Feature

Game developers ecstatic at launch of Apple’s iPad

Size, power and price all get thumbs up

Game developers ecstatic at launch of Apple’s iPad
With the shock waves from Apple’s iPad tablet announcement pinging around the game development community, the first cries of celebrations are being reflected back as studios lick their lips and consider their future plans.

Trip Hawkins, president, Digital Chocolate

Apple is the best at computer design and user experience and with iPad, it once again has set the high bar and provided an archetype for the rest of the industry to follow.

It gives great games like Rollercoaster Rush and Tower Bloxx a "big screen" experience. But the big change is convenience for networked games, which applies to almost any kind of game. Fundamentally we are going to see browser-based games make a giant leap in convenience and portability for a mass market of gamers.

Lydia Heitman, marketing director, Freeverse

I’m incredibly excited at the possibility of being able to navigate through a gaming world that's bigger, more detailed, and more powerful. To interact with that in a larger, more tactile manner adds a stronger connection with the game, so I would bank on in-depth, longer, less arcade-style games. To get console-length RPGs and crazy detailed strategy games would be amazing.

Also people who don't have a large TV or space for consoles will be able to invest their time and effort in more graphic and gameplay-rich games.

Anders Mårtensson, software engineer, Illusion Labs

The bigger screen opens up for new games that weren't really very good to play on a small screen, and existing games can be improved a lot. For instance, our own games Touchgrind and Labyrinth 2 would work extremely well with the bigger screen estate.

Expect to see some cool stuff from Illusion Labs very soon!

Sarah Thomson, BizDev, IUGO

I think the price point is the real shocker. It’s fantastic! This will open up the device to a whole lot of users.

It’s going to be awesome with higher resolution and a deeper experience with the multi-touch and tilt at that size. IUGO will be bringing titles over to iPad for sure.

Joe Wee, director, Chillingo

The iPad will create a new wave of innovation and IPs in gaming. The fact that existing iPhone games will work on the platform is great. However, I am more excited about the new wave of games that will be made especially for it - that is where the opportunity lies.

Natalia Luckyanova, Imangi Studios

We're definitely going to see some beautiful graphics on this device. And it will be great for local multiplayer games. Instead of each person playing with their iPhone, a whole group can play directly on the tablet.

You can store all your board games, card games, and tables sports games in there and play with your family and friends. I think this will make the gaming experience much more social.

Peter Relan, chairman, OpenFeint

It probably won't replace the traditional console in the living room, but it has the potential to address a broader casual market in the living room for board games etc, and once you add the play with your friends, it allows social casual gaming in a broad way in the living room

We have plans for some really special features for the iPad that will make social gaming even more immersive.



Clive Downie, veep of marketing, ngmoco


Anything that looks beautiful, benefits from connectivity and content via the web, and sucks the player in through great use of the touch control interface will do well on iPad.

We're excited about multiplayer first person shooters on that screen. Eliminate will transfer well. Especially its co-op version, coming soon. We also have unannounced games in production that are natural fits for the power and connectivity of the iPad. Those concepts just received a major additional opportunity with today's announcement.


Contributing Editor

A Pocket Gamer co-founder, Jon is Contributing Editor at PG.biz which means he acts like a slightly confused uncle who's forgotten where he's left his glasses. As well as letters and cameras, he likes imaginary numbers and legumes.