Gaming and smartphones have gone hand-in-hand for years now.
Even before Angry Birds took over the world, some people started switching over to iPhones and Androids simply because they were able to sit down for a few minutes and play a game on them. Sure, they weren't as complex as full retail games, but for millions of people, they were a way to start gaming without having to throw down a few hundreds bucks.
Despite the massive influx of gaming on smart devices, there's never been a phone that's been designed with gamers in mind. Sure, screens have gotten bigger and the hardware's gotten faster, but when it comes to gaming, nothing beats an actual controller. Then again, most people would think that it'd be impossible to use a controller with a phone ... but what if the phone itself was the controller?
A Chinese manufacturer, Snail Mobile, is getting ready to launch a new phone that's been built from the ground up for gaming. It's not just about having a faster processor or a sharper screen, either: the W3D comes with analog sticks, face buttons and built-in stereoscopic 3D.
To be frank, it doesn't even look like a phone: if anything, the W3D looks almost exactly like Sony's PlayStation Vita. Dual analog nubs, four face buttons, a directional pad, a set of bumpers on the back side of the phone — if someone pasted a Sony sticker on the back of it, you'd be forgiven for thinking it was one of the company's handhelds.
Similarities aside, it'll be interested to see if something like the W3D actually takes off: currently, most smartphone games simply don't need something as complex as a controller. They're built with a simplified input in mind, so adding extra buttons to the phone's casing doesn't necessarily mean all that much — extra buttons won't help if the game won't recognize them. Really, it'll be up to the developers if they decide to add in extra control options.
Either way, the fact that the phone has glasses-free stereoscopic 3D is impressive. Again, it'll be interesting to see if any developers jump on board and start developing games that'll take advantage of it — who knows, maybe the W3D could end up giving Nintendo's handheld a run for its money ...
Of course, such a powerful phone is going to come with a hefty price tag: currently, the W3D is available for preorder for $400. It's not unheard of, especially for higher-end Android phones, but it might be a bit much for a mostly unknown company and its new, untested device.
One way or another, it won't be long before we find out if this new phone is successful or not: the W3D is set for launch on September 29.
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