Opinion: Does Apple have something up its sleeve for E3?
The Electronics Entertainment Expo, colliquially known as E3, is the video game industry’s annual press-based extravaganza. Many a companys fortunes are won and lost at E3. Everyone brings their best to the table, making myriad of new announcements and unveiling yet unheard of plans and strategies to guide the future on the industry. The gaming press, in turn, filters through all of this and spends the next year focussing on the upcoming titles that they’ve placed the most faith in.
Until recently the event isn’t something that most would have expected Apple to be associated with. Now, with the iPhone and iPod Touch taking the premiere spot in the handheld marketplace, it almost seems inevitable that they’d be making an appearance. So why aren’t they? And what do they have planned in lieu of attending?
If you’ve been with us for awhile, you’ll likely remember the rumor that’s been floating around about a premium games store being added to the already flooded App Store. The logic behind this is that premium iPhone publishers such as EA or Konami could release higher-end games that would rival PSP releases for a moderately higher price (likely $19.99). My guess? Apple will both make the official announcement and launch the store during E3 week. Remember folks, this is just pure speculation. But here’s what I’m going on;
- E309’s worst kept secret is Sony’s PSP Go. With no UMD drive, the Go will rely solely on downloadable content. This means the PlayStation Store is about to become a whole lot bigger, offering premium content from major developers at the $15-$30 range. This would be in direct competition with the Premium Games Store. Overshadowing Sony’s expected announcement with a surprise launch is just good business sense.
- Sims 3 for the iPhone releases on June 2nd; the first official day of E3. Judging from the trailers and other videos available online this appears to be nothing short of the complete experience that the full version will offer. I can’t imagine EA slapping a $7.99 price tag on this and calling it a day.
- Sims 3 makes use of OS 3.0 (as per this video from the 3.0 Sneak Peek event), which means OS 3.0 should be launching this week as well. If there are any tweaks that need to be made to the OS to introduce the Premium Games Store, what better time than now?
3.0 could mean some other changes for the games business as well. I don’t really have any specific predictions per se, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see multiple save files introduced or internet-base multiplayer rather than the local-wifi or pass’n'play that we seem to be limited to now.
I’d also expect to see some additional publisher commitments for Mac gaming. EA made a big push earlier this year to cement a name for themselves amongst Mac users. If the Premium Games Store does come to frutition, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to find out the publishers benifiting from the iPhone may be contractually obligated to step up their Mac offerings.
None of this may happen. Apple may have a quiet week, not try to overshadow the rest of the industry, and quietly go about their business. But given their position of dominance in the handheld gaming market? They’d be fools to not try and one-up the competition.
Interesting take Jim. However, keep these things in mind.
1. Apple is a hardware company. They have no intention on really competing in the game market…yet anyway. If they were doing anything at E3, especially something like jumping into the market like this, they would have held an announcement with invites and all.
2. Apple already has an event pipeline. WWDC is next week, and an iPhone event and launch is probable later in the month or July. Apple already has a lot of coals burning, and making an announcement at E3 would add unneeded complexity to their schedule.
Remember, Apple doesn’t care about the competition in gaming, in the same way that Nintendo doesn’t, because they’re carving out their own market, and conquering it. They don’t have to worry about whatever Sony has going on because their competition isn’t Sony…it’s Palm and RIM. The iPhone is a phone above all else. Apple may at some point seriously jump into the gaming ring, but right now, it’s a pleasant addition to the platform in their view, not a major business.