Report Paints Grim Future for N-Gage

A new research brief from Telecom.paper has predicted an uncertain future for the Nokia N-Gage mobile phone/games console hybrid. The report points out that since Nokia has thus far shipped only one million N-Gage ‘game decks’, the chances of reaching the company’s stated target of six million units within the next year are therefore much reduced – especially with a dropping growth rate, and the imminent launch of the Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable. However, second generation N-Gage software releases such as Pocket Kingdom and Pathway to Glory are starting to receive some more positive press, with the newly launched N-Gage QD handheld solving some of the most nagging problems from the original N-Gage's debut. Therefore, Nokia executives will no doubt hope that exclusive titles and incremental hardware improvements will ensure the format a future, although the jury is still out on the eventual success of the hybrid device.