Nintendo Viewing Apple As The New Gaming "Enemy," Kicks Dirt At Sony
Apple's iPod touch and iPad haven't really been out long enough to
determine their long-term place in handheld gaming. Sony's PSP and
Nintendo's DS lineup are still the go-to handhelds when you think of
gaming on-the-go, but there's no doubt that Apple is having at least a
small impact on things. The App Store is filled with games, most of
which are cheaper than the same titles on Sony's PSP and Nintendo's DS
family.
Regardless of your own opinions, it's clear that Apple has the attention of the other "major" game makers. Sony has in the past admitted that the iPad wasn't a threat to the gaming realm (possibly something to make themselves feel better), and now Nintendo is opening up with some thoughts of their own about the iMaker. In a piece over at Times Online, Nintendo's Satoru Iwata (president and CEO) had a few choice words following a quarterly earnings report in which the company's net profits feel for the first time in six years.
Over the past few years, Nintendo has rebounded significantly from the woeful days of the Game Cube and Nintendo 64. Both of those consoles were great, but they lagged in sales behind Sony and Microsoft rivals. Now, Nintendo seems to be the giant to beat, as the Wii caught on despite doubts that an SD console would thrive alongside the much more powerful Xbox 360 and PS3. In fact, Nintendo is feeling pretty confident about their current position in the market, with the report noting that Iwata feels as if the "battle with Sony" is a "victory already won," and that Apple is the one that should now be treated as the "enemy of the future."
Nintendo is also trying to revive its image of surprise, and to think outside of the box and remain one step ahead of everyone else. It's clear that the idea of motion gaming has taken the world by storm, and Nintendo would love to kickstart the next gaming revolution as well. But viewing the battle with Sony as one that's "in the past" sure is an interesting take, and giving Apple so much credit is also something to think about. Could Apple's iDevices really infringe on the gaming arena? That sure would be something, considering that Apple never actively entered any of these devices into that category. Maybe it's just a sign of further convergence, signaling that people want fewer devices that simply handle more tasks. The iPad acting as an ereader and the smartphone acting as a portable computer are both evidence of that, so why would portable gaming be any different.
Apple and gaming, together. Saying that five years ago when only 10% or so of all gaming titles were released for Mac would've caused uproarious laughter, and today it's a valid argument. Talk about times changing.
Regardless of your own opinions, it's clear that Apple has the attention of the other "major" game makers. Sony has in the past admitted that the iPad wasn't a threat to the gaming realm (possibly something to make themselves feel better), and now Nintendo is opening up with some thoughts of their own about the iMaker. In a piece over at Times Online, Nintendo's Satoru Iwata (president and CEO) had a few choice words following a quarterly earnings report in which the company's net profits feel for the first time in six years.
Over the past few years, Nintendo has rebounded significantly from the woeful days of the Game Cube and Nintendo 64. Both of those consoles were great, but they lagged in sales behind Sony and Microsoft rivals. Now, Nintendo seems to be the giant to beat, as the Wii caught on despite doubts that an SD console would thrive alongside the much more powerful Xbox 360 and PS3. In fact, Nintendo is feeling pretty confident about their current position in the market, with the report noting that Iwata feels as if the "battle with Sony" is a "victory already won," and that Apple is the one that should now be treated as the "enemy of the future."
Nintendo is also trying to revive its image of surprise, and to think outside of the box and remain one step ahead of everyone else. It's clear that the idea of motion gaming has taken the world by storm, and Nintendo would love to kickstart the next gaming revolution as well. But viewing the battle with Sony as one that's "in the past" sure is an interesting take, and giving Apple so much credit is also something to think about. Could Apple's iDevices really infringe on the gaming arena? That sure would be something, considering that Apple never actively entered any of these devices into that category. Maybe it's just a sign of further convergence, signaling that people want fewer devices that simply handle more tasks. The iPad acting as an ereader and the smartphone acting as a portable computer are both evidence of that, so why would portable gaming be any different.
Apple and gaming, together. Saying that five years ago when only 10% or so of all gaming titles were released for Mac would've caused uproarious laughter, and today it's a valid argument. Talk about times changing.
