Quantcast


iPhone wins, gets as much play time as other portables photo

People are diddling with iPhone games for the same amount of time that other gamers twiddle with their Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable games, according to ngmoco’s CEO Neil Young. How does he know that? Well, iPhone games spit out play data to Big Brother publishers.

"You look at the other end of the spectrum with Rolando and the average play session is 22 minutes. The average player is playing the game ten times, Young told GamesIndustry.biz in a recent interview. “That's a very different type of behavior.”

Young added that the extended play time ngmoco has observed is the “type of behavior you’d expect to see from a DS or PSP or console gameplay experience.”  He continued, explaining that subtle tweaks to software -- thanks to data collection -- has altered the way people play games on the platform.

"We can see that people are stuck in Topple on world four, for example, and so we can change the level so players get to see world's five, six and seven," he said. "We make little tweaks and tunes when we see people get stuck or a drop off in usage."

That Topple scenario happens Young talked about happens often. The majority of the games I review are either in the process of being altered or in a post-data altered state. Eliss is a great example of this in motion. The data the developer has recently collected indicates that most people can’t get passed level five. So, he’s in the process of tweaking the game to make it more friendly and ultimately give players more bang for their buck. Not bad.








More gaming stories around the web. Got news? Submit yours to tips@destructoid.com



Post a comment! You can also post a photo below:

Comment with Facebook





Click connect and comment instantly!

Comment with Dtoid





New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds

12 comments | showing # 1 to 12
prev next

linuxguy's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/08/2009 11:29
linuxguy
games uploading data to publishers without asking?
FUCK THAT
also : physical buttons are important for gaming, even the wii and DS have them, so IMHO the iphone can't be considered a serious contender until it has them. That and more serious games
Rucksack's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/08/2009 11:46
Rucksack
I'm not really comfortable with games uploading my data to publishers, or the code of my game being altered without my consent.
LukienAkeela's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/08/2009 11:52
LukienAkeela
@linuxguy - I believe it only uploads game-specific data. It's not exactly sending them demographic and personal info so they can sell it to third party advertising companies. Seriously, if they use it to create a better experience then what's the big deal?
zombiekiller13's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/08/2009 12:31
zombiekiller13
Wait, so...the majority of people get stuck on a certain level. And instead of having them try harder, the developer will make the game easier?

Okay, I get if the difficulty is based on a bug the developer missed. But just making it easier so more people can achieve victory seems...well, stupid. Pretty soon, they'll have us pushing a button that sends a ball into a hole. No obstacles, instant gratification.
JamnOnTheOne's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/08/2009 12:50
JamnOnTheOne
@Nitex

"For some reason I don't believe that."

The data is real...Remember, iPhones AND iTouch devices can play the same games. Also, the iPhone/iTouch now has over 30million people in its user base. That's almost as many, if not more than, the PSP has out there.
flabzilla's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/08/2009 13:06
flabzilla
Lies
kavorka's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/08/2009 13:20
kavorka
This analysis is based on fraudulent data. If it were socially acceptable to carry my DS at all times and whip it out during a meeting at work, you bet your sweet ass I'd be logging more time. I play poker on my Nokia, but it;s just because that's what is available and its discreet, not because I particularly like gaming on my phone.
Hitogoroshi's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/08/2009 13:47
Hitogoroshi
I play games on my iPhone WAY more than my PSP or DS. That is because it is always with me.
Chronic Logic's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/08/2009 15:24
Chronic Logic
What the heck? Is it because people would rather play more boring games than carry a secondary portable console? Is the weight too much to handle?
LukienAkeela's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/08/2009 15:46
LukienAkeela
@kavorka - I don't see how the data is fraudulent, i.e. untrue. It might be a flawed analysis, but the data is a just a set of numbers. Also, I can speak from experience that playing poker on a Nokia is not the same as playing something like Rolando on the iPhone. Rolando is way more enjoyable and easily consumed in situations that you would play poker. Moreover if your phone allowed for unique games that could only be played on that platform, you would play more. The reason the DS is not as socially acceptable is for the very reason you play on your phone...it isn't discreet.

@Chronic Logic - There are some pretty interesting games for the medium. Again, it's serving a different need/situation than a second portable system. I'm not necessarily comfortable constantly carrying around a DS or PSP in my pocket. Indeed, in most instances I can't. At work would be a good example.
Wedge's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/08/2009 16:20
Wedge
Halo 2 and 3 uploaded your game data to the developer, stop being a tard. Also that's a dumb headline, as this is pretty much the only company that has made a decent games for the iphone, so of course the data on their games shows people playing them.
wonky360's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/10/2009 09:30
wonky360
I dont have an ipod touch, I have a Fieldrunners device which also plays music.
:)
prev next

Comment with Facebook





Click connect and comment instantly!

Comment with Dtoid





New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds

Comments policy

Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?

Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!