As we enter into the holiday shopping season, Apple’s making a blitz into the world of gaming. We’ve all seen the commercials for the funnest iPod ever and have probably experienced the deluge of iPhone and iPod touch games first-hand. But Apple VP of iPod and iPhone product marketing Greg Joswiak has gone on a spree talking to the press about games—and he’s been talking smack.
“The PSP and DS represent the old school of gaming: big bulky devices with an old-fashioned distribution model.”
Them’s fightin’ words! And that was to the BBC, no less. Joz also spoke with British tech pub T3 along similar lines—he’s certainly not pulling punches.
Because again the computer power and the 3D graphic power here [iPod Touch] is significantly greater than what you have here [picks up Nintendo DS]. So this allows people to do significantly higher quality games. And the Touch is always in your pocket, whereas you can’t always carry some other games consoles.
The Wall Street Journal also has an interesting article up about the competition, with a particularly insightful quote from Nintendo USA’s President and COO Reggie Fils-Aimé: “Whether you chose to play on your DS or listen to music on your iPod, we’re already in the same competitive space for time.”
It’s kind of fascinating to watch the push into the gaming space, especially from Apple, who has not traditionally “gotten” gaming. Given the advertising angle that the company’s been taking with the iPod, it seems clear that they’re aiming directly at the likes of the PSP and DS. While they might not pick up much of the hardcore gaming market, there’s definitely room to convert more casual gamers, especially when considering the proposition of a device that also does email, web-surfing, and media playing.
And you can bet that there are a number of parents who see it as an attractive option for kids clamoring for high-tech gadgetry as well.
Yeah right!
you cant beat neither of the DS or the PSP, they are cheap and hav greater games against the iTouch.
The story of a better gpu inside a console means better games has been proved wrong, the DS is by far the less powerfull but it has the greatest games. (maybe you dont now this because you´re just a casual gamer)
You will never have Nintendo or Sony games inside the iTouch.
Also from a developer view... you can earn more money going with nintendo or sony, do you really think you can make profit with a handheld that is so expensive and that you cant sale, borrow or exchange your games?
Please blog about something you know, not only about things you think
Well, as someone who owns an Xbox 360, an iPhone and, yes, a Nintendo DS (gasp!), let me tell you what I *know*: there's a strong argument to be made in the favor of pervasiveness. I always have my iPhone on me, whereas I can count the number of times I've played my DS in the past few years on pretty much one hand.
As for developers, as Joz rightly points out, the cost of producing cartridges and handling distribution is much, much higher on the DS and PSP. The App Store allows game companies to put out their software for a fraction of the cost, and the storefront is built into every device. So the quantity of games they need to sell in order to make a profit would likely be far lower than with other gaming devices.
I agree with you that a more powerful device does not necessarily translate into better games. That said, the features that the touch and iPhone bring (accelerometer, touch-screen, etc.) can arguably be compelling in innovative games, in the same way that similar features have been used on the DS. And as the barrier to entry is lower for developers, there are likely to be far more games available for the iPhone/iPod touch than for Sony/Nintendo; quality may certainly vary, but some of them are already quite good.
So that's what I *know.*
If Apple really is brave/stupid enough to take on Nintendo when it comes to handheld gaming all I can say is good luck.
I think that the current state of Wii vs. "HD"-consoles speaks volumes for the powerful hw=great games assessment.
We live in interesting times, let's hope this doesn't turn into N-Gage QD2.
Here's what I think: Apple is going for the much-ballyhooed "casual games" market. The hard-corez gamerz can keep their DSes and PSPs... Apple isn't necessarily going after that crowd. There's an army of business types who are going to start buying games for their iPhones or iPods touch, for those moments on the train or between meetings. They don't have time to learn FFXXX or Zelda or whatever other epic game is hot on the "traditional" handhelds, but they will gobble up good, easy to pick up games for the device they already own, or have a better justification of owning.
Just for my own self, I am way more interested in handheld gaming on an iPhone or iPod touch than on a DS or PSP, precisely because I can do much more with it than play games.
I wouldn't go saying "just a casual gamer" with such disdain. There are a heck of a lot more existing and potential "casual gamers" out there to make money off of than "serious" gamers. Once again, Apple is developing an untapped (pardon the pun) market, not inserting itself into an existing one.
ok USA maybe... now lets back to the real world...
I been a lot in Mexico, all latinamerica and Europe (thanks to God not in the USA) but in all these countries I HAVE ONLY SEEN ONE ITOUCH AND 3 IPHONES IN THE WILD. (i need to point out that my normal life sphere is the business crowd = the ones who can afford one ipod device.) and i have seen to many DS and PSP in the hands of to many kids.
I agree casual gaming is going to be the target, but you need a good gun to fire that bullet (gun is the handheld device) and the itouch, iphone is as of today a bad gun because in the rest of the world it is almost immposible to buy one. common an iphone in Mexico cost 3 months of salary of a manufacture plant worker! you can have a DS or a PSP with some effort but you can have access to the software for free (the rest of the world embraces piracy, no one goes to jail because of it in latinamerica and many europe countries)
Of course the itouch is a great device but the dad who buy the devices will always go with stonger brands like sony and nintendo, besides who said they are not preparing a store like the apple store?
if they accomplish this task the itouch will have no advantage and guess what? no mario, no solid snake nor FF.
@ christ fierro - So, what you are saying, is you can afford to get a DS or PSP, but not have enough left over to buy games? But that is okay, 'cause you can just borrow and steal games? And since everybody is doing it, it is okay? You got no cred here.
I will repeat what a former president of the USA said:
its about the economy s"#$!
(excuse me i dont mean youre s"#$ that is the exact coute)
yep many persons outside USA and developed countries buy the hardware and then get the software for free and its ok.
The law in almost all latinamerica says that if you use software for non commercial use it ok for them.
or do you think the gov of other nations will protect microsoft or apple or nintendo intead of their people?
read this: all the computers i know have ilegal software even those at work, all my windows friends use ilegal copies of XP or vista (i use a legal leopard version that came with my costly imac, but i also have used lots of ilegal software at school)
heck how do you think latinamerica can have access to learn ms office if it cost over a month of salary? now figure out solidworks or autocad.
with the DS is the same you can get a card with many preinstalled games and something called moonshell with just 20 USD a PSP is cracked with 20 USD also.
over priced itouchs with .99 cents for normal games cant compete againts low priced DSs and PSPs with zero cents excellent games.
AND YES IF ILEGAL SOFTWARE IS USED FOR RIGHT CAUSES THEN I THINK ITS OK, AS FAR AS I SEE IN LATINAMERICA THIS BEHAVIOR ENABLES A CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT OVER THE EDUCATION OF MANY CHILDRENS AND STUDENTS.
OR DO YOU THINK THAT LATAM WILL EMBRACE THE LOW COST OLPC PROGRAM WITH LINUX OS, WHEN THEY CAN HAVE SAME LOW COST WINDOWS XP AND OFFICE?
ITS ABOUT THE ECONOMY S"#$"$!
1. The hardcore gaming market is meager. Apple isn't interested, Jobs said so when he announced the iPhone.
2. Apple certainly isn't interested in people who don't buy games (nor are Sony and Nintendo as they want to talk up sales).
3. There is no such thing as an iTouch.
4. There is no reason to yell. Why would anyone bother to read your post when you are clearly ranting?
@Donn: I you had kept up to date with gaming in any way shape or form you would know that Nintendo is targetting the "casual" gamers with both DS and Wii.
And, looking at the sales figures, they're having som success in doing so.
Sure, Nintendo will still labour on with new Zeldas for DSi and Wii (and their eventual replacements) but the fact is that Nintendo has been seeing diminishing returns on their "hardcore" games and have launched a solid base of IP around casual games concepts.
Wario Ware (both DS and Wii), Wii Sports, Wii Music, Wii Fit, Wii Play and Nintendogs come to mind immediately.
If Apple is eager to go heads-on with that then, again, good luck.
I personally have abandonded my PSP and DS for the iPhone and I game a lot on it but I just can't see an iPod Touch or iPhone being in the hands of every kid. As a a parent I could live with my kid breaking a DS or a PSP but it would be hard to swallow them breaking an iPod Touch or iPhone. It would be too costly to replace.