Poll: Should Apple get into the video game business?

[Indignator]

When I was growing up the names I associated with video games were Nintendo, Sega and Atari. Of those only Nintendo is still making consoles and Sega's and Atari's spots were taken by two companies previously not associated with the industry. If there is another shakeup in the platform lineup, Apple is an obvious contender to make it happen.

So my question is this - would the introduction of an Apple console be beneficial to video games in general? Please note that I am asking if it would be good for gaming in general, not if it would be a good business move for Apple.

Personally I imagine an Apple console would become the American Wii and I fear it would splinter gaming along two lines. First into the casual camp with Apple and Nintendo, and the hardcore camp with Sony and Microsoft. Second, Nintendo and Sony would cater to the Asian markets while Apple and Microsoft would cater to the Western markets. And I don't think that would be optimal.

EDIT: I'm asking mostly about home consoles - handhelds are a different beast altogether.

 

[girzwald]

No thanks. Apple has already brought a bunch of hipster yuppies who spend too much money on their electronics because they don't know nuthin about nuthin telling us we aren't hip, into our universe. We don't need them ruining video games as well.

 

[Tayh]

Any move towards more console bias, is a bad move for the gaming industry.
As far as I'm concerned.

 

[peanut0070]

More competition = Cheaper games. I vote yes!

 

[girzwald]

More competition = Cheaper games. I vote yes!

Apple, has not made things cheaper. Apple makes everything more expensive.

 

[Phishfood]

More competition = Cheaper games. I vote yes!

That would be the short version. More competition in the market is never a bad thing.

The other thing I would say is it could be the greatest thing ever. So why not give it a chance. If its a pile of shit, no-one is going to force you to buy it.

 

[maxcarrion]

Apple already are in the console industry, the ipod touch is the most played handheld console in the world, why would anyone be against it.

 

[NuclearPenguin]

Apple already are in the console industry, the ipod touch is the most played handheld console in the world, why would anyone be against it.

God help me hearing the iPod called an actual handheld console just makes me hate humanity.

 

[Indignator]

Apple already are in the console industry, the ipod touch is the most played handheld console in the world, why would anyone be against it.

Good point which I overlooked. I edited my question to focus on home consoles and not handhelds.

 

[maxcarrion]

Apple already are in the console industry, the ipod touch is the most played handheld console in the world, why would anyone be against it.

God help me hearing the iPod called an actual handheld console just makes me hate humanity.

Huh? It has more games, more developers and better control technology (like touchscreen and accelerometers) than either of the 2 bit half arsed hand helds currently "leading" the market, I mean seriously, if I want a headache I'm not going to pay Nintendo £200 to provide it. A console where you can download interesting, original games, for free, every day - I am befuddled by this knee jerk reaction that in some way this machine, that's also really good at playing music, is somehow unworthy of the title handheld console, like a gameboy is such a vaulted and untouchable sacrilidge, o'rly?

Nintendo especially are completely failing to keep up with modern paradigms in gaming and release more and more pointless novelty gimmicks that bring little to the industry, I think if Apple stepped into the home console market they'd either have no impact and get pushed right out again, or if they released a good enough console would pretty much be the death blow to Nintendo, although this isn't necessarily a bad thing.

 

[teqrevisited]

Communities are already divided enough with 2 major internet-capable consoles and the PC platform. On top of that developers would have to split their time even more, resulting in more bugs, unfinished games and lazy ports.

Then just think of the hideously overpriced nature of Apple technology and apply it to a console business model with all of the associated peripherals.