Even if the original N-Gage and its successors were failures, I'm excited about the future of Nokia's gaming efforts. That's because the next version of N-Gage isn't a device on its own, but a software platform designed to work on newer S60 smartphones.

This move makes sense, at least from a business point of view. It takes advantage of existing resources, namely Nokia's recent multi-talented models. At the same time, it's a frugal, saving the manufacturer from the costs associated with designing, testing, manufacturing, and marketing an entirely new device.

These savings are crucial, because if the new N-Gage mobile gaming platform fails, Nokia can limit its losses. With people in Finland already testing out the new system, it seems they're serious about making the new N-Gage work. Perhaps third time's the charm.