    I want to play on the new lot of handheld consoles because my iPhone cannot deliver on the more high end, button based games I want to play.

  • Golgo #31 1 year ago

    I don't like playing games on something called a 'phone'. Phones = bother, intrusion and work. Don't like that associated with my pleasurable hobby.

  • Mr_Brown #32 1 year ago

    Considering I never play games on my iPhone because despise the controls. Even on games I usually would love on handhelds (final fantasy, Shining force). Whereas I recently got Chrono Trigger and almost completed DQ IX and cannot wait to play Tactics Ogre and Ys 1 and 2 chronicles which I have on preorder for the PSP. Yeah handheld gaming is dead...

  • altitude2k #33 1 year ago

    Kind of agree. I'll submit that handhelds are clearly the better platform for playing games on the go, but there's a lot of people (like me) who aren't willing to a) have something else to carry around as well as a phone, and b) stump up the extra cash because the games are a bit better.

  • Toothball #34 1 year ago

    Well, in a little over two months I'll be buying a 3DS. Then perhaps later this year or next, a PSP2. I have a smartphone too, which I use for all kinds of things that aren't gaming. Does that mean I'm not a core gamer any more? A friend of mine accuses me of being a casual game for playing portable games, but according to this I'm not a casual gamer either. I guess that's something.

    Wait, if you rule out core and casual gamers that just leaves kid gamers. Guess I'll revel in my extended childhood a bit longer.

  • photoboy #35 1 year ago

    I mostly agree with Capcom. My iPhone 4 is small and thin and fits into a pocket easily so it's easy to carry around. My DS Lite and PSP are relatively bulky by comparison and they don't fit into a pocket very well. Worse, due to their size you can't sit down with them in a pocket, so you're forever having to pull them out and put them down whenever you sit.

    Having games on my phone is just so much more convenient and easy. Certainly the iPhone is not suited to dual-stick shooters or anything that needs fast, precision button presses, but there's plenty of touch based games like Plants vs Zombies that work really well and plenty of examples of games being tailored to work well with a touch screen, like Street Fighter 4.

    Handheld gaming has always been about compromise- smaller screens, weaker hardware, battery life restrictions, etc. So while a touch screen is not as good as dedicated buttons, it's a perfectly acceptable compromise for a quick on-the-go gaming fix.
    Edited by photoboy at 21/01/11 @ 09:01

  • SavageEvil #36 1 year ago

    I nearly fell out of my chair reading that, really just, really?!? Last I checked Capcom isn't tossing full fledged games at any mobile phone. MvC 3, home consoles, SSF4 3DS, DMC, consoles...and the list would continue like that for quite some time. I hate playing games on a mobile phone because it's a damn battery drain, when I need to make a phone call my phone will be kaput. Phones do too many things and excel at almost nothing. It's funny that phones are rated mostly on the what it does do(aside from making phone calls), what in the world. I want my phone to make phones calls crisp and clear...everything else is a bonus. Don't come out here and blatantly lie about people not liking to play handhelds, 140 million DS sold says hi!

  • schnide #37 1 year ago

    @beemoh

    We're all having a perfectly reasonable conversation here. There's no need to bring up Stuart Campbell.

  • GamesConnoisseur #38 1 year ago

    The proportions of market share is still rapidly changing, and over the past two years you can clearly see mobile gaming growing very rapidly as well as the decline of traditional boxed retail game.

    Nothing is that simple sure, but predicting what will happen in next few years is not my job or something I m too invested in, as most of us are, a gamer with expensive hobby! I appreciate the ease and cheapness of mobile gaming and I know I was shocked yo my sense re the idea of 3DS as next acquisition.

    What does that mean? Nothing in larger scheme, just that I m not keen on price point but still keen on the games.

    We ll know better comes end of the year how things plays out.

  • Canyarion #39 1 year ago

    A woman that's president of a Japanese business, nice. Never heard about that before.

  • Markusdragon #40 1 year ago

    Head of Mobile Division in bigging up importance of Mobile Division shocker!

  • roz123 #41 1 year ago

    I have an iPhone 4 and I brought it because of people saying its great for gaming. Its great for lite gaming IE small skill games and puzzles as well as everything else it does (phone calls, internet browsing, camera, torch etc).
    My problem is I just cant get immersed into a proper game, even with headphones on I just find i just get bored within minutes. Controls are too limited so most types of games are a struggle and in game menu buttons get in the way. Its a shame but its just a distraction and not as engaging as a DS or PSP.

  • RobTheBuilder #42 1 year ago

    Yes because developers have totally nailed how to replicate a dpad and buttons naturally on the iphone...

  • roz123 #43 1 year ago

    RE:Mercenaries iphone: [link url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJy_9ItPcOY&feature=player_embedded
    ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJy_9ItPc...[/link]

    RE:Mercenaries 3DS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RKFhMFrv_w

  • Wyrm #44 1 year ago

    For my portable gaming needs, my iPhone is more than enough. For some people though, a PSP or DS is there only system I guess, so this is a silly thing to say.

  • telboy007 #45 1 year ago

    Talking to the golden sun, cos the face ain't listening!

  • des #46 1 year ago

    Trying to replicate buttons,analogs,etc on touchscreen is a fail.Same thing happens when PSP developers try to replicate second analog via buttons.It just doesn't work properly and it never will.

    Design the game specifically for touchscreen and it will work nicely.

  • lambtron #47 1 year ago

    I don't use portable gaming devices anymore full stop. Including phones.

  • byakuya83 #48 1 year ago

    Post deleted at 10:03:41 30-03-2012

  • kinky_mong #49 1 year ago

    There is a good point under all that facepalming in what has been said. I generally prefer to use my iPhone for on the move gaming because I have it with me anyway, and that's fine for certain type of games that work well with a solely touchscreen interface (like point 'n' click or puzzle games).

    However, there's some games I just have to play on my DS because they need the benefit of a better control system (GTA Chinatown Wars springs to mind) and in those cases I'm willing to carry an extra device around with me.

  • Toothball #50 1 year ago

    All this talk about touch screens versus button controls should really be that important. In the same way as with motion controls and early generation DS games, what's important is coming up with a game concept that suits the controls, rather than trying to crowbar a gaming concept suited to one control scheme into another.

    This whole debate reminded me of when I showed my brand new GBA to someone at Uni. "It needs more buttons!", he cried. "How can you play games with only four buttons!". "Why would you need more buttons?", I replied. "If it has more buttons then it's more complicated and less fun". "It's no fun unless it's complicated", he replied. I didn't really speak to him much after that.

    I'm not opposed to games that use touch screens and little else. I don't however play mobile phone games because they generally aren't designed to fill more than a few minutes at a time. I much prefer sprawling RPGs and puzzle games with a bit more going on (Wright, Layton and the like). I'll probably be more interested in smartphone gaming when those sort of games come along.

    Also, I probably won't be gaming much on my phone until I get out of my current contract. Ended up with a WM6.5 phone, which everyone has basically given up on. Another year of that and then I might be able to game. Until then, I'll probably be on my 3DS.

  • arcam #51 1 year ago

    @Toothball

    The difference is if you have some buttons you have the choice about what type of game to make - you can make it as complicated or a simple as you like, use one button or ten.

    With an iPhone or other touch-only phones, you're restricted to the type of game that doesn't need buttons. Any other games don't get a look-in.

  • StolenGlory #52 1 year ago

    Gamers no longer use handhelds?

    You better hope that you don't mean that Capcom; especially if your mobile gaming output is anything to go by.

  • gamingdave #53 1 year ago

    That headline is jumping a bit far. She said "The casual gamer that used to play on the PC and the hardcore gamer that used to play on a dedicated gaming portable now plays on their smartphone."

    That may be true, but it doesn't say they no longer play on a dedicated portable as well.

  • pinchofsalt #54 1 year ago

    Yes, because the core demographics of tweens and the older generation all have smartphones. Tit.

  • arcam #55 1 year ago

    They will have soon.

  • miiiguel #56 1 year ago

    I also don't want to be bothered by a "new email arrived" message every 5 minutes.

    Weird smart-phone you have, if you can't turn notifications off. Anyway, I can't stand carry a dedicated gaming device around anymore, it just feels uncofortable in so many ways, but that's me. Here's hoping portable gaming gets real...er... portable, which with dedicated handhelds (mainly with psp) they are not.
    Edited by miiiguel at 21/01/11 @ 12:25

  • kanishou #57 1 year ago

    arcam, while that is true, it is not going to stop phones from taking over.

    What we need to realise is, that the vast majority of people is not religious about games. That doesn't mean that they are not interested in games, and to most people it is a simple proposition: Give me something that is entertaining enough to pass the time while on the move. Smart phone gaming can deliver this, so handhelds lose much of their pull. Just like fewer and fewer people require a separate media player, or even a watch for that matter. Touchscreen games will always be limited in some ways, but that does not mean that they won't be able to provide excellent entertainment value.

    However, saying that gamers (generally) don't use handhelds anymore is more than far fetched, and given that they do not quote her as actually saying any such thing in the article, I cannot say if she actually said it or if the article title is just meant to ignite comment-outrage without reason. :)

  • coolbritannia #58 1 year ago

    Been saying it myself for months. Eg's comments section is not indicative of the outside world. See the success of Kinect.

  • arcam #59 1 year ago

    @kanishou

    Agreed, phones will definitely swallow a large part of the handheld market, and a touchscreen will be plenty good enough for many people. But IMO there will still be room for a proper handheld console, even if that market isn't as big as it was a few years ago.

  • Bander #60 1 year ago

    "I also don't want to be bothered by a "new email arrived" message every 5 minutes. The same reason why I don't use my phone as my media player."

    If I use a separate music or video player, or a handheld console with headphones, I miss incoming phonecalls. So I always use my phone for media unless I'm near a TV or PC, and only play DS games if I'm at home and using the internal speakers. Being immersed in a game or music is a great thing, but I wouldn't ignore other people for it.

    Emails are non-urgent. Email notification messages without an option to turn them off would be a design flaw.
    Edited by Bander at 21/01/11 @ 13:43

  • cherryuk #61 1 year ago

    Strongly disagree. I have a slightly oldskool phone and wouldn't even consider anything touch screen to replace my psp and ds. Still need the use of buttons - touch screen just doesn't feel right for every game.

  • Nikanoru #62 1 year ago

    I'm not gonna take mobile gaming seriously until they implement proper game controls as a default on phones. I don't even need an analogue nub, I'll be happy with a proper d-pad and a few usable buttons.

  • spekkeh #63 1 year ago

    Well, for the users I can certainly see it headed in this direction, what with phone games being €5 and 3DS games being €50.
    Then again, game companies would rather earn more money, so they would go with the 3DS and therefore the 3DS will have better games, forcing the user to...

    Not sure what will happen. My gut feeling says smartphones though
    (don't own a smartphone btw, €900 for the iphone 4 is just ludicrous)

  • UncleLou #64 1 year ago

    Thread reminds me of many PC vs consoles discussions of the past.

    Dedicated handhelds will become (comparatively to today) a niche market. I'll be very surprised if the 3DS gets anywhere near the DS in sales terms.

  • vegard #65 1 year ago

    "Certainly the iPhone is not suited to dual-stick shooters"

    This is SO wrong imho, i love dual-stick shooters on my ipod.

  • JeroenZM #66 1 year ago

    Guess I just imagined all those Ace Attorney and Mega Man Zero titles then.