Steve Jobs: iPod Touch #1 portable gaming device in the world

R

Ruahrc

CAGiversary!
Feedback
1 (100%)
*I am not trying to start a flame war, or an "I hate Apple" parade, or anything like that. Let's try to keep this reasoned and on-topic*

Anyone watch the keynote by Steve Jobs last week announcing their new iPod products? In the presentation he made what I found to be some pretty bold claims. If you're interested, start watching the keynote on apple's website at 30 mins, that's when he starts up with the iPod touch segment. Specifically he stated the following:

iPod touch is the #1 portable gaming platform worldwide

iPod touch has outsold both the DS and PSP combined

iPod touch has over 50% worldwide marketshare in portable gaming

I simply do not agree. Perhaps there is some statistical metric which you can use to justify #2 and #3 (by using recent sales numbers) but I just can't see how he claims that the iPod touch is the #1 portable gaming platform. I mean what's available just doesn't on the same level as what you can find on DS or PSP (with a few exceptions, like GTA:CW) and I think that there are many more users out there playing a DS or PSP than an iPod touch.

Do you agree? Have you heard or seen anyone else claiming that the iPT is the #1 portable gaming device? As an iPod touch owner and apple fan even I can't see it. I don't consider the iPT to be a real portable gaming platform (fart apps and tic-tac-toe should not count the same as retail DS or PSP releases).

I know this forum probably is biased and is full of apple haters, but for pete's sake let's try to have a real discussion here, not just another immature fanboy clusterfuck.

Ruahrc
 
Outright lie. How robust of a gaming platform the thing is doesnt even enter the equation. If every ipod touch sold was a dedicated gaming device, its still a lie. If every ipod touch, iphone and ipad combined was a dedicated gaming platform, it would still be a lie.

http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/09...fast-and-loose-with-ipod-touch-sales-numbers/

Best estimate for ipod touch is ~45 million worldwide (out of 120m iOS devices). DS is at ~125m+ and PSP is ~62m+
 
UPDATE: Asymco's Horace Dediu estimates that as of Sept. 1, Apple had sold 45.2 million iPod touches, or 37.7% of the 120 million iOS devices sold. Put another way, Apple appears to be selling roughly two iPod touches for every three iPhones.
Click to expand...


It looks like he could've said "iOS family" and been correct. I'm not sure if that would include iPads. But even then, not everyone uses their ios device for gaming. I've had my 3GS for a little over a year and I've probably put around 10 hours of gaming total on it, if that.

Who knows for sure, Apple doesn't put out numbers...
 
I own an iPod Touch and a PSP -- I do not own any games on the iPod.

But many other people are content in paying money for shitty games you could play on a browser.
 
Was having this "discussion" with some folks from work on this exact same subject.

I have a hard time believing that the iPhone/iPod really share the same market as the DS/PSP. Is there some overlap? Sure, but not enough to be really significant. For me the iPod/iPhone is very convenient for on-the-go type gaming, but I would never consider it as a serious replacement to the DS in its current state.

And I wonder if the 99¢ market is really sustainable. There are a few notables that sell really well, such as Flight Control and Angry Birds, but those tend to be more of an exception rather than the rule.
 
Well, it has two Cave shmups, which are amazing ports. and Chaos Rings, which is basically a PS1-era RPG with some modern conveniences.

Those 3 games are the best, imo.


I'm hoping Tecmo does some kind of stripped down version of Quantum Theory for it at some point.
 
This is not the forum for an honest discussion about this. You guys are way too tribal about videogames...

"How Dare Jobs say that about games".

I can name about 10 people who have NEVER picked up a DS or PSP who play games on their iPods. I am a huge gamer but I can easily be satisfied by just bringing my ipod along. Is it lacking good input for traditional games? Hell yes and the PSP is lacking a second analog stick-so what? Some games work better on specific systems.

as for the "real games" nonsense.

-both the PSP and DS also have quick games except they are $5 on those systems as opposed to $1-$3
-iPod games actually go on sale as opposed to the 2 above
-Way more variety on the iPod. Almost every type you can think of (including some that should't be there)
-Older games. I have way more 16 bit games on my iPod then the PSP or DS.

My point is not to claim that the iPod is the best portable gaming system (although I don't fault Jobs for doing that as I wouldn't fault Sony or Nintendo for the same claims- the numbers are BS but aren't they always). But to say, all systems are great and being dismissive based only on your definition of gaming means you are missing out.

Of course some people simply don't like Apple or the iTunes systems and they let that color their view of the iPod.
 
We know the iPod is just a different type of a gaming platform, it's just annoying to hear how much "better" it is than other portable platforms merely because 0.99$ browser games are so popular. It doesn't feel all that fair of a comparison to make.

I have both an iPod Touch and a PSP. I respect both for specific and different reasons, but it really depends on what kind of gamer you are to label either as the "#1 portable gaming platform."

I use public transportation every day and I sit next to people playing Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja, or some simple platformer, and I just pull out God of War, Persona 3, or FF Tactics -- but we're both having fun, so there's nothing to argue over. That is, until someone comes out and says, "my device is better for games," not understanding how different an iPod's game library is from a PSP or DS's library.
 
At the risk of sounding juvenile, Jobs started it. If you make a statement like he made without backing it up with data, it's just inviting flamewars across the internet. "real games" or not, if you're going to make a claim like "iPod Touch is #1", I want to see data.
 
It's not a gaming device by any stretch of the imagination, but just a good phone that can play games decently. I've slowly stopped buying games for my iPod Touch when I downloaded the last big firmware update that had virtually nothing to add for me.

The Apple approach to these devices is kind of an insult to me when they stop supporting me as a customer because I don't want to blindly spend hundreds of dollars on the new hardware every year just to keep playing the games I own. iPhone developers follow their lead to develop games exclusively for the new devices to aid in Apple's plan to not support its customers long-term. My PSP-1000 and DS Lite still play every game that's coming out now perfectly fine even though they've released newer versions that have added features, so they need to follow the standards that Nintendo and Sony have set for the portable gaming market.
 
Nah nobody is buying ipod touches for gaming. It's as peripheral a utility as the skype/webbrowser/music playing ability of the PSP/DS is for people buying those.

I fucking hate playing traditional games on ipod. There are a few original games which are kinda fun but anything that uses the fake dpad or whatever is absolute garbage, and the system will always be limited by that.
 
iPod touch is the #1 portable gaming platform, like my 360/Ps3/Wii are the #1 movie streaming devices.

It has the feature to do it, and people do it, but nobody buys it for that.
 
[quote name='usickenme']like I said this isn't the place for an honest discussion about it.[/QUOTE]
The OP is about Apple's claim that they have the #1 selling portable gaming system. The two crucial points of that claim is whether the numbers are accurate and whether it should be consider amongst the current portable gaming systems. I don't see how you can't discuss that stuff here as long as people aren't harping about Apple themselves.
 
#1 is a stretch but perhaps for CASUAL games/gamers, it's certainly up there versus other handhelds IMO.

I personally don't have one due to the price but if it price drops significantly, I'd probably install a few games to pass the time once in a while. Don't mind phone games so I'm sure I wouldn't mind more enhanced versions on said platform.
 
[quote name='FriskyTanuki']It's not a gaming device by any stretch of the imagination, but just a good phone that can play games decently. I've slowly stopped buying games for my iPod Touch when I downloaded the last big firmware update that had virtually nothing to add for me.

The Apple approach to these devices is kind of an insult to me when they stop supporting me as a customer because I don't want to blindly spend hundreds of dollars on the new hardware every year just to keep playing the games I own. iPhone developers follow their lead to develop games exclusively for the new devices to aid in Apple's plan to not support its customers long-term. My PSP-1000 and DS Lite still play every game that's coming out now perfectly fine even though they've released newer versions that have added features, so they need to follow the standards that Nintendo and Sony have set for the portable gaming market.[/QUOTE]


Your PSP and DS Lite are dedicated game machines without nearly as much pressure to evolve on a yearly basis. Aside from the fact that your DS Lite can't play DSi games...
 
It's called marketing kids. By way of analogy:

The commercial shows an orgy of prime rib that glistens with the shine of the greasy mild peppercorn sauce, stuffed in between two long buns, with white mozzarella cheese oozing out from between the meat. Of course, the sandwich in the commercial looks nothing like the picture above, which looks like two haggard hobos getting it on.
Click to expand...

quiznosprimerib.jpg


http://www.theimpulsivebuy.com/wordpress/2006/03/22/quiznos-prime-rib-sub/
 
So, wait... let me get this right....

Apple claims to be the number one portable gaming device.

Sony advertises how the PSP has real games and taunts the Ipod people.


And, yet, Nintendo, who probably actually is the leader of the portable game market remains silent about the whole thing?
 
The Nintendo DS has sold over 718 million games...

I would like to know how many games have sold on the iPod. Anyone have any clue?
 
http://gamejournos.tumblr.com/post/1050044608/steve-jobs-said-it-so-it-must-be-true

I'd like to see some real figures, because I highly doubt that the iPod touch has outsold both the DS and the PSP combined, let alone one of the two.

Also, just because your device is capable of playing games doesn't mean that it's a gaming platform. If you're looking for a device to play games, the iPod Touch is a terrible investment. People shit their pants because Sony releases a firmware update; well, Apple one-ups them: they just update iTunes and the OS (for a fee of course) and make it incompatible with your perfectly working iPod and you're forced to upgrade or be screwed (good luck trying to find older versions of iTunes that are compatible with your old iPod).

However, it is a great MP3 player that happens to play games (many of which are free), but I'll really resist buying an iPod, or any other game console/device, from Apple. If you think Nintendo, Sony, or Microsoft are bad, Apple does not give a flying rat's ass about any of their customers.
 
[quote name='jh6269']However, it is a great MP3 player that happens to play games (many of which are free), but I'll really resist buying an iPod, or any other game console/device, from Apple. If you think Nintendo, Sony, or Microsoft are bad, Apple does not give a flying rat's ass about any of their customers.[/QUOTE]

Take M$oft out of your post and I agree.
 
[quote name='KillerRamen']The Nintendo DS has sold over 718 million games...

I would like to know how many games have sold on the iPod. Anyone have any clue?[/QUOTE]

a lot more according to Steve Jobs, but all for around $1 which makes their platform worthless
premium flash games gone mobile big deal
 
Wow, people get way too defensive about this. Of course it's marketing spin, just like press releases by Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo are. But there is some truth to it. The iPod Touch is a fast growing gaming platform, maybe not for serious gaming but casual games.

They could have also said that the iPhone is the best digital selling camera of all time and it would technically be true. Do people buy the iPhone for a camera? No, but they get used as cameras. Probably more than any other device in the world I'd guess.

It's easy to say that it's not a platform for "real" games just like the iPhone isn't a camera for "real" photographers. But most people aren't "real" gamers, they're just regular people who occasionally play games on their iPhone/iPod. Just like they're not pro photographers, just people who take photos with their iPhone. Ironically, the camera in the iPhone and other phones have become so good that it's all a lot of people use to take pictures. It could get there with gaming, people only want to carry around one device that can do everything, not 5 different devices to play music, video, take pictures, make calls, gaming, etc.

That said, I really don't like Steve Jobs and Apple in general and would like to see some company come up with competition for the iPod Touch like all of the Android phones have the iPhone.
 
[quote name='iKilledChewbacca']no thank you, but thanks for the offer[/QUOTE]

I'm steve jobs' pimp now... lol oh well maybe next time
 
[quote name='ninja dog']It looks like he could've said "iOS family" and been correct. I'm not sure if that would include iPads. But even then, not everyone uses their ios device for gaming. I've had my 3GS for a little over a year and I've probably put around 10 hours of gaming total on it, if that.

Who knows for sure, Apple doesn't put out numbers...[/QUOTE]
I also think so.


__________________
watch free movies online
 
[quote name='teresap989']I also think so.

[/QUOTE]


Finally some support on this forum!! I'm glad you also feel that way and agree with me. Hey friend, what's your AIM sn? Maybe we could chat some time. Teresa, eh? Female? I'm male....I guess we don't really have our gender in common but I'm pretty sure we could find something else to talk ab---fuck IT'S A SPAMMER.

tumblr_l8h86jPqAj1qb5c8u.jpg
 
[quote name='FriskyTanuki']The OP is about Apple's claim that they have the #1 selling portable gaming system. The two crucial points of that claim is whether the numbers are accurate and whether it should be consider amongst the current portable gaming systems. I don't see how you can't discuss that stuff here as long as people aren't harping about Apple themselves.[/QUOTE]


Sigh! I didn't say people can't "discuss" it, I merely judged the value of that discussion

I mean "all teh iPod has is teh Flash GAMES!" or "I AM butthurt cause Apple revised hardware" doesn't add anything.
 
This is like Ikea saying their tables are the number one gaming platform in the world because you can setup a board game or deal cards on top of one.
 
I don't believe that for a second. The DS and PSP are and will continue to be much more popular for gaming now, and in the future. That is unless, Apple can get some good on the go games and a good device to play them on. I personally am not big on the iPod Touch as a gaming device. I don't like the touch screen garbage for games.

[quote name='BlueLobstah']Was having this "discussion" with some folks from work on this exact same subject.

I have a hard time believing that the iPhone/iPod really share the same market as the DS/PSP. Is there some overlap? Sure, but not enough to be really significant. For me the iPod/iPhone is very convenient for on-the-go type gaming, but I would never consider it as a serious replacement to the DS in its current state.

And I wonder if the 99¢ market is really sustainable. There are a few notables that sell really well, such as Flight Control and Angry Birds, but those tend to be more of an exception rather than the rule.[/QUOTE]
 
[quote name='usickenme']Sigh! I didn't say people can't "discuss" it, I merely judged the value of that discussion

I mean "all teh iPod has is teh Flash GAMES!" or "I AM butthurt cause Apple revised hardware" doesn't add anything.[/QUOTE]

because obviously there is no one on this site as intelligent and as well informed on this issue as yourself. No other CAG has anything of value to add....

regardless, this is obvious spin. Most of the comments here are on-point (regardless of the above poster) and have stated the obvious that he is more than likely just counting the sheer number of units that have rolled out the door and not what they are being used for. The last time I checked, the touch was just an iPhone sans the phone part. A glorified PDA for the most part. It would be like saying my HTC HD2 competes with the PSP and DS - it is simply delusional to believe that. Yes, of course there is some amount of crossover, but I would hardly believe there is enough to warrant the comparison that Jobs made (back to spin....).

i'm not even going to bother going into detail on how most games based off of a phone (in general) are simply way more casual than most of us would prefer or the controls just don't compare to a DS or PSP. I have yet to meet ONE person who bought their iTouch, iPod or iPhone for gaming.

As someone who has worked with many a 'Apple fan', I can tell you that these people are typically loud mouthed idiots who (in the workplace for sure) like to sing praises of how Apple can do no (or almost no) wrong and how wonderful it is to be associated with such a caring brand (ha). Steve could tell these people anything and they would mindlessly believe it. Obviously not every fan-boy or girl, but most I have encountered in the workplace (as the IT guy in various offices) would believe Steve and think the 'i' line of products has dominated the gaming market and that is why this sort of disinformation within our society is sad. I guess if Sony or Nintendo felt even slightly theatened we would be seeing news reports debunking these 'stats'.

DDD-
 
For the casual gamer, I would put the iPod touch above the DS or the PSP. Short, fun games that are cheap to buy and download in just a few seconds, all displayed on a great looking touch screen. Not forgetting that most of these games have on-line leader boards which adds a competitive aspect. Not forgetting that the iPod touch also delivers many many other features.

The DS is a great system, but not only is it larger and thicker than the iPod, but you have to carry around the game cartridges which cost a lot more than the games for the iPod.

The PSP is (in my opinion) the hand-held for the hardcore gamer, seeing as the games are the most in-depth.

I am not flaming any of the systems, I just think that people should not be so quick to laugh at it's gaming ability.
 
Phew, I was starting to think I was nuts not liking the iPod\iPhone for gaming. I just see everyone get so jacked up over the unreal demo and the Rage engine on the iphone and all I can think is wow it looks nice but can I actually play it? I have some games for the touch and although some are fun I just don't think they hold a candle to having a system like the DS or the PSP in my hands with actual buttons. I'm glad a lot of people here agree.
 
It was probably more of a shot at Sony, since their entire Marcus PSP ad campaign is based around insulting Iphone games.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
bread's done
Back
Top