Clearly iDevices are attracting more big software developing companies. GTA:CW is a clear example of this. Although these companies are creating major leaps for the Appstore in terms of graphics and overall quality, they are also competing with smaller, private developing teams. I fear that there may come a time when the iTouch is just like the DS or PSP in the sense that there are no (or few) private developers who produce products for the platform. Private developers don't have the funding nor the resources that companies like Ubisoft, Rockstar, or Activision. Also, these bigger companies may be raising the bar, but are also raising the price of an app. Spending under 5 dollars for a quality app doesn't make me think twice. But spending 10 does just a little. And when the fanbase of these developers who have made other games on other platforms/consoles realize that their fanbase is not only on xbox/ps3 but iTouch as well, they will up the prices even more, untill a game that is 10 dollars in the appstore today, is 30 in the near future. Also, with the expected release of the Apple tablet, if apple uses the same app store for both platforms (iTouch/Tablet) many developers will produce games for the newer, more effecient tablet. Logically the tablet will be much better at running apps and will not be easily compatible with the iTouch, so if apps are produced for that superior system, many apps in the appstore may/will not be able to be run on the iTouch(or run slowly). Also a quick note to dev's (like the ones who were supposed to release The Relic) Better release your games fast before Assasains Creed II comes out because of it and GTA: CW many people giftcards/budgets on apps will be stretched since we are used to cheaper apps. I used to spend maybe 5 dollars a month to buy pages of apps (many free). But now with these brand names coming out I've already spent 10 bucks this month and if something intresting doesn't come out between now and then. 10 bucks next month.
Definetley agree with your first point about the big companies conquering the platform. I doubt devs will make games for the tablet exclusively though as it will be more expensive and therefore less units out there. There are millions of idevice a dev can cater to while there will be many less tablets. Also making a highly optimized game for tablet would cost a lot
I sure dont hope the app store ends up like that... I am loving it how it is. I dont really use it for like hardcore gaming, thats what an xbox360 is for. This is my little device that I spend just as much time on as my 360 but I play TONS of apps in that time while maybe only 1 or 2 games on the xbox. I just kind of like having cheap apps that are creative and fun and give you the sense of finding a real GEM in the appstore.
it think the casual fan base will always be there and you see it bleeding over to the other platforms as well but the hardcore gamers deserve games like GTA as for my self i dont have a console dont have time for the really deep games but i do have time for GTA and everything else on my phone and love it thats were most of the aging gammers from late 80s and 90s are headed and with the low sdk price i dont see Indies stopping i mean look gta is still #5 in units sold they are number one at income but they charge appropriate for there game the Indies withered them selves down to .99 and now its expected from everyone if doodle jump was say 3.99 this whole time they should have enough money to make a really polished game but i bet you they would make another casual game because thats what still sells even with GTA on the seen
I think that overwhelmingly, the huge success of the app store is due to the wealth of incredible value for money it currently offers, on the whole. If this ever changes, yes, I believe things will go downhill fast.
You have to think about this: tons of people who own iDevices don't even buy games. They just buy the free apps. In addition, a big chunk of the people who do buy games only buy lower priced games and casual games.
Actually I think what your seeing is the app store maturing. Indie developers can still pursue the $5 gift card sales while the larger companies can pursue higher returns with more sophisticated fare.
If the trend continues and big console companies continues to pollute the appstore we could be seeing a bleak future for the itouch. I don't want to play lifeless ds ports I want original games from great indie developers.
I completely understand where you're coming from. Big name companies murder the little guys, but consider this: Big name companies don't really give a shit what their fans want after the app has been launched. I've bought a few apps from big companies that haben't been updated beyond 1.0, and they need some serious improvement. Smaller companies actually care what their customers think, because they not only need their customers, but they actually converse with them on a near personal level in forums and things, and that raises attention to things. When a game is about to be released by a company like Gameloft, you may get excited, yeah, but when it's released, you always wait until someone else has bought it to see if it's good - when you're on a forum like this, and game developers are posting constant updates of their apps in development, you get more than excited. you get completely PUMPED that they're not only sharing their ideas with you, but also taking feed back - being involved in the game's development cycles - and sometimes being able to beta test them. maybe it's just me (and I'm sure it's not) but I feel more inclined to buy something when I know that the developer cares what I think about the game - or the product in general, and I'm not just some joe nobody to them because I'ved already given them money for their game. When Ubisoft releases assassin's creed II, the only reason the game is going to update is to fix bugs in the game, and after a certain point, it'll be forgotten, but the developers behind the game Battle Bears have gone so far as to include two entirely new game modes to it after release, and they're free for the people who've already purchased it. and games with a high price point typically won't sell as well as games with smaller ones, because when you're investing money into a game, you want to make sure it's worth the price. Consider if Square Enix's Sliding Heroes was only 3$ instead of 10$ - I would've bought it, even if it was a little buggy, and the game wasn't amazingly fun and well made, because 3$ isn't a lot to spend. if the game Battle bears was 10$, I'd never have bought it. it looked fun, yeah, but not 10$ fun. but maybe I'm just being jaded - take from it what you will
Most of my friends who are not with AT&T have an iTouch and just get all the free apps. Cheapskates! Some refuse to buy anything ever.
Apple should feature games, compare them based on the budget, and if sites like this one keeps bringing up indie games, I don't think it will be that much of a problem.. the thing is the developer software is open to nearly everyone, not locked to big budget companies
When there was no big-name publisher, people said iPhone's future was bleak. Now that there are big-name publishers, people say iPhone's future is bleak.
It's only bleak for indie devs whose dreams is to be like Ethan, so a lot of IT people are quitting their day job in dreams of making money off iphone development but back when Ethan made ishoot there is little to no competition from big devs. It is a bitter pill to swallow but its not as easy as before.
But it's the big companies that can gets us the bigs games in 2-3 months. Not saying indie devs can't, Ravensword is testament to that, it just took a damn long time. Say, how'd Dwight doing?
Indie devs can give us good games made within 24-72 hours Dwight is doing fine but Jim is getting in my nerves.
