Capcom: smartphones have replaced handhelds

Capcom Interactive president Midori Yuasa says casual and hardcore gamers alike are abandoning traditional portable platforms in favour of smartphones.

"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," Yuasa told MCV.

“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," she continued.

Capcom recently struck unlikely gold with Smurfs Village, a free-to-play iPhone game which ousted Angry Birds in terms of revenue through sale of in-game items, but has a number of mobile projects planned for 2011, both casual and hardcore.

Thanks, GoNintendo.