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Apple Video Game Console?
- Thread starter Jae Hokes
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No they wouldn't. The biggest problem with the PS3 was that it didn't have enough games, how would an Apple console overcome that?
IF Apple ever launched a console, they'd probably target a different market, more Wii than PS3. And it would certainly be an iOS device, so the tens of thousands of existing iOS games will run with no (or little) modification.
I'm starting to think the AppleTV is going to play a much bigger part of Apple's strategy, and any TV gaming will be with an iOS device via the ATV.
I know iOS devices play games, but it does irk me when commentators compare the devices to dedicated games machines.
I get that they can play games, but a lot of them are either a) small, simple "mini" games, or b) just awkward to play with just the touch screen. Developers in some cases have done fantastic jobs with their Apps, but if you are looking for a games machine there are better options out there.
I get that they can play games, but a lot of them are either a) small, simple "mini" games, or b) just awkward to play with just the touch screen. Developers in some cases have done fantastic jobs with their Apps, but if you are looking for a games machine there are better options out there.
Apple wouldn't be able to compete with Sony, Nintendo, or Microsoft on this front. It would be an absolute disaster.
Apple TV 2 (or maybe beefed up to ipad 2 levels ATV3) + app store + ipod touch controllers = Wii level gaming , and thats probably what apple will shoot for if it does decide to enter the gaming arena.
The "casual" gaming model aimed at people who already own iPhones/iPod touch devices where an extra £100 outlay on an appple TV doesnt seem harsh compared with £250+ gaming consoles, and the abilty to play the existing games they bought and invested in on a big screen.
I cant see apple selling a £700 or £800 "gaming mac mini) because it just wouldnt be competetive vs the consoles that are out there, and one thing apple has shown with the IOS and App Store is that it is not going to settle for that 30% cut of app sales and use that massive profit to subsidise the hardware to get it into as many hands as possible, no, it wants to make 100+% profit on the hardware as well.
How much MORE money would apple make if it, for example, sold iPhones/iPods/iPads at cost ? more iPhones in more hands = more of that 30% slice of ALL sales, and more people locked into your ecosystem
The "casual" gaming model aimed at people who already own iPhones/iPod touch devices where an extra £100 outlay on an appple TV doesnt seem harsh compared with £250+ gaming consoles, and the abilty to play the existing games they bought and invested in on a big screen.
I cant see apple selling a £700 or £800 "gaming mac mini) because it just wouldnt be competetive vs the consoles that are out there, and one thing apple has shown with the IOS and App Store is that it is not going to settle for that 30% cut of app sales and use that massive profit to subsidise the hardware to get it into as many hands as possible, no, it wants to make 100+% profit on the hardware as well.
How much MORE money would apple make if it, for example, sold iPhones/iPods/iPads at cost ? more iPhones in more hands = more of that 30% slice of ALL sales, and more people locked into your ecosystem
I believe that too. I hope this will provide us more games for Mac OS X somehow. Fishlabs brought us Galaxy on Fire 2. I hope other devs/pubs will do the same. GTA Chinatown Wars on Mac OS X would be nice.
You don't have to think about that; Apple already announced that iOS 5 will let recent iOS devices mirror their displays through the Apple TV. If that is not considered the Apple games console then why not? It will let you play games on your HD screen and I fail to see any meaningful distinction between that and the PS3.
A suggestion for Apple
I was thinking: We have Apple computers, Apple mp3 players, Apple cell phones, Apple tablets,and Apple set-top boxes. What we really need now is an Apple video game console. Now, what would make sense is to use the existing (and future) Apple TV for this, and it could have an app store of it's own. It would have apps with TV-specific GUIs, and existing iOS apps which make a TV app (99.99999% of media apps, many games, and most other apps that aren't specifically mobile-oriented) could sync their iCloud data, just like iPhone-to-iPad syncing. The Apple TV would become another (official) iOS device. Think this is a good idea?
I was thinking: We have Apple computers, Apple mp3 players, Apple cell phones, Apple tablets,and Apple set-top boxes. What we really need now is an Apple video game console. Now, what would make sense is to use the existing (and future) Apple TV for this, and it could have an app store of it's own. It would have apps with TV-specific GUIs, and existing iOS apps which make a TV app (99.99999% of media apps, many games, and most other apps that aren't specifically mobile-oriented) could sync their iCloud data, just like iPhone-to-iPad syncing. The Apple TV would become another (official) iOS device. Think this is a good idea?
They already did it (Pippin) and it was a major flop...no need to repeat that mistake again, especially since the TRUE consoles nowadays are the iPad and the iPhone...
Why would Apple want to make a gaming console? It's a declining market now that the casual players that caused the market to grow so much a few years ago are now just buying iOS & Android devices to play on instead.
The rest of the consumers that remain are pretty strongly devoted to either Microsoft, Nintendo, or Sony, so Apple would have to ignore them and go after that market that isn't buying the consoles anymore which is pointless because they're already buying their iP/ad/hone/od Touch or an Android device for their gaming needs.
The rest of the consumers that remain are pretty strongly devoted to either Microsoft, Nintendo, or Sony, so Apple would have to ignore them and go after that market that isn't buying the consoles anymore which is pointless because they're already buying their iP/ad/hone/od Touch or an Android device for their gaming needs.
They do have a gaming console. It's the iPad and iPod Touch. And they've done pretty well.
If they do anything closer to a traditional gaming console, it'll be games on the AppleTV. Apple is already pushing Airplay games pretty heavily to get game developers to let users play iPad games over AppleTV.
iPad3/ATV3 should have more horsepower than current-gen consoles. And Apple is on a yearly upgrade cycle, with consoles on a 6+ year cycle, so by 2013 Apple should be well ahead, for good.
Add an AppStore and ability to add gamepads/controllers and they'd have a huge hit on their hands.
Gamepads I think is the problem. I think like the present airplay solution, Apple would use iPod Touches/iPhones/iPads as controllers. I don't see them building a button based controller or redundant device.
It also nicely matches the Airplay direction they've been going in.
I wouldn't expect Apple to make actual gaming controllers - just allow third parties to connect theirs via BlueTooth. Without a proper controller solution, the gaming potential is going to be seriously restricted.
I don't see it. Apple isn't going to start wiring up support for buttons for a bunch of different possible third party configurations.
It's going to be touch. That means iPod/iPad/iPhone as controllers, which is the direction they're already pushing.
If you're waiting for Apple to put out a system with traditional controller you're going to be sorely disappointed.
I wouldn't say it's a declining market, at least because of smartphones/tablets; the current-gen consoles have been out for nearly 6 years (nearly 7 for the 360), so most people who want one have one; console sales will skyrocket again in the next year or two when the next gen consoles are rumored to start coming out. Games themselves are still selling like hotcakes; look at Call of Duty (and to a lesser extent, Halo/Mario/Zelda/Uncharted) to prove that.
Apple did make a video game console back in 1995: the Apple Pippin, and it was a catastrophe. Of course, they're a much better company than they were then, but I can't really see them making a quality video game system now. Gaming is not their strong point, by any means; Macs are just plain bad for gaming, and iOS/iPad games are, for the most part, games you could play in any web browser. I'm sure the console would look and run nice, but it'd probably be more expensive than the other consoles, first-party support would be close to none, and third-party support would be largely from App Store developers and not from the big-time game developers.
Apple doesn't have to wire up anything, or even do anything, they just need to leave the API open and the ecosystem will take care of it.
Touch controllers simply won't work for gaming like that...
Declining market? I think someone hasn't seen 3DS sales figures and compared them to the previous gen.
FUD free zone.
Why would they? The iPad is a great gaming platform and Apple push it as such. With the advent of the retina display, things can only get better on the gaming front.
I'm not a huge gamer, but the games I do have are iPad based. I gave my 2 to a buddy so am waiting eagerly for the 3.
I'm not a huge gamer, but the games I do have are iPad based. I gave my 2 to a buddy so am waiting eagerly for the 3.