Steve Jobs named most influential game guy – ever

[soco]

Then for the sake of consistency, you should put everyone who engineered a popular gaming platform on that list.

Yes, they should.

The point I was arguing was whether or not Steve Jobs had a huge influence on today's gaming, and he did. He's responsible for the invention of today's most popular mobile gaming device, the iPhone.

So what? He could have provided the platform and no-one could have written games for it...

I don't think Steve Jobs deserves this title. he has influenced nothing in the gaming industry.

I don't get it. He did provide the platform and people did write games for it. Some people think he deserves the title soely based on the fact that his invention is the device upon which gaming is undergoing a mobile revolution. I don't know what more of an argument that needs.

I'm not being ignorant. I really do understand where you're coming from with your point about guys like the folks at Rovio who made Angry Birds. I just think the greater point is that these guys wouldn't be where they are, nor would anyone like them, if not for the initial invention of the platform upon which their games garner such praise and success.

That's the influence.

 

[roadbloc]

Except he wouldn't have. The platform is just *that* good.

I see you choose to ignore the rest of my post. I guess your reading is just *that* good.

 

[SMDrew]

Jobs is responsible for one decent gaming platform (iOS on iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad is all one platform, IMO). Sorry, folks, but MS/Bill Gates has done more for gaming platforms than Apple/Jobs. I'd put the folks at Sony, Nintendo, and Sega above anything Apple has done (after all, they developed the platform and the games). Note that with the exception of Angry Birds, Apple lacks the cultural relevance of video characters of note (a la Mario, Sonic, or others too numerous to mention).

 

[anotonin]

Can we all agree that the Iphone was not 'invented' to be a gaming console, right? But to be an actual phone?

Take away the games, it will still be the Iphone. The gaming enhancement is just that, enhancement.

 

[*LTD*]

Note that with the exception of Angry Birds, Apple lacks the cultural relevance of video characters of note (a la Mario, Sonic, or others too numerous to mention).

Except they're becoming far less culturally relevant. Thanks to the events of June 2007, and later, July 2008.

 

[Liquorpuki]

Except they're becoming far less culturally relevant. Thanks to the events of June 2007, and later, July 2008.

So basically Apple is killing cultural relevance by creating a gaming platform where games are cheap and commoditized, and branding is waste of time

 

[steve2112]

Can we all agree that the Iphone was not 'invented' to be a gaming console, right? But to be an actual phone?

Take away the games, it will still be the Iphone. The gaming enhancement is just that, enhancement.

Wait, that thing can be used as a PHONE?? You're joking, right? I thought it was just a clever name.

 

[vitzr]

Get used to it, the idolizing and gushing over Steve has only begun.

Give it a decade or so and it will fade at least 5%.

Then he will fit nicely alongside of the "Elvis is in the building" rumors.


/sarcasm

 

[decafjava]

So basically Apple is killing cultural relevance by creating a gaming platform where games are cheap and commoditized, and branding is waste of time

Boy you and LTD are almost equally stubborn.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

Regardless, Jobs should be at the top of these kinds of lists anyway, regardless of who's making them. At least they'll get one entry right.

Only in the minds of Apple fan boys.

The list is crap as Boss.king pointed out. It leaves off several huge and very key people. It leaves of several huge and very key devices. Both those makes the list crap and then putting SJ at the top tells me there are some Apple fanboys in the group who made it.

Except they're becoming far less culturally relevant. Thanks to the events of June 2007, and later, July 2008.

Just um no.
Megaman, Sonic, Mario, and Zelda all will held and will hold a much longer long standing icon. All those date back to what the 80's early 90's and still had new games come out with the chars in the past few years.

There will always be fall backs to that group I listed. Angry birds will be long term a lot like rodents revenge.

 

[Liquorpuki]

Boy you and LTD are almost equally stubborn.

Actually I agree with 90% of what LTD posts on these forums. Difference is he and I might agree that space travel is gonna be big in the future, but LTD's already sold his car.

When it comes to games though, the guy doesn't know what he's talking about. He's just plagiarizing analysts who've been wrong before and are wrong again.

 

[Shrink]

Regardless, Jobs should be at the top of these kinds of lists anyway, regardless of who's making them. At least they'll get one entry right.

From reading your posts (in this thread and elsewhere), by your standards Jobs should be at the top of EVERY list.

Greatest entrepreneur.
Greatest humanitarian.
Greatest engineer.
Greatest parent
Greatest test pilot.
Greatest baseball player.

(Yes, yes...it's called hyperbole)

Given any situation, idea, creation, activity, you can find a rationalization to put Jobs (and Apple) at the top of the list.

True believers...

 

[Melrose]

In a world where Obama wins the Peace Prize, such All-Knowing Lists mean very, very little.

For Technology, for Music, for Computers yes - perhaps Steve would at the top of the list; But even then, he'd be in good company with others who have been equally or more influential, such as Tim Berners-Lee, et al.

...Zuckerberg I don't get at all.

 

[boss.king]

Except they're becoming far less culturally relevant. Thanks to the events of June 2007, and later, July 2008.

I don't think I'll live to see the day where Mario isn't iconic. They're being purchased less, but they still represent the history of gaming.

 

[AppleScruff1]

Regardless, Jobs should be at the top of these kinds of lists anyway, regardless of who's making them. At least they'll get one entry right.

Did he invent the XBox and Playstation too? Dang, he was a busy man.

 

[NutsNGum]

*LTD*

BLT, more like.

 

[OutThere]

While I don't necessarily agree with his placement on the list, 'gamers' must admit that between Facebook and the iPhone, there are millions of people playing video games (even crap games like Farmville) who would never before have even considered it. For years there was a massively untapped market, as video games were marketed almost exclusively to young males. Recently I overheard two soccer mom types talking about an Angry Birds level at the post office...we've witnessed somewhat of a paradigm shift in video games, facilitated by the smartphone and Facebook platforms. That's worthy of some recognition.

 

[boss.king]

While I don't necessarily agree with his placement on the list, 'gamers' must admit that between Facebook and the iPhone, there are millions of people playing video games (even crap games like Farmville) who would never before have even considered it. For years there was a massively untapped market, as video games were marketed almost exclusively to young males. Recently I overheard two soccer mom types talking about an Angry Birds level at the post office...we've witnessed somewhat of a paradigm shift in video games, facilitated by the smartphone and Facebook platforms. That's worthy of some recognition.

I'd agrue that the people who made Angry Birds should then be the ones getting recognition, not Jobs. You don't praise the dude who invented the CD when you listen to a good album.

 

[0098386]

I don't think I'll live to see the day where Mario isn't iconic. They're being purchased less, but they still represent the history of gaming.

Purchased less you say?

This gen:
Mario Kart Wii- 28 million
New Mario Wii- 22 million
New Mario DS- 18 million
Mario Galaxy (1+2) sales- 15 million

Previous gens:
Mario Sunshine- 5 million
Mario 64- 11 million
Mario World- 20 million
Mario Bros 3- 17 million

(For a bit of fun I also calculated that all the main Pokemon games on DS combined sold 48.41 million units. These aren't 69p apps, they're £30 games.)

we've witnessed somewhat of a paradigm shift in video games, facilitated by the smartphone and Facebook platforms.

Sortof. The shift started back with the Wii in 2005. Publishers started to invest in casual games such as Cooking Mama and other godawful "games". Then in 2007+ it spread to PC and iPhone.

 

[boss.king]

Purchased less you say?

This gen:
Mario Kart Wii- 28 million
New Mario Wii- 22 million
New Mario DS- 18 million
Mario Galaxy (1+2) sales- 15 million

Previous gens:
Mario Sunshine- 5 million
Mario 64- 11 million
Mario World- 20 million
Mario Bros 3- 17 million

Well damn, I was wrong

 

[NutsNGum]

such as Cooking Mama and other godawful "games".

Steady! I found Cooking Mama highly enjoyable! Then again, I have some form of Not-able-to-pay-attention-to-anything-for-more-than-a-few-minutes-disorder.

 

[Liquorpuki]

Steady! I found Cooking Mama highly enjoyable! Then again, I have some form of Not-able-to-pay-attention-to-anything-for-more-than-a-few-minutes-disorder.

Cooking Mama just made me hungry, like WTF am I doing all this work on a game for when I could be doing this for real and have something to eat afterward too

 

[0098386]

Steady! I found Cooking Mama highly enjoyable! Then again, I have some form of Not-able-to-pay-attention-to-anything-for-more-than-a-few-minutes-disorder.

You're part of the problem!
(and then so am I for buying these kind of games for my family, doh!)

 

[Daffodil]

While I don't necessarily agree with his placement on the list, 'gamers' must admit that between Facebook and the iPhone, there are millions of people playing video games (even crap games like Farmville) who would never before have even considered it. For years there was a massively untapped market, as video games were marketed almost exclusively to young males. Recently I overheard two soccer mom types talking about an Angry Birds level at the post office...we've witnessed somewhat of a paradigm shift in video games, facilitated by the smartphone and Facebook platforms. That's worthy of some recognition.

Paradigm shift indeed. But how it plays out completely remains to be seen, imo. Maybe in the long run Zuckerberg and Jobs should be on a list like this for making the change come about, but I think right now it's a little premature...

 

[decafjava]

Actually I agree with 90% of what LTD posts on these forums. Difference is he and I might agree that space travel is gonna be big in the future, but LTD's already sold his car.

When it comes to games though, the guy doesn't know what he's talking about. He's just plagiarizing analysts who've been wrong before and are wrong again.

Well I have only noted your arguments here on gaming so I apologise for that broad statement.

Yea, *LTD* is passionate (and you can answer me as well LTD), to a fault, his arguments about Nintendo really are almost copies of his burying RIM and dismissal of anything Microsoft does. I think we would do well to remember how quickly things can change in the tech world. I really think Nintendo and Sony have staying power and Nintendo will bounce back.

However I still think you guys still are wrong to be so dismissive of the potential of ios as a gaming platform. Hell some of the folks who should have been on that silly list are enthused about it like John Carmack.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/92014-John-Carmack-Talks-Doom-iPhone

http://www.idsoftware.com/iphone-games/doom-classic/doomdevelopment.htm

Of course he's no Apple fanatic either, Sony are still in it:

http://www.electronista.com/articles/11/01/28/id.software.head.says.sony.ngp.well.beyond.phones/

Even so he still gives kudos to Apple's hardware:

Carmack has often been a bellwether for mobile gaming and usually given credit to Apple for being the performance leader. The Wolfenstein and Quake developer's experience in writing game code, especially graphics engines, has often led him to choose iOS over Android and other competing platforms when exploring handheld gaming. He has estimated that the iPad and iPhone 4 are faster than the Nintendo Wii​ and sometimes outperform the Xbox 360 despite theoretically being slower.

So the race is on.

ios gaming is still in early stages, while there are lots of gaming icons from Nintendo et al, we already are seeing the start of similar phenomena in mobile games. Angry Birds is a well-established franchise with stuffed toys and even a web comic I saw on Rovio's site. Chair got sci-fi fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson to write a short e-book as a bridge from Infinity Blade to the sequel Infinity Blade II coming in December.

http://www.brandonsanderson.com/blog/1020/New-novella-INFINITY-BLADE-AWAKENING--Updates

It's actually a very well-written entertaining short story, you don't even have to have the game.

So since both gaming trends are here to stay you both are wrong.

I'm just concerned my favourite gaming sector, hard-core PC simulations is being even more of a niche.