Apple calls itself the dominant gaming system, much to the audible scoffing of the gaming community. When the likes of the PlayStation, the Xbox, the Nintendo Switch, and gaming PCs all exist, what makes them say that?
Well, it turns out there is method in their madness. Read on to find out why Apple considers themselves the dominant gaming system.
What is Apple doing?
Apple has a long history of trying to tap into the gaming market and be the superior gaming device, and by-and-large it has somewhat succeeded. The software running through every Apple device, the iOS, is the most popular OS in the world.
And technically, they’re correct. If you squint. The most lucrative and popular games to play are neither PC or console games, but mobile games. And considering the reach the iPhone has, almost a monopoly on the market, then it makes sense to come to the conclusion that that makes them the biggest selling gaming device globally.
And yet, the argument isn’t “PC versus console versus mobile”, but “PC versus console”. Mobile gaming, including platform, RPG, MMORPG and castle games to cite a few examples, hasn’t quite got the respect of the gaming community at large, and Apple certainly hasn’t got the respect of gamers the way PlayStation and Xbox have earned the respect.
What does Apple need to do?
So, what’s to be done about it? What is Apple doing wrong?
Well, it’s a number of things, and despite all our talk of PCs, consoles, and mobiles, (not to mention tablets), it has very little to do with hardware.
Apple has fostered an environment of elitism, which gamers are not about to respond to lightly. They are loud about their hatred of loot boxes, NFTs and broken games released at full price. They are typically young, springing out for whatever game takes their fancy, often having to save up for it. The casual gamers will love the mainstream, but the more dedicated gamers will give everything a try for a new experience.
All of this goes against Apple’s approach to gaming. For one thing, their devices are notoriously expensive without the same features or power. When comparing a Macbook to a gaming PC, the specs are laughable, but the price tag isn’t far enough apart to justify buying the Macbook. A cheaper gaming PC will cost around £1,000 but a Macbook Pro could set you back around £1,800. There is no comparison.
Another is their very picky approach to games. The Xbox Game Pass this year has been touted as the best thing to ever happen to gaming, due to the massive back catalogue of games the subscription offers. Whereas there are shockingly few games on Steam, the biggest database of games, that have that little apple-shaped symbol next to it. This means a lot of smaller games fall to the side. This is an extension of Apple’s distrust of unverified apps, which has resulted in a very limited app catalogue and much less creativity. In an environment where modding is common and a fun pastime, this will put gamers off.
If Apple really wants to attract serious gamers, they should start taking gamers seriously. If they want a chance to compete with PCs they should release their own gaming laptop or PC with the hardware to back up the price, and lower their standards for apps to allow for creativity in the industry.
