Filed under: Gaming, iPhone, iPod touch
Apple seeks game guru for app development
While some say Apple never wanted the iPhone to be a gaming device, the company knows which way the wind is blowing and wants to get involved. Apple is looking to hire a game and media software engineer for its iPhone and iPod touch team, which could mean it wants to make games of its own.The job description doesn't say "games" specifically, focusing instead on "interactive multimedia experiences." However, the ad is looking for someone with "3-4 years of video game development experience," someone who has "shipped at least one AAA title," and someone who is a "passionate gamer."
id Software co-founder John Carmack says higher-ups in Apple aren't overjoyed with the growing status of the iPhone and iPod touch as gaming devices. But there's big money in games. Research firm DFC Intelligence sees profits for dedicated game-device makers like Sony and Nintendo shrinking 27% over the next five years, while expecting revenue from games for Apple's handhelds to rise from $46 million last year, to $2.8 billion dollars by 2014. That's a lot of money flowing through Apple, though most of that will go to developers. With over 100,000 apps available in the App Store, only four available today are made by Apple, and only one of those - Texas Hold'em (iTunes link) is a game.
[via Apple Insider]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Anthony said 10:18AM on 11-16-2009
If they were awesome and did get games made on their own, they would rule, since the apps would be of upmost quality.
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Jordan said 11:00AM on 11-16-2009
By your statement you think they're going to be the upmost quality just because they're made by Apple? Wow, you couldn't be futher wrong.
I mean, Apple made Snow Leopard - we all know that wasn't the upmost quality
Apple made Time Capsule - we all know that wasn't the upmost quality
Apple made MobileMe - we all know that wasn't the upmost quality
Apple made the puck and MightyMouse - we all know that wasn't the upmost quality
Apple made macbook hinges that break - we all know that wasn't the upmost quality
Apple made the 3gs that overheats - we all know that wasn't the upmost quality
Apple made iphone 2.0 and 3.0/1 - we all know that wasn't the upmost quality
Apple made the newton - we all know that wasn't the upmost quality
Want me to keep going? Apple makes some nice products, but just because they make something doesn't instantly mean it's going to be of the upmost quality. They have created many crappy products alongside their nice ones.
doug said 10:27AM on 11-16-2009
I'm assuming Apple's stance on this is a worry the iphone will be tagged as "a toy" and not "a business platform/enabler" or "a personal everything device." A fine thing for the ipod touch, but not the iphone.
My only fear is that to address this Apple will start diverging the two platforms from one another and we'll see a raft of "ipod only" games that the phone won't be able to power. On the other hand though, it could be a good thing if the phone optimizes battery and adds more complex "phone features" while the ipod gains more raw power at the cost of some marginal battery life...I personally though would have to give up on games I probably won't play anyway.
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Randy said 12:06PM on 11-16-2009
How about more games for mac? It's one of the things I miss most since becoming a "switcher."
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Codey H. said 2:43PM on 11-16-2009
The real question is:
Will it be able to get approved for the App Store?
Even if Apple makes it, I'm sure it gets rejected by the infinite logic of the App Store Approval process.
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Ed said 3:01PM on 11-16-2009
3-4 years experience does not a Guru make.
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Harkirat Singh Bedi said 4:24AM on 11-20-2009
I agree with Doug.
dedicated software developers
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