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发行商谈iPhone 5问世对游戏行业的影响

发布时间:2012-09-13 12:34:33 Tags:,

作者:Chris Morris

毫无疑问,当9月21日iPhone 5正式开始销售时它定能够取得巨大的成功。与此同时,这款来自苹果的最新智能手机也将有力地推动广大游戏发行商的进一步发展。

iPhone 5(from webestigate)

iPhone 5(from webestigate)

游戏已经发展成苹果生态圈中一重要组成部分——尽管在周三的新闻发布会上各家电子游戏公司只是象征性地出席,但是不管怎么说这款新手机的诞生必定会成为游戏产业发展的一大催化剂。

EA全球手机和社交工作室副总裁Nick Earl说道:“iPhone 5将成为推动我们发展的一重要力量。我们已经在主机领域打拼了20多年,而每次当有新的主机问世时我们总是能够感受到一股强大的力量涌出,并为我们带来更多新玩家和新资源。我想在这里也会是一样的结果。iPhone 5是否能够成为一大革新力量?结果只有在真正见识了这款手机后才能知晓,但是单从游戏性能来看我们便能够意识到这定会是一款极其强大的设备。”

当然了,强大的CPU性能便是其一大优点。苹果选择在iPhone 5上使用A6处理器的决定将让它比之前的手机运行速度快2倍。而这也将帮助游戏开发者创造出更出色的人工智能以及更高质量的图像效果。

而对于越来越多手机用户开始涌向硬核游戏(游戏邦注:发行商将其称为“中核”游戏,也就是相对于主机和PC上的硬核游戏而言)来说,这点至关重要。但是对于发行商和开发者来说这却还不是最大的吸引力。

Earl说道:“对于我们来说最重要的还是其4英寸大的Retina屏幕。作为游戏公司,我们的发展基础还是在于图像。如此我们才能为玩家创造出更丰富的图像体验。”

然而当艺电工作室的执行制作人Rob Murray将iPhone 5的图像质量与当前的主机做比较后,Earl注意到前者的系统仍不足以对传统的家庭式主机造成威胁。

他说道:“我们相信这是做为一强大的互补而存在着。并不会对主机游戏业务带来威胁。因为它们所面对的是不同类型的玩家——即使会出现重叠,但是玩家却会在不同时间不同情境下玩这些游戏。”

从3.5英寸屏幕向4英寸屏幕的跳跃也是这次新手机的一高调革新。16:9的屏幕比例将大大削弱PS Vita系统的“锐气”。当手机游戏将逐渐面向硬核玩家时,这种比例将帮助更多开发者呈现出具有电影效果的游戏。

我们都知道iPhone的电池持续时间并不能与专门的掌机设备相提并论,但苹果为了更好地与任天堂和索尼相抗衡确实在不断地提升手机的处理能力并添加更出色(且更大)的屏幕,而与此同时他们也正在努力提升系统的电池寿命。

值得我们注意的是,尽管EA为iPhone 5投下了最大赌注,我们还是不能忽视苹果同时推出的一系列新iPod Touch设备——他们一直大力宣传的游戏设备。

苹果iPod,iPhone和iOS产品营销副总裁Greg Joswiak说道:“这是世界上最受欢迎的音乐播放器,但是却有很多人未意识到,它同样也是世界上最受欢迎的电子游戏设备。”

新iPod Touch也拥有同样宽的屏幕,并且与iPhone 5一样它也得到了升级,从而能够吸引那些不想更换iPhone的用户。与此同时,虽然现在的iPod Nano还不支持应用,但是基于苹果这次所作出的各种设计决策,我们定能在不久之后看到这一设想得以实现。

本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译,拒绝任何不保留版权的转载,如需转载请联系:游戏邦

iPhone 5 could have a big impact on games

By Chris Morris

There’s no question the iPhone 5 will be a roaring success when it goes on sale Sept. 21. But the latest smart phone from Apple could also give certain game publishers a significant boost.

Gaming has increasingly been an important part of the Apple ecosystem – and while video game companies only made token appearances at Wednesday’s press event, at least one says it views the new phone’s release as a major catalyst for the industry. “The iPhone 5 is going to be a big accelerant for us,” says Nick

Earl, SVP of EA’s Global Mobile and Social Studios. “Having been in the console business for two decades, we’ve seen that when [new] consoles come out, we see a huge improvement in powers that brings in new gamers and fuels growth. I don’t see any difference here. Is [the iPhone 5] revolutionary? It’s hard to know until we see it out there, but it feels like such a strong device in terms of its capability.”

The CPU strength, of course, is a big plus. Apple’s decision to include the A6 processor in the iPhone 5 makes it twice as fast as its predecessor. That gives game makers more power to create better artificial intelligence and higher quality graphics.

That’s especially important as the mobile audience matures into more core gaming (dubbed mid-core by publishers, as opposed to the hard core gaming masses on consoles and PC). But it might not be the biggest draw for publishers and developers.

“The number one thing from our perspective is the 4-inch retina display,” he says. “Our roots, as a company, are graphically oriented. We create rich, graphical experiences.”

However, while EA Studios executive producer Rob Murray compared the graphical quality of the iPhone 5 onstage to today’s consoles, Earl is careful to note that the systems still don’t represent a threat to traditional home consoles.

“We absolutely believe this is complementary,” he says. “This is not a threat to the console business. It’s a different player – or if it’s the same player, they’re playing at different times and under different circumstances.”

The jump from a 3.5-inch screen to a 4-inch one is something that can’t be understated, as well. After ignoring wide screen gaming for years, Apple has finally made it a part of the iOS culture (though, granted, it’s likely much more focused on the film aspects of the new screen size).

The move to a 16:9 screen ratio strips away one of the PS Vita’s bragging rights. As mobile games become more focused on core gamers in the months and years to come, that ratio will be fully utilized to showcase more cinematic titles.

And while it’s hardly a new story that the iPhone’s battery outlasts dedicated handheld systems, Apple did manage to tweak Nintendo and Sony by ramping up the processing power and adding a significantly better (and bigger) screen, while managing to actually increase the system’s battery life.

The 3DS and Vita both have notable shortcomings when it comes to that litmus test.

What’s noteworthy is that while EA is planning to place its “biggest bet” on the iPhone 5, don’t forget Apple also rolled out a slew of new iPod Touch devices – the system it has always touted as its gaming device. And it didn’t hesitate to do so again today:

“It’s the world’s most popular music player… but a lot of people don’t realize that it’s also the world’s most popular videogame player as well,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s VP of iPod, iPhone and iOS product marketing.

Every iPod Touch now has that same wide screen – and the flagship line got many of the updates the iPhone 5 did, making it a draw for people who aren’t ready to upgrade their phone yet. Meanwhile. the iPod Nano doesn’t support apps yet, but it seems a pretty sure bet that it will down the road, given the design decisions Apple made this time around.

Despite what the doomsayers might proclaim, Apple isn’t a giant that’s going to devour the rest of the industry. But its announcements this week will help it solidify its place as a focal point for gamers – and game makers – alike.(source:GAMASUTRA)


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