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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
65,702
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113102-casamassina.jpg


Longtime IGN columnist Matt Casamassina last week noted on his blog that he is leaving behind his role as noted Nintendo reviewer to take a position as "global editorial games manager" at Apple.
Beginning early May, I will join Apple as global editorial games manager, App Store. In a nutshell, I will be leading the charge for games on the App Store, so whether you browse through iTunes, iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad, the games content you see will be handpicked and organized by me and my team. I couldn't be happier.
Casamassina was a founding member of the IGN, a popular news and reviews site for the gaming community. His early work on Nintendo 64 content was folded into IGN, where it became a mainstay for the site as Nintendo evolved with its GameCube and Wii consoles, as well as numerous portable devices, over the years.

Apple has been working hard to position the iPhone OS, and particularly the iPod touch, as a gaming platform. Recent data has shown some success for Apple, with iPhone OS devices reportedly garnering 19% of revenue for the portable gaming market in the U.S. in 2009.

Article Link: Apple Hires Nintendo Specialist From IGN to Manage App Store Gaming Content
 

HLdan

macrumors 603
Aug 22, 2007
6,383
0
Nice!!! Things can only get better in terms of gaming for the iPad. :)
 

Cyroceon

macrumors 6502a
Feb 9, 2008
580
100
This is great because someone who is highly experienced in the field of gaming, and who understands the importance of simplicity as it pertains to gaming on certain platforms, makes for an awesome outlook for the future of iPhone OS gaming.
 

Tech-Boy

macrumors regular
Mar 1, 2010
101
0
Finally! Unless you know the name of the app, apps are impossible to find if they are not the top 100. :mad:
 

ImNoSuperMan

macrumors 65816
Dec 1, 2005
1,221
66
Hopefully good games will get a lot more exposure in the appstore now. Lots of them just disappear beneath the gazillion of crap clones and dont even break even fro the devs.
 

Rychy

macrumors 6502
Aug 14, 2007
377
42
Awesome! I've been reading Matt's work for years, he's a big fan of Apple. I wish him the best.

And good luck Matt! Please make it easier to find the good stuff on the App Store.
 

NikeTalk

macrumors 6502a
Apr 5, 2010
598
7
I'm sorry I just don't see iPads/iPhones/iPods as being a serious platform for games. There just isn't enough BANG there, such as graphics, controls, power, etc. But maybe it's just the type of games i'm into.
 

GFLPraxis

macrumors 604
Mar 17, 2004
7,152
460
Woah. I've always liked Matt Cassamasina's writing, and I've met the guy personally a few times. Couldn't think of a better choice.

He's always been a Mac fanatic as well.
 

nagromme

macrumors G5
May 2, 2002
12,546
1,196
Who knows exactly what his role will touch on, but experienced game lovers in Apple management is all good in my book! Especially as I’m awaiting word on necessary (to indie creators without deep pockets) game middleware like Unity.
 

ghostface147

macrumors 601
May 28, 2008
4,384
5,554
Anyone else see a future iPhone Gaming Montly showing up sometime in the near distant future?
 

shervieux

macrumors 6502
Apr 6, 2010
355
0
When I look in the app store, I see the drop down from itunes for the different categories. It would be nice to update itunes to use sub-menus, so that when you go into it you have:

ipod Click Wheel Games

Ipod / Iphone / iPad Compatible Apps (ipad compatible apps would be the ones that work on the iphone/ipod touch but had different features if loaded onto an ipad)

iPad Only Apps (apps that are designed for the ipad only and will not work on the ipod)


Then from there you have your Books, business, productivity, education, etc....

This way if I am looking for something specifically designed for the ipad, I do not have to wade through all the iphone apps. I understand that iphone apps will run on the ipad - however when looking for something ipad specific, it is too easy to be mislead. many people have commented on this.

Edit: While we are at it, update the spotlight search in itunes to also search description as well as the name of the app. Many times I know the type of app I am looking for, but not the name. Also there are so many cookie cutter or similar apps, it would be nice to have them on one result screen; so that I can just click on each on, read the description, and then choose the one I want.
 

whooleytoo

macrumors 604
Aug 2, 2002
6,607
716
Cork, Ireland.
Casamassina's Todo List:

1) Create a name for the platform.

"iDevice" is unofficial, and not much used. I've seen people surprised when told the iPhone can play iPod Touch games, and vice versa; not realising they're (almost) the same platform. I'd imagine with the iPad it's only going to get worse.

2) Reorganise the Games section.

Obvious.
 

shervieux

macrumors 6502
Apr 6, 2010
355
0
Apple has been working hard to position the iPhone OS, and particularly the iPod touch, as a gaming platform.

I understand this, but lets keep in mind there are a lot of productivity and business apps now for the iphone OS (not to mention a lot more other apps). Let's not lose sight of that. I use my iphone for more than gaming (in fact I do not have many games), and I will be doing the same with my ipad. Any attempts to make either or both a gaming only devices will be taking a major step backwards.
 

shervieux

macrumors 6502
Apr 6, 2010
355
0
Who said Apple was trying to make either a gaming-only device?

None one said it specifically, but if you take a look a the sentence in the article; one could read between the lines that there may come a time when the focus will only be on gaming.

This is also my beef with Steve Job's keynotes. He has all these game developers showing off their apps. Well, why not bring in a few app developers for business and productivity software. I am still amazed at the number of people who think you cannot do any work on the iphone / ipod / ipad. then I show them the apps I have and the app store; and their mind starts to run wild with how this will free them from their desks, how they can stay productive while out-of-the-office, how they don't always need their bulky laptop dragged around when they are only going to be out for a few hours or a day or two.

Dang - I should work for Apple and be an advocate for mobile productivity, using Apple products in the enterprise, and educating people on how much more they can do with the ipad, iphone, ipod. So many people, that once I show them, they are like wow - did not know I could that.
 

smokestack

macrumors member
Feb 12, 2008
82
14
interesting move.

i read matt on IGN often. it will be interesting to see if he can speak to/develop an iGaming fanboy cult instead of preaching to an existing fanboy (nintendo) network.

he had a lot of connections with developers workign on the console/portable market. i wonder if those relationships will come in handy at apple...
 
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