Gabe Newell: Apple Could "Redefine" Consoles

[geizr]

What I find most consistent about Apple in this past decade is all the bullshit people(on both sides of the fence) make up regarding Apple and its products. The recent grumblings of dissatisfaction with the iPhone 4S is a direct result of all the hype and hyperbole that was generated(not by Apple, mind you) over what was supposed to be the iPhone 5. People made all kinds of analyses and predictions based off absolutely no information at all. They spun themselves to expect something that was never announced or promised, and yet, have the gall to be disappointed when reality fails to live up to their unfounded fantasies.

Until Apple actually, explicitly says something along the lines that it is creating a dedicated console for the purpose of games, take any such musings in that direction as wishful thinking and wild-ass guessing.

Also, those of you screaming bloody murder at the thought of an Apple "walled-garden" game console need to take a look at your current console, if you own one. Guess what? It's already a walled-garden, as consoles have always been for at least the last two decades.

 

[Steve the Pocket]

Yes I am a bitter Aussie about the price of video games, because i still don't get why Americans pay 60 while we pay almost 100. and no i don't want to go to a online order store to get it cheaper, I want to go to a store and buy it like a normal human being.

Dude, don't say stuff like that. It makes you look like a Luddite. If it's because of the limitations Australia puts on its Internet (my sympathies for that, by the way), then just say so; don't act like it makes you better than other people.

I don't understand all this rubbish about Apple launching a new model every year with minor updates
News flash: EVERYONE DOES THIS

THANK YOU. Geez, I was afraid I'd have to be the first person to point this out to people. It's as if decades of "obsolete before I opened the box" jokes were erased from history just because Steve Jobs dares to release new products more than once every five years. Heck, if anything, Apple gets criticized for not updating their product line often enough.

But looking at their non-PC devices like iPod, iPhone and iPad you have to realise they are FAR more open than consoles. You can get stuff on the App Store you would NEVER have seen on Xbox Live Arcade or PSN-Store, or at least not without Apple setting the precedent. The difference is, while App Store approval is merely based on a few things your app can't be, XBLA/PSN is more a prescribed what your App MUST be. That difference is important, PSN/XBLA say you must be a game, have achievements, not conflict with this, etc.

I'd have said "less restrictive" rather than "more open", since a platform is either open or it isn't, but otherwise I agree with this. You pretty much have to try to get an app blocked by Apple. Which tends to lead to the App Store being bloated with useless crap, but such is the price we pay.

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'.

There have been devices like that for years. They're called "laptops." And to be frank, it doesn't exactly give me a lot of confidence in the world's doctors and airline pilots to discover that they didn't realize they could use computers to do things before Steve Jobs told them so.

 

[Legendsmith]

Yes, I can't wait for the day Apple launches it's overpriced console. And then re-release it each year with small upgrades while charging the same amount of money year after year.

Microsoft already does this. How many versions of the Xbox are there?
Lots.

They are all the same except with a difference in storage, and that can be changed out as you like. the only real difference is if they come packaged with a game or skin, and the very first xbox didnt have an HDMI port.

So to answer your question, two.

They are all the same except with a difference in storage, and that can be changed out as you like. the only real difference is if they come packaged with a game or skin, and the very first xbox didnt have an HDMI port.

So to answer your question, two.

Ahahaha. No
It's more like 6, ignoring the amount of HD storage.
The differences between them are real. More powerful chipsets, power supply wattage and extra things like HDMI.

These a real differences. The newer, better Xboxes will run games better, using less power and generating less heat. This matters, as I'm sure you've heard that the clogging/overheating problems Xboxes have had in the past. If they're not getting as hot, it's less of an issue as less air will be drawn through the fans. Even if such issue is resolved, running cooler is still desirable.
New Xboxes will load games, market place, etc faster, where older ones won't.
The older ones can technically run the newest more intensive games, because Microsoft didn't want to create a divide in the market.

Don't "point and jeer" at other companies for supposedly doing something that their rival supposedly doesn't do. (But actually does).

 

[Jnat]

It will be just as good/bad as the 360, delaying the next generation a couple of years. At least that's what I think.

 

[Treblaine]

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'.

There have been devices like that for years. They're called "laptops." And to be frank, it doesn't exactly give me a lot of confidence in the world's doctors and airline pilots to discover that they didn't realize they could use computers to do things before Steve Jobs told them so.

Hmm, I've used a laptop and I've used and iPad, you can't really use a laptop like a Tablet, the weight and size difference may not seem huge for something like a notebook but it really does. Having a big arse touchscreen... well it opens up possibilities I never considered before.

IT'S NOT A LAPTOP REPLACEMENT

It is honestly in a completely different category with a level of portability far above a laptop, and I don't just mean transportability, I mean using while standing, or sitting on a train/plane with a tiny fold down table. The thing is, it isn't a fuss to use and all that people complain about "it's just an over sized iphone" well that IS true... and that's a good thing.

Iphone is very capable but held back not by screen resolution but screen size, and battery size. Putting that big screen on there changes a lot. Using my iPod touch I love the functionality but it's constantly held back by battery life and pokey screen size.

The devil is in the detail, and those differences from a netbook are really really darn important.

 

[gabe12301]

Yes, I can't wait for the day Apple launches it's overpriced console. And then re-release it each year with small upgrades while charging the same amount of money year after year.

Then they make a larger and heavier version and raise the price for it.

 

[adamtm]

Will apples console also only have one button on the controller?

 

[adamtm]

[
Iphone is very capable but held back not by screen resolution but screen size, and battery size. [...]

And there I thought its held back by the iOS...

PS: Tablets were around since the 90s they only became "sexy" now

 

[Treblaine]

[
Iphone is very capable but held back not by screen resolution but screen size, and battery size. [...]

And there I thought its held back by the iOS...

PS: Tablets were around since the 90s they only became "sexy" now

iOS gets really good performance out of really low power specs, it's. It's like a (perfect) blend of console operating system and a PC operating system, I wouldn't have it as my main OS but for. Have you seem some of the games for iOS:

Tablets in the 90s are so different conceptually from the tablets of today they almost desere a different name. For one the design brief back then allowed them to be uncomfortably heavy (up to three kilos) basically a laptop except the screen bolted straight on the front. They were never successful as it KILLED you trying to hold this thing for any useful length of time and were generally limited to a stylus interface. It was shit, but everyone liked the idea of a nice flat computing device... they just thought laptop tech was the only path to go.

We all knew what we wanted, Star Trek TNG in the 1980's knew with things like this:

They wanted a thin little touch screen interface minimalist kind of device. But the laptop-sandwich route was going nowhere fast.

This new "generation" of tablets have come from the other direction, instead of trying to make computers even smaller and more power efficient (kinda futile) it went from the other direction of making phones bigger and more powerful. This worked, and the iPad 2 is just 1.3lbs, or 600 grams yet has 10 hours battery life while still great capability in real world applications, like how pretty does Infinity Blade look.

 

[brainslurper]

And episode 3 was going to come out in 2007.

 

[brainslurper]

It will be just as good/bad as the 360, delaying the next generation a couple of years. At least that's what I think.

Apple does 3 new iOS gaming devices a year. Each one has major leaps forward in graphical capabilities (iPhone 4s has 7x the graphics performance of the iPhone 4) and they are all backwards compatible. Microsoft is taking 7 years to roll out a new console. If apple does enter the console race... God help sony and microsoft.

 

[Vankraken]

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!

Yes i know Apple has a solid market in the media industry but that is not the majority of its current consumer base. Apple is known for a lot of things but it is not known for serious gaming and its design philosophy isn't in the same mindset as that of your typical console or PC gamer. If Apple were to release a console it would be entering the casual market and going head to head with Nintendo and honestly there isn't enough reliable casual consumer market to justify the massive money investment to develop a gaming console when the current market is already PS3 and 360 dominated while Nintendo holds it own market of casual games. Currently the casual market has sort of deflated as the Wii crazy has died off somewhat and unlike your more traditional market, you can't be sure the next generation of console is going to get repeat business from the casual consumer.

 

[flaviok79]

An overpriced, over designed game console? It has been done before: 3DO. RIP.

 

[Ghengis John]

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.

You meant for this to be hilarious, correct?

 

[Treblaine]

And episode 3 was going to come out in 2007.

HL2: Episode 2 came out in October 2007.

Thing is Gaben said a "Trilogy that will conclude by Christmas 2007"

Erm, trilogy is three games, right:

(1) Half Life 2
(2) HL2: Episode 1
(3) HL2: Episode 2

By the end of episode 2 everything is all wrapped up for the most part with the entire plot line around City 17 completely finished they are now going to a completely new place on a different line of inquiry. It is the beginning of a new sequence of events.

I'm not so champing for another Half Life episode because I feel the 2 we had did it all.

I expect Half Life 3 to debut the successor to the Source Engine and be as different as HL2 was from HL1.

 

[Strazdas]

like we really need another console.....
and im sure it will suceed, jut look at the iphone zombies (and i dont mean people who bought iphone for it being good but people who bought it for it being apple)
However i somehow got a feeling that the previuos innovator (i forgot his name, yay, the one that died recently) somehow hold apple of console market before, because there doesnt seem to be any reason why they didnt jump that wagon yet. oh well we will see, not that i am going to use it anyway.
i really dont want apple to get any big share in the industry (too bad it already has) beucase of their policy of "user is too stupid so we wont tell him anything and we even deny him ability to find it out too". Oh and just look how that worked, is that not a proof that average user IS stupid?

I suspect that for the price of that iMac I could have (if I was old enough and knowledgeable enough) constructed a PC many times more powerful.

You are correct. coupel years ago one guy tried to sell me a desktop mac, so just to prove his "great price buy" "Fact" wrong i showed him i could build 3 computers that would be more powerful and even customizable afterwards for same price. he didnt try to sell me that mac afterwards.

 

[ThunderCavalier]

:/ Personally, I do think that if Apple went into the console market at this time, they'd either need to buy over a lot of extremely good Third-Party support, get the best hardware to produce the best graphical capabilities, and produce the best online multiplayer imaginable, otherwise the PS3 and 360 will laugh it off like they did the Wii.

No offense to the Wii, but it survives mainly because it caters to a market that the 360 and PS3 don't. I doubt anyone that has a Wii will have interest in getting an Apple alternative, so its only other option is to participate in the arms race between PS3 and 360 for best games, both in graphics and in gameplay, and that seems like a daunting task in itself.

As it stands, Apple could stand to earn a lot of money from the lucritive console market if it pulls off this kind of stunt successfully. If it fails, though, it could take a huge blow, so unless Apple has something really big in reserve, I don't think we'll be seeing any miracle machine from Apple anytime soon.

 

[Stavros Dimou]

An Apple console ? Interesting idea.

Apple has many devices and services that could co-operate with a console,if you think about it.

They already have the App Store from which we could download demos and games,perhaps we could also use iPhones and iPod touches as extra controllers...

But for the console to succed,it must fullfil the following:

1)Have at least 1 AAA exclusive franchise.
2)Have multiplatform support comparable to xbox360 and ps3,not like wii.
3)Be up to par on terms of graphics with the rest consoles of its generation
4)Have an affordable price.

Let's see...

 

[Treblaine]

But for the console to succed,it must fullfil the following:

1)Have at least 1 AAA exclusive franchise.
2)Have multiplatform support comparable to xbox360 and ps3,not like wii.
3)Be up to par on terms of graphics with the rest consoles of its generation
4)Have an affordable price.

Let's see...

If that is true, how the hell was Wii a success?

 

[Treblaine]

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.

Look, iDevices are far from fucking perfect, so don't make the straw man argument that they are beyond criticism;
-unreasonable price increments between models with subtle differences
-No SD card slot or any upgradable anything
-Their Ideological opposition to Adobe's flash
-Their ideological opposition to real buttons, even just a single functional button

See, these are LEGITIMATE ISSUES, except the same unscientific hyperbole is regurgitated every time when it comes of bashing iDevices.

If you drop something delicate and it breaks... only a manchild would say that is anyone else's fault but their own. They never marketed themselves as durable items you could carelessly drop without worry, protective cases are well advertised and advised. Things like iPod Touch are ridiculously small anyway (only 100g.. seriously) I have mine integrated into a holder that acts as my wallet, it's easy to protect these things and frankly it's the way they work.

You also really do have to rig the "test" to get the death grip effect, it's not a case of "failing to hold the phone in a very particular way" it's a case of DELIBERATELY holding it in a way you can cause the signal bar to drop from barely enough to none. Sensationalist twaddle. Snidely this is connected to AT&T's poor coverage that is as bad for Android phones on AT&T, yellow journalism at its most predictable.

You know it is officially a bullshit media circus when it is dubbed "antennagate"

Are you serious? Phone has some vague connection issues, therefore it deserves the same suffix as the Watergate Scandal, that lead to the impeachment and resignation of the President of the United States of America? No. That's the media getting hysterical. This is the most trivial thing that the "-gate" suffix has EVER been so widely affixed to.

And the date thing... yeah, cry me a river. I remember a time (err, 3 years ago) when it was your own god damn responsibility to adjust all your own clocks, now it is somehow some black stain on all Apple products - reason alone to avoid all of them - because they failed to do this job for you. *Slow-clap* Wow. It isn't perfect, it's like having your own personal secretary who makes a small mistake... I feel so betrayed (/sarc)

All I see here is people holding unfair prejudice against technology for WHO makes it, rather than just on the merits of the tech and service in and of that. I don't like Microsoft yet I have a windows PC and Xbox 360. If I have anything bad to say about either I won't let their "attitude" prejudice my conclusions.

I gave all the competition a chance: Archos, Zune, PSP... none came close to delivering what I wanted, and iPod Touch, it blew all of those out of the water.