So with the eighth generation fast approaching and technology ever-changing, there has been one company that seemingly remains one step ahead of the curve. The reputation of Apple has been phenomenal, as its fanbase remains one of the strongest, harshest, and most loyal from any company this side of Disney. But with competition getting heavier and nastier and then even the consoles potentially trying to hack away at its profits (See: 3DS, XBox Live Marketplace, PS Vita) one must ponder what Apple’s response might be---if they make one.
Granted they do make a great fortune and I don’t see them dipping into red ink anytime soon, one has to ponder what their reaction will be once the next-generation systems become even more interactive, even more powerful than computers, and even more accessible to the mainstream public than ever before. One has to ponder just how Apple will react once PS Vita and their touch-screen heavy/ITouch-like games slam into the market this holiday season. I am by no means a business analyst nor am I someone who can predict the big moves by companies. But I have to ask: what were to happen if Apple jumps into the Console Wars?
What would happen if Apple were to not just attack the handheld market, but the console market as well? The console market can guarantee you profits up the ying-yang if done correctly. But can you imagine the firestorm that would rampage if Apple announces a system to fight the PS4, WiiU, and XBox 720? It was hard enough deciding between three systems that each delivered a slew of spectacular games this previous generation. What about a fourth competitor? One that would definitely stand out from the rest? I think this is what it would look like:
(Stole the concept image from this Blogger)
The name would be simple. IConsole. Hmmm, that might not work, how about the IGame? Alright, moving on. The specs would be similar to that to the competitors, but would run like a Mac. In other words, it will be a console that can run graphics like the best of them, but will feature a lot of options usually done on computers. For example: the IGame would have ITunes, IMovie, and the Safari. With ITunes in the console, you can customize musical playlists to suit your needs as you are playing certain video games. How awesome would it be to be able to play some classic rock while downing enemies in Call of Duty? The ITunes allows you to customize soundtracks for each video game you have on the hard drive—and allow you to download music from the video game to the ITunes if you like the soundtrack so much.
If you want to revive Guitar Hero, this is the way to do it. Imagine Activision releasing a one-time-only Guitar Hero video game with an ever-expanding playlist of music which you can purchase directly from the ITunes Store. Better yet, with a certain feature, you can preview music (and also play the song once) to make sure that you’ll want to download it to listen to it—and once in a while play it in Guitar Hero. Title? IGuitar Hero. Alright, these names are not working out. With the IMovie feature, you can record the video games you are playing and edit them for submission, helping the underground community of gamers that enjoy publishing videos about their gaming skills and tribulations. And of course they wouldn’t make it online without Safari, which would come automatically with every Apple console.
This is where the IGame would create a heavy blow to the industry: the software. The ITouch and IPhone have been successful because their multitude of apps and small video games carry a very small price tag. The success of Angry Birds has nothing to do with its quality but a lot to do with its price tag and pick-up-and-go attitude. It’s basically this generation’s Tetris. Tetris is an amazing game, don’t get me wrong, but it’s a game that holds very little weight, instead relying on its relentless replay value. Now, the IConsole would have less full-length video games when compared to the competitors, but will instead rely on a gajillion smaller games and applications to carry the weight and replay value of the system itself. In a tougher economy, smaller video games can definitely help the pockets without sacrificing much fun. XBox Live Marketplace is the best example of a series of games that are fun, cheap, doesn’t take much data, and still makes the XBox 360 an enjoyable system.
The IConsole will depend heavily on gamer’s investments towards smaller games. XBox Live (And on a smaller scale, the Virtual Console) worked out because of its linking to the past. Apple if they were to enter the console market and be a success must manage to please the audience with its abundance of apps—which has crossed over 300,000 for IPods, ITouches, and IPads. And then they have to find a way to get their hands on older classic games that have stood the test of time. And Apple already is very good friends with some very big companies—Disney of course being one of the big examples. Imagine Disney digging back to its vault and unveiling its entire lineup of old-school Disney games.
Imagine Apple getting their hands on old-old games made by now-defunct companies Atari, Midway, Acclaim, Tradewest, and many others. They could virtually revive at least half of the 8/16-bit library of games. I am sure that alone would be enough reason to warrant a purchase. So the question is can a system survive by having a library that mostly consists of $5-$10 games? Can this be the first successful console to rely mostly on downloadable content? It can be like a cheaper version of the PS2, many good games, and overall over 2,000 games to eventually be able to choose from.
Now of course this is what will make or break the IGame: third-party support. Now, if you remember correctly, the only modern-day debut system to thrive on first-party content was the original Nintendo. The original Playstation survived because of flawless third-party support, the original XBox relied strictly on Halo and barely survived, while Sega didn’t take off until its sophomore system came out. The IGame needs to be friendly to all third-party companies, as we’ve reached a point in which there is minimal favoritism/honor /pride amongst the smaller pieces in the gaming war. Long gone are the days in which companies were picking sides in the Genesis/SNES days. So Apple usually has been good with working with other companies, so I can definitely see XBox 360-like support for the IGame. And that spells bad news for everyone else.
Of the four competitors in the Gaming War, the IGame would look the coolest of the bunch. Its user-friendly interface, user-friendly online capabilities, and slick, sleek look would make it a hardcore’s dream come true. And with already a massive built-in audience that seems to buy anything that Apple throws at them, you can expect a great launch. Arguably, of the Big 4, the IConsole would have the best launch. Its staying power however depends on how well the competition responds and how well they can handle the system’s lasting appeal. But I am sure they can spit out a few clever apps in between major releases.
Bottom Line: This article is pretty much pointless, because creating a console to compete in the already-devastatingly-deadly console market would be nothing short of pure adrenaline risk. But can you imagine Apple jumping in and fighting the Microsoft system for some market share? It would not only be another department where Apple can make money, but it would be retaliation towards Nintendo and Sony taking on Apple in the handheld market. If Apple were to jump in, I would picture a powerful computer-like system (in terms of memory and processing power) with plenty of third-party support, thousands upon thousands of little cheaper games that can make/break Apple, and a variety of Apple products that would give the console experience a little Mac touch. While it wouldn’t happen, I can see me (and others) buying an Apple system.
I am pretty sure their launch title would be an enhanced version of Angry Birds 2.
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