“Apple’s iPod has lately been subject to the Rumor of the Week,” Rich Duprey writes for The Motley Fool. “Gaming is the latest rumor to have attracted attention. Currently you can play Solitaire, Brick, Parachute, and Music Quiz, but the chance to download games to the iPod hasn’t been considered – until now. Rumors swept the market last week that Digital River, an e-commerce outsource provider, was negotiating to allow games to be brought to the media player. So powerful were the rumors that they sent Digital River’s stock soaring 10% on the day, as it has been developing its technology to allow for the download of any content, games or otherwise, to any device.”
Duprey writes, “It would certainly be a challenge to other game handhelds if Apple entered the fray. Rumors already abound that Digital River could cement a deal by February with leading game makers the likes of Electronic Arts or Activision to begin selling their games through online downloads. It is viewed as the next advance in having games reach increasingly greater numbers of people.”
“The types of games that would be available would initially be limited because of the size of the iPod’s memory. But as memory size begins to expand – it could rise to as large as 1 gigabyte if the flash iPod rumor proves true – more complex or advanced games could certainly become part of the library,” Duprey writes. “Neither Apple nor Digital River has commented on the speculation, and some analysts question the veracity of the rumor, since Apple’s iTunes has been at the forefront of the mill and the company has been able to handle the transactions for music itself thus far. Still, Apple could soon be floating on a digital river of music, pictures, and games, positioning itself as a formidable threat and adding to its market dominance.”
Full article here.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
RUMOR: Apple may team with Digital River on downloadable games for next gen iPod – November 12, 2004
Honestly, the scoll wheel is not a good controller for any games besides breakout and the like. what games would it be? would you be able to purchase an attachable controller? Nintendo OWNS this space with no real competition. Sony will be entering and no doubt they will try to a cross-over device. You can bet MS is working on one.
This would be a good space for Apple, just as with music players; Simple handheld entertainment device, a market that is not flooded with competition (as with cell phones and PDAs), a device that is crying for great industrial design and elegance and easy digital content that can link to a store that people would rather purchase at home than trolling an EB. I can see it, whether its true or not?????
If there is a market for a WiFi iPod, this could be a big reason why… but I have doubts that the screen is really big enough for games more complicated than (say) Hearts or Tetris.
speaking of games…you shouldn’t accept that “shoot the roach” game. They can do those ads without it being something disgusting to see when it pops up at lunch.
The control wheel is GREAT for games. It’ll wear out so you have to buy another iPod at several hundred dollars….
I didn’t say it was great for the consumer…
In fact, that whole set of ads should be rejected on principle, because they are so obviously misleading. The connection between the action in the ad and receiving an iPod doesn’t exist. If they can’t be truthful, they should be rejected.
By all means, keep the ads for the windoze-only software. I click on those just to run up click through bills.
I’m sure there’s some ground between “downloading games on the iPod” and “competing with Nintendo and Sony”. With the new color screens, some additional fun time wasters wouldn’t be at all out of line. Why would it need to be more than that?
YES!!!!! PONG ON THE IPOD!!!!!
On a recent family road trip, much fun was had using the iPod’s “Name that Tune” game. It really changed the dynamic of a long drive.
I understand the difference, but I think this a great open market, not just another free service
yeah no idea how you would play games w 4 buttons and a scroll wheel..
common you can play driving games! lol..
btw.. no fscking way is iPod gonna challenge the Gameboy SP and the DS .. pffft.. this guy thinks cuz iPods sell so well they’re a threat to Gameboy/Nintendo..
THey’re not. Not in a million years..
anyone know how back the Ngage sucked?
imagine if it didn’t have any controls.. thats how bad an iPod Game would suck
umm.. that’s iPod game. Small g.
Show us the SDK. No API’s mean no games, wireless or not.
ipod games suck
The color display certainly opens up some intriguing possibilities, but any game in this space would have to be carefully considered and designed to play to the iPod’s strengths, which are simplicity of the interface and ease of use. Too much complexity could really detract from the brand.
It’s been done. Gameboy, Sega, Pocket PS…
I await until iPOD is actually useful and bring in GSM/CDMA support. I dont know about you, but carrying an mp3 player, a mobile phone and a digicam is not considered mobile/portable IMO.
Thats unless “Smart Phones” beats Apple to it, so far they are. The only thing ipod has going for them is the decent hdd capacity thanks to Toshiba.
I been whining on these pages for a year now about Apple needing better games for thier computers, now i hear talk of games coming to the Ipod? HELOOOOO??? Who the hell is going on the limb this time to break their neck? Get the games coming for the MAIN SYSTEM first, then work on the accessories. I WANT MY MORROWWIND ON MAC!!!