“The Industry Standard posted an interesting article recently discussing the possibility of Apple releasing a mobile gaming platform. According to the writer, the circumstantial evidence points to Apple trying its luck with gaming once again. And while I think the company may want to do just that, it should attempt to make its way into the console market,” Don Reisinger writes for CNET.
“I’m sure some are wondering what my justification for such a move would be considering Apple failed miserably in the console market back in the mid-1990s with the Pippin, but let’s not forget that it wasn’t really an Apple product. Apple’s Pippin was licensed to Bandai, a company that was trying desperately to get into the gaming industry,” Reisinger writes.
“Fast-forward to today and the gaming landscape has changed,” Reisinger writes. “Today, the industry is booming like never before and it’s rife with opportunity for any company that’s willing to provide an experience that can eclipse that which we’re enjoying right now. And as long as Apple plays by the rules it has played by for the past 10 years, there’s no reason to suggest it can’t be a success.”
Reisinger writes, “What if you could use an iPod Touch or iPhone as the controller? What if the company released a controller that would double as a portable media player? To me, the possibilities seem endless… If Steve Jobs really wants to create a full-featured lineup of products, a video game console is a must.”
More in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Brawndo Drinker” for the heads up.]
It’s inevitable… I say it without even reading the article.
At least, Apple TV will become a casual gaming console!!!
** Yawn ** Is there really a need to get into the console game? I say work on bringing games to the Mac platform first and everything should fall into place from there.
@ Mactastic
Games for the Mac platform could be wirelessly played on your TV via Apple TV. “Is there really a need to get into the console game?” as you asked, yes.
And if Apple don’t do it, someone else will. Just like the iPod had to have a phone and web extensions… and somewhat become a platform, in other words the iPhone/iPod Touch.
At some point, you gotta come with a complete solution if you really want to dominate the living room!!!
Release a game console?
My God, the obvious question here is…
why are they holding it? Why can’t they just let it go?
Who do they think they are? The Spanish Inquisition?
Are they keeping it in a recliner at GitMo?
Wii need to know…..
Google for “Pippin.”
@ Mactastic,
Even simpler, games will be downloaded live straight from iTunes. Apple is setting the rule of a wireless world. No more CDs, DVDs, etc. We’re just 1 year 1/2 away from it.
Everything, music, movies, games, tv shows, work applications, all kind of solutions, will be shared and used via the Apple ecosystem and from the iPhone, the iPod (iPod Touch), the Mac (and of course all kind of Air version), Apple TV and a certain type of MacTouch (an extended version of Ipod Touch that will be including ebook and handwritting)…
I think the mobile gaming on the iPhone & iPod Touch is testing the water for a games console. When it builds a good reputation up with the iPhone/iPod Touch gaming, it will release a games console.
“…recently discussing the possibility of Apple releasing a mobile gaming platform.”
yeah, it’s called ‘iPhone”.
Reisinger writes, “To me… a video game console is a must.”
NO, NO, NO… just because Microshaft is losing millions & millions of dollars a year on 360, doesn’t mean Apple should copy a losing business strategy just so they can have ‘a full-featured lineup of products’.
Back away from the crack-pipe Reisinger.
Yet another dumb idea proposed by fools that refuse to understand the way Apple approaches new products. Apple refuses to be an also-ran (in terms of technological innovation, not volume!).
Take the iPhone. The cell phone market had completely stagnated, with no innovation coming from any sector. This created the perfect situation for Apple to come in and become an instant major player in that market.. No matter how many iPhones they actually sold, they would capture a profitable niche with a groundbreaking product.
Take the AppleTV. The set-top market was dominated by proprietary boxes given by TV providers. Compared to the iPhone, this has not been a smashing success. The reason? Content. However, in a few years, when the majority of video content is available online, on demand, the need for this product will skyrocket. Consumers will begin canceling their TV service, relying on the internet and devices such as this for video on their TV.
Take the Gaming market. If Apple was considering entering this market, Nintendo beat them to the punch with the Wii. The majority of consumers thrilled with innovation, interested in gaming consoles, already own a Wii. Trying to mimic the Wii in any way will flop, because Wii already has the games and the user base.
“iPod Touch or iPhone as the controller? What if the company released a controller that would double as a portable media player? To me, the possibilities seem endless..”
Seriously? What happens when you leave your media player controller at work? Or lose it on the train? You now have no way to use your gaming console that day. Not to mention the abuse gaming controllers take from zealous children (flying Wiimotes,anyone?) And for someone who sees the possibilities as endless, he can only come up with one?
In the full article, Don suggests that Apple should not try to copy Nintento in any way, but should rather make a PS3/X360 clone, “but also provides that same level of convergence that makes people want Apple products.” But he does offer any explanation as to how, exactly, Apple’s offering will be any different. Nintendo already grabbed the new control scheme, and unlike phones and computers, consoles don’t require a visual user interface complex enough that a new one will be a significant selling point. Insert Disc, play game. Not much room for improvement there.
Which brings us full circle back to where we started: Apple refuses to be an also-ran. Which is all it could be in the current market.
They already have a “gaming console”, the Apple TV. They just haven’t released games for it yet. They are not going to build another box…
Apple TV is a little Mac running OSX… What more do you need to run games? A different colored box running OSX? Games will be available via iTunes, just like movies and music.
Download & play them… Or maybe even rent them??
Apple has all the hardware they need already in place for the ultimate eco system… Just waiting on content.
Clearly games are going to be coming for the iPhone. And Apple already has the Apple TV. They certainly aren’t going to release “another” box and call it a game console.
Sure, make a game console for those people who have nothing better to do than play games. Welfare recipients and retired fogeys. Better throw some gummint shirkers in there also.
Why any company that wants to be in the Game Console Biz is nuts. Apple sells great hardware at a profit. To sell game consoles you have to sell them at a lose and make the money up elsewhere Apple does not sell at a loss nor do they make cheap products.
I think that Apple promoting and fostering Gaming on say, the iPhone and iPod is a much better bet.
Game Consoles just don’t sell enough units worldwide to make it a viable long term market or business smart product line to get and invest money in. Replacing the DVD Player is a far better and more strategic move then a worthless resource draining game console is.
Apple already has the best computing platform out there. It would be better for them to focus on getting games ported quickly to the platform than to introduce a new platform. Apple’s best bet is to do what they did with audio, graphics and video on the platform and extend it to gaming. Put core audio, core image, core video and core animation to use and create core gaming. Let gaming companies put together games as easily as applications are created on the platform.
At this point, I only see gaming as an extra feature of what the Apple TV and iPhone/Touch already can do (and will do after the SDK).
I mean, Apple can already sell millions of these things with gaming merely an afterthought. What I think Apple ought to do is just calmly and quietly sneak a couple of killer games onto these devices. Hell, make it sort of underground. These days, it won’t take long for all the teenagers to say, “Did you see what that F*&%$ing game looks like?”
Word will spread. It’d be like have a console without having to worry about competing truly against Nintendo, Sony and the Xbox.
In console wars, perception is reality. Instead of competing in that realm as an also-ran, why not just stealthily sort of offer kick ass gaming without ever making a big deal about it? That’s the kind of guerrilla marketing that only Apple could pull off.
Before you know it, the fruit is ripe on the vine and a beefed Apple TV could be a gaming platform — in about three more years.
Apple…release a console?
No.
Stick to what you’re working on now Apple. No need to try to expand into other industries.
I agree with those who say that the equpiment is already in place with iPhone/iPod Touch and Apple TV.
We all know it’s coming next month for iPhone/iPod Touch. It can’t be that far off before Apple flips the switch and turns this on for Apple TV also. What makes this the best approach is that it won’t cast any more for Apple to develop, as they are already allocating R&D;to these devices.
Sorry… Equipment… Cost…
grumble, grumble…
just buy Sony and cherry pick what you want from that company.
The problem is a gaming company, like EA or UbiSoft, would much prefer to code for and release as few ‘formats’ as possible. That’s been the biggest knock against the PS is that it’s ‘hard to code for.’
Glad to see there are plenty of reasonable folks here who know what’s good for Apple (unlike the article author). Console business is a money-losing business. Apple will never sell piece of hardware where profit margin is lower than 30%.
AppleTV can actually double as a gaming platform and I agree that it just may become an unlikely success there. In terms of processing power, it won’t exactly match X-Box or PS3, or whatever is the latest popular console, but there is no doubt; if enough of them are deployed out there, developers will quickly port their stuff over.
There is only one reason why there are so many big-time game houses anxiously porting their hits to the iPhone: money. If the platform is big enough, there will be games for it. To spend R&D;money building a gaming-only platform is a waste of money for Apple.
No console. Not going to happen.
But out the Wii, merge it with AppleTV. simple. done.
My Wii and DS are way better than anything Apple would be able to put out. I’ll keep my Mac on my Desk, and my consoles in my Living Room.
His Steveness once said Apple TV was a ‘hobby’. Well games are hobby too; could there be hidden message……?
No.
Good lord, where do you come up with this stuff?
I’ve said this for a while now:
Apple should buy Nintendo. They have similar philosophies regarding their respective markets.