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February 11, 2008

games

Apple files to extend trademark to gaming; Internet explodes

Posted Feb. 11, ’08, 9:00 AM PT by Dan Moren
Category | Games

USPTOGeez, is it that time again already? Seems like every few months we have to chat about Apple and gaming. This time, we’re spurred on by a trademark extension application from Apple related to gaming. Here’s what the trademark would cover

Toys, games and playthings, namely, hand-held units for playing electronic games; hand-held units for playing video games; stand alone video game machines; electronic games other than those adapted for use with television receivers only; LCD game machines; electronic educational game machines; toys, namely battery-powered computer games
Plenty of stuff in there, but what everybody’s gotten worked up about is the “hand-held units for playing video games” and “stand alone video game machines.”

Before you get worked into a lather, repeat after me: “Apple is not building a video game console.” If you want my rationale, I’ll refer you back to a two part series from fall 2006 that I think does a pretty good job of explaining Apple’s relationship to gaming. Simply put: Steve Jobs—and, by extension, Apple—doesn’t get gaming, no matter how much they claim they do.

I’m obviously not a trademark attorney—yes, I know, it was a surprise to me too—but my reading of this is that Apple is just covering its bases. The company does have some play in the gaming market on both the Mac and the iPod, and it seems likely that will be extended to the iPhone and iPod touch when the SDK comes out this month. I expect that’s what the “hand-held units” referenced above are.

But what of the “stand alone video game machine?” Many presume this to be the Apple TV, and I think that’s likely. Yes, we argued against games on the Apple TV when the device was first released, but that was because of the “evidence” presented at the time— namely strings hidden inside iTunes. We suspect that Apple has certainly considered bringing iPod-style casual games to the Apple TV, but don’t go expecting a Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 or PSP/Nintendo DS competitor from Cupertino. We don’t think they’re eager to repeat the Pippin.

[via Trademork]


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