游戏开发商大会（Game Developer Conference）历来都是把焦点放在PCS和PlayStation、Xbox之类的游戏掌机上。游戏邦发现，今年大会一反常态，几乎所有公司都把精力放在了社交和手机游戏平台上，人们对于社交游戏和手机游戏的关注度远超传统的掌机游戏。以下就是原因所在。

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手机和社交游戏聚集大量用户

游戏公司PopCap和Information Solutions Group所做的最新调查揭示了一些有趣的数据：

当问及最常在哪种游戏设备上玩游戏时，44%的玩家选择手机，这个比例远超视频游戏掌机（21%）和电脑（30%）的用户比例，位居第一。

游戏邦认为，原因主要有以下几点：

* 手机游戏触手可及：和掌机不同，用户并不需要下很大决心去购买手机来玩游戏，因为他们已经人手一部了。

* 手机游戏很平价：热门游戏《愤怒的小鸟》也只要99美分，但掌机游戏的平均价格在49.95美元，最便宜的游戏价格也很少低于9.99美元。

* 手机游戏操作简单：和掌机不同（其操纵杆上的按键多达17个），手机的按钮数量有限，这也就是说手机游戏操作简单，完全可以凭直觉（触屏）。

虽然在线社交游戏并不像手机游戏那样普遍，但他们拥有同样的优势：

* 社交游戏触手可及：大部分的美国人都上网。

* 社交游戏很平价：Zynga的《Farmville》以及几乎其他所有社交游戏都是免费的。

* 社交游戏操作简单：在线环境（潜伏期问题）使得游戏玩起来很简单。

据游戏邦了解，10年前，有些视频游戏只出现在掌机上，但社交和手机游戏平台的出现改变了这一切。现在越来越少普通用户会购买掌机以及掌机游戏了。

去年对非传统游戏市场来说是特别有趣的一年：

* 索尼（Sony）推出了平板电脑PlayStation S1，然而它的竞争对手竟然是索尼自己的PlayStation 3。

* 专注于电脑游戏的开发商id Software（同时也是《毁灭战士》（Doom）的开发商）最先将其新游戏《Rage》植入iPhone，而非掌机上。

* 任天堂（Nintendo）宣布苹果（Apple）是它的首要竞争对手。

* 虚拟平台OnLive实现了掌机游戏同时在手机和网页上运作。

游戏邦认为，对于掌机今后并不会消失，但种种迹象表明它未来的角色就如同电视机一样：电视机是起居室的必要装备，但它的重要性远不如YouTube、iTunes以及其他媒体渠道。（本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译，转载请注明来源：游戏邦）

Game Developers Conference: Consoles Are Tired; Mobile Is, Um, Wired

The Game Developer Conference traditionally focuses on PCs and game consoles such as the PlayStation or Xbox. This year, however, nearly every company is putting far more energy into social and/or mobile gaming platforms, including Rupert Murdoch’s new company, Making Fun. Once relegated to online solitaire and bad versions of Snake, social and mobile games are taking the spotlight away from traditional home game systems. Here’s why.

Mobile and social is where customers areA new survey from the game company PopCap and the Information Solutions Group found some interesting statistics, including:

When asked which gaming-capable device they play games on most often, 44% of mobile phone gamers chose their phones, catapulting handsets past video game consoles (21%) and computers (30%) to the top of the list.

The reasoning is fairly simple:

Mobile games are available: Unlike consoles, customers do not have to make a conscious decision to buy a mobile phone for gaming. They already have the gaming system in their hands.

Mobile games are cheaper: The hit Angry Birds is as cheap as 99 cents, while the average console game runs $49.95 and is rarely less than $9.99 at its cheapest.

Mobile games are accessible: Limited buttons on a cell phone mean games have to be simple and intuitive, unlike the home consoles that sport as many as 17 buttons on their joysticks.

Online social gaming isn’t quite as ubiquitous as mobile gaming at this point, but the same advantages apply:

Social games are available: Most Americans have access to the Internet.

Social games are cheaper: Zynga’s Farmville and nearly all other major social games are free.

Social games are accessible: The online environment (issues with latency, etc.) makes the games simpler.

Consoles gaming is available elsewhere

A decade ago certain video game experiences were exclusive to the home console, but advances in the social and mobile gaming platforms have changed all that. There is now less incentive for the average consumer to buy a console and, more importantly, the games that come for the console.

The past year has been particularly interesting for non-traditional gaming markets:

Sony (SNE) itself announced the PlayStation S1, a tablet that will end up competing against Sony’s very own PlayStation 3

Computer-focused developer (and Doom creator) id Software premiered its latest game, Rage, on the iPhone before the consoles

Nintendo (NTYDO) declared Apple (APPL) its number one competitor

The virtual platform OnLive made console games playable on the mobile and the web

My BNET colleague Ben Popper said about OnLive last June:

…with the launch of the streaming game service OnLive this weekend, the death of expensive consoles from Microsoft (MSFT), Sony (SNE) and Nintendo (NTDOY) may finally be in sight.

I’m skeptical that consoles will go away entirely, but signs say their role will soon be the equivalent of the television: A living room set piece that has taken a backseat to YouTube, iTunes, and other media channels.（Source：BNET）