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Why My iPad Will Never Replace My Xbox

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After the launch of the new iPad, I have read numerous articles (like this and this) discussing how Apple, after cannibalizing both the music and movie industries, now threatens one of the fastest growing industries of my generation: video games.  With more than $25 billion in sales last year (hardware, software and accessories combined), the video game industry has already proven to be a lucrative feeding ground for Apple developers.  Apple and Android now reportedly comprise over 50% of the mobile games market, overtaking Nintendo’s DS last year, in what has become a more than $3 billion segment of the industry while still in its infancy.  This goes well beyond mass-appealers like Angry Birds and Cut The Rope, as companies are starting to target ‘hardcore’ gamers through titles such as Infinity Blade I and II as well as a handful of Call of Duty derivatives.  While it is certainly true that these games command hours of attention from even the most devoted Xbox 360 and PS3 players, I have seen numerous Apple enthusiasts declaring that the iPad will actually REPLACE console games entirely, citing the device’s new screen and processor as the primary reasons.

This is simply laughable.

I am not saying that the screen is not exquisite, or that the processor is not powerful, just that these two factors do not constitute a “premier gaming device” by themselves.  No doubt the iPad has dramatically impacted the game industry, as it has spawned a new demographic of gamers by drawing in a generation of individuals who never gamed before.  However, acknowledging this, I still believe the iPad will forever remain inferior as a gaming platform to more serious, hardcore players.

Before I go into my justifications for this, let me highlight why I think I am qualified to be making this assessment.  I am a big Apple fan, toting a 4s as well as an iPad equipped with over 75 games (I got an Apple gift card for my birthday, alright?) so I think it is fair to say that I have tested the majority of premier games out there and seen the lion’s share of the engines currently available on iOS.  That being said, I have also spent countless hours on my Xbox 360, reaching level 50 in Halo 3, a rank of Legend in Halo: Reach and attaining 8th prestige in MW3.  These accomplishments are in addition to a large range of other arcade and platform games I have played on Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii.

1. History and culture of gaming

Let’s face it…anyone who calls themselves a gamer is already shaking their head at the fact that I even have to make this list.  First off, the console is so deeply rooted in gaming history that I truly believe it will never be ousted.  The console itself has seen dramatic changes, particularly in the last 5 years, which have made it a necessary piece of any complete home media center.  Obviously, the iPad is more expansive in its features, and yes, you can take the iPad anywhere…but the whole concept of the media station or ‘cave’ if you will, has become a staple of modern gaming culture.  Part of the experience is having that favorite chair or couch or seat with joysticks attached from where you take on the world.  This idea of complete immersion that has come with the significant advances in gaming development is lost on the iPad, and it is something that a lot of dedicated gamers value.

The need for multiplayer functionality is also vital to the success of any gaming platform nowadays, and the iPad is seriously lacking in this regard.  Not only the technical ability to play against other people, which Apple is remedying through a new technology, but the social aspect as well.  You and your friends, sitting in a semi-circle within punching distance of each other all staring at the same screen experiencing emotions collectively…this is something the iPad cannot replicate.  Even if in a few years there are advances in multiplayer gaming on the iPad, players in the same room still have to stare at their own individual screens.  It is just not the same.

2. Retina shmetina

My biggest gripe with those who proclaim the iPad’s oncoming dominance is how the retina screen alone should qualify the iPad as an elite gaming device.  The iPad has 1 million more pixels than my HDTV, but am I going to mount it to the wall and sit around it with my friends?  My Xbox360 can only project its images in 1080p at best, and while my iPad is undoubtedly sharper, the difference is relatively insignificant.  In fact, if you were to stream content from the new iPad to an HDTV via Apple TV, the best attainable quality is also 1080p, negating the impact of the retina screen entirely.  I would even go as far as to say in terms of important game features, graphics do not supersede playability, story, or character development.  Graphics are obviously up there, but they are not the be-all end-all.  It is a step in the right direction, but by no means will better graphics singlehandedly dictate which platform takes the cake…unless of course it is revolutionary, like the leap from SNES 16-bit to N64 64-bit graphics.

3. Depth of Games, or lack thereof

Even with popular role playing games, such as Infinity Blade II and Dungeon Hunter II, iPad games can only go so deep.  As the device is meant primarily to handle a host of other functions, games aren’t designed to be a intricate as those on consoles, and thus the length of the story is limited (hence the current prevalence of fun, simple physics, puzzle and social games).  This presents a problem for those who enjoy RPG’s, as replaying the story over and over gets redundant…and this is coming from a guy who played Infinity Blade 2 until I got every weapon, including the blacked-out ones, and Dungeon Hunter 2 until I got 2 characters to level 100.  Imagine games like Azura’s Wrath on the iPad.  They might look brilliant, but they would have to be cut to conform to the platform, eliminating some of what attracts a lot of gamers to these titles.  I for one might think twice about spending $10 - $15 on an app that only has 2 hours of story compared to a full-length 20 hour game for $60 bucks on my PS3.  I think most hardcore gamers would agree.  Not to say these apps wouldn’t be enjoyable…just limited.

As many hardcore gamers are diehard fans of classic MMOs, the lack of compatibility for this genre also inhibits the iPad from becoming a true force in gaming.  While there are currently decent forms available in the app store, i.e. Pocket Legends and Order and Chaos Online, they are seriously lacking in comparison with traditional titles for the PC, and even if the games improve over time, developers will have a hard time maintaining the complexities players are used to on other platforms.  The games will also still be limited by the controls available on the iPad (see the next section.)  Consider the MMORPG-ers out.

4. The Controller

Here’s the kicker…for me at least.  As long as games have been around there has always been some sort of mechanism, independent from the system itself, used to control your actions in the game: the controller (duh).  Ranging from the mouse/keyboard on a computer to the button-laden dual-joystick controllers of Xbox 360 and PS3, controls are arguably one of the more important facets of gaming.  Not to say a new form of controller isn’t on the horizon, e.g. Kinect and PlayStation Move, but this is single reason is justification enough for why the iPad will never be become a premier gaming system.  The fact is that the inlaid controls on iPad games do not give the same level of functionality as the controllers for console games.  This not only restricts what characters in the game can do, but it essentially limits many ‘hardcore’ gamers who typically become elite by pairing a high gaming IQ with the use of tactile memory. This is comparable to how those who excelled at typing on a Blackberry, many of whom could construct messages without even looking at the phone after some time, feel restricted by the keyboard on the iPhone due to the lack of tactile stimulation via the texture-less touch screen keyboard.  Not being able to feel one’s way around the keypad limits the speed and accuracy with which one types.  Not being able to feel one’s way around the controller in a FPS like N.O.V.A limits a player’s ability to react, especially in a multiplayer setting.  From swing-scoping in Halo to sniping in C.O.D, being able to react quickly and appropriately is what differentiates the leets from the nubs (well, that and some coordination.)  Without considering some sort of hardware extension, like the iCade or Joystick-IT, this drawback is argument-ending.  I’m sure the iPad will become increasingly more responsive over time, but I simply don’t see this problem being solved.

Yes, it is nice to cut some ropes, fling some disgruntled birds, draw some things, and even play Infinity Blade for a while, but there is just not a chance that the iPad ever becomes a destination platform for hardcore gamers.  However, I believe, and have heard many others say, the iPad is supplementary.  Gaming on it is highly enjoyable, and can be highly lucrative, but there is absolutely no way it will replace our beloved consoles.  Ever.

Can I get an amen?