Separator
iPhone, The Gaming Device
Default_picture
Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Apple's iPhone is a video player. A convenient way to download podcasts at the touch of a button. A media player subject to the owner's "taste in music." An ebook reader that lets you catch up on literature you've missed. And especially, much to the chagrin of many a hardcore player, a gaming device.

The iPhone is the most accessible platform to develop for and play on. Sure, it has its share of crap overflow but what traditional system doesn't?

Even if Apple doesn't want to recognize it as such, it has become a, potentially, capital thorn to the DS' dominance in portable gaming. People are resistant to change and I can understand why gamers are rejecting the notion that Apple can be a contender in an already saturated market.

After all, it's hard enough to keep up with three consoles and all the various portables, right?

Still, there's so much about the iPhone that makes gaming on it so attractive that I don't see where the arguments opposing coverage as part of their gamer's diet come from. Countless of podcasts, including Listen UP, belittle and set aside any title for it as a marginal note.

Simon Jeffery, formerly President of Sega of America, doesn't see them as such -- evident in him jumping ship to ngmoco last week and, most importantly, developers don't see them as such when they quit their 2K Australia jobs for the indie scene that the App Store encourages.


The App Store creates a market where the gamer is in direct control over how applications are priced. There's a reason why there's awesome games for cheap and those companies that try to force feed at high costs need to try new strategies to sell their games. For example, Popcap found that their rehashing of Peggle needed to come down $4 (from $4.99) to make a splash on the charts.


The recent OS update's focus is on making it more gamer friendly but, for the most part, iPhone is already there. There's a "bone" controller to make it more LEGIT, but the gaming device has already transcended its music and video functionality without it.

Why do you think the iPhone is/is not worthy of the, apparently, coveted "game system" title?

Twitter: @aduceclean

Source:  Carlos Unbound

 
0
BITMOB'S SPONSOR
Adsense-placeholder
Comments (5)
Default_picture
June 24, 2009
I love gaming on my iPod Touch. There are plenty of cool games that are small, experimental experiences that you can't get anywhere else. Flight Control, Peggle, TypeDrawing, Fieldrunners, Parachute Panic...all good fun. Simple games for bus rides, subway trips or just when you're watching TV. Cheap games and innovative titles that would be overblown, over expensive ones on the other handhelds. It's definitely a game system, just a very different one than any other.
Default_picture
June 24, 2009
I can't bring myself to call it a game system because it has so many other functions. I have an iPod Touch and while I do have a bunch of games on it I wouldn't call it a gaming system because that isn't it's main function for me. There are a ton of games on it that you just can't find anywhere else. While I haven't played it yet Sway looks likes a great game that only the iPhone could provide. So, while I wouldn't classify it as a gaming machine, there are definitely games worth checking out that come out for it.
Default_picture
June 24, 2009
@James: Never heard of TypeDrawing and Parachute Panic...I'll have to seek them out now :)

@Alex: Maybe it's just me but I know that, at least, 80% of the apps in the 9 pages (change the limit, Apple!) on my iPod Touch are games. The PSP has many different functions and some are comparable to the iPod's...does it make it any less of a gaming system?
Default_picture
June 24, 2009
TypeDrawing is a cool program, but it's not much of a game. Parachute Panic is way cool though. Best of all, they're cheap.
Default_picture
July 06, 2009
@Carlos: The PSP was designed to be a portable gaming machine first and a media device second, the iPhone was designed to be a smart phone. All cell phones can have games on them, but would you argue that all cell phones are gaming systems?
You must log in to post a comment. Please register or Connect with Facebook if you do not have an account yet.