Digital Chocolate CEO Trip Hawkins has lavished praise on the iPhone and iPod Touch, claiming Apple's platforms offer great profit potential for developers and are more than capable of challenging the likes of DS and PSP.
Hawkins' San Mateo, Calif.-based mobile game company Digital Chocolate has launched five iPhone games since December and four of them, including Crazy Penguin Catapult (pictured), have been bestsellers.
"It's by far our most effective platform," Hawkins, who also founded Electronic Arts, told VentureBeat. "We make as much money with these games on one device as we do putting a game on 100 different cell phone platforms.
"Between the iPod Touch and the iPhone, I think the platform is freaking out Sony and Nintendo," he added. "Apple has sold 30 million units so far and it has created tremendous awareness. It has taken ground all over the world. But it has only penetrated one half of one percent of its total market."
The iPhone is never going to see the same kind of market saturation that the DS has because it's stupidly overpriced in comparison.
I still boggle at the way people react to novelty stuff. "Oh, a touch screen, that makes it worth £400." It's still a phone. I can make calls and send texts on my ancient mobile just as well.
And y'know, if my mp3 player or phone or DS breaks I could still use the other devices. Your Jack-of-all breaks and you lose everything.
The iPhone is never going to see the same kind of market saturation that the DS has because it's stupidly overpriced in comparison.
I still boggle at the way people react to novelty stuff. "Oh, a touch screen, that makes it worth £400." It's still a phone. I can make calls and send texts on my ancient mobile just as well.
And y'know, if my mp3 player or phone or DS breaks I could still use the other devices. Your Jack-of-all breaks and you lose everything.
However it is well marketed. I can't stand the things and I ditched my ipod years ago for a creative player. However you can't under estimate the power of marketing and lack of knowledge. Look at HDMI cables for instance, how many people buy monster cables believing that they are going to get a better picture than the £5 cables?
As for the games, I can understand why certain games will sell on iphone however I have games on my storm and they are fine for the odd game while waiting in a que etc but the lack of buttons makes it limited in what it can offer, the same goes for the iphone.
but monster cables make my tv 3d and get satilite for freez.
Yeah i agree with you. knowing a thing or too about cables, it makes f**k all difference what cable you use. although some are obviously better than others, anyone that'll pay £40 for a wire needs thier head examined.
the iphone although well marketed doesn't scream credible gaming device espaecially when its amazing apps are a spirit level and the ability to make light saber noises.
But you know what they say. simple things please simple minds.
"I have games on my storm and they are fine for the odd game while waiting in a que etc but the lack of buttons makes it limited in what it can offer, the same goes for the iphone." Why is it then, do you think, that none of the following are available for the Blackberry Storm but are available for the iPhone?
Cooking Momma Metal Gear Solid Puzzle Quest Virtua Cop Star Wars : Force Unleashed Super Monkey Ball
It's not because the Blackberry is somehow much worse as a device to play games on that the iPhone. It's because the Blackberry isn't attractive to big name publishers. The iApp store is.
The reason Sony and Nintendo are freaking out isn't because the iPhone is a 'better' gaming platform than the DS or PSP, it's because the iApp Store is a service with apparently 30 million users, all of whome are one button press away from sending you money. Publishers can't afford to ignore that.
Companies also get a much better deal on making and selling software on the platform from Apple than they do from Sony or Nintendo for making software on their platforms - rough estimates are they get to keep about 30% more of the total sales revenue and their costs are much, much lower.
Those the reasons the likes of Sega, Konami, EA and Ubisoft are making games for the iPhone. They're actually much better off doing so than making games for the DS or PSP - the investment is less for a much more direct and likely profit. The technical value or shortcomings of the platform are irrelevant to that.
"I have games on my storm and they are fine for the odd game while waiting in a que etc but the lack of buttons makes it limited in what it can offer, the same goes for the iphone." Why is it then, do you think, that none of the following are available for the Blackberry Storm but are available for the iPhone?
Cooking Momma Metal Gear Solid Puzzle Quest Virtua Cop Star Wars : Force Unleashed Super Monkey Ball
It's not because the Blackberry is somehow much worse as a device to play games on that the iPhone. It's because the Blackberry isn't attractive to big name publishers. The iApp store is.
The reason Sony and Nintendo are freaking out isn't because the iPhone is a 'better' gaming platform than the DS or PSP, it's because the iApp Store is a service with apparently 30 million users, all of whome are one button press away from sending you money. Publishers can't afford to ignore that.
Companies also get a much better deal on making and selling software on the platform from Apple than they do from Sony or Nintendo for making software on their platforms - rough estimates are they get to keep about 30% more of the total sales revenue and their costs are much, much lower.
Those the reasons the likes of Sega, Konami, EA and Ubisoft are making games for the iPhone. They're actually much better off doing so than making games for the DS or PSP - the investment is less for a much more direct and likely profit. The technical value or shortcomings of the platform are irrelevant to that.
Jon
I was not using the storm as phone war pawn. I was merely pointing out that the games on a pure touchscreen device are limited in what they can offer. Nintendo and Sony are correct to be keeping an eye on the market but I am not sure they have too much to worry about when it comes to the games people really want as opposed to impulse buys.
Hasnt the Iphone sold 18 million and the DS shifted about 70 million?
Im sure they're quaking in their boots.
Seriously though, if the Iphone or something like it does become the future of portable gaming it will be sad. Its just the most ultra cheap way to make games for the consumer. Everything is so simple on it and seems about ten years old.
I'm going to take his comment with a pinch of salt considering he appears to only be developing for the platform he's praising. Other than that, while there are some excellent looking games on the iphone, the relative lack of complexity compared to what can be achieved on the PSP or DS is a major sticking point for the iphone, the grand majority of games are glorified flash games (that you pay for!). I doubt we'll ever see a Chains of Olympus or Chinatown Wars on the iphone.
Look at HDMI cables for instance, how many people buy monster cables believing that they are going to get a better picture than the £5 cables?
LOL @ overpriced cables. They say that gold plated makes them more conductive (Bolux) but someone please tell me how this would help an optical cable.
As for iPhone, it is great that there are decent games that an existing iPhone user can play. But to buy an overpriced iPhone primarily as a games machine would be ridiculous
If you say so. So I can make "better" phone calls with the iPhone? "More comfortable" calls with a more expensive phone? I can play "better" games on a more expensive phone than I can on my DS?
Your point about you can text and make calls, using your old phone in some ways to bash the iPhone is really idiotic.
You can get from point A to Point B on a bike or even walk, but a Ferrari will always get you there quicker.
It's all about user experience stupid. So to put in terms you would understand:
Your old phone = bike iPhone = 300 millions fighter jet
A ferrari will not get you anywhere if the route is cross country, also if it is broken down like they tend to be.
The Jesus Phone is a huge waste of money and they love to rip off the users by then charging for mp3 ring tones (when every other phone can just use the standard mp3s as ring tones).
It is also known for its poor call quality when compared to other phones and also still has no video capturing capability which practically every modern phone equipped with a camera can do.
Old phone=bike (cheap and does it's job with perfection) Iphone=Chaved up Saxo, (costs far too much. fast in a straight line but has to stop for speed bumps. More of a show of inadequacy than a practical vehicle).
Its easy to sniff at the iPhone ever having good games, but the progress made in these last 6 months has been great.
There are now several really good little games out there for it.
Sway makes innovative use of the screen (as do the very underrated Trace & Line Runner), Rolando and DizzyBee are great, Wolfenstein 3D runs superbly on it, RealFootball09 is easily up to the standard of football games from the PS1 era even without a keypad and there are some brilliant puzzle games on it, like Drop7, Jelly Car and PocketGod.
It's not got dozens of classics yet, but it's fast getting there.
but monster cables make my tv 3d and get satilite for freez.
Yeah i agree with you. knowing a thing or too about cables, it makes f**k all difference what cable you use. although some are obviously better than others, anyone that'll pay £40 for a wire needs thier head examined.
the iphone although well marketed doesn't scream credible gaming device espaecially when its amazing apps are a spirit level and the ability to make light saber noises.
But you know what they say. simple things please simple minds.
Its easy to sniff at the iPhone ever having good games, but the progress made in these last 6 months has been great.
There are now several really good little games out there for it.
Sway makes innovative use of the screen (as do the very underrated Trace & Line Runner), Rolando and DizzyBee are great, Wolfenstein 3D runs superbly on it, RealFootball09 is easily up to the standard of football games from the PS1 era even without a keypad and there are some brilliant puzzle games on it, like Drop7, Jelly Car and PocketGod.
It's not got dozens of classics yet, but it's fast getting there.
i agree the way the touch screen and tilt controls are used are superb plus with the release of the 2nd gen touch which i picked up for £130 it can compete price wise with the likes of the psp and ds and the games are a fraction of the price of the others.
Maybe nintendo and sony watched the Gadget show which rated the ipod touch above both ds and psp.
Its easy to sniff at the iPhone ever having good games, but the progress made in these last 6 months has been great.
There are now several really good little games out there for it.
Sway makes innovative use of the screen (as do the very underrated Trace & Line Runner), Rolando and DizzyBee are great, Wolfenstein 3D runs superbly on it, RealFootball09 is easily up to the standard of football games from the PS1 era even without a keypad and there are some brilliant puzzle games on it, like Drop7, Jelly Car and PocketGod.
It's not got dozens of classics yet, but it's fast getting there.
i agree the way the touch screen and tilt controls are used are superb plus with the release of the 2nd gen touch which i picked up for £130 it can compete price wise with the likes of the psp and ds and the games are a fraction of the price of the others.
Maybe nintendo and sony watched the Gadget show which rated the ipod touch above both ds and psp.
The same program which rated MP3s above CD in the quality stakes!
I love the program but the way they test things is a little suspect. I watch it for the info rather than as a buying guide.
I am lucky enough to own a PSP and an iPhone and can safely say that I NEVER play games on the iPhone. I would never pay for anything on that device, the contract alone is expensive enough, plus all the games are crap anyway...
Lke the ds having 2 screens makes that much of a difference you snooker cue.
<<<ABOUT TO BE OWNED BIG TIME (ONLY NINTENDO AND INTELIGENT TRUE CORE GAMERS CAN SEE THE LIGHT)
DOES MY TV SIT IM THE PALM OF MY HAND AS A HANDHELD GAMING DEVICE """OUCH OWNED"""
DOES THE TV HAVE A SECONDARY TOUCH SCREEN PANEL """OUCH OWNED"""
FPS ON PSP STUPID CLUNKY BUTTONS AND A DEAD DOESN'T RESPOND CORRECTLY ANALOG NUB = CRAP ""OUCH OWNED"
FPS ON iPHONE NO SECOND SCREEN SO UR STYLUS, THUMBS, FINGERS ARE AL OVER THE VISUAL SCREEN STUPID FUUKING DESIGN AND NO TRADITIONAL LAY OUT "OUCH OWNED"
THERES NO REAL TIME INFO SCREEN OR HUD OR CODEC BECAUSE ON PSP AND iPHONE THERE'S NO GUESSED YET """!!!SECOND SCREEN!!!"" AGAIN ""OUCH SO OWNED"
SO ON DS DSi I CAN CONTROL ON ONE SCREEN AND VIEW ON THE OTHER AND ALSO AT THE SAME TIME HAVE A MAP DISPLAYED AND OTHER IN GAME INFO ""!OH I JUST OWNED AGAIN DIDN'T I!!""
OR TAKE DSI BOTTOM SCREEN IS CONTROLS BUT ALSO A IN GAME VIDEO WEB CAM SO AS I PLAY VIA TOP SCREEN I CAN PULL FACES AND CHAT VIA LOWER SCREEN AND TALK VIA MOC
AGAIN THE DUAL SCREEN KNOWLEDGE """OUCH OWNS"""
2D PLATFORMERS WERE YOU ASEND UPWARDS LOOK GREAT ON A LONG TWIN SCREEN AND IT OFFERS GREAT DUAL SCREEN INTO ONE SCREEN FUN """SOME MORE TASTY OWNAGE RIGHT THERE"""
NINTENDO ACCORDING TO THEIS GUY WASTED MILLIONS AND MILLIONS ON A USLESS SECOND SCREEN
IV TOLD (FACTS ARE TELLING I DONT DO OPINION) YOU GUYS TIME AND TIME AGAIN
NO TOUCH SCREEN= OBSOLETE HANDHELD
NO DUAL SCREEN = OBSOLETE HANDHELD
DISC BASED HANHHELDS ARE A JOKE IN A FLASH SD CARD ERA
NO DUAL SCREEN = THING OF THE PAST STOP FANBOYING AND GET WITH THE """GAMING GENERATIONAL FACTS"""
another example DEXTOR ON iphone you go about being dextor the cop serial killer
its on iphone
EXAMPLE YOU CAN DISMEBER THE BODYS ON IPHONE ETHER A OVER THE SHOULDER VIEW WERE YOU TOUCH SCREEN AND MAKE DEXTOR MOVE HIS ARM SAWING THE LEG OFF OR ARM THEN PLACE BODY PART IN A BOX OR BAG
OR A CLOSE UP VIEW WERE ITS THE DEAD BODY AND THEN U SELECT SAW ON TOUCH SCREEN AND MOVE TO SIMULATE THE SAWING ACTION
BUT ON DS BOTH VIEWS AND A MORE IMURSIVE GAME CAN BE MADE AS THERES 2 VIEW POINTS ONE ON LOWER SCREEN ONE ON UPPER SCREEN
ITS EASY WEN YOU THINK IN A INNOVATIVE WAY LIKE I DO AS A """"""""TRUE CORE GAMER"""""""
with their zune remaning application less, and apple are their computer rivals.
all the ipod touch/iphone games are sh**,they are all gimmicky. to sum up what they are, cheap nintendo ds like games that can only be enjoyed for 10 minutes. i wasted like 20 quid on applications, and i rarely use them.
advise, dont buy ipod touch games,just get the free ones/lite.,
Wow Wiiboy, calm down! The second screen is awesome, one of the best innovations for a handheld gaming device in my opinion, look at how awkward Echoes of Time on the Wii compared to the DS. But not everything is going to have a second screen and not everything needs it, it's what makes the DS unique(well kinda).
Isn't Real Football already announced for the DSiware as well? I'm going to download it if it's as good as everyone says.
this fps has slow clunky controls on my psp oh i need the map ill pause game bring up map screen have a look come out of map restart game......ON DSi all the above is smooth easy and real time no menus no pauses its all there ON THE DUALSCREEN imposable on psp/iphone
oh look im driving in a online race on the top screen and vodeo chatting pic swopping and texting on the lower screen DUALSCREEN RULESSSSS PSP DRULLLLS
look guys im playing iphone my hands are over the screen i have no button layout and wen using motion the screen is out of my line of sight and suffers glare and reflections SCREW THAT SHHIT
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