Inafune on why he thinks both portable and mobile gaming can co-exist in future

Keiji Inafune, known for creating games such as Mega Man and Dead Rising, believes the differences between handheld and mobile gaming are as stark as those between DSLR cameras and the one that's built into your mobile phone.

"You don't use a smartphone camera for an interview, and you don't use a really professional camera to take some small pictures when you're going to work." The difference in quality and function is quite clear.

"If you want to play a good game, you get a PS3 or Xbox or that kind of thing. You don't stay on your iPhone or on a Smartphone game for three or five hours, nobody would do that." At the same time though, Inafune was quick to point out that - despite his comments - game devs can't simply ignore the blooming mobile gaming market.

"We have to think about that when we're making new games, because it's kind of becoming very easy to let people play games now. They don't have to buy big consoles to play simple games. So that's what we should think about for the future."

Speaking at Tokyo Game Show, Inafune's message was clear. The portable and mobile gaming markets can co-exist in future, as both offer different gaming experiences. Phone games should have a more casual approach and shouldn't aim to deliver a console-like gaming experience, whereas console games should have more thought put into them, offering an experience which isn't easily available on a smartphone on the go.

Inafune left Capcom last year to start off two new companies of his own (Intercept and Comcept), and he's only announced games for smartphones so far. That said, he's recently hinted to Joystiq that it's first major retail game is going to be announced soon.