Apple has posted job applications on their website for Game/Media Software Engineers who are willing be in “The position on the team is to help design and implement interactive multimedia experiences on the iPhone and iPod Touch” For those who are interested click on the following link.
*removes journalistic cap of objectivity*
HAW HAW HAW HAW HAW
*puts cap back on*
Honestly…they’ve been trying to get into the video game market for decades. They’ve succeeded in ‘distraction’ gaming with the iPhone but I don’t foresee them ever producing anything substantial or anything that would require a larger dev team.
They have already had phenomenal success in the casual market, and they have an ownership rate with the iPhone that could easily be a fear factor for both Sony and Nintendo in the handheld market.
But this job listing doesn’t necessarily mean more extravagant games, possibly just software more complex in its development and more intricate in its execution. This isn’t a move that can just be laughed that, if they are smart about it, this is a legitimate claim to the casual gaming throne.
I care as much about the ‘casual gaming throne’ as I do the porcelain one next to my bathtub.
I perceive Macs, iPods, and iPhones as fashion accessories first and foremost. And while independent developers could create deep and involved games for the iPhone and iPod Touch, Apple has no motivation to do so.
Most ‘hardcore gamers’ laugh at the idea and there’s no reason for Apple to make a risky attempt at a new crowd when they could make ludicrous amounts of money with a ‘Match-3’ puzzle game featuring multicolored Apple logos.
Then they could make even more by making the Apple Logos red and re-selling the same game as a (RED) Edition.
Not to mention that those developers would have to actually pay the ESRB to rate their games. Well, the ESRB should be doing that anyways. See the PSPminis debacle.
The platforms that Apple has now cannot work for the kinds of intense games we are use to, buttons are needed.