I have to admit that I giggled a little when I read the tagline released by Apple at their event yesterday. Steve Jobs announced a new ad campaign for the iPod Touch, and consequently, the iPhone. He made some pretty huge statements, my favorite being that “… [the iPod Touch is] the best portable device for playing games.”
I have to say that I have been pretty impressed with the quality of games that have been coming out for the iPhone, but to come out with a statement like that when games haven’t even been coming out for a year yet? The current campaign being run by Apple is pushing the gaming aspect of the iPod touch to a massive extent, even their website is pretty gaming-focused.
Given the huge sales numbers currently being put up by both Nintendo and Sony, I’d say that Apple has a little bit of catching up to do. What are your thoughts on the matter?
September 11th, 2008 at 12:33 am
Apple is a company that lives off the idea of “I say there for I am”. They know their fanboys will latch onto the new saying and will preach it in every blog and forum. Apple is never a very modest company. I’d love to see Sony to come out with an ad knocking the gaming part of the iphone. Nintendo wouldn’t play that way but Sony would totally do it.
September 11th, 2008 at 9:35 am
The problem with Sony coming out and doing an ad like that is the fact that the PSP is on life support. There are really no new games coming for the handheld other then ports and the odd exclusive. Sony’s time would be best spent fixing their floundering handheld, and new releases of what amounts to a nearly identical system isn’t the way.
As for Apple, like you said they like to toot their own horn. That said, everybody that I personally know who owns an iPhone or Touch has downloaded a few games. Most of these titles are more casual focused like solitaire and soduku. Apple’s Mobile platform may turn into the king of the casual titles, but I have a hard time believing that it will become the hardcore portable gaming device that the ads would have us believe.
I am enjoying the games I’ve picked up for the phone though, so I’m a happy gamer