Will Game Apps Muscle Game Consoles Out of the Way?

Angry Birds has been downloaded 600 million times--an incredible number that represents the high penetration of smartphones and a definite shift in the market for games. This raises questions about what the future might hold for the big players in this market.

• Will mobile games (Angry Birds) and online games take over from the game consoles like Sony Playstations and Nintendo Wiis? 
• Will handheld game devices (like the Nintendo DS) evolve into tablet-like gadgets? 
• Or will console controllers evolve into tablet-like gadgets, which is what the forthcoming Nintendo Wii U (see above) seems to look like?
• Will online games or games in the cloud be the future of consoles? The combo of console and online game playing has been profitable for Microsoft's Xbox, in particular, with the Kinect system.

The stakes are high...and 2012 is likely to be a key year for the industry. Stay tuned!