Next iPod To Have Downloadable Games?

[MacRumors]

An article in the St. Paul Pioneer Press (http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/business/10169305.htm) points to Digital River to produce electronic game content for distribution to the next generation of iPods.
Digital River's stock jumped 10 percent Friday on rumors that the Eden Prairie e-commerce outsourcer was negotiating with Apple Computer to download games to the next version of the popular iPod music player. "We actually believe this rumor, as management has suggested this was in the works in recent conference calls and investor conferences," analyst George Sutton of Craig-Hallum Capital Group wrote Friday. Spokespeople from Digital River and Apple Computer's iTune program did not return phone calls to comment. Sutton wrote that he believes Apple will control the downloads instead of Digital River, and he believes the game market will be limited by file size in the near term. Digital River shares closed at $38.70, up $3.54.

[rendezvouscp]

Interesting. They will probably be made for the iPod Photo and the iPod seperately, but who'll be making them for the mini? That's a lot of builds of one game.
-Chase

[Neuro]

Digital River are terrible to work with. Good luck Apple.

[AirUncleP]

I could see it as a link in the iTunes music website. While you're buying a song why not a game also?

[jwhitnah]

Finally, a reason to buy an iPod. ;)

[Blue Velvet]

Could this end up putting a lot of mechanical stress on the control wheel... all that clicking and jabbing?

[sinisterdesign]

Finally, a reason to buy an iPod. ;)

yeah, thank goodness it will play more games b/c it's a really crappy music player.

[combatcolin]

Supersprint update anyone?

Puzzle Bobble would work well on the wheel.

[davegoody]

Finally, a reason to buy an iPod. ;)

IMHO The ONLY reason to purchase an iPod is to listen to your music, if you want to play games buy a PSP or GameBoy DS etc. Waste of time (Battery life would be rubbish too !)

:confused:

[dotnina]

This just sounds weird. I can't imagine anyone at Apple is really thinking the iPod needs downloadable games? What sorts of games could you really play on an iPod, outside of things like solitaire?

Strange.

[Blue Velvet]

IMHO The ONLY reason to purchase an iPod is to listen to your music....:confused:

Doesn't make a half-bad external drive either... handy for work stuff (for me at least)

[nagromme]

Tetris :)

[wdlove]

The game download would be of no interest to me. This is encouraging since it might lead to the future. Would like to see information downloads like epocrates medical information.

[Jovian9]

Tetris :)

Oh yeah! That is THE GAME I want on my iPod.

[whooleytoo]

Perfect for Breakout! ;)

There's a lot of money to be made in games for phones, so I can't see why they wouldn't make a lot of money on the iPod too - especially factoring in the extra storage, RAM, and display size available to make more compelling games.

Please...oh, please...oh, please... let them release an SDK!!

[hvfsl]

I just wish Apple would do a Tetris clone for the iPod.

[Stella]

I think this is a great idea. You listen to music on the subway or bus whilst travelling to work.. and play a game too. I play games on my cellphone so be able to play games on iPod would be good. Could be a good money spinner. Though, the scroll wheel may be a bit limiting for some games.

I'm surprised that apple haven't released an SDK for the iPod so 3rd party developers can make uploadable software to the iPod. This would also be great.

[Sol]

I'm surprised that apple haven't released an SDK for the iPod so 3rd party developers can make uploadable software to the iPod. This would also be great.

Would you want Microsoft to give you a WMA player for the iPod? Maybe you do but Apple definately would not.

Maybe the games rumour is about something like a Mac games section in iTunes. Buy games online and download them. Save them in your hard drive and CD-Rs. Apple doing with games what they did with music.

[Stella]

Would you want Microsoft to give you a WMA player for the iPod? Maybe you do but Apple definately would not.

Maybe the games rumour is about something like a Mac games section in iTunes. Buy games online and download them. Save them in your hard drive and CD-Rs. Apple doing with games what they did with music.

Good point. However, you could limit the programmable ability for iPod - like not being about to add new codecs!

[Mord]

there already is a way to play more games on the ipod and thats through installing linux on the ipod but it's pointles as when i did it all my music came out scrambled and i have it in a variety of formats (aac, mp3, apple lossless).

[hob]

there already is a way to play more games on the ipod and thats through installing linux on the ipod but it's pointles as when i did it all my music came out scrambled and i have it in a variety of formats (aac, mp3, apple lossless).

How do you do that?

I sometimes play the games already on my iPod but I'm starting to get bored with them. I'm also tiring of the crappy games O2 sells me for my phone so some good iPod games would be good :)

iTunes Game Store sounds like a plan :)

Hob

[whooleytoo]

How do you do that?

I sometimes play the games already on my iPod but I'm starting to get bored with them. I'm also tiring of the crappy games O2 sells me for my phone so some good iPod games would be good :)


http://ipodlinux.sourceforge.net/

Installed it, gave it a look, but haven't tried any games though.

Two good things about making games available on the iPod are,
- it ties in (locks in?) customers who've bought a lot of games.
- Games are a great way of getting customers to upgrade more frequently. This is going to be increasingly important once the market starts to saturate. How many people would realistically dish out extra for a 120GB iPod over a 100GB? Apple need a new angle to keep people interested.

[swissmann]

I never play the games the iPod already has. Maybe if they were better games but I might still just use my iPod for music.

[aggemam]

Java would be a perfect platform for the iPod to run downloadable games on.

Many cellphones already use Java for games and applications, making it very easy to develop games or apps that work on many different devices.

[cubist]

I played with a Nintendo TS at Target a couple of days ago. Friends, it sounds weird, having two screens... but this is a very impressive machine.

I'm afraid the iPod games will be lame. I've already heard of portable game machines picking up PDA features; it may sound harsh, but the music player feature would be a lot easier to add to a game machine than the other way around. Sure, cartridges are crap... but still...

[Sol]

I'm afraid the iPod games will be lame. I've already heard of portable game machines picking up PDA features; it may sound harsh, but the music player feature would be a lot easier to add to a game machine than the other way around. Sure, cartridges are crap... but still...

Most of the iPod games are lame and colour did not make them better. Music Quiz is the exception but I think it would be better on the television.

The iPod could very easilly take a controller peripheral, maybe something with another click-wheel or plain buttons. The remote port allready does this. For games the display would be viewed with the short sides horizontal, N-Gage style. I think graphics would be all software rendered. Games would be Mortal Combat, not Tekken.

[homerjward]

SNAKE!!! that'd be awesome with the wheel, as would a simple racing game, like select as gas and steer with the scroll wheel. it'd be even better on a 3g imho

[Dr. Dastardly]

I didn't even relize my iPod had any games on it until like six months after purchase. :p

[coolsoldier]

I don't really see the advantage of downloadable games. I always thought iPod games are unnecessarily difficult to play -- A scroll wheel is great for navigating your music library. It doesn't make a very good game controller.

[update: on second thought, if they can make games for calculators (http://www.ticalc.org/pub/83plus/asm/games/ion/), I guess there's no reason not to make them for the iPod]

[hob]

At the moment I have a device that I use for one thing at a time:

iPod - Music (ocassionally use calender or contacts if in a tight spot)
T630 - All comunications
Gameboy Advance - Games

That's the way it will stay till someone can get all three into one device AND it works just as well if not better. I bought a PDA at one point, biggest waste of money ever. It just couldn't handle all the stuff I wanted it to do...

Then again, it was a PPC

Hob

[virus1]

i thought they were already games for the ipod that you can download... nm..

[MattrixMSP]

Although I rarely play games on my current iPod or mobile, if iTMS could manage purchasing, downloading and loading the iPod and/or Motorola Phone, the integration may just entice a few game purchases while music shopping...

[PaisanoMan]

I don't think anyone cares about downloadable iPod games, but in Apple's quest to keep the iPod the undisputed champion, they might keep on adding features well before demand exists for them.

But why would they even bother talking to Digital River, a company that makes crappy small-time e-commerce systems? Apple would definitely extend their existing music store infrastructure to include games -- I'm sure they already have plans to include video in the future.

The skeptic in me says that Digital River is just drumming up the rumor to make their stock price jump.

[gekko513]

This would appeal to some teenagers, I guess. There is a market for crappy cell phone games (and apparently calculators), so why not iPod games?

[macridah]

I would see it hard to control some games with the way the wheel and buttons are. Maybe tetris and breakthrough. At any rate, my cell phone has games and I never play them, just use it to make and receive calls; i'll probably do the same with an iPod if it has games, just play music (and use as a hardrive, notes, and calendar)

[unsigned]

hi i am tech company man. i have shares in tech company. i start rumor. it say my company and ipod. my shares go up for no reason. i make money.

[crachoar]

(if this is true....)

Good thing Apple is listening to their customers! Damn! The demand for a 'game iPod' is so huge!

But nobody wants the ability to play videos on (or from) their iPods.....nope...

Also, playing games on the iPod click will would suck. They would need to add a d-pad at least (aka, clutter)...

Why doesn't Apple just suck it up and make a new version of the Newton called the 'iPod something-er-rather' that does everything?

[Windowlicker]

There's no way for me to see this as a bad thing.. The iPod already has games.. why not have a bit better games?

But what company I'd like to supply the games is Nintendo! Zelda on your iPod :D the clickwheel would still be quite limiting though. Anyway it's a pretty cool idea, but I don't really care that much since I rarely play games on my iPod or phone..

[Jalexster]

IMHO The ONLY reason to purchase an iPod is to listen to your music, if you want to play games buy a PSP or GameBoy DS etc. Waste of time (Battery life would be rubbish too !)

:confused:

I played with a Nintendo TS at Target a couple of days ago. Friends, it sounds weird, having two screens... but this is a very impressive machine.

I'm afraid the iPod games will be lame. I've already heard of portable game machines picking up PDA features; it may sound harsh, but the music player feature would be a lot easier to add to a game machine than the other way around. Sure, cartridges are crap... but still...

TREASON! HERESY! YOU HERETICS! How DARE you make mistakes about the glorious Nintendo DS. Not GameBoy DS. Not Nintendo TS. It's called the Nintendo DS!

And if that cartridges was crap thing was in relation to the DS, then I punish you with using Windows for the rest of your life!

[whooleytoo]

I don't think anyone cares about downloadable iPod games

I guess you haven't read this thread then! ;)

[ASP272]

Prediction:
1st: iPod photo will come with Quicktime to play all your video media.
2nd: iPod games sold from the music store.
3rd (optional): both Quicktime and games released at the same time, but less likely since Apple can profit more from separate releases

The rumor says that file size might be limited on games, but why? Because of download time out of the music store? That's not really an issue. And the iPod definitely has enough space on it for a lot of big games. Makes no sense to think file size would be limited. Unless they are talking about the iPod software and how much it can handle.

Does anyone see any reason why it would be difficult to add Quicktime to the iPod?

[FelixDerKater]

A clickwheel would be quite the interesting input device for games.

[whooleytoo]

Makes no sense to think file size would be limited. Unless they are talking about the iPod software and how much it can handle.

Yeah, it's quite possible the software available from the menu must be in a separate partition (or firmware?), and thus might be quite limited in size. That would be quite a shame, all that drive space available and the software being forced to squeeze into such limited storage.

[ASP272]

Yeah, it's quite possible the software available from the menu must be in a separate partition (or firmware?), and thus might be quite limited in size. That would be quite a shame, all that drive space available and the software being forced to squeeze into such limited storage.

I honestly don't understand how the iPod OS works. Can anyone elaborate on the specs of the iPod's file system structure?

[wdlove]

A clickwheel would be quite the interesting input device for games.

I haven't actually tried the iPod myself. My wife thinks that the iPod clickwheel is a little bit awkward and confusing. Guess that it much be a function of age, for ease of use.

[puckhead193]

I could see this, but knowing apple will totaly over charge for a little game like tetris or pac-man, but look at the cell phones now, who ever thought you could buy a game and have it downloaded to your phone.... crazyness

I know the ipod does have alot of space for big games, but do you really want to waste that space on games. Also you do you want play Halo or someting like that on that tiny screen. My eyes hurt when i look at my cell phone for a couple of mins and i'm 19! :p

[JesterJJZ]

I could go for Tetris on my iPod. :D

[earthtoandy]

games pfff....i just want crossfade controls on my iPod!!! Thats not too much to ask for.

[nagromme]

Lots of games lend themselves to a tiny screen... and pathetically enough, now that I have my first iPod... sometimes I play them! Candidates:

* Tetris
* Columns
* More card games (even for 2+ people)
* Rummikub
* Tron/Light Cycles
* Tempest (a no-brainer with the wheel)
* Minesweeper
* Concentration/Memory
* Jewels/BubbleX/etc. type games
* Space Invaders
* Pac Man / simple maze games
* Simple platform games
* Angband/Moria-style adventuring (cringe! but they're still popular)
* 2-player turn games with computer opponent option: Chess, Checkers, Risk, Reversi, Battleship
* Album Art Quiz
* Mah Jong Solitaire (j/k... my eyes!!!)

There's even a fledgling effort to put Doom I on iPods via Linux! I hope they got Linux-on-iPod working for iPod Photo soon.

One thing that could help make games better is the fact that the wheel knows WHERE you put your finger (revealed by diagnostic mode)--so you could just tap parts of the circle instead of scrolling, in theory. Instant joystick.

[iPost]

Good point. However, you could limit the programmable ability for iPod - like not being about to add new codecs!

I've heard that the PortalPlayer chips that Apple uses in the iPods already have the ability built into them to play WMA content, but that Apple explicitly disabled that portion of the chip through firmware.

Also, I've heard that the 4th generation iPods already have the ability to play games (using Java). Apple just hasn't announced it yet. This was just a rumor that I heard... remember there was talk about some kind of "untapped" feature in the new iPods when they were released. Well, games were supposed to be it.

[Wonder Boy]

i would never use it, but what about an add on controller the plugs into the dock connector? the set up would look like and upsidedown "T" i guess, but it would have a similar orientation to a old school game boy.

[corywoolf]

(if this is true....)

Good thing Apple is listening to their customers! Damn! The demand for a 'game iPod' is so huge!

But nobody wants the ability to play videos on (or from) their iPods.....nope...

Also, playing games on the iPod click will would suck. They would need to add a d-pad at least (aka, clutter)...

Why doesn't Apple just suck it up and make a new version of the Newton called the 'iPod something-er-rather' that does everything?

i don't know if you were just joking? but video on the ipod is in the top 3 demands right now. Make movies downloadable in the divx format (a very compressed format) then tweak it so you can't copy it. Then sell them off the itms. video out of the ipod would make it a portable video player at vhs quality. they could sell the sienfeld episodes to go and then you could watch them in the updated dvd player. it will happen sooner or later but maybe a diff format?

[markjones05]

I don't think the iPod should venture into these other medias. I think it should concentrate on music soley. Jobs was right not to go the path of video. And Im not too sure about this photo stuff either. Games are something i definately disagree with because how many games can honestly be made that will work successfully with a clicker wheel. Its just another reason waste battery life on color screens and bigger ipod models.

[whooleytoo]

And you could take it a step further, since the iPod photo can already output to TV, how about using it to play games on a big screen?

[Santaduck]

The clickwheel would be perfect for old-school arcade games with the wheel.

I'm thinking: Tempest (or a real Breakout).

But imagine what would happen if Apple opened up developing of games to the public? The market and product choice would explode. Yes gaming on ipods sounds stupid but so does the idea of paying for ringtones and look at that market.

[nomadpete]

:confused:
hang on, am i the only one thinking...

the perfect game for the scroll wheel (of any ipod) - free rotation, with a nice big fire button in the middle...

surely...

Asteroids?

please, apple. you've built the controller. give us the game! :D

[JDOG_]

Tetris would be a really solid one to do...wheel moves the block to the left and right and click button rotates it. There's really honestly no reason current iPods couldn't have downloadable games as of right now. I think adding graphically intensive games wouldn't happen since Apple's trying to keep the iPod on the music/photos track. The next possible thing I see it being useful for is possibly a presentation tool with Keynote/Powerpoint integration and a future wireless/bluetooth module built-in.

[FelixDerKater]

It would be fun to try some sort of driving/racing game using the clickwheel.

[cheese1113]

Tetris would be a really solid one to do...wheel moves the block to the left and right and click button rotates it. There's really honestly no reason current iPods couldn't have downloadable games as of right now. I think adding graphically intensive games wouldn't happen since Apple's trying to keep the iPod on the music/photos track. The next possible thing I see it being useful for is possibly a presentation tool with Keynote/Powerpoint integration and a future wireless/bluetooth module built-in.

Look at this,
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/ipod_itunes/ipresentit.html




—cheese1113

[titaniumducky]

:confused:
hang on, am i the only one thinking...

the perfect game for the scroll wheel (of any ipod) - free rotation, with a nice big fire button in the middle...

surely...

Asteroids?

please, apple. you've built the controller. give us the game! :D

You need to be able to move the ship up and down, left and right too in Asteroids. That would be hard to do in the 3G iPods. In the 4Gs it could work well, though.

[blackcrayon]

You need to be able to move the ship up and down, left and right too in Asteroids. That would be hard to do in the 3G iPods. In the 4Gs it could work well, though.

You must have never played the original asteroids, or even 'roids on the atari 2600. All you have to be able to do is rotate left and right, and thrust is another button.. Shoot is another... and maybe shields and/or hyperspace is another. Perfectly doable on the 3g interface. (actually more suited to the 3g since you won't have to press the whole wheel down to do it).

[roadapple]

I would pay good money for super technobowl... QB Bills!!!!!!!!!!!!

[FelixDerKater]

A method of making 3rd party games would be appreciated as well.

[carlos700]

I have gotten really boored with the current iPod games. So I guess some new ones would be cool. Although I would really like a calculator application.

[falcoboy7]

not worth it installing linux

[moronally]

OK! LISTEN UP!! I have a super great game for the iPod photo. That would absolutely perfect for the iPod. There was this game on the atari, that required that turn-wheel-like controller, where this guy would drop bombs, and u would have to stop them with ur three bars before they hit the ground. After a while they repeatedly kept getting faster and faster. For the iPod, all u would need to use is the click wheel!


OKOKOK ANOTHER BIG THING. You CAN play movies on the iPod mwahahaha. Kinda... CUrrently, on my iPod photo, i have 2 music videos. One of rurouni kenshin, and one of family guys "Cant Touch Me". Once you figure out how to do it its really good.

[Dagless]

crap idea i reckon. meh, i have my SP and my DS for gaming on the go. i have my iPod to play music. i have my phone to make phonecalls and i have my toaster to make toast.

meh, i just think this all-in-one thing is getting out of hand.

i also think this is like people saying the next iPod will have PDA functions, which it wont. its just an MP3 player. apple arn't the sort to stick in games in an iPod i reckon.

my 2p

[MadMacs44]

Hey how about adding internet and email?....Oh never mind just buy a laptop:) BTW- Maybe the mini remote will be used for controlling the games, they could sell one with a mini little joystick:) Just a thought!! Or even better, how about an optical out put on the iPod so the you could insert into a 5.1 system for better audio output!!! Now we are talking!!

[blackcrayon]

crap idea i reckon. meh, i have my SP and my DS for gaming on the go. i have my iPod to play music. i have my phone to make phonecalls and i have my toaster to make toast.

meh, i just think this all-in-one thing is getting out of hand.

i also think this is like people saying the next iPod will have PDA functions, which it wont. its just an MP3 player. apple arn't the sort to stick in games in an iPod i reckon.

my 2p

PDA functions like a clock, calendar, To Do list, address book, hypertext notes, and voice notes? ;)

[Dagless]

PDA functions like a clock, calendar, To Do list, address book, hypertext notes, and voice notes? ;)

to be honest ive never used them functions. only reason i keep the clock up to date (heh, sometimes kill the batteries when im out and about) is because the order of adding songs to the top rated playlist runs off your clock.

my PDA takes care of the rest :p

[dsharits]

Why doesn't Apple come out with an update for all of the iPods to bring all of the software up to date? I know it has the potential to take away a few sales to those of us who have previous generation iPods, but don't we deserve it?

Daniel

[pimentoLoaf]

Hmmm...

Unreal iPod Tournament :eek:

[jackieonasses]

Hmmm...

Unreal iPod Tournament :eek: ya..... stick figures shooting guns at 9 frames per second! Those dual arm processors would get a work out

kyle

[wdlove]

A very important use for the iPod in the future is to store medical images. It should push Apple to improve the quality of the display.

http://marketwatch-cnet.com.com/Doctors+prescribe+iPods+for+storage/2100-1041_3-5566145.html