iPhone Gaming Continues To Grow

1Up reports that the popularity of gaming on smartphones is growing, particularly on the iPhone. In fact, gaming on portable devices is growing even at home, where users presumably have access to more powerful platforms. CNN points out that the developer for Trism, one of the first popular games, has raked in over $250,000 in profits through the App Store. Apple exec Bob Borchers and various game developers recently discussed the future of games on the iPhone. "Patrick Gunn, director of marketing for EA Mobile, showcased Need for Speed Undercover, which will be available next month. Gunn says that EA has 'taken full advantage of all of the unique elements ... like touch, flick, accelerometer, and motion sensitivity' — and graphically, the game appears to be roughly on par with a PSP title."

Comments

CNN's article reads like Apple propaganda

[Kethinov]

That CNN article is strongly biased. Consider this quote: "The overhead and barriers to entry [for iPhone development] are so low that virtually anyone can afford to take a crack."

Yeah, sure, compared to the ludicrousness of consoles. But how about PCs? Or even Mac OS X on anything other than an iPhone? The barrier to entry on any of those platforms is zero.

Also quoth the article: "The iPhone and the App Store have helped democratize game development by opening the field to any software coder."

Sure, yeah, a platform where you have to pay a fee to even be allowed to develop for it, then have all applications you make subject to Apple's approval for distribution is so democratic!

Also quoth the article: "It's also become a potential gold mine for entrepreneurs who create games for the device. Just ask Steve Demeter, developer of the popular puzzle game "Trism." ... Priced at $5, "Trism" earned Demeter $250,000 in profits the first two months."

I continue to be astonished by how people consider getting rich off of digital downloads to be at all a good thing. I respectfully submit that anyone who makes hundreds of thousands of dollars for a few months of work "in their spare time" is being grossly overpaid. And when you really think about it, paying any price for a digital download is simply price gouging anyway, since the cost of reproduction is zero. That means at $5, Trism is marked up 500 times. No wonder he got so rich, huh?

Re:CNN's article reads like Apple propaganda

[mdwh2]

I am in full agreement - but as always, anything that isn't praising Apple gets modded down. Also note how the iphone doesn't even support industry standard cross-platform methods for running games, that almost all other phones support.

Games have been on phones for years, and there is nothing special about the IPHONE here - it's a shame that the media (including Slashdot) give free advertising to Apple, as if they were the only phone company around.

It might perhaps be an interesting statistic that games usage among Iphone users has grown the most, but that doesn't say anything about market share as gaming platforms, or usage overall. Also, since Apple is a late-comer to the market, one would expect growth to be higher, as it is starting from a smaller amount.

I don't recall having a Motorola V980 Gaming Continues To Grow article on CNN, not to mention an article for every other phone.