Restart Radio: Mobile and retro-gaming (Pokémon GO content warning!)

We started this episode with a discussion of recent gaming sensation Pokémon GO, which is an "augmented reality" game where users track and interact with virtual Pokémon creatures through their mobiles. (Apologies to those who tired of the topic!) If you'd like to understand why everybody is glued to their mobile screens more than normal, Restarter Ben Skidmore explains it for us. The game raises fascinating questions about the future of mobile and about the staying-power of games. We then talked about the popularity of retro-gaming with the news that Nintendo will re-release its classic games from the 80s bundled on a closed, mini console. It appears the company would like to step in and make money from older games, given the success of unsanctioned emulators. In principle we welcome this, but it remains to be seen whether this, like Pokémon GO, will be a flash in the pan.