Xbox Founding Engineer Says Apple TV Could Destroy Console Gaming with Third-Party Apps

[MacRumors]

Earlier this month, we highlighted some comments from Valve founder Gabe Newell noting his view that Apple had the potential to take over the traditional gaming market by leveraging its existing ecosystem to deliver a "dumbed down living room platform" more quickly and efficiently than others can transition from the console to streaming via PC as Newell believes is the future.

Nat Brown, one of the first engineers to join the Xbox project back in 1999, has now published a blog post offering similar thoughts in noting the Microsoft is missing out on a major opportunity by not opening up that platform to small developers, an issue that Apple could easily exploit to gain tremendous momentum in the home gaming market.

Why can't I write a game for xBox tomorrow using $100 worth of tools and my existing Windows laptop and test it on my home xBox or at my friends' houses? Why can't I then distribute it digitally in a decent online store, give up a 30% cut and strike it rich if it's a great game, like I can for Android, for iPhone, or for iPad?

Brown notes that the terms of the Xbox developer program are so onerous that it is essentially impossible for an independent developer to succeed on the platform.

Brown also believes that the user experience on the Xbox platform leaves much to be desired, with Apple's emphasis on simplicity giving it an advantage with users.

Apple, if it chooses to do so, will simply kill Playstation, Wii-U and xBox by introducing an open 30%-cut app/game ecosystem for Apple-TV. I already make a lot of money on iOS - I will be the first to write apps for Apple-TV when I can, and I know I'll make money. I would for xBox if I could and I knew I would make money. Maybe a "console-capable" Apple-TV isn't $99, maybe it's $199, and add another $79 for a controller. The current numbers already say a lot, even with Apple-TV not already an open console: 5.3M sold units in 2012, 90% year-over-year growth -- vs. xBox 360 -- about 9M units in 2012, 60% YoY decline.

Just today, Jefferies analyst Peter Misek claimed that Apple will be holding a TV-related special event next month, speculating that the company could announce developer tools for the Apple TV platform to set the stage for a full television set product later this year.

Article Link: Xbox Founding Engineer Says Apple TV Could Destroy Console Gaming with Third-Party Apps

[jav6454]

AppleTV should've left the "hobby" stage... 2 years ago.

[camnchar]

It could definitely be a "big thing" and I wonder why Apple has been dragging its feet for so long.

[roxxette]

Destroy casual gaming maybe, i can totally see eating nintendos market but doubt it will take any share from the xbox and playstation market.

[FloatingBones]

There do seem to be some novel ways to leverage the existing iOS ecology. Using iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touch devices as Wii-like controllers (and Wii U-like controllers) for Apple TV games sounds like a natural.

[stu.h]

Do it, Apple!

[Derekuda]

Why is he comparing sales figures of units sold in 2012 of a 2 year old media box to an almost 8 year old gaming console. The reason why Microsofts xbox sales are declining slowly is because everyone already owns an xbox, not to mention the next gen is literally right around the corner.

[ChrisTX]

There are certain games that just cant be enjoyed on iOS, and Android like they can on the xbox, and Playstation.

[Rocketman]

Hmmmm. Three articles on one rumor.

"It's a phone, an internet device, and an iPod. iPhone." - 2007

Its a streaming set-top box, a gaming console, and a live Television. Apple TV." - 2013

[tigres]

Add some external BT apple controllers for gaming- and we have a winner.

[iPusch]

Then there would be a reason for buying a new A-TV...
The A5 chip in my 3rd Gen A-TV won't make it far^^
at least quad core graphics I think

[gmanist1000]

Originally Posted by camnchar

It could definitely be a "big thing" and I wonder why Apple has been dragging its feet for so long.

To perfect it. They wouldn't release something this big if they didn't have it perfect.

[camnchar]

Originally Posted by ChrisTX

There are certain games that just cant be enjoyed on iOS, and Android like they can on the xbox, and Playstation.

Probably, but I'd love to play some iOS games with a properly designed controller.

[blackhand1001]

Not with the current graphics. Arm graphics are still much slower. You have to realize that the xbox and other gaming consoles have 10-20 times the power envelope to use. They aren't using 1-2 watt chips they are using 30-60+ watt chips that are much faster.

Heres a powervr sgx 545 (apple tv has a 543) vs an intel hd4000 which itself is much slower than the xbox class graphics.

[ghost187]

If Apple opened up an App Store for Apple TV, and made a wireless controller for all iOS devices than yes, XBOX, Playstation, and Nintendo would die within a few short years. Why? 99c games with real "button" controls will satisfy 90% of Gamers, 99% of Wallets, and 100% of Parents . Plus, Apple TV only costs $99 and it would be updated every year so even if PS4 and XBOX 720 will be significantly more powerful on day 1, it won't be for 5-8 years (usual life cycle of gaming systems).

[likemyorbs]

I've been saying exactly this for a long time. There needs to be an Apple TV App Store filled with apps that use your iphone or iPad as a controller. It would be HUGE. I think it's exactly the boost apple needs right now. That and a completely revamped iOS 7

[camnchar]

Originally Posted by gmanist1000

To perfect it. They wouldn't release something this big if they didn't have it perfect.

Controller design might take some time, or if they opt to use an iphone/ipod touch/ipad they'd need to carefully coordinate the software's timing I guess. I just expected an aTV app store while Jobs was still alive 2 years ago, and still we have nothing.

[A Hebrew]

Originally Posted by ghost187

If Apple opened up an App Store for Apple TV, and made a wireless controller for all iOS devices than yes, XBOX, Playstation, and Nintendo would die within a few short years. Why? 99c games with real "button" controls will satisfy 90% of Gamers, 99% of Wallets, and 100% of Parents . Plus, Apple TV only costs $99 and it would be updated every year so even if PS4 and XBOX 720 will be significantly more powerful on day 1, it won't be for 5-8 years (usual life cycle of gaming systems).

An Apple "TV" that is capable of competing with Microsoft's XBox would NOT be worth $100. Keep dreaming.

[roow110]

An Apple TV app store would make a huge difference in the way we interact with televisions. It would combine game consoles, cable-boxes, and smart tv boxes into a single streamlined interface. In addition, it would open up the television to unimagined uses beyond video and game content and, for the first time, would allow independent developers into the living room for the first time.

However, it is going to take more than an Apple TV app store for Apple to revolutionize the TV. They are going to need to find a new way for us to interact with the television that is ground-breaking. No remote, no wii, no kinect, something that will truly improve the experience and fundamentally change the way we use it.

The problem is that we interact with televisions from a distance. We cannot utilize touch control; and voice or motion-based control could be problematic. Their AirPlay system is a step in the right direction, but I am extremely interested to see what solution they come up with.

[newyorksole]

Originally Posted by Rocketman

Hmmmm. Three articles on one rumor.

"It's a phone, an internet device, and an iPod. iPhone." - 2007

Its a streaming set-top box, a gaming console, and a live Television. Apple TV." - 2013

zing.

[jav6454]

Originally Posted by blackhand1001

Not with the current graphics. Arm graphics are still much slower. You have to realize that the xbox and other gaming consoles have 10-20 times the power envelope to use. They aren't using 1-2 watt chips they are using 30-60+ watt chips that are much faster.

Yes, may be true, but have you seen the level of graphics in iPhone OS games? Moreover, think about cost to the end user. I would be much more inclined to buy a $9.99 game that is very entertaining and has decent graphics, than a game for $59.99 (average game price for consoles) with "extreme" graphics (only the PC has extreme graphics in the end).

Moreover, $99 AppleTV with maybe a $49.99 controller sounds much cheaper than a $199 console (even with starter game involved; as you need $59.99 per new game).

[DipDog3]

Yes, that could work. A console but with games you could play on your iPhone...

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Originally Posted by jav6454

AppleTV should've left the "hobby" stage... 2 years ago.

Only 2? It should have been the iPad (impact and mass consumed-wise) long before the iPad came to market. If Apple didn't want to put much into it, it could've followed the app store lead of the iPhone in about 2008-9 (and thus, let the third party players lift it out of hobby status).

It's an odd piece of the Apple mix: they continue to appear to not care that much about it but they want to totally keep it locked down so that no one else can do too much with it either (unless the third parties work through so Apple can take a good piece of the action). I can grasp the money-side of the concept but it sure would be nice for either Apple to get serious (years ago if we could get a re-do) or for them to get out of their own way and let the developers make it be all it can be.

I've long said this is Apple's next big thing market to take if they would just get on with it. And while not everyone has/wants a $2000+ smart phone (total cost of ownership) or a $329+ tablet, just about everyone has a television and $99 or a bit more is much more accessible for some Apple wow!

[Bubba Satori]

Originally Posted by stu.h

Do it, Apple!

Do what?

[jeremiah256]

Sony, especially, could strike back by using their media empire to hurt iTunes by removing their music and movies. Every conceivable patent would be contested by Microsoft. It would be ugly for all concerned.