EA: Apple Should Take Console Gaming Challenge

[Michael Essany]

If truth be told, the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad - the full breadth of the iDevice line - have become some of the most popular mobile gaming devices in the world, despite not being overtly manufactured and promoted to the masses as such. Still, Apple has attracted masses of mobile gamers to it's iOS gadgets to such an extent that leading video game system makers are feeling the heat. As a result, one of the video game industry's biggest names suggests Apple would be wise to take its reach into video game territory even further.

EA vice president Eric Soderlund tells ComputerandVideoGames.com (CVG) that Apple is one of the few companies in the world that could still take a big chunk out of the console gaming market. “If it was anyone but Apple," suggests Soderlund, "I’d say that’s going to be very hard. I still think it’s going to be extremely hard for them but they’ve surprised many people before."

The most likely portal through which Apple would make their challenge is Apple TV, especially if application support becomes a fixture of the product. Still, even without Apple giving the gaming market an endorsed push, developers are doing just fine on their own, effectively making incalculable sums of cash off of the hottest games in the app world today. Perhaps that's why Nintendo of America chief Reggie Fils-Aime commented this fall that Apple is a "bigger threat" to Nintendo than Microsoft. “Look at what they did with the iPhone, right?" Soderlund asked rhetorically. "They are a truly brilliant company so I would give them a relatively good chance to succeed if they tried.”

CVG

[Throne030]

Ofcourse , in the handheld division Apple has kicked some butt but that doesn't change the fact that a iPhone cost like ATLEAST 500$. How much for a PSP or a DS ? 200$ max, but at the other hand the games on the psp and DS are like 30$ but last more than 10 levels of a 2$ game on the iPhone. So it entirely depends what do you want from your handheld console.

[c0dy]

I'm ready for a stinkin actual controller for games. Touch screen games are nice, but physical buttons are much better

[feidhlim1986]

And if Apple did release a games console, it would be over priced, restrictive in what games would be allowed on it, and made redundant and unsupported after a year when Apple release the 2nd gen console

[NikeJS]

Ofcourse , in the handheld division Apple has kicked some butt but that doesn't change the fact that a iPhone cost like ATLEAST 500$. How much for a PSP or a DS ? 200$ max, but at the other hand the games on the psp and DS are like 30$ but last more than 10 levels of a 2$ game on the iPhone. So it entirely depends what do you want from your handheld console.

I agree but the iPhone can also do hundreds of things more than the DS and other portables. A cheaper alternative can be the itouch :/

[nautical79]

I dont think so, im the belive that do your thing and, dont quit your day job, if your good at one thing why change, besides apple its always on the eye of the hurracane, if it goes to gaming they will try to make patents of everything and there will be more lawsuits on his behalf.

[saunupe1911]

I have a feeling this new Playstation Phone is going to be a game changer because of the physical buttons. I doubt Sony drop the ball twice (PSP GO)

I also believe the next iPhone will be bigger and have more peripherals. The iPhone/iTouch lines is Apple's cash cow. Their stock will plummet unless they keep it on the cutting edge from a hardware standpoint. Heck, the retina display is still the best mobile display on the market.

[Rokesomesmeefer]

I have a feeling this new Playstation Phone is going to be a game changer because of the physical buttons. I doubt Sony drop the ball twice (PSP GO)

I also believe the next iPhone will be bigger and have more peripherals. The iPhone/iTouch lines is Apple's cash cow. Their stock will plummet unless they keep it on the cutting edge from a hardware standpoint. Heck, the retina display is still the best mobile display on the market.

They already made it bigger (iPad), it just needs peripherals.

[LearningMan]

I dont think so, im the belive that do your thing and, dont quit your day job, if your good at one thing why change, besides apple its always on the eye of the hurracane, if it goes to gaming they will try to make patents of everything and there will be more lawsuits on his behalf.

If Apple (and other companies)lived by that creed, the iDevice wouldn't exist.

[iRepairIndy]

Ofcourse , in the handheld division Apple has kicked some butt but that doesn't change the fact that a iPhone cost like ATLEAST 500$. How much for a PSP or a DS ? 200$ max, but at the other hand the games on the psp and DS are like 30$ but last more than 10 levels of a 2$ game on the iPhone. So it entirely depends what do you want from your handheld console.

I was personally thinking Apple comes out with its own console. A gaming system made by Apple.

Maybe one that is powerful enough to stand with Sony and Microsoft.. but can also go mobile? That'd be badass!

[saunupe1911]

They already made it bigger (iPad), it just needs peripherals.

I said the next iPHONE will be bigger, not iTOUCH.

[iRepairIndy]

If Apple (and other companies)lived by that creed, the iDevice wouldn't exist.

Well thing is they were not good at what they were doing before the "iDevices" lol

[Antman217]

I have a feeling this new Playstation Phone is going to be a game changer because of the physical buttons. I doubt Sony drop the ball twice (PSP GO)

I also believe the next iPhone will be bigger and have more peripherals. The iPhone/iTouch lines is Apple's cash cow. Their stock will plummet unless they keep it on the cutting edge from a hardware standpoint. Heck, the retina display is still the best mobile display on the market.

Well maybe, I mean the playstation phone sounds awesome but it's basically a psp go (which fails) and an android phone (which is still not as popular as iphones) it will just be two sucky things put together. And there aren't any interesting psp games coming out lately (I dont think sony even gives a sh*t about the psp anymore) but of course I could be wrong. If it has remote play for ps3 (which it will most likely have) then maybe I'll rethink it. Also android still doesn't have an awesome jailbreak like iPhone which I can't live without now.

[sziklassy]

Well maybe, I mean the playstation phone sounds awesome but it's basically a psp go (which fails) and an android phone (which is still not as popular as iphones)

Android phones still not as popular as iPhones? Android has outsold iPhone and hasn't even been out as long...

[whereswaldo]

Big words from a company that apple could destroy

[iRepairIndy]

Well maybe, I mean the playstation phone sounds awesome but it's basically a psp go (which fails) and an android phone (which is still not as popular as iphones) it will just be two sucky things put together. And there aren't any interesting psp games coming out lately (I dont think sony even gives a sh*t about the psp anymore) but of course I could be wrong. If it has remote play for ps3 (which it will most likely have) then maybe I'll rethink it. Also android still doesn't have an awesome jailbreak like iPhone which I can't live without now.

didn't android phone sales pass iphone sales?

Although there is 5-10 different companies making android phones vs just Apple

[Antman217]

Android phones still not as popular as iPhones? Android has outsold iPhone and hasn't even been out as long...

Like iRepaiIndy said there are more carriers with android devices and also more makers of android devices. Outselling something doesnt always make it more popular it means it's more affordable or available. Tell me you don't have an iPhone or idevice... exactly.

[vantheman169]

Like iRepaiIndy said there are more carriers with android devices and also more makers of android devices. Outselling something doesnt always make it more popular it means it's more affordable or available. Tell me you don't have an iPhone or idevice... exactly.

Exactly what i was thinking! Oh, i used a HTC windows mobile 6.5 phone today. Garbage! Made me love my smooth iPhone so much more!

[Rokesomesmeefer]

I said the next iPHONE will be bigger, not iTOUCH.

And I was implying that they aren't going to make the iPhone bigger. It wouldn't make sense to do so as it would then be competing with the iPad. Short of making calls and taking pictures/video, the iPad really is just a bigger iPhone. VoIP already makes up for its phone call shortcomings, and frankly I don't care that it doesn't have a camera as I barely use the one on my iPhone 4 anyway.

[whereswaldo]

And I was implying that they aren't going to make the iPhone bigger. It wouldn't make sense to do so as it would then be competing with the iPad. Short of making calls and taking pictures/video, the iPad really is just a bigger iPhone. VoIP already makes up for its phone call shortcomings, and frankly I don't care that it doesn't have a camera as I barely use the one on my iPhone 4 anyway.

It would just be stupid to make the iPhone bigger, or any idevice, they're already big enough