Has it been the App Store itself that was the reason why AAA games just never had a significant presence on the iPad all these years?
*warning a little long, but I do make my point at the end of this
1) Popularity
Popular arguments goes "mobile games are popular with mobile users", but then that would be a given because they are just there on mobile and in the early days that's what the devices could only handle. So naturally with millions of mobile users they're going to get it...because it's just there.
So surely even if you go by laws of averages, the total million of iPad users, surely there would be significant number of that demographic would demand and purchase AAA games if they were available on the iPad, PC/Console gamers do get mobile devices (smartphones most obviously)
but still AAA games at most just come out in dribbles and drabs with the once on a blue moon big modern AAA game.
2) iPad specs
I really don't think there is an argument anymore that iPads don't have the grunt to run many "modern" AAA games, at least not iPads 2018 and above.
The iPad, especially the M series iPads have the specs to run many full on AAA games up to as far as Xbox/PS4 era games.
E.g. Divinity 2.
2018 iPad Pro "Has the Xbox One S gaming power" (Apple's actual marketing ignoring the elephant in the room with obvious lack of Xbox One S games)
Aside from any limitations imposed by Apple when using the an iPads resources - i.e. memory
3) Cost and earnings issue -
AAA Devs/studios find it harder to recoup costs or turn significant enough profits to be worthwhile putting their games on the App Store.
Now I am not a developer and don't know the Economic ins and outs on iOS, but I do see going by articles, stats and other information that
Free 2 play designed games (not just F2P model) such as PUBG, Fortnight - which to me looks cheap in design and gameplay (my opinion) rake in billions through micro transactions.
It's "Free" so no barrier of entry in combination to what makes/made it stand out from the literal thousands of other F2P games was its curating placement in the App Store.
There are top ten "free" category and top ten paid category.
but really, top ten paid category has Minecraft and the mostly the rest are $5 paid games, very old yesteryear AAA and not necessarily AA-AAA games that wow consoles/pc gamers in recent memory.
which leads into
4) perception and self feeding loop
F2P and general mobile games are displayed promininently which is fine for the App Store and many paid games look almost indistinguishable from general mobile F2P games when browsing the App Store without prior knowledge and the obvious upfront price tag.
Which leads the perception, and rightfully so, that the App Store is dominated by popular F2P mobile games and that AAA games just doesn't fit for mobiles.
*****MY POINT***** (thank you for reading this far)
Apple's App Store is not going to change (unless anti-trust measures and pressure does that in regards to Apple's monopolistic App Store practices) to make developing AAA games for mobile more appealing...
BUT what if other App stores were allowed to exist on mobile?
For example Steam (I prefer GOG and purchasing/installing directly from websites)
If gamers saw a Steam store on mobile that allowed you to purchase and install directly like they do Apple's App Store, I believe that would change mobile gaming completely.
Think about it, you have a store that concentrates on actual AA-AAA and popular indie games that you want, easily and available to purchase and download (First the AAA games have to be developed for more mobile of course).
When you go to the Steam Store you go there knowingly looking for these types of games.
Steam is obviously curated for AA-AAA and indie games, so you don't need to have to browse through thousands of mobile games if that isn't your thing.
Steam would offer an alternative store for AA-AAA devs instead of Apple's App Store (This is in consideration to Epic vs Apple and their percentage charges/policies)
AA-AAA game dev's games will obviously have more "visibility" on Steam compared to Apple's App Store...because it's Steam and because gamers on Steam on iOS will be the same as gamers on Steam on PC/Macs
Users will have more freedom of choice and devs/studios will have more options instead of being limited to one monopoly App Store run by Apple.
*warning a little long, but I do make my point at the end of this
1) Popularity
Popular arguments goes "mobile games are popular with mobile users", but then that would be a given because they are just there on mobile and in the early days that's what the devices could only handle. So naturally with millions of mobile users they're going to get it...because it's just there.
So surely even if you go by laws of averages, the total million of iPad users, surely there would be significant number of that demographic would demand and purchase AAA games if they were available on the iPad, PC/Console gamers do get mobile devices (smartphones most obviously)
but still AAA games at most just come out in dribbles and drabs with the once on a blue moon big modern AAA game.
2) iPad specs
I really don't think there is an argument anymore that iPads don't have the grunt to run many "modern" AAA games, at least not iPads 2018 and above.
The iPad, especially the M series iPads have the specs to run many full on AAA games up to as far as Xbox/PS4 era games.
E.g. Divinity 2.
2018 iPad Pro "Has the Xbox One S gaming power" (Apple's actual marketing ignoring the elephant in the room with obvious lack of Xbox One S games)
Aside from any limitations imposed by Apple when using the an iPads resources - i.e. memory
3) Cost and earnings issue -
AAA Devs/studios find it harder to recoup costs or turn significant enough profits to be worthwhile putting their games on the App Store.
Now I am not a developer and don't know the Economic ins and outs on iOS, but I do see going by articles, stats and other information that
Free 2 play designed games (not just F2P model) such as PUBG, Fortnight - which to me looks cheap in design and gameplay (my opinion) rake in billions through micro transactions.
It's "Free" so no barrier of entry in combination to what makes/made it stand out from the literal thousands of other F2P games was its curating placement in the App Store.
There are top ten "free" category and top ten paid category.
but really, top ten paid category has Minecraft and the mostly the rest are $5 paid games, very old yesteryear AAA and not necessarily AA-AAA games that wow consoles/pc gamers in recent memory.
which leads into
4) perception and self feeding loop
F2P and general mobile games are displayed promininently which is fine for the App Store and many paid games look almost indistinguishable from general mobile F2P games when browsing the App Store without prior knowledge and the obvious upfront price tag.
Which leads the perception, and rightfully so, that the App Store is dominated by popular F2P mobile games and that AAA games just doesn't fit for mobiles.
*****MY POINT***** (thank you for reading this far)
Apple's App Store is not going to change (unless anti-trust measures and pressure does that in regards to Apple's monopolistic App Store practices) to make developing AAA games for mobile more appealing...
BUT what if other App stores were allowed to exist on mobile?
For example Steam (I prefer GOG and purchasing/installing directly from websites)
If gamers saw a Steam store on mobile that allowed you to purchase and install directly like they do Apple's App Store, I believe that would change mobile gaming completely.
Think about it, you have a store that concentrates on actual AA-AAA and popular indie games that you want, easily and available to purchase and download (First the AAA games have to be developed for more mobile of course).
When you go to the Steam Store you go there knowingly looking for these types of games.
Steam is obviously curated for AA-AAA and indie games, so you don't need to have to browse through thousands of mobile games if that isn't your thing.
Steam would offer an alternative store for AA-AAA devs instead of Apple's App Store (This is in consideration to Epic vs Apple and their percentage charges/policies)
AA-AAA game dev's games will obviously have more "visibility" on Steam compared to Apple's App Store...because it's Steam and because gamers on Steam on iOS will be the same as gamers on Steam on PC/Macs
Users will have more freedom of choice and devs/studios will have more options instead of being limited to one monopoly App Store run by Apple.
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