Apple: Games Are Bad, Mmmkay?

Posted on June 6, 2006 by Scott Jennings| 16 Comments

An interesting opinion here that states, bluntly:

Apple has no real corporate interest in the gaming community and does not see computer games as a path to success or a better image for Apple.

Why, given the multi-billion dollar level of return on investment in gaming? Well… uh… they’re bad for you.

I want to close with a comment on why Apple’s culture is so mixed on the subject of games. I think it’s a recognition by Apple’s management that this is a fact of life for most of its younger employees. But amongst many more senior managers, including Steve himself, I suspect there is some lingering concern about the essence of the game market. Computer games, as we’ve come to know them, are mostly (not always) about aggressive behavior, conflict, battle, wars of power, domination, and sometimes, in the worst cases, some very unwelcome social behavior. To put it bluntly, death and destruction.

Apple’s public culture appears to celebrate, on the other hand, creation and life. When you have several hundred senior managers at Apple who are most likely married and typically have children, you’ll find a culture of affirmation, family, and life.

Yes, because only unmarried death worshippers play games.

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  • http://www.vinull.com Michael Neel

    WWWD?

    (What Would Woz Do)

  • http://ambernight.org Amber

    I think there’s a much simpler answer than this. I’m a big Apple fan, but I’m not blind to the fact that they suffers from tunnel vision of mammoth proportions. Gaming, I think, just isn’t on their radar. I don’t believe it has anything to do with the culture.

    Having said that, Apple are currently promoting the Mac port of Civ 4. Not exactly Oblivion, but it does indicate that games still have a toe-hold inside the company. With the coming of Intel, there could very well be some desire to push further into the gaming space.

  • bullet

    This just further reinforces my opinion that Apple is part of the fascist agenda. When the corporations finally take over, Steve Jobs will be right at the front promoting iSpeak.

  • Viz

    Because, you know, Steve Jobs would never participate in aggressive behavior, conflict, battle, wars of power, domination, and sometimes, in the worst cases, some very unwelcome social behavior.

  • TPRJones

    Not all games are about death and destruction. Some are about sex.

  • Neep

    Yea, like the one where you spin the little blocks around to make them fit! It’s Tab A into Slot B baybe!

    Tetris is all about violence and sex

    *nods*

  • =j

    I’m not an unmarried death worshipper, but I play one online.

  • http://ve3d.ign.com/ Apache

    They could make such a cool Open Apple/Close Apple game with today’s technology.

  • Elistor

    I couldn’t get into the death worship… does that mean i have to stop playing games?

  • HRU

    As a Mac user, I think there’s a simpler and much less pretentious answer than the one suggested in the linked article:

    Microsoft’s Direct-X is popular, and Apple currently has neither the resources to make a competing/compatible API, nor the clout to make everyone develop on OpenETC.

    Or, it could be some ridiculous and self-justifying BS like the article says.

    You never know.

  • http://www.psychochild.org/ Psychochild

    It’s interesting, because many people think the reason why the PC fared better than Apple alternatives is because of gaming. In the early days Apple was worried that people would view their machines as “toys”, and thus they shunned gaming. I remember reading an article about this a few years ago, but can’t find the link very easily.

    It’s been accepted that a lot of the advances in PCs were due to demands from gamers. It’s interesting that they’re still shunning games after all these years. Guess 3DO wasn’t the only company in denial about games. ;)

    Have fun,

  • Grim

    Necromancy for teh win!

  • Jurrasic

    You’d think they would be open to somthing that would give them, y’know, MARKET SHARE, somthing mac’s have precious little of except among their own inner fanboi circle.

  • Brask Mumei

    Why does Apple need to spin some PR like this? Why not be honest and just say: “We focused on making the best computer possible for artists. Since we have never focused on games, it is unsurprising other machines would be better at games.”

    As mentioned, Apple is very focussed. (Or, tunnel vision if you will) This is, however, its strength. If Apple had tried to compete with Microsoft as the MARKET SHARE computer, it would be dead now.

  • Dren

    I save the world from evil every single day with my PC. Apparently I can’t do that with an Apple. Apple supports evil…. and artists, I guess.

  • Ian

    Apple Computers: Losing the computer wars because of a “fru fru, yuppie/hippie, brie on french bread eating” self image since 1981.