Loose Threads: What is the ideal lifespan for a handheld console?

The DS and the PSP are now well established among consumers and the development community alike. As household names, the two machines have found their place in the games industry for better or worse. But they say familiarity breeds contempt, and though we all variously love our PSPs and DSs, they are, like all things, merely passing through our lives.

So how much longer are we willing to put up with the PSP's lack of third party support, or the DS's nasty habit for shovelware? How long before God of War: Chains of Olympus starts to look about as graphically impressive as Teletext; how long before the DS's touch screen starts to feel about as novel as a touch tone telephone? When will these consoles outstay their welcome, or to put it in a more businesslike way, what is the ideal lifespan for a handheld console?

Last week we asked you lot, generating one of the liveliest debates we have had in a while.

First to the table was Hidden Away (where have you been dear friend!) with some straight-talking sense:

"I change my phone in three year cycles. I certainly wouldn't want to change my handheld that much. It would take ages to get used to every handheld over and over again. Similar to phones really..."

A fair point. But then, it's not as if handheld consoles are as complicated as mobile phones. Next to the debate was hunter_alien:

"Sony's ten year long lifespan is probably similar to what the PSone and PS2 achieved; five years in the center, one year where it will be in the center, but everybody will know about the next hardware, and three to four years while it will sell decently (though declining), with a couple of movie-based platformers or sports games released on it. "If this will be the case then I'm totally OK with it, five years for a handheld system seems right for me."

So is that ten or five years you think the PSP should last?

Either way, hunter_alien's point about Sony sticking to the same strategy it has carved out for its home consoles looks to be coming true, what with vice president of publisher and developer relations for Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, Zeno Colaço, recently stating that Sony is looking at a ten year plan for the PSP. Next to throw their lot in was TazUK:

"The main problem is that technology moves at a pretty fast pace, so in five years most consoles, large or small, will be old hat feature and power wise. I bet they could make a PSP 2 now that would make the current model look pretty poor compared to it. "A longer lifespan does give developers time to get used to the hardware and push it to it's limits, so it's probably good in their eyes. Saying that, though, if the support of third party developers doesn't exist in the first place then no-one is going to buy the hardware. So it's one of those 'Chicken and Egg' things... "Currently I can't see the PSP staying around for 10 years, not unless Sony starts pushing it properly to get more content that the user wants. Where as the DS would likely still be here in that time frame simply because it has a lot more support."

The differences in the PSP and DS hardware could well lead to different lifespans. Could Sony's and Nintendo's consistent denials about their handhelds being in direct competition with one another actually have some weight? Accelorata Jengold didn't think so:

"I think that five years is plenty long for a handheld console. Now I know that developers would probably wince at such a window but as a consumer I want the latest and greatest gadget in my pocket and ten years is just too long to wait. "I do respect the strategy that Nintendo has adopted with the DS, pulling out of the graphical arms race and concentrating on a different approach to play, but I think even with this model, the full potential of the console has already been realized with great software meaning that there aren't many new and exciting places the DS can go now. "It's the same with the PSP really; if new handhelds were made available next year, I'd definitely buy them."

So that's one rule for everyone then? Did SetsFireToPoshHammer agree? Predictably, no:

"You say that there aren't many new and exciting places that the DS can go now, and maybe you are right, but for me that isn't so bad. I would be happy for the DS to spend the next five years playing host to games as good as The Phantom Hourglass, Advance Wars and Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword. In fact, I am really quite excited about some of the new games that are on the way, Soul Bubbles looks particularly fresh and fun. "As for the PSP, I think you hit upon a good point in distinguishing between consoles that opt in to the graphical arms race and consoles that don't. Those that do are duty bound to replace themselves with flashier hardware and I think ten years is a bit of a stretch for Sony's handheld whereas the DS doesn't seem to be prone to aging in quite the same way. "It seems that in handheld gaming, what's good for the goose is not necessarily good for the gander."

The DS came to market before the PSP but could a successor to the latter beat the next Nintendo handheld to store shelves? We're not gambling sorts here at Pocket Gamer but we think SetsFireToPoshHammer could have a safe bet on his hands here.

As for the ideal handheld console lifespan, we're more confused than when we started the discussion. Remember, it isn't over till it's over, so if you have something to add to this topic just follow this link.

And with that underway we are left with just enough space to introduce next week's topic:

Is World of Warcraft Mobile a good idea?

As usual more details can be found over in the forum. That's it for now. Look out, though, as we have some big plans for Loose Threads in the coming weeks, some of which the more vocal among you may even stand to benefit from.

Watch this space, or click 'Track It!' so you don't have to. Happy posting.