Apple Serious about Games?

[MacRumors]

Appleinsider claims that Apple has started canvassing at least one school for individuals to work on art for future 2D and 3D games from Apple.

Students at the Savannah College of Art and Design reported today receiving an e-mail from a recruiter working directly for Apple, Inc., who appears to be actively tracking down skilled graphics designers among those enrolled in the school's Fine Arts programs. Those hired for the summer program would be tasked with creating "consistent, high quality 3D and 2D art for games," the message said.

With the release of the iPod Games in in September, Apple demonstrated that they had already started some game development in-house with the release of Vortex and Texas Hold 'Em.

Recent comments by game developers have suggested Apple may be expanding games beyond the ipod. Electronic Arts revealed that Apple had already started approaching 3rd party developers to launch games on their upcoming iPhone, while PopCap Vice President listed the Apple TV as a future gaming platform.

Meanwhile, Jesse Tortora had previously speculated that Apple could be getting serious about the gaming market.

[TheDance511]

Oh, boy...Now they make games...okay

[twoodcc]

i hope that Apple does pursue this market. it's a pretty big market, and i know it would be tough, but they could be good at it.

everybody loves games. i hope they at least try to enter the market. i'd buy some games from them

[wakerider017]

Maybe a console in the future?

[holamiamigos]

Originally Posted by wakerider017

Maybe a console in the future?

the applebox 1000000 or pippin 2

[ShaneOMac]

If they wanna get serious about games, they need to release a good Core 2 Duo tower! Above the specs of the imac and below a Mac pro, without a monitor!

[SheriffParker]

They'll make a game where you have to go around converting PC users with your smugness and condescenscion. It'll be awesome.

The end boss will be the biggest box of Vista Ultimate edition ever, and it will fly around like an aero effect while shooting BSODs at you.

[Chaszmyr]

All of these little throw-away games for iPods and the like are great, but I'd love to see Apple get serious about real computer games too.

[PowerBook User]

Well, I think Apple showing more interest in games is great. It's an area they have spent way too little time on. I'm curious what types of games they would make, though.

[ezekielrage_99]

I think Apple has a Games/Home Entertainment system coming, if the Apple TV is a success then it will be highly likely that Apple venture into a pure gaming console like the Xbox 360 or PS3.

It's the iPod and iPhone all over again it's just natural for any organisation to diversify an already well selling product and move into a slightly different area with that product. Apple did that with the iPod, Starbucks diversified there beverage line up by putting them into supermarkets and Nintendo had success with their NES so they went into the portable market (enter the GameBoy).

If Apple want serious market share they will release products that will complement there already tried and tested well selling product lines.

Personally I would love to see an Apple gaming console and I think there will be something on the way within the next 18 months.

[Sandfleaz]

I can't see Apple getting into a dedicated console, but maybe as a download for AppleTV.

[holamiamigos]

what happened to that whole apple-nintendo thing?

[iProd]

I say they help out the other Mac game companies and supporting them by porting some of the Windows games

[TC2COOL]

I could see Apple getting into the casual game market. TV seems to fit perfectly with that idea too.

Now if we could only get those games on a Nano...

[AaronHeth]

Well, it's a neat rumor, but I'm more excited that my school is involved! Too bad I'm a lowly freshman, but hopefully Apple will start scouting here more often.

Also gets the college more well known.

[phillipjfry]

Halo 6 for the iMac!!!

[pdpfilms]

If apple's serious about this whole game realm, why are they recruiting undergrads?

[TheBobcat]

Real bad idea.

Apple hopefully will just stick to minigames on iPhone/iPod/ TV. We don't need another PSP or NGage on our hands.

[mduser63]

As one who has an AppleTV on order, and could definitely be described as a casual gamer, I'd love to see AppleTV games. Just some simple, fun, addictive games would be great.

[ortuno2k]

I just hope that they don't spread out too thin and start slacking on their true roots: Making great computers and software. I'm tired of the iPhone hype already.

[EricNau]

To me it sounds like more games for the iPod... nothing more.

But that's just me.

[shidoshi]

If they want to do casual games, great. If they want to publish games from smaller developers, great. But in my opinion, Apple just doesn't have the right mindset to be a serious player in the games market. Their typical strategy for developing software (concentrate on what they think is important, while often missing the bigger picture) would be an absolute disaster when developing serious games.

[butaro]

Apple would have to come out with a groundbreaking title here to even make a small dent. Something like Halo did for microsoft and their Xbox. Everyone knows xbox sucked.

[darwen]

I am a little confused with the plan here... how do games fit into the grand scheme of things at Apple?

It would be awesome to see cool games on the iPhone. Maybe our missing app is a games menu??

Still though, the game industry is so over populated I dont see any real money in it for Apple. What device could they create to run any games they develop? Is game development for Mac OS X really a possible profit for them? They certainly cant be working on a console... that would be a waste of R&D money. As for the TV, the remote cant be all that great of a controller. The iPhone and iPod look like the two only decent gaming devices... and I doubt great games are going to be the reason for buying either device.

[Peace]

This is yet another sign of things to come ever since Apple Computer,Inc. became Apple,Inc.