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FEATURE: Is iPhone the new super platform?
Feb 10th 2009 at 09:00 by Tim Ingham
iPhone Month: As Apple’s marketing machine turns its attention towards games – and publishers disagree as to which level they should be supporting it – CasualGaming.biz asks if iPod Touch and iPhone can really topple DS?
It’s always been a dead cert: different demographics will become drawn to different consoles. But there’s one platform that’s threatening to smash that age-old maxim – and it’s not even a ‘proper’ games console.
Some leading publishers have already taken note of the iPod Touch’s effect on the market in a big way. The established class – EA, Sega, Warner, Atari and THQ – are all developing their own titles for the format.
And with Apple’s dreadnought of a marketing team turning its full attention to games – and making interactive entertainment the focus of its recent TV marketing blitz – even ‘non-games’ companies are getting excited about the device’s potential when it comes to challenging the previously untouchable Nintendo DS.
In last week’s MCV (30/01/08), we revealed that Paramount was to launch its self-publishing arm on the iPod Touch, with an adaptation of 1990 Tom Cruise move Days Of Thunder.
Paramount outsourced development of the title to US studio Freeserve. The game’s producer, Bruce Morrison, believes the movie giant has made a wise decision in launching on the platform first – and ignoring DS.
“The iPhone and iPod Touch – everyone forgets the Touch but the majority of hits we get from our website come from Touches instead of phones – are already outperforming the DS and PSP if you look at the track record and adoption rate based on where the DS and PSP were six months into life,” he says.
“Then there’s the App store, a single point of delivery that puts the giants like EA on the same ground as the one-man studio. The surface to creative original games on the iPhone hasn’t even been scratched. There's so much opportunity.”
Like Paramount, other publishers have also outsourced development for the system, admitting that asking a third party to create titles for the format is very much an act of ‘dipping their toe’ in the iPod’s potential – rather than risking major investment on its industry-bending potential.
Activision UK MD Andrew Brown says the company is reluctant to give the machine the level of investment or commitment it has pledged to more traditional consoles – but that it isn’t counting out Apple’s chances just yet.
“Activision Publishing’s strategy regarding mobile gaming has so far been to license its properties to mobile publishers rather than develop and publish the games internally,” he explains.
“We consider this to be the most appropriate strategy at this point given that the full potential is still emerging. We view this as the most opportunistic approach to the mobile business given the size of the market and the limited profitability opportunities for in-house development.
“The DS and PSP have been designed as gaming platforms and therefore are able to deliver compelling and rich gaming experiences. It remains to be seen as to whether the iPod can deliver that same rich gaming experience.”
Others agree with Activision and Paramount’s strategy. 2K has told MCV that its own creative legend Sid Meier is keen to begin building his own games for the platform – but that, at present, the company feels third-party iPod development is the way to go.
However, not everyone is quite so pragmatic. Atari president Phil Harrison is a huge fan of the iPod. He believes the device is “game changing”, and “leading the global charge in innovative handheld technology and changing the way we consume and interact with media”. Sega of America boss Simon Jeffery tells MCV that “iTunes and Apple’s whole banking/payment system is flawless,” adding that “being able to buy a game and have it on your iPod with a couple of clicks is just brilliant”.
EA would seem to agree. UK marketing director Stuart Lang says iPhone and iPod Touch can both already hold their own against their more traditional gaming rivals – but also offer something unique to users.
“The iPhone has some similar game capabilities as platforms like the DS and PSP, but is unique because it is not a dedicated gaming device,” he says. “So we expect to see consumers of the DS and PSP clearly prioritise games over consumers who purchase an iPhone. Given that, we’re seeing different usage patterns, and product consumption for each platform, and we are crafting our product offering accordingly.
“We are excited to be part of this new platform and believe passion combined with our development talent and some of the best entertainment intellectual property in the world will enable us to shine in this environment.”
Sega, EA and Atari have all brought multiple triple-A licences to the system, but they appear to be a rare breed. There are currently over 1,000 games already on the App Store from more than 500 publishers – but over 300 of those only have one game on the service.
Those numbers suggest that Apple’s Greg Joswiak’s claim that DS and PSP “are scrambling to keep up” with iPod Touch may be little over-confident.
But with the DS market becoming overcrowded – and the iPod offering huge potential exposure to new consumers – history may show that, in the end, it took something more than just a ‘proper games console’ to finally dent Nintendo’s mass-market dominance.
l)(*&^%$#@!
Feb 11th 2009 | 00:46
:)
Feb 11th 2009 | 07:30
Bah. hell no. Cell phones that have no buttons or not too many interesting games have no place in the handheld market. Apple needs to keep its ass out of the gaming market unless they want nintendo and sony to smash them. Being a Iphone user... I am not impress with the games anyways. They are only doing so well right now because the DS and PSP have been out FOREVER (Seriously like what 5 or 6years?!?) Plus I rarely run into people with the Iphone so I dont know where some of theses people get the numbers they get anyways. (not so much in this posting. but in others). Nintendo and Sony arent stupid they probably are working on something awesome for their next hand-helds.
Tom B
Feb 11th 2009 | 15:13
Clearly, yes. People may not BUY an iPhone or a Touch with idea of games foremost in their minds, but they will EN UP playing more iPhone games than they play on any other platform. The phone is always with you, and the dev platform is easier on developers than with the other game systems.
Lee M
Feb 11th 2009 | 15:41
:)
Are you out of your %$#@*%! mind?!
"Plus I rarely run into people with IPhone"
???
What planet did you just wake up on? My company, for instance is adopting iPhones (yes, this spelling is correct) in droves... Every where you look you see iPhone users. Normally, I wouldn't be this harsh but you're an idiot! Take a look at the runaway success the App store has already had, and you'll see Microsoft scrambling in that direction, albeit, too little too late. Furthermore, couple the mass distribution of existing iPod Touch, and iPhone's already in the hands of gamers (who by the way, probably own a DS or PSP - or both), and you have the makings of a gaming "blood bath" for any competitor within arms reach of Apple! Not necessarily a Mac Fan Boy here, I just have common sense and foresight... Wake up America! The iPhone revolution is here!
jameskatt
Feb 11th 2009 | 15:58
Yes, the iPhone/iPod Touch is the new super platform.
It allows everyone (preschoolers to senior citizens) to play games. The DS and PSP appeal primarily to teenage boys.
"Casual gaming" is a great idea. It means you don't have to spend all your time playing a game. When you have 5 minutes here or there, when you have a break, you can play on your iPhone.
It allows far more varied and creative types of games than the PSP and DS. When you look at titles for the PSP and DS, you primarily see shooters and racing games. BORING. But on the iPhone and iPod Touch, you can also get more interactive games (since it is not limited to buttons), board games, arcade games, word games, musical instruments, etc. Role playing games are a lot easier to do on the iPhone since it is like a desktop PC - not limited to buttons.
The iPhone allows so many more game types than the DS and PSP that it already has many more games than the DS and PSP.
Synthmeister
Feb 11th 2009 | 16:19
Apple will becoming the dominant mobile gaming platform and it will have nothing to do with lack of buttons, hard core games, quality of games or anything else that hard core mobile gamers care about.
1. Drop dead simple developers program
2. Drop dead simple end to end delivery, advertising, payment and storefront. The App store is brilliant, instant gratification and 70% cut to the the game developers.
3. Games cost half as much or less as PSP or DS
4. Numbers. Apple is already selling as many iPhones/iPod touches as Sony sells PSPs. People who would never dream of buying a PSP will buy an iPhone and then buy games.
5. Why buy a PSP or DS when you can buy an iPhone or Touch which seamlessly syncs with your computer, does e-mail, IM, internet, Google maps, GPS (iPhone), syncs to all your movies, music pictures, etc. and offers, 15,000 programs for download at the touch of a button?
It's not even going to be a contest by next year this time.
Jocca
Feb 11th 2009 | 17:29
I bought my iPhone on the day it hit the shelves of Apple and never looked back. Although I am usually not big into game, I found a few very addictive ones that are challenging and fun to play even for someone my age (65). As a matter of fact, one of them, Astro Tilt, is great at improving my eyes and hand coordination. They are very easy to install and very reasonable in price. What's not to like?
Tlbandito
Feb 11th 2009 | 18:01
Case in point, Ethan Nicholas, the developer if top rated iShoot app. Ethan quit his job last month at Sun Microsystems to be a full-time app developer. His prospects seem promising after writing iShoot in six weeks during his free time, and then generating $250,000 at $2.99 a pop. And that was a month ago.
Let me know when this kind of thing happens with PSP, DS, X-Box or any other gaming system. Apple has completely changed the rules. All the "pieces" existed before now, but Apple has (per usual) put them together in a completely game-changing way.
pm
Feb 12th 2009 | 01:22
"When you look at titles for the PSP and DS, you primarily see shooters and racing games" Huh? Do they shot the dogs in Dogz or the animals in Animal Crossings? I'll concede apple as the dominant platform when there is a Pokemon for the iphone/touch. Remember apple made everyone wanted an ipod as a music player because everyone else had one and all the kids wants a DS because everyone else has one. Its not always in the platform but the game experience. PS. Apple has 10 years to go before it can match the number of DS's sold.
Ted
Feb 12th 2009 | 05:12
@pm
As of 2008, the lifetime total of DS's sold is an estimated 22,169,761.
Apple sells that many iPods at Christmas alone.
So for the iPod Touch / iPhone to reach 23 million, it will only take another 8 months, not 10 years.
Viswakarma
Feb 12th 2009 | 16:07
I am 65-yr old systems engineer who travels quite a bit. When you have a few minutes to kill waiting for planes, iPhone is the best game platform to kill those minutes with casual gaming. Further, these games keep your mind exercised during these few minutes.
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