Truth be told, we could sort of see this one coming -- after all, why wouldn't N-Gage developers seek to use a handset's built-in functions to enhance gameplay? Nevertheless, the folks at Nok Nok were able to pick the brain of Will Shen, N-Gage Head of Production in North America, and found out quite a few tidbits about the future of the platform. Reportedly, Mr. Shen went so far as to confirm that it is "looking at creating games that harness the power of [a mobile's] built-in camera, GPS receiver and any relevant skill [that it] may possess that could help inspire and execute innovative games." Granted, location-based titles aren't anything new in the grand scheme of things, but Shen also noted that his team is looking to "focus on innovation" rather than "gimmick gaming." Marvelous -- now let's get this stuff rolled out en masse, shall we?

It is nice to see that the N-Gage platform may -- as heavily rumored here, there, and everywhere -- receive a fresh breath of much-needed life in the coming months. The new interface captured at Nokia's Experience Day is running merrily on the Nokia N95 (read: no sidetalkin') and is definitely wearing Nokia circa 2007 styling. While we do have the pic, we definitely lack any concrete details -- but we can at least take some comfort in seeing a "Play With Friends" menu option and what appears to be a user pic on the screen taken by a forward facing camera. While the idea of a real gaming phone is a hot one, the N-Gage fell a little short of hitting the perfect balance (OK, well short) and we all have high hopes that the third time's a charm.

Just because Nokia hasn't committed to making a direct successor to the original N-Gage doesn't mean there won't be focused devices in the pipeline to support its next-gen gaming platform. Although the N73 and N95 are apparently the only launched models that'll support its game download service when it launches this September, neither device is well-suited to the rigors of a hardcore game, and that's where the new handset comes into play (pun intended). Though details are scant, the Wall Street Journal reports that it'll have dedicated game keys, "among other features," for the expressed purpose of making life a little easier on the on-the-go gamer. As long as we can dispense with the taco talking, we're game (again, pun intended).

[Via MocoNews]