Dublin takes up the N-Gage Challenge
27-08-2003
by Matthew Clark

The Irish tranche of the 'Nokia N-Gage Challenge' got underway on Wednesday, pitting the skills of wannabe mobile gamers against one another.

The one-day event took place at the Blanchardstown Shopping Centre on 27 August, running from noon to 8pm. On a portable stage, which was flanked by large video screens and N-Gage branded jeeps, players of all ages showed off their virtual skateboarding skills, playing "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater" on demo N-Gage handsets.

As much a promotional stunt as a contest, the N-Gage Challenge is a Europe-wide competition that will eventually see Nokia visit 50 cities in 16 European counties where the top scoring player in each city will be sent to Paris in early October for the final showdown. Though most players received prises of hats, bags and T-shirts at Blanchardstown on Wednesday, the real purpose of the event was to introduce the Irish public to N-Gage, Nokia's upcoming mobile phone and gaming platform.

The new device is effectively a sophisticated handheld video games console that also functions as a mobile phone. The new handheld is also packed with a slew of other features such as MP3 support, an FM radio, Bluetooth for multi-player wireless games, MMS, WAP, tri-band services, java support and even advanced calendar software. Games come on tiny cartridges that are similar in shape to standard SD cards, and will be sold for between EUR40 and EUR50 when the devices launch globally on 07 October.

Most of the specifications for N-Gage have been released, and though Nokia is yet to commit to a cost for the devices, Gavin Barrett, the entertainment and media business development manger for Nokia Ireland, said the new phones should be priced "in the EUR300 range" before operator subsidies which should drive list prices down even more. Earlier estimates for the cost of the new handsets were around EUR500.

For mobile operators, the new phones are pegged to be big money spinners since they will allow users download everything from java games to e-mail to ringtones. One unusual N-Gage function will allow gamers to take screen shots of games and send them to friends via MMS.

Meanwhile, much has been said about the threat the device poses to Nintendo and its GameBoy handset, which currently dominates the handheld gaming sector. Nokia, with its massive brand strength, is expected to give Nintendo a run for its money, as both companies look to firm-up market share before the launch of Sony's Playstation Portable in 2005. When officially launched, N-Gage's biggest drawback will be its lack of games, there will only be 10 games available from early October, although Nokia executives say they are aiming for 100 by the end of 2004.

In related news on Wednesday, video games giant Electronic Arts (EA) said that it would develop titles for N-Gage, with some EA games expected to be converted for the mobile platform before Christmas 2003. Other games makers already on-board include Sega, Eidos and Activision.