Research firm finds "plenty of life" in consoles

Fears that consoles will bow before the onslaught of smartphone gaming are pre-emptive, researchers have said.

"Some industry insiders have started to envision the demise of game consoles - an end expected to come at the hands of mobile devices - but we feel this market still has plenty of life," ABI researcher Jason Blackwell told IndustryGames.

The researcher noted that while smartphones could conceivably catch up to home consoles in terms of sheer power, "there are a number of issues such as storage and portability that could hinder the transition to mobile.”

“The game console has a higher degree of persistence in the living room, giving more household members access to the device at any time of the day, whereas most mobile devices are designed for portability and a more personal experience," Blackwell pointed out.