Netbooks represent a huge opportunity for MUDs, casual games, web games, etc. The platform is very well suited to those types of games. Check out this article: Netbooks Are the Next Gaming Platform I'd really like to see MUDs make an effort to really move into this area. They are so well suited to the netbook platform - low hardware specs, primarily keyboard based interface, casual style use, users tend to be more into typing/reading/writing. This is definitely an opportunity for smaller, independent game developers to grab some market attention. At the end of 2009, there should be 50+ million netbook owners. That is a gigantic installed base of users with hardware best suited to low-tech, gameplay oriented games rather than technology pushing games like L4D, Crysis, etc. What do you all think? Would you game on a Netbook? Would you consider it a worthwhile way to play games? Is this a good market for the gaming industry to get into?

People buy NetBooks primarily for doing things inbetween desktop computers. Nobody will dump their Desktop and a chance to play Left 4 Dead or Crysis over some text based MUDs.
Although I do imagine you could play games like Brontosaurus Jetpack on them, so web-based games would still be up there for people that own a netbook.
But still... NetBooks as a whole are there for convenience and not gaming. Something you watch DVDs and write your next novel on. Most people don't think of them as a gaming tool.
Kind of like Laptops, up until recently.

Netbooks are going to be big. I think that there will be a huge casual gamer market in them. Obviously, they won't play Crysis, that would defeat the point of them being cheap economic laptops. That doesn't change the fact that a lot of people are going to have them on them at all times; and they're going to be a better platform than mobiles, look how big they got for games.

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Original post by Cpt Mothballs But still... NetBooks as a whole are there for convenience and not gaming. Something you watch DVDs and write your next novel on. Most people don't think of them as a gaming tool.

Have you ever play muds? Or Neopets? Or Puzzle Pirates? There are hundreds of millions of people playing these games. They do not require the same amount of time investment as a Left4Dead type game.

If people are going to watch movies on their netbook, they are already using it for entertainment. If they have 2 hours to sit there, why not play games as well?

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Original post by Cpt Mothballs Kind of like Laptops, up until recently.

So if laptops have become a viable and booming platform for games, why not netbooks?

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Original post by thk123 Netbooks are going to be big. I think that there will be a huge casual gamer market in them. Obviously, they won't play Crysis, that would defeat the point of them being cheap economic laptops. That doesn't change the fact that a lot of people are going to have them on them at all times; and they're going to be a better platform than mobiles, look how big they got for games.

Exactly. I agree 100%.

Netbooks are going to be huge for gaming, imho.

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Original post by Cambios So if laptops have become a viable and booming platform for games, why not netbooks?

Simple, it would defeat the purpose of a netbook.
Besides, all the game types you're describing now number in the millions and already exist. I don't see how netbooks are going to change that any.

And yes, I have played those games and to be honest with you, their replayabilitiy is very short lived.
There are only so many times you can make a joke about role players before you up and quit.

I could sing the praises of Offroad Velociraptor Safari right now. I don't need a netbook to enhance the experience of sending raptors back in time for burger meat.

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Original post by Cambios I'd really like to see MUDs make an effort to really move into this area. They are so well suited to the netbook platform - low hardware specs, primarily keyboard based interface, casual style use, users tend to be more into typing/reading/writing.

Netbooks are really not that underpowered. For example, the ASUS Eee PC S101 has an Intel Atom N270 running at 1.6GHz, 1GB of RAM, and an integrated Intel 950 GPU (with 3D acceleration).

Obviously, you're not going to run Crysis on this thing, but it's well above the specs required for a MUD. You can certainly run many current games on it.

I'm not saying that nettops won't be big for gaming, I'm just saying that they're not as revolutionary as you seem to be making out...

Perhaps a bit off topic, but how do these new Atom processors compare to say, a Pentium 4 of yesteryear?

I too agree that there is definely a growing market of games targeted at 'low end' (ie: not bleeding edge) hardware. The hardware is selling like hotcakes.

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Original post by Cpt Mothballs Simple, it would defeat the purpose of a netbook.

How? That doesn't really make any sense. The purpose of a netbook is a cheap, ultra portable computer. How does playing games on them "defeat the purpose" of them any more than watching movies would?

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Original post by Cpt Mothballs Besides, all the game types you're describing now number in the millions and already exist. I don't see how netbooks are going to change that any.

By giving them 50+ million customers looking for games that run well on their netbook.

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Original post by Cpt Mothballs And yes, I have played those games and to be honest with you, their replayabilitiy is very short lived.

My company has customers that have played Threshold for 13 years. Always remember, just because you do not like something does not mean millions of other people don't as well. You clearly are not aware of the enormous popularity of these lower-tech games.

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Original post by Codeka I'm not saying that nettops won't be big for gaming, I'm just saying that they're not as revolutionary as you seem to be making out...

Not revolutionary? From a technological standpoint, no. From a market standpoint, definitely. Computer sales are dropping like crazy, and then netbooks show up and sell 18 million units in the first real year? And it is expected to grow to 35 million this year? That's huge.

And the netbook platform is perfectly suited to indepedent game developer type games. That's huge for the indie game industry.

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Original post by Cambios Not revolutionary? From a technological standpoint, no. From a market standpoint, definitely. Computer sales are dropping like crazy, and then netbooks show up and sell 18 million units in the first real year? And it is expected to grow to 35 million this year? That's huge.

Where are you getting your numbers from?

According to this, there were 14 million netbooks sold in the whole of 2008.
According to this, there were 38.5 million notebooks sold in the third quarter of 2008 (so times by four to get approximately the whole year).

Also, according to that first article, they're still only expecting 26 million netbook sales for the following years.

So yes, 14 million units is pretty big, but it's still dwarfed by regular notebook and desktop PC sales.

As I said, I'm not saying you shouldn't target netbooks. I'm also not saying they're not a good target for indie developers. All I'm saying is that I don't see netbook sales impacting the games industry in the same that, say, the Wii did (and they haven't even sold as many Wiis as netbooks)