The Pocket Gamer Report: The iPhone Buffet

Sony and Nintendo would be wise to pay heed to the App Store's savvy and varied approach to handheld gaming.

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Pocket Gamer:

Sony and Nintendo would be wise to pay heed to the App Store's savvy and varied approach to handheld gaming.

You mean the savvy and varied approach that blocks approval of various apps while letting a baby-shaking game get through?

It's a haven for piracy though, like almost every other gaming platform.

*sigh* And here I thought after last week's article would we start seeing less about how Nintendo and Sony should start taking cues from "God's glorious gift to manking," or the iPhone to non-Apple people. Guess I was wrong.

With that out of the way, that's not an entiely new strategy used by developers, so it's not surprising for it to be done on the iPhone. I mean, there are plenty of free MMOs that do that, too, but no one seems to compare them to the Nintendo and Sony distribution models (yes, I know it's not the same due to the whole "computer vs. handhelds thing). Hell, you also never see people saying, "Oh, Apple has free games on the iPhone that make money through in-game stores. Nintendo/Sony/Microsoft/Sega/Valve/YouVideoGameDeveloperOfChoiceHere should also do that for all of their games." The model itself doesn't mean that anyone will turn a profit, save for the consumers (which is also debatable). Hell, plenty of free MMOs close due to that business model, anyway--see Dungeon Runners and Tabula Rasa (at least, I think that one was free and now defunct).

I also don't see digital distribution as the next major stage of gaming, but rather as a trend (which, coincidentally, is what I see the iPhone as). Yes, there are many-short term advantages than disadvantages, but the long-term disadvantages pile up quickly. Physical media is still in, and is going to stay here for a very long time.

I think the most notable thing pointed out in this article is not the potential rise of digital distribution, ostensibly brought forward by the iPhone, but the awkwardness of the controls which happens because Apple arrogantly "forgot" to put game-playing buttons into its mobile devices. If a half-baked tablet like the iPhone can be called a proper handheld platform, it's time for us gamers to panic.

Just another article which makes me want to accelerate my efforts in opposing the iPhone. First-person shooters need buttons - they aren't "thumbable".

I love the iPhone and iPhone touch, but DS and PSP owns them at gaming.

The games on the DS and PSP cost more, but are longer and better. Plus the touch controls of the iDevices are not accurate nor very reliable. And the accelerometer control (tilting and stuff) is not as accurate than the Wii's, and when you tilt the device, the screen moves.

Edit: and Eliminate's controls are pretty poor. they are quite unresponsive and your thumbs take a huge amount of space from the screen. Inn my opinion, the DS is the best handheld for shooters, as a PC gamer Moon's controls were at home with me.

Wow, the media in the UK really is slipping. I understand this is an opinion column, but second-guessing the second-coming of hand-held Christ every week is ridiculous. You might not realise this, but most hand-held gamers couldn't care less about this stuff. People go with what they already happen to own or where the games they like are. Looking at the business decisions of large companies and the resultant cultural impact is interesting, sure, but you do it in such a blasé and subjective way as to discredit any valid point inadvertently you make.

So, um... how much is Apple paying you to be a shill? Because I'd like some of that action?

Why is this called "Pocket Gamer" and not "iPhone User"?

Abedeus:
Why is this called "Pocket Gamer" and not "iPhone User"?

Maybe because you can fit an iPhone in a small pocket. Oh snap!

Sigh... How it happens that the iPhone will always suddenly overtake the DS and PSP? Here is a bit of news flash: Apple is NOT a videogame maker. End of story.

Georgeman:

Abedeus:
Why is this called "Pocket Gamer" and not "iPhone User"?

Maybe because you can fit an iPhone in a small pocket. Oh snap!

Sigh... How it happens that the iPhone will always suddenly overtake the DS and PSP? Here is a bit of news flash: Apple is NOT a videogame maker. End of story.

My phone fits in my pocket. And I can play Sudoku, Icy Tower and other games on it. Does it count as a handheld console yet?

No? Why? The only difference between iPhone and my phone is that my phone doesn't have a touch screen (boo-hoo, I don't have to look at the phone to press the buttons). Also my phone didn't cost as much as a good GPU or a quad cored CPU.

Georgeman:
Sigh... How it happens that the iPhone will always suddenly overtake the DS and PSP? Here is a bit of news flash: Apple is NOT a videogame maker. End of story.

And the last time they tried... well, let's just say that it was like showing up to a jousting competition with a broom handle and without any armour.

Abedeus:

Georgeman:

Abedeus:
Why is this called "Pocket Gamer" and not "iPhone User"?

Maybe because you can fit an iPhone in a small pocket. Oh snap!

Sigh... How it happens that the iPhone will always suddenly overtake the DS and PSP? Here is a bit of news flash: Apple is NOT a videogame maker. End of story.

My phone fits in my pocket. And I can play Sudoku, Icy Tower and other games on it. Does it count as a handheld console yet?

No? Why? The only difference between iPhone and my phone is that my phone doesn't have a touch screen (boo-hoo, I don't have to look at the phone to press the buttons). Also my phone didn't cost as much as a good GPU or a quad cored CPU.

Well, like I said above, Apple is not a videogame maker and iPhone's main focus aren't the games. Mobile phones also don't have games as a main focus, so we can't really classify them as gaming devices. The pocket thing was just a joke. :P

Fasckira:
Maybe Im mis-reading the article, but I dont think hes implying that the iPhone is about to take over the DS or PSP but rather that it is on the scene and releasing games that people are clearly downloading and playing (though whether they are continuously playing is another matter).
I cant see the DS or PSP considering the iPhone as a threat but I do like the iPhone's little games like these - Im more likely to have my iPhone on me than my DS so Im more likely to pass any time Im needing to wait out playing on the iPhone.

The thing is: He's acting like the way of iPhone is the way of the future. Currently, it's just an alternative. Not the main dish. Most people like to buy their games in retail rather than have them digitally distributed.

Hmm like with the music industry, it's all going to downloads...

Hopefully this kills off EB games and GameStop as we know it; and their little pre-owned games and 'disk protection' scams die with them.

I hope this means more money to the developers of games, who rightfully deserve the money.
I've got a few ideas floating around on how to turn the whole industry on its head, so that the only people who are in the loop are developers and gamers. No more middle men!

Cheaper games for gamers, better funding for game developers. ( equals better games for all )

In other news, Iphone has no buttons, so therefore, buttons are obsolete!