Apple to Open $19.99 Premium Games Section in App Store?

[Stately]

I think that if Apple were to follow through with this, it would be a way to easily settle down the activity of the gaming section, and to truly promote the gamily capabilities of the iPhone/iPod touch and the game section of the App Store. Currently the gaming section dominates the App Store, and Apps in that section seem somewhat "lower quality" for the most part. And with Apple's classifying of the iPhone and iPod touch as gaming devices, they should probably have some true games that can rival other devices of similar nature. Currently finding some of those "true games" that are worth the buck is kind of hard because they get mixed in with all the other free or low-priced games in the App Store, I think that this is a great move for the App Store if it were to happen.

My sentiments exactly.

 

[Stately]

This is great news. If premium games were sold at that price, we might start seeing many more advanced games like Grand Theft Auto (which articles have mentioned people working on for the iPhone) and many other major games played on the XBox 360, PS3, and of course the PSP. Apple needs to work on getting the quality of the games in the App Store to the level of the games on the PSP. This could be a new beginning for the iPhone!

Something like GTA seems to be quite labor-intensive for a device like the iphone though. I could see many people becoming frustrated, with trying to locate the correct on-screen button, for the appropriate action of the character in time to do what they want. With a game like the Sims or Pole position, one doesn't necessarily need to get to buttons quickly. In GTA, there is a lot of action and decision making involved.

 

[MacToddB]

I think what Apple needs to do is open up the Bluetooth stack to support external devices.

While they could add buttons to a future model, but that goes against the simplicity of what they have been trying to do. By pushing the solution to Bluetooth, they don't have to change the design goal of their hardware.

By going the Bluetooth/software route, they can add keyboards, including a joypad (keyboard with just up/down/left/right and perhaps space/enter) without changing any hardware. Apps could be designed to work with or without the device if it was or was not connected.

Case designers could build a case with the bluetooth keypad bundled so it's held like a PSP, but the connection would be wireless.

 

[beeh]

When you buy music at most stores/sites, you don't just have "Entertainment", you have Rap, R&B, Soul, Pop, Dance, Country, Broadway, Soundtracks, Vocals, etc.

When you go to a video game store/site, you have First Person Shooter, Puzzle, Singing, Dancing, Fitness, Arcade, Strategy, Card games, etc.

But for apps, it's "Entertainment" and "Games".

Regardless of implementing a premium store or pricing strategies, they simply need more sub-categories.

This is exactly what they need. Usually, I look at the top 10 lists and see if there's anything that looks decent, and I stop there. No way I'm wading through all the Apps now. They need sub categories!

 

[aaronxsubaru]

While many high profile have been introduced at the $9.99 price point, many have quickly seen price drops in the highly competitive App Store market.

heaven forbid there's competition that dives prices down for consumers, that would sound like a free market, and capitalism. i don't know about you but i'd rather companies with money get preferential treatment so i hear about hear apps more than those small independent guys.

 

[ringmod82]

iDoom

I wonder if the "graphical tour de force" which id software (Doom, Quake series) said they were working on would fall under this high-end category? Ahhhhhh, yesss grasshoppah........

 

[Trajectory]

Oh good, so now in addition to the crappy lower priced apps we'll now have more crappy higher priced apps.

I've yet to come across a $10 app that was worth even $1 let alone one worth $20.

 

[synth3tik]

I hate having to buy a $.99 game without demoing it. I could not imagine blindly buying things at $20.

 

[iphoneappdemo]

not to state the obvious...

but I can't see developers getting the volume of sales from these "premium" games that they'll want, I mean the game would have to be pretty deep to justify the price. That's not to say it wouldn't be a success but I think only games with enough hype behind them (i.e. spore) would get the numbers the vendors want.

We'll be happy to review them either way...

Bob

 

[anti-microsoft]

Zoo Box...26 pictures of funny animals... I mean WTF!?! Apple, C'mon you don't need to have a premium section! Bring the entire App Store up to a premium standard, not crappy Apps that are useless and great Apps that get lost in between.

 

[budkid]

games better be worth $20!!

 

[C8XY]

My opinion for what its worth: this will coincide with the release of the more powerful version of the iPhone that will be able to run half decent games.

 

[Don't panic]

It's a step in the right direction, BUT...

How about tiers for the rest of us indie developers.

Top 20 $1 and up
Top 20 $5 and up
Top 20 $10 and up
Top 20 $15 and up

Notice the AND UP. This might be even better as popular expensive games could (if exceptionally popular) encroach on the lower priced lists. This, in my mind, is VERY good for promoting quality game development.

This way, customers can actually see the games that match a better value/quality at the prices they are willing to pay. More satisfied customers, more satisfied developers. Good, right?

This $20 deal would have to have some VERY, VERY nice games to take off in the current market, but I'm all for THAT!

As things settle down into tiers more nicely (rather than plummet to the bottom fast to get recognition as it currently is) tiers in a range of prices could work, too.

BINGO.

this is exactly what they should implement

 

[DiamondMac]

Ah, I am not that big into this but I don't download too many apps and when I do, it is mostly the free apps

Here or there, I will find a few .99-1.99 apps but that is it.

 

[Trajectory]

Higher-priced apps will need demo modes in order to increase sales. $0.99 is an easy impulse buy in the app store, whereas $20 is not, so, developers will need to give the buyer a taste of why the game is worth $20 on a tiny screen with few controls. I don't pay much attention to reviews, they are easily manipulated to make bad apps seem good.

 

[rhett7660]

I wish they would do this for the business apps also. Let us have a free 10 day trial or so, if we like it we can purchase the app. If we don't the app stops working.

Easy as that.