Downloadable games for future iPods?

[diagonalman]

Does anybody else have more info about this MacRumors rumor of downloadable games for the future iPod?

http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2004/11/20041115095509.shtml

[Purgatos]

I doubt it's true, myself.

Who buys an iPod for games? They're just an extra little distraction if you're waiting for something and need to waste some time. I've played some brick during a few particularly boring lectures and I certainly wouldn't download anything fancier than what comes with it. Even if iPods came gameless I doubt I'd complain somehow.

Never heard ANYONE request a new iPod with "more games". Just sounds a little bit too out there... not that MacRumors page 2 has much credibility at any point in ever.

[Brad]

not that MacRumors page 2 has much credibility at any point in ever.Well, they pretty much nailed Tiger and Automator before anyone else.

[Wrao]

Eh? why not. sounds fine to me.

[BarracksSi]

I wouldn't mind a few different games, but the controls have to be ridiculously simple, because I don't want to pause play or change tracks just because it's a button in the game.

What I find Solitaire good for is to put myself to sleep while I'm traveling. Three games of that and I'm drowsy.

[DMBand0026]

Who buys an iPod for games? They're just an extra little distraction if you're waiting for something and need to waste some time.

Who buys a cell phone for games? Games, ringtones, and stuff like that are now a multi-million dollar industry. With the advent of the color screen (and most likely all iPods will have color screens in the future) it seems games is a great idea.

I wouldn't play them, but if you charge someone $2.99 to play bowling on their iPod, I wouldn't doubt they'd pay up.

[Brad]

Perhaps, but an iPod's interface is hardly suited for many games. The scroll wheel is awkward, at best, even for Breakout. I just can't imagine many people sitting down to casually play games on an iPod.

[Bill M]

Perhaps, but an iPod's interface is hardly suited for many games. The scroll wheel is awkward, at best, even for Breakout. I just can't imagine many people sitting down to casually play games on an iPod.

I agree, but that doesn't preclude some sort of inexpensive hand controller accessory which you'd just plug to the iPod via the dock connector. Not that I would be interested on such a thing, but if there is a market for it... well...

[usurp]

i got games on my phone. i didnt buy my phone for the games but its good to have them for those occasional boring moments waiting for someone.

i wouldnt mind have more games on the ipod. space invaders, a black jack or poker game, all these would be nice to have.

why not?

[JagSeal]

Snood for iPod. :D

[Brad]

Snood for iPod. :DHa! One of the few games where the scroll wheel would actually work well!

[Phoenix]

I was just searching for some stuff and came upon this thread.

Man talk about ahead of the times!

(Sorry for the bump, just thought it was interesting)

[Doxxic]

Who buys an iPod for games?

That's precisely the wrong question!
The question is who buys games for iPods, which should be enough to invest in development of simple iPod games.

Maybe one day there are enough great games that are played especially well with a (touchpad) clickwheel (Snood, indeed!).
It's then that we might wonder who buys iPods for games. :cancer:

I suppose Apple is not very reluctant to let 3rd parties make and publish software for the iPod, as long as the DRM-ed iPod versions are sold via iTunes.
Much like their music business model, actually.

[Selina]

The iPod clickwheel is great for what it does (ie scrolling through great longs lists of data) but its not very precise. I find it areally difficult to play the games on my Nano properly (I've clicked on the wrong title on music quiz countless times and missed the ball on brick just as many) so, as mentioned above, any games would have to use the wheel to its strenghs not inspite of its weaknesses but I think I'd be all for the option of downloading a few extra games + it would undoubtedly be big business for 3rd party developers.

[eple]

Maybe the ability to play games on the iPod could be improved if there were 3rd part accessories like 'snakebite' for mobile phones, which could provide a better game control than the scroll wheel. http://www.dixonsmobileaccessories.co.uk/P_SNAKEBITE_Joystick+for+Snake+1+and+1.html

[BarracksSi]

I'm never adding on a device to change gameplay controls on an iPod.

[Brad]

(Sorry for the bump, just thought it was interesting)
Wrath of a thousand plagues upon you! :p

I'm closing this thread because the original subject is way out of date. If you want to discuss the possibility of external iPod controllers, please start a new thread.