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N-Gage 2 Pictures Show Evolution Of Handheld?
Roger Ramjet writes "Fan site NGageGaming has reposted a couple of leaked images of
what appears to be Nokia's N-Gage 2 phone/gaming handheld hybrid. While the device is similar to the
original N-Gage, the keyboard and look has been redesigned, and on the
flip side of the phone/gaming device may possibly be space for a camera." Apparently, Nokia "...is expected to have a major press event on April 14 to showcase the upgraded version", and the same fansite is also reporting on the woes of current N-Gage software support, mentioning that "Taito Memories and Marcel Desailly Pro Soccer have both been 'delayed' for N-Gage release."
I must commend Nokia for not giving up on the NGage, and I am enouraged to see that they are trying to stick by the NGage fanbase, no matter how small it is.
Problem is, they are the only people who care. A new, more gamer-friendly design, some small remoddelling, does this change the fact that it's game line-up is horrendous? Many NGage owners have said it's cool that in the light of the PSP and the DS, it's enouraging to see Nokia push a little harder, but is it really? Does the NGage2 really stand a chance against the PSP? Even I'm planning to buy a PSP, and I'm usually a Sega/Nintendo-orientated guy.
Also, given the fact that this announcement will be of little interest to people who are not already NGage fans, who will be buying this remoddelled version? We all remember how expensive the original NGage was, I can't see current owners buying the machine over again... and Nokia will have to work hard to entice anyone else.
The NGage hadpotential. It did stuff that GBA owners could only dream of, and to be honest, handheld rendidtions of Tomb Raider and ther much-underrated Pandemonium! interested even me. But the initial 'Wow 3D handhelds!' shock has died down, and the public need something else to focus on.
I hate to be the board pessimist, but I don't think this will help Nokia really... they blew it at the start by giving themselves no market audience (Gamer's thought it was too expensive and felt awful to hold, and phone users update their phone too quickly to give the unit any long-term life), and are now struggling to keep the system floating.
A shame, had the system been in the hands of a company who knows the gaming market, it could have been big.
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