24th
Is The App Store Changing The Game Industry?
No so long ago Valve Software President Gabe Newell concluded at the annual DICE Summit that games are too expensive.
For me the games were always too expensive and this is the main reason I almost never bought any games (except for the first edition of Diablo). Not only they are too expensive, but the choice is very limited considering that the industry is controlled by a few majors.
A variety of affordable games means lowering the complexity, time-to-market, number of developers/artists without compromising the fun factor with the power of a direct-to-consumers mainstream distribution channel offering multiple ways of promotion.
Apple with his iPhone, iPod Touch and his new iTunes App Store is offering those possibilities. The indie video game developers have now a direct way to distribute and promote their products to the customers owning the devices. The business model is so interesting (developers retain 70% on each sales) that, in less than a year, the iPhone is dominating the independent mobile gaming with 14% of all the people downloading mobile games.
Recently I been blown away by the quality of the indie games on the iPhone and iPod Touch platform. Most of those games are on the top 25 list and were developed in less than 6 months by a team 3 to 5 developers/artists with a price varying between $0.99 and $4.99.
iDracula
iDracula has been developed by one developer, one designer/artits and a sound and music composer at MoreGames. It is so intense and the graphics are so polished that I have the sensation of being back in Diablo. This is probably the most enjoyable, addicting and stunning game on the iPhone yet (after Aurora Feint). And it’s only 0.99$.
You can read/watch the iDracula review and video demo at TouchArcade.
Archibal’s Adventures
I’ll describe Archibal’s Aventures from Rake In Grass as a mix between a puzzle and a platform game similar to Mario Bros. At $4.99 it has allot of value for the money. The game is not challenging at the beginning, but it becomes quit difficult as you go along the 163 levels. Archibal is my first game at this price point and I bought it without any second thoughts after played the first 32 levels in their free lite version.
You can read/wath the Archibal’s Adventure review and video demo at TouchArcade
FastLane Street Racing
FastLane from ATOD AB shows how the games on the iPhone and iPod Touch can be very immersive while being developed with the iPhone in mind (the tilt detector on the iPhone is used to control the direction of the vehicle). A full 3D street racing with allot of action for only $4.99.
You can read/watch the FastLane review and video demo at TouchArcade.
