Nokia N-Gage is revived as a gaming platform
(Credit: Nokia)As part of its new Ovi brand of Internet services, Nokia is reviving the much-maligned N-Gage gaming platform in a new way. Instead of offering a hardware-based gaming system, Nokia is opening up a mobile gaming portal with the N-Gage branding. Once accessed, you can browse through a wide selection of game titles, download free trials, and finally purchase the games directly from Nokia. Nokia is also heavily promoting the community aspect of the new N-Gage platform, suggesting that you can connect and play with friends all over the world, as well as keep track of global gaming stats. As with the Music store, you can either purchase the game over the air or download it to your PC first. And these aren't just any ordinary games, either. Gaming titles include popular ones such as EA Sports' FIFA 08, The Sims 2 Pets, Tetris, Tiger Woods PGA Tour, and Crash Bandicoot. A host of different gaming companies have jumped on board, such as Capcom, Digital Chocolate, EA, Gameloft, Glu Mobile, Vivendi Games Mobile, and more, signifying the availability of additional games in the future.
Initial pricing per game will range between $8.16 and $13.60 (6 and 10 euros), or alternatively, daily and weekly licenses are available at lower prices. Supported phones include the Nokia N73, the Nokia N81, the Nokia N81 8GB, the Nokia N93, the Nokia N93i, the Nokia N95, and the Nokia N95 8GB, with more planned in the future. The service will debut in November 2007.
Nokia N81
(Credit: Nokia)Remember back in May when we teased you with some enticing photos of the yet-to-be-confirmed Nokia N81 and Nokia N82? Well, my friends, we tease you no more. The company today officially unveiled the Nokia N81 multimedia computer, with expected availability in Q4. It's likely that the N81 will ship in certain European and Asian markets first--possibly in October--but Nokia said there shouldn't be too much of lag between those launches and the U.S. release. Thank gawd.
There will be two versions of the Nokia N81: an 8GB model and one with a microSD expansion slot that can accept cards up to 4GB. Both N81s are built for music and gaming with a 3.5mm headphone jack and dedicated game keys (when held in landscape position). The Symbian S60 device will also work with Nokia's newly launched Ovi Internet brand, where you can download songs from the Nokia Music Store and games from the N-Gage service. Music fiends should also be pleased that the N81 includes A2DP support for stereo Bluetooth, an FM tuner, side-mounted dual stereo speakers, and support for a number of file formats, including MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, and M4A. As part of the Nokia N series of multimedia computers, the N81 also has RealPlayer onboard for full-screen video playback and a 2-megapixel camera with video recording capabilities.
Built for gaming
(Credit: Nokia)The Nokia N81 ain't all about having a good time though. It's still, first and foremost, a phone with quad-band world roaming and integrated Bluetooth 2.0 and Wi-Fi (802.11b/g). The Symbian smart phone also includes e-mail support (Push, SMTP, IMAP4, POP3), Nokia Mobile search, and Nokia Maps.
From a design standpoint, the N81 is gorgeous. We had a painfully brief hands-on time with the device and the slider design is sleek and smooth. The 2.4-inch, 16 million-color QVGA screen is beautifully sharp and bright, and the alphanumeric keypad spacious. We listened to some tunes over the phone's speakers--lots of volume but we were still wanting a bit more richness and bass. Obviously, battery life will be a concern with such a feature-filled phone. Nokia couldn't give us MP3 playback battery numbers, but the N81 is rated for 4 hours of talk time (GSM) and up to 16 days of standby time. The toughest pill to swallow? The price, of course. The 8GB model will retail for $599 for an unlocked version, while the regular Nokia N81 will go for $499 unlocked. Though there weren't any carrier announcements today, it doesn't rule out such a thing in the future. Fingers crossed.
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One of the many phones expected to play N-Gage games
(Credit: Nokia)The rumors were true: Nokia's N-Gage is returning, but it will be a gaming platform available on several new phones rather than on a single gaming handset. Gaming blog Kotaku was among the first to report on the news, which Nokia will expand upon at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco. Top mobile publishers such as EA, Glu Mobile and THQ Wireless are said to be on board, and Nokia is showcasing at least six N-Gage games, including versions of such well-known franchises as Brothers in Arms and FIFA 2008.
Nokia's press release specifically mentions that the new N-Gage platform "will deliver a global games platform that leverages the performance of the tens of millions of S60 converged devices that we are shipping each year," but later specifies "S60 3rd edition devices," so it's unclear exactly which phone models will be supported (and the Symbian S60 line is extensive, to say the least). Also, the N-Gage news was muddied somewhat by the mention of SNAP Mobile in the release as well. That, apparently, is a gaming and application platform that will be available on a wider array of J2ME-compatible phones.
While Nintendo and Sony have little to fear from a resurgent N-Gage, Nokia's new gaming thrust could actually fill a niche between those dedicated gaming handhelds and the often bland entertainment options found on most phones. There are plenty of times when I don't want to lug around a PSP or a DS, but I always have my phone with me--and being able to play a game that's a bit more engrossing than Bubble Breaker or Solitaire is an inviting prospect.
This is not the N-Gage 2
(Credit: Nokia)Nokia has confirmed that a successor to the N-Gage is due by early 2008. The company's FutureWatch blog indicates that developers EA and Gameloft are on board to develop for the updated N-Gage, and that other "leading publishers" will be making games as well.
Perhaps the bigger news is that the next N-Gage won't be a single device, but rather a gaming platform available on certain of its advanced Series 60 models. (Whether a future Series 60 phone will look like the Nokia concept pictured here, however, is anybody's guess.) Instead of buying games on MMC cards, titles would simply be purchased and downloaded directly to the phones via cellular broadband services. This conforms with the broad outline of the N-Gage's future that Nokia unveiled back at E3 2005.
If it all pans out, the new direction for the N-Gage makes a lot more sense. The idea of getting a superior phone that offers decent gameplay as a value-added extra feature is much more appealing than getting a device that's fatally compromised between its gaming and telephone functionality--which was essentially the case with the much maligned N-Gage (and its follow-up, the N-Gage QD). No, the new N-Gage phones won't ever compete with the Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP, but if the downloadable titles are competitively priced ($2 to $5) and offer some compelling on-the-go gameplay surpassing the Java minigames found on standard handsets, there's no reason N-Gage games wouldn't be as popular as, say, downloadable ringtones.
In a recent interview with the U.K.'s Mobile Entertainment, Nokia exec Jaakko Kaidesoja confirmed that the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco in early March--not February's 3GSM conference in Barcelona--is the show to watch for N-Gage news. In the meantime, we'll leave you with the original phone's greatest legacy: Sidetalkin'.
Editors' note: This blog entry has been updated since its original publication to reflect additional information.
Sources: Nokia FutureWatch blog via Joystiq, and Mobile Entertainment via Gizmodo
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