Nokia's Mobile N*Gage Only Software
New Nokia mobile platform will be software-based
Nokia has announced new details about its upcoming N*Gage mobile gaming platform. During his GDC keynote Nokia's director of game publishing, Greg Sauter, spoke about the platform, new games, and new publishers on board.
The main news is that N*Gage will exist as a software layer rather than as hardware in and of itself. As such, a range of what Nokia is now calling “converged devices” (“fancy phones” to the rest of us) will support the platform. It will interact with the various features of modern mobiles such as MP3 players and wireless networking to provide a more user-friendly service.
Speaking on mobile gaming in general Sauter expressed the opinion that as a whole it's “immature” but that Nokia is in a position to revolutionise the industry. In a burst of corporate-speak he explained that Nokia is currently in transition from being “a company that makes hardware to one that provides experiences.”
“When we go live,” Sauter added, “There will already be dozens of platforms that are N*Gage compatible... It’s not static, it grows. We’re gonna keep adding features.”
On the games front, Nokia announced that Gameloft’s Asphalt 3, Street Rules, Brothers In Arms: Hell’s Highway, Brain Challenge, Midnight Pool and EA Mobile’s FIFA 2008 will all be available on the platform.
Three new publishers have added their support to the platform, joining the already signed on EA and Gameloft. Added to the roster are Indiagames, one of India's largest developers and publishers, Glu Mobile, which has just announced that it will port Age of Empires III to mobile gaming, and THQ Wireless. As we reported way back in December 2005, Nokia's first attempt at N*Gage died in part due to publisher indifference, so this additional support is a definite boon to the platform.
N*Gage is due for release this Autumn.
Are you likely be ditching your DS or PSP for N*Gage? Answers in the Forum please.
The main news is that N*Gage will exist as a software layer rather than as hardware in and of itself. As such, a range of what Nokia is now calling “converged devices” (“fancy phones” to the rest of us) will support the platform. It will interact with the various features of modern mobiles such as MP3 players and wireless networking to provide a more user-friendly service.
Speaking on mobile gaming in general Sauter expressed the opinion that as a whole it's “immature” but that Nokia is in a position to revolutionise the industry. In a burst of corporate-speak he explained that Nokia is currently in transition from being “a company that makes hardware to one that provides experiences.”
“When we go live,” Sauter added, “There will already be dozens of platforms that are N*Gage compatible... It’s not static, it grows. We’re gonna keep adding features.”
On the games front, Nokia announced that Gameloft’s Asphalt 3, Street Rules, Brothers In Arms: Hell’s Highway, Brain Challenge, Midnight Pool and EA Mobile’s FIFA 2008 will all be available on the platform.
Three new publishers have added their support to the platform, joining the already signed on EA and Gameloft. Added to the roster are Indiagames, one of India's largest developers and publishers, Glu Mobile, which has just announced that it will port Age of Empires III to mobile gaming, and THQ Wireless. As we reported way back in December 2005, Nokia's first attempt at N*Gage died in part due to publisher indifference, so this additional support is a definite boon to the platform.
N*Gage is due for release this Autumn.
Are you likely be ditching your DS or PSP for N*Gage? Answers in the Forum please.
Companies:
Electronic Arts Gameloft Glu Mobile Indiagames Nokia THQ Wireless
Games: Age of Empires III Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway
Games: Age of Empires III Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway
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Comments
hotblack 8 Mar 2007 09:50
1/2
I wouldn't say it's news that the NGage will be software only. They've said as much in the past (referring to the 'platform' not the 'device') and it's certainly the direction they've been heading on. There were just a few unfortunate titles of news stories and the unfortunate direct link to hardware whenever the name is mentioned that sent some off-track.
way 8 Mar 2007 18:45
2/2
Why not, if they can deliver. Do we need all the power in the PSP to have fun? If you look at gigabyte phones, you will find 3D and an host of other things, like motion sensing, that could make an phone good. Significant power is available but even the GBA had enough power. The biggest problems are, underpowered sometimes, bad controls (real, tactful, portable game system level controls and layout) open standardised platform compatibility, with games being able to be loaded from the computer/card/usb etc. When these problems are solved, why can't we have fun.
Mobile game coverage has been lacking here, and I offered to cover, but nothing, how can we take it seriously.
Forgot to mention, according to brighthand, there is not an actual hardware games phone, but there is an phone that will be more friendly to games coming.
Mobile game coverage has been lacking here, and I offered to cover, but nothing, how can we take it seriously.
Forgot to mention, according to brighthand, there is not an actual hardware games phone, but there is an phone that will be more friendly to games coming.