Comments on: Why Apple should release a game console

Don Reisinger thinks now is the perfect time for Apple to get in on the console gaming front. Does Steve Jobs agree?

[JadedGamer]

Apple also cooperated with Nintendo for the GameCube, which in effect was an Apple Cube on the inside.

For the iPhone 2/iPod Touch gaming platform they will probably partner with others, though, e.g. EA. Imagine Spore or The Sims 3 on that platform...

[mbourgon]

Apple's already entered the market. It just won't be until June that it's apparent.

[GFW]

I don't think Apple should wrap itself in the aura of a video game maker - there is more to be gained by going after the serious side of the market and linking it with home utility.

I do think that Apple should team with a software group to make some games for the iPhone and iPod, and possibly for the mini, to link home and mobile with some kind of group game. Strategically it should be arms length from Apple.

[discodon]

No way. Apple is a successful company without a doubt, but even if they could pull off a good game console it would take many years before they see any reasonable market share. I'm not really excited about playing games on my iphone either, but if you're going to enter the market in gaming the iphone, itouch, ipod might be a good place to begin to see if you can generate some buzz. I'm not saying it wouldn't work with a console, but Apple would have to reinvent the wheel to come out of nowhere with a winning game console - radical new ideas, maybe some VR or something that we don't really get to see in current consoles.

[schoolboyeric]

what would you name it................ and come on we should only have one console that supports all games...that costs about 500$...its called a PC....
I would call it Oracle.

[billr2310]

Apple should use its huge stash of cash on its balance sheet and buy the Wii from Nintendo. Give it a refreshed Apple-style look and upgraded graphics and re-launch. Imagine an iphone-like controller combined with the Wii's controller.

[Spywell]

Apple+Nintendo merger would probably end up bad. Besides Nintendo is only selling because 1 it is cheap and 2 its new style of gameplay. If Apple takes Nintendo I can invision a apple mactendo mini costing 600-800$ and having poor game support. Besides macs are already shunned for having No games on their pc's. That hole is so big it will be impossible for them to climb out.

Apple + gaming = 100% Failure
Apple + Nintendo + Gaming = Nintendo Failure

Either way it doesn't look good

[klowd10136]

No doubt its true the gamecube was a disaster and totally wouldnt suprise me if apple got their hands in it they are just trying to compensate cause they have been overshadowed by microsoft for so long and no sane person would throw away the compatitbility of microsoft for a locked up piece of crap.

[Chedryka]

If Apple should develop a game console they should do it like they did with their iPhone. Primarily a phone, iPod second. iGame - game console primary, iPod secondary. Or an iPos Touch with more games downloadable thru the internet. My 2 cents...

[volksolwagen]

Apple is in position to do anything they want. I must admit that Apple does not dominate the computer or phone market by any means, but people have found it easy to adapt to Apple's fresh new ideas. I'm not an Apple user myself, but cutting-edge products like the iPhone and the Apple Air which features a solid state drive. A three pound notebook with a super performance solid state drive is unheard of anywhere else. Keep in mind the Apple Air commercial where the notebook is literally pulled from a manila envelope. Advertising has been one of Apples strengths for the past few years. Consumers see these hip, cool products coming out in the market and they've just got to have it. I know if Apple does come out with a gaming console of some sort, in lieu of Apple's cutting edge design and usability and if they market it as well as they've been marketing everything else, I can't wait for Apple to come out with a gaming solution.

[aaydogan]

Apple should stick to laptops, desktops, ipods and, OK, maybe iphones. Lately, every product coming form Apple including software is over-styled and under-featured with poor quality control. Leopard is joke. iphone is cool but is a lousy phone. Air cool, but is a lousy computer. Safari is a buggy mess. Who wants a game console form these guys....not me (and I'm an Apple fanboy!).

[squirtlewa]

I s'pose they could give it a try. Maybe they'd do as good a job with it as they did on the Newton. :p

I don't see Apple as being a good giant-killer.

In gaming you have xbox for gamer nerds, wii for everyone else, PS2/3 as the tryin-to-keep-up 3rd place. Before the Wii there was definitely room for a platform that emphasized something other than war games for pimply teens.

Seems like there may be room in hand-held game units...

[Vegabondmx]

Apple hasn't had a good history of developing and attracting gamers and developers to the Mac. Apple could possibly make a console that is aimed for the more casual gamer, such as the Wii, plus put in extra functionality. If it takes off expand from there then start to the more "hard-core gamer." it's all about execution, and Apple has to make something that would attract hardcore gamers who may shun it even if it's a really powerful console. In addition Apple should of course include their excellent ability of superb interfacing and UI.

Apple could possibly do it, but it wouldn't be easy. I suggest Apple works on improving gaming on the iPhone/iPod and later possibly put some simple games on the Apple TV. Working with developers on gaming for the Mac couldn't hurt either. If that takes off, then start to consider the console.

[amigosito]

I think it makes much more sense for Apple to buy Nintendo. There is a lot of synergy between the two companies when you think about the way they've each transformed their respective markets with game-changing products like the Wii and iPod. Nintendo (obviously) also understands the game market much better than Apple. Plus it would give Apple a basecamp in Redmond from which to launch covert special-ops strikes on the MSFT campus.

[netsiu]

I don't care if they do. I don't own a Apple and I don't play those type of games. If PSP, WII and what ever MS's is were waiting for me to buy they would wait a long time and lower the price to below $20 and games for $10 and then maybe. Maybe!?

[KazVorpal]

The main reason Apple should not try to enter the console market is that it is barely supporting three major systems, as it is.

Sure, Apple has the same monopolistic attitude as a typical game company. It's already used to micromanaging the hardware, software, and licensing to a depth that makes Microsoft look like a bunch of freewheeling open sourcers.

But there are already three big players.

Yeah, one of them IS Microsoft. But Microsoft has not only ten times the market share of Apple, that helped it launch into an already competetive industry, but also ten times the money, that let it finance the flashiest and (however unstable) most powerful game system. Remember, it entered that market at about the time it was bailing out Apple by "investing" hundreds of billions of dollars in its competitor, in order to keep them from being so weak that Microsoft would appear to have no competition at all.

And yes, Apple is famous for winning over simpler people with its insanely flashy packaging and marketing. The iMac was all pretty, and no substance. The iPod was a mere mp3 player with the added "feature" of having to PAY for songs. The iPhone is the noisiest overkill in the history of telephones...but, once again, Apple is going to be trying to enter a market with three well-established players.

This isn't like Microsoft entering when people were finally giving up on Sega. There's no room in the market for a mediocre-financed newbie, no matter how good they are at propoganda, how skilled they are at monopolizing hardware and controlling licensing, or how blindly loyal their relatively tiny user base.

[KazVorpal]

Hundreds of millions, not billions.

Typo

[MatadorGP]

NO. They suck anyway. What other evil company would partner up with AT&T? ..that was just wrong... screw them..

Apple is EVIL I tell you!! only for yuppies and *******... and "wannabe" graphic artists.... people that have no balls.. like women...

[ipggi]

Apple finds it extremely difficult convincing publishers to port their PC gaming titles to it's OSX Mac platform. What hope would Apple have of convincing console publishers of porting and developing their games to an Apple console when they already have to worry about three other platforms (four if you include PC ports).

[Ed-duh-win]

KazVorpal has a great point.

I will legally hang myself the day Apple releases their game console.

[klowd10136]

I have made quite a few comments and im sure some die hard apple fan is going to put in there two cents as well. but have to get across consoles i recently bought a wii and quickly finding out the games that came with it are the really only good game wii has the innovative console but the games suck u can only play mario games so long before u get extremely bored and the wii points really suck speacially for the fact that if you wana play any downloaded games u have to purchase the speacial controllers. The xbox 360 has the best gaming line up from the sleek design of the controller which is by far the best controller design out of the 3 great consoles. Then you look at the 360 and go online you have the largest gaming community available for a minimal cost of 50 a year. Next you look at the PS3 which by far has the absolute best graphics and the blue ray player is just awsome. How would apple beat these companies without having to be half the price which apple would never do. If they could enter anymarket why dont they make HD TVs that are compatibal with everything. They could even put one of those handy ipod docks on them that they like to sell with everything now. thats just my two cents on the whole console business. I personally dont like apple products other that just the standard ipod which does have good sound quality which i tossed out here recently to get a Zune and and 100% satisfied with its quality and Compatibility.

[elchamber]

Yes they should... If they do...HA!
Dear Apple Game Console,
You new so here?s what you need. You must be like the other consoles (Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii), but better. Like the 360, you have to have games and haft of them must be good. The others is just a front to show them that you have an army ready. One thing that draws gamers to a console is games? duh, but exclusive, fun games. Remember fun. The one thing 360 has is games, but the other is it?s failure rate.
Be like the PS3. Be powerful enough it NOT BREAK. Have things built in already if you like. Be the new beast on the block. And don?t neglect games. Make it easy for little game publishers to create games for you? ONLY. PS3 has it, but it takes too long for them. The most of the fun games for now on the PS3 are not exclusives. Please ignore any new innovative social-network. That?s the internet. If you want to, have it made already. If not, stop mentioning it until it is actually done. Set your self apart from the rest.
The Wii is strong, very strong. Why? It gives all people the power to enjoy wasting away together. That?s the new trend for guarantee success. Have something the whole family or a bunch of drunken friends to group together to compete.
That is all, since I really don?t care about the subject.