Gabe Newell: Apple Could "Redefine" Consoles

[Something Amyss]

Didn't they already prove this to be true with the iphone 4s?

Was that the one that could make calls, but still was the top rated smartphone on multiple sites?

 

[ph0b0s123]

Apple already made a console years ago and it failed, failed miserably.

I don't see why people who have been with major companies for years and years would suddenly jump ship to a company who might fail in the modern console market like they did years ago.

Yeah cause those people who had been with mobile phone makers for a long time did not jump ship the iphone came out.

I am not an Apple fan, I have brought none of their products and don't like their very restrictive approach to products. But even I realise that the nay sayers are seriously under estimating Apple with their comments.

The negative comments here are very reminiscent of comments made by first MP3 makers, then phone makers and then netbook makers. Apple have a track record of coming to already established industries and shaking them up, if you agree you are in denial.

And an Apple console would not be a bad thing, though I would not buy one. I now have good smart phone and tablet / netbook (both non apple), purely due to Apple coming into and shaking up those two industries. I don't think console gaming would suffer from the same kind of shake up....

 

[Garrett Richey]

tell

Apple already has a popular console, its called the ipad and its very over priced.

So the tablet that no OEM has been able to beat or even match in price is very overpriced? Android costs nothing and they still can't get a tablet that is price competitive to the market. Even on computers Apple is much more price competitive than they used to be. Intel is spending ridiculous amounts trying to get OEMs producing machines that compete with the MacBook Air and they simply can't produce a machine with similar specs for even the same price, let alone lower.

Check your facts before you make statements.

 

[Worgen]

tell

Apple already has a popular console, its called the ipad and its very over priced.

So the tablet that no OEM has been able to beat or even match in price is very overpriced? Android costs nothing and they still can't get a tablet that is price competitive to the market. Even on computers Apple is much more price competitive than they used to be. Intel is spending ridiculous amounts trying to get OEMs producing machines that compete with the MacBook Air and they simply can't produce a machine with similar specs for even the same price, let alone lower.

Check your facts before you make statements.

The ipad I won was 800, sure it can do some pretty impressive graphics but most things on it are flash games, just with a much greater chance of crashing. Its an over priced toy.

 

[Garrett Richey]

Yes lets enter the Console market when you already make an OS and computers that are well known for being platform of choice for computer gaming. /trollface

Seriously apple's design philosophy of release another version every year is ill suited for the long cycle time of consoles. In addition Apple appeals to the casual consumer (go into an Apple store and you will see a lot of elderly people, middle aged moms, and families) and why would you want to get into a casual gamer war against Nintendo?

So the fact that a company updates products every year in areas where ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE DOES THIS! means that they would in a completely different market?

Also I'm sure all the musicians/recording studios/movie studios that use Apple products and software fit well within your definition of casual consumers, right?

Just because you don't like something does not mean it is inferior. I know that I could do slightly more with an Android powered phone, but the fact is that I simply don't want to waste my time installing custom ROMs and messing around with my phones firmware to get it to do what I want when I can buy something I'm happy with out of the box!

 

[Garrett Richey]

tell

Apple already has a popular console, its called the ipad and its very over priced.

So the tablet that no OEM has been able to beat or even match in price is very overpriced? Android costs nothing and they still can't get a tablet that is price competitive to the market. Even on computers Apple is much more price competitive than they used to be. Intel is spending ridiculous amounts trying to get OEMs producing machines that compete with the MacBook Air and they simply can't produce a machine with similar specs for even the same price, let alone lower.

Check your facts before you make statements.

The ipad I won was 800, sure it can do some pretty impressive graphics but most things on it are flash games, just with a much greater chance of crashing. Its an over priced toy.

It may not be suited to your purposes, but that doesn't mean it's an overpriced toy. It's being used in hospitals to access patient records, airlines are using them to replace many pounds of paper material for pilots. Something capable of replacing paper in industries that have stuck with them up to now is far more than a 'toy'.

 

[Worgen]

tell

Apple already has a popular console, its called the ipad and its very over priced.

So the tablet that no OEM has been able to beat or even match in price is very overpriced? Android costs nothing and they still can't get a tablet that is price competitive to the market. Even on computers Apple is much more price competitive than they used to be. Intel is spending ridiculous amounts trying to get OEMs producing machines that compete with the MacBook Air and they simply can't produce a machine with similar specs for even the same price, let alone lower.

Check your facts before you make statements.

The ipad I won was 800, sure it can do some pretty impressive graphics but most things on it are flash games, just with a much greater chance of crashing. Its an over priced toy.

It may not be suited to your purposes, but that doesn't mean it's an overpriced toy. It's being used in hospitals to access patient records, airlines are using them to replace many pounds of paper material for pilots. Something capable of replacing paper in industries that have stuck with them up to now is far more than a 'toy'.

Ok, its an overpriced flash/pdf player that cant play flash. Tablets can be useful but there are still better things out there.

 

[dmase]

I feel like he's thinking about it wrong. It's not a console market it's a games market. People will play games on almost any platform they can and phones like the iphone and android can do that. It's too much work to break into a market with a home console and like people have said consoles are losing their domination of the market. I don't see consoles going the way of arcades but we'll be able to fit everything from the most recent iphone plus a psp or ds worth of gaming in there too. The only advantage computer's and consoles have over phones is they have a big screen to work with and a bigger control pad.... oh and not everybody wants to put their gaming system, computer, phone, calendar, gps, etc to infinity in one object that can be easily lost or broken.

 

[Treblaine]

The wider evidence is that iPod and iPhones ARE very reliable and only weasel arguments can be made against them.

Actually its been proven that the iPhones have an extremely high dropped call rate but that consumers dont give a shit because nobody actually calls people on them anymore.

That's as bad as the bullshit of "uncontrolled acceleration" myth.

That was ridiculously overblown hysteria fuelled by media circus and retards trying to drive an automatic one footed mix up the brake and accelerator like to blame the manufacturers rather than their own ineptitude.

Same media circus with iPhone, the death grip has a slight effect on signal performance and EVERY PHONE HAS THIS!

The dropped call rate is the same as every other AT&T phone because AT&T is an overloaded and under-invested network. iPhone in other countries on other networks has been absolutely fine.

Conclusion: people still buy Toyotas because to spite all the media sensationalism they can figure out the unexpected-acceleration claims are bullshit, same with iPhone. The pundits who have already made their minds up about the iPhone lap up the connectivity bullshit, but when it comes to people who are genuinely interested in putting money down, they go by verifiable info.

 

[Enslave_All_Elves]

Sick of Apple. Most overrated company ever. While I'm at it, screw Steve Jobs too.

"But he just died! Not cool man."

We all die. I didn't know him. Big deal.

*Edit* Toyota did cover up many of their issues for years. Nobody is buying them because they looked it the issues and decided some were bunk, they buy Toyotas because they are cheap and efficient. End of story. Uncontrolled acceleration wasn't the only thing. The media does hype car issues though. Way back when they said the Ford Pinto would explode if hit. My dad was on the engineering team at Ford tasked with figuring out that issue. Basically even through reproducing the accident down to the same truck that hit the pinto (I mean same models, same loadouts, every damn detail they found) they couldn't get a Pinto to blow. It was a freak thing. Didn't matter, the media ran with it. *shrug* It happens.

 

[Griffolion]

Good luck with that one Apple. You'll have to break MS, Nintendo and Sony in a market you have 0% experience in.

And, unlike the phone market you "revolutionised" back in 2007, this one isn't quite as ripe for revolution as you may think.

Either way, i won't buy whatever you may (or may not) be putting out.

You know, I've bought two iPods in my life, and both of them lasted about twenty days. Twenty days, whereas I just gave a cheap supposedly throwaway piece of shit that I've had for years to a relative of mine.

Err, how did they break? Did you ever consider that you were very careless with this rather high specification technology?

For example, the use of glass screens to be hard enough so it isn't worn down rough with a thousand tiny scratches also makes it brittle (so will likely crack if dropped unprotected), this is not a rough-an-tumble device for people who don't care about a scratched screen, this is a delicate high standard device.

I am still struggling to find a device that comes close to filling the same roll as my iPod Touch in its capability and flexibility as such a light and compact computer and media device.

Sure you can say you don't care about the 960x640 scratch resistant screen, don't care about all the apps, don't care about the music quality, don't care about the gyroscope... but that's not more saying iPods aren't suitable for you, not that they are "shit".

I knew this would come up. Someone saying that I obviously didn't take care of them...

Mate, that's a typical response of an Apple fanchild to someone whose put their products down. I wouldn't worry about it. They can't take the fact that their products may not be the flawed, overrated shiny toys they really are and thus blame the user for any problems encountered.

Broke it? You're using it wrong.

Dropped call? You're holding it wrong.

Missed Alarm? You're just... wrong.

 

[Something Amyss]

Its not a myth apple even outright admitted that that was an issue.

But it's so adorable to watch people pretend it didn't happen even after that was admitted by apple.

 

[veloper]

I don't believe it.

The big difference between Apple and M$, is that M$ have alot money to throw around and an interest in keeping on a directXbox that has alot in common with the PC.
The first xbox was a learning proces and the 360 has only recently become profitable, but M$ can easily afford years upon years of losses on a project and go really long term.

If Apple are smart they will try to concentrate on expanding in handheld gaming, at the expense of Nintendo, because they already have succes on that front.
If they make a console, chances are it will be a failure.

 

[XDravond]

I think this goes in the "God please no!" folder partly you are going to want one but it's would to be way expensive and probably underpowered... but oh so shiny...
But I can't see how we can trust Mr Newell with future stuff since he (or really valve) has a funny time distorting machine I would really see...

I do also understand why he would be worried if it where created with the "apple tax" 30% is really much of someones price...

 

[Nautical Honors Society]

Although I can't claim to own any of said products

Can I ask why this disclaimer is neccesary? Literally every single Escapist contributer has said this when discussing Steve Job's death or Apple in general.

Is it really that embarrasing for people tied into the video game culture to own an Iphone, Ipod, Macbook, etc?

Sure, they have flaws, sure they are overpriced, but they are still valid and impressive feats of technology, and honestly I feel like this need to "justify" complimenting Apple's products/success, by constantly telling us "oh, don't worry I may apprieciate the products, but I don't own any" is just plain silly.

Has the sterotypical notion of the "Apple owner" really become so concrete that we must make sure everyone knows that we don't own any of their products to maintain our image in this niche society that we have created?

I don't care if anyone does or does not own an Apple product, but I wish that people wouldn't be so judgemental of the things people spend their money on, so then maybe these disclaimers would not be needed.

OT: I would not by an apple console.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

I always get extremely nervous when people say things like that.

 

[Hevva]

Although I can't claim to own any of said products

Can I ask why this disclaimer is neccesary?

Sure! You raise a good point. For me personally, it has nothing to do with the image of an Apple consumer; if you like their products, you like their products and that's that. I just wanted to highlight that even if you don't use those products, the effects they've had on media consumption can still be felt in the technology you use. Disclaimers like these usually find their roots in writing rather than in not wanting to be associated with a particular brand.

 

[James Crook]

Apple already has a popular console, its called the ipad and its very over priced.

Just think though, with a console, they are obviously worth more than a handheld, they could charge over 3000$ for this baby! And then the next year they bump the price up 300$, then the next and the next!
I'm better 50$ if this happens!

Very true, apple could never do a console since they would always want to charge way too much for it. Hell, most of apples computers have been closer to consoles with how closed off those damn things are. You can do anything you want with an apple as long as apple lets you.

Did you guys know the 16GB iPad 1 costed only 229.35? to manufacture at most, with the biggest cost being the flash memory rounding up to about 80??
It was sold at a retail price of 499?.

 

[samsonguy920]

Gabe can say some crazy things but he has yet to be a hypocrite(Check that, name starts with an 's'). And I am confused at your argument that closed platforms are bad for a consumer, as every game console is a closed platform. There was one attempt at making an open platform console based on Linux. The company that tried that didn't survive that failure.

That's just simple truth, not an argument... the more control a corporate entity has over the platform, the worse for the actual consumers cause they can dictate everything and price gouge at every point if they decide they want to, if they'd raise the "Online fees" (which are retarded^10 to start with by another 10$ there'd still be a large portion of the ones paying them now doing the same and trying to justify it to themselves somehow like "XBox Live is sooo much better than everything else".

Also, that was also one of Gabe's main points... see here: http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/10/12/valves-newell-its-ominous-that-open-platforms-are-less-popular-apple-wrong-philosophically/

Thanks for the article. It is good to know that Gabe isn't entirely a Mac fanboy and holds reservations, but one thing he states at the end puts the fail on EA in their rant against Steam. Once you have Steamworks, you can change your mind at any time.
Addendum:
Apple joining the console race won't hurt the other consoles one iota. The Xbox is the most popular right now, coming out ahead after joining late in the game, but it hasn't put Sony or Nintendo out of business. If there is a reason why Nintendo is falling behind as it is, it is on their own shoulders for, well being like Apple and being more closed than the others.
If Apple wants to put out their own console, they best look at Nintendo at what not to do if they want to grab the brass ring as Microsoft did once upon a time.

 

[vivalahelvig]

Edit: I suspect a bunch of people will say something about how he is a hypocrit, because his company made steam. I believe their name will begin with s.

Screw it, I'll take the bait (though I'm a P, not an S ). Yes it is hypocritical for someone who has done more to wall off and enclose PC to complain about closed systems. Their success and the good they've done in other areas of PC gaming (indie, making digital downloads viable) doesn't stop Steam from being as bad as Xbox Live or iTunes in this one area.

More OT, I doubt Apple will go with the traditional console. The most likely route will be a box under the TV offering out the box a number of features other companies have added to their consoles (iPlayer, Facebook, Film downloads through iTunes etc) and have games as a side bonus just like they did with the iPad/iPhone. The upside is there will finally be a console I won't feel forced to buy.

Also, I can't take Mr Newell seriously when he goes on about closed systems and not because of my rant above. Each time he does it, it just sounds like someone whining because he's not being aloud to do things the way he wants too to make money. I still remember the massive change of heart he had regarding developing for consoles after Sony let him shove Steam onto the PS3.

The person I was referring to never gives evidence and just spits out bullshit (the first 2 letters are So). You at least gave some reasons. And that apple console you thought up sounds less like a console and one of those ipod docking station things.