A friend of mine, who happens to design games, asked me a couple of weeks ago if we could collaborate on a game for the iPhone. In his own words, it's "quick, cheap and you can make any little game for it to make some money".

I think that's a pretty good analogy from a lot of game developers at the moment. The Wii may be considered casual, but iPhone appears to be in a completely different league of casual.

Ok that chart Apple showed is a joke. But still, Apple is actually beating Sony in the portable game software market.

http://www.vgchartz.com/photos/pics/6984670aaa.png
US Game Software Revenue Martket Share - 2009

Nintendo DS 70% (down 5% from 2008)
iPhone OS 19% (up 14% from 2008)
PSP 11% (down 9% from 2008)

I admit I was shocked at first that the iPhone was beating the PSP. But seriously, look at the 2009 that the PSP had. The PSP didn't really have much in the way of popular titles for the west. Dissidia Final Fantasy was the best selling 2009 PSP title in Americas. And it sold less than 500k. The PSP is basically a niche handheld right now. Badass jrpg library (not as much as the DS in my opinion though) but not much in the way of mainstream titles lately. Even Monster freakin Hunter was the third best selling PSP game in 2009 in Americas (yes Americas ffs). It's pretty much become the western otaku's handheld right now.

Now the iPhone on the other hand, games are going to be popular on it since A) a lot of people own a iPhone or iPod Touch, and B) It's not so convenient to carry around both a iPhone and a PSP at the same time. So when people need time to kill, they just take out their iPhone, play a quick game and kill some time.

At way more than the price of a DS and PSP put together it goddamn well fuckin better be as good as both put together.

Apple making an iphone that people happen to make games for and play games on is one thing, but them actually actively getting into the video game scene (iphone makes money being a phone first and foremost) is another thing entirely. Yes, I think if they made a dedicated gaming machine they'd crash and burn like they did with pippin. Apple just has no concept of making something both good and cheap and if the PS3 taught us anything it's if you don't make it cheap don't bother. Apple simply has no concept of "cheaper"-- they're making stuff for the person with too little sense and too much money.

If anything I see Sony moving closer to Apple's way and further from Nintendo. If it has a phone or some other gadget, then Sony has just handed the dedicated handheld gaming market back to Nintendo. I also think something like that would ultimately benefit both Sony and Nintendo. Nintendo gets their market back to themselves, Sony establishes itself as a "Swiss army knife" platform that's friendlier to gaming than Apple.  Then Sony pulls some out of each camp. Personally I'll be glad if Sony leaves dedicated gaming anyway.

Stop going off topic.

On topic: I don't think Apple can enter the games market unless they make there own gaming handheld.

Hero of Sparta. Essentially God of War.

You haven't played it, but it was recently released on PSN for the PS3 as well.

"Press the sound button" games definitely fall into this bite sized throwaway entertainment category, but those were to be expected in volume because they take next to no time to make and there is essentially no quality control of any kind for the App Store (only user ratings, which is arguably the best measuring stick for the value of an app) beyond their "no porn" rule.

But on the flip side, there are more and more dedicated efforts being released by both independent developers (have quite a few on my phone that I still enjoy playing) as well as games from established franchises being released by the major publishers. The quality of releases has stepped up immensely from even just a year ago if you look at the best releases rather than the throwaway releases that all the iPhone detractors keep gravitating towards to prove why there is no future to gaming on the devices.

This is why the iPhone is seeing success as a gaming platform.

It's essentially why I play games on mine and I'm pretty sure I don't represent some tiny niche category of iPhone users.

I'd argue it has yet to see a killer app that actually makes someone go out and buy an iPod Touch (buying an iPhone and switching cell carriers is more or less out of the question considering subscription fees, etc. unless an app was so brilliant it was literally revolutionary), but that's not even relevant.

The business model seems to be more along the lines of "the device sells apps by providing a market place" as opposed to "the games sell the device so gamers can play them."

Plus the pricing on most of the games means there are a lot of impulse buys. This will probably change with iPad apps though as they supposedly cost more.

Apple is flexing...and since it's all about $$$...they have alot of room to flex.

Alright Apple, to be fair lets wait till Nintendo produces a cell phone then watch who beats who. Also the document said their are 50-million I-Phones and I read now its suspected they are nearly 75 mill, while the DS is at a whopping nearly 130-mill. Almost double the hardware sales of the I-Phone.

Now lets look at this logically, 50,000 games/apps competing for sales on a platform with only 75-million gamers versus 4.5K on the DS competing for sales on a platform with 130-million units. Logically less competition on a far more popular platform is a much better option then competing with way more competitors on a platform with an inferior user base.

Plus many games I've heard of for I-Phone sell for as little as 60 cents to 99 cents. A game selling for 1$ on the I-Phone could easily sell for 20$ budget priced on the DS. Some of the I-Phone games I've seen selling for a buck have enough content to warrant a budget release on DS. Why would you support I-phone if your anything but an indy developer. Seriously theirs far more money to be made on DS.

I think Apple is putting their heads up their butts, I'd love to see Apple take on a Skype supported DS. A DS with online phoning free amongst other DS's. I bet you anything that 3DS will have a Mic and a program similiar to the WiiSpeakChannel. Once DS owners can call each other for free you'll see Apple begin to panic.

Then just think of what would happen if Nintendo enabled users to actually place phone calls online, offer a phone plan etc...etc... Nintendo would kick Apple's butt!

  No, but it was what has made Nintendo handhelds a huge success, especially the DS