[Metroid Hunter]

I'm guessing this game console is going to be more like a future Apple TV that's app/game enabled. Where on Earth did you get this from? Just where? Apple have had a lot of success with games but they have made zero indication that they want to get into the console business let alone "so badly". Anyway they will be making their own games when they buy Valve. *trollface*

But Valve is a privately owned company and I doubt Gabe would sell. Oh, you were trolling...

[freenudemacusers]

the reactions in this thread are hilarious.

[Metroid Hunter]

I remember Jobs talking about the console market in the iPhone keynote. Back then it was "actually a little smaller than you think, not such a big market."

Wasn't 2006 the slowest year of that generation because of the transition into this generation? Didn't the GameCube and XBOX sell like shit, and only PS2 sold anything?

[j.rob]

The words "Ohe mai gawwwwwd" came out of my mouth as I read this thread title.

This is going to be interesting...

[Vamphuntr]

Could be interesting. I don't see why people are already predicting apocalyptic scenarios for the other big 3. A game console is different than an Iphone or Ipad. It doesn't mean it will sell like crazy simply because of the Apple brand.

I'm wondering about the role of Valve in this if true. I guess they would supply the content delivery system since Itunes isn't really great? Other than this, I can't really see why they would ask for their help. If they needed help tu build a machine they should go with hardware makes themselves.

[SparkTR]

I hope this is true since it'll encourage the big three to actually offer a decent digital download service on their consoles, and in a way that doesn't rip off consumers.

[Kenshin001]

Anyway they will be making their own games when they buy Valve. *trollface*

I would love this to happen and Valve announce Half Life 3 is an iConsole exclusive featuring Kinect style controls. Glorious.

[Rebel Leader]

I am unsure if I like this rumor.

[freenudemacusers]

I would love this to happen and Valve announce Half Life 3 is an iConsole exclusive featuring Kinect style controls. Glorious.

503 for a week.

[Stefan™]

Goodbye, Sony.

[tuffy]

Wasn't 2006 the slowest year of that generation because of the transition into this generation? Didn't the GameCube and XBOX sell like shit, and only PS2 sold anything?

Even so, this Apple device wouldn't be aimed at taking over the console market. It might happen to play games, and have some impact on that market, but considering it a game console is thinking too small.

[Corto]

This is going to be such a good E3.

That's another thing that is going to be disruptive if Apple does enter the space. Apple doesn't give a shit for Conventions and industry gatherings. They release products and do announcements on their own schedules and terms.

[Door2Dawn]

Goodbye, Sony and Nintendo.

Fixed.

[Hoo-doo]

Might just be a TV-centered app store.
Sure, it would have some quirky games, but I hardly see Apple gunning for the same audience that the current consoles have.

[Barkley's Justice]

Valve is all about open platforms. Apple is all about control. Not sure What to make of all this...

[mrklaw]

Bad news for Apple fans if true. The reason why their products have been so superior has been their intensely focused product and OS lineup. When they really focus their products will be amazing - like iPad. But when they spread thin their products are mediocre - like Apple TV and Mountain Lion. Spreading into TVs and consoles means less focus for iOS portables and even less to OSX. I can see them being really succesful though and changing the games industry, their ecosystem is way superior to Sony and Nintendo. It'll be between them and Microsoft to battle it out in the living room.

What ecosystem? They'd open an app store and let everyone kill themselves racing to 99c again, playing silly motion games. Game center isn't great, but I guess they could flesh it out. And they'll want to make a profit on the hardware which has the potential to be very expensive (although remove the screens and batteries and their tech is probably pretty cheap to build on)

[Javaman]

If it's priced anything like the ipad, no thanks.

[golem]

Anandtech claims knowledge that Apple is working internally on a game controller already and has patents related to such.. a console wouldn't be a giant leap from there (Apple TV w/ iPad internals?)

http://9to5mac.com/2012/04/02/apple-...r-ios-devices/

I would assume any kind of Apple console would be profitable from day 1 and avoid the licensing restrictions/costs of the major console players.

[freenudemacusers]

If it's priced anything like the ipad, no thanks.

You mean priced competitively?

[Treefingers]

Apple product so... You'll have to buy one every year, it'll be insanely expensive and offer 69p games with micro transactions that make people wonder "oh man, £3 is so expensive for a game!" Exactly what the industry doesn't need right now, if you ask me.

Man the iPhone is soooooo expensive amirite

[Nekki]

Apple's gaming business is perfectly fit for the environment they created. But that environment is totally different for consoles.

Partnering with Valve might give them the real games they need to enter home-consoles, but if it's only going to be stuff like angry birds, or even infinity blade, that's just not going to cut it.

[Reznor]

I'm much more excited about that Steam Box rumor.

[SolidSnakex]

Fixed.

There's no reason to add Nintendo considering that they have more big sellers than any other publisher. They'll be fine as long as they have that.

[dr_rus]

Kinect-like

Interest lost.

[Sapiens]

Microsoft did a TON to change the industry in good ways and I hope Apple can as well.

[Blablurn]

i'm in for a new contender

[Eaten By A Grue]

Just thinking about a Apple console partnership with Valve would be huge. We thought a Steam box console would be big, but an Apple console running Steam would be bananas if this is what all of this amounts to.

[shinra-bansho]

I would assume any kind of Apple console would be profitable from day 1 and avoid the licensing restrictions/costs of the major console players.

What do you mean by that?

Microsoft did a TON to change the industry in good ways and I hope Apple can as well.

Double edged swords.

[razgriz417]

Microsoft did a TON to change the industry in good ways and I hope Apple can as well.

.


The more competition the better (as long as there is a physical controller, I'm optimistic)

[Pyrokai]

Where on Earth did you get this from? Just where? Apple have had a lot of success with games but they have made zero indication that they want to get into the console business let alone "so badly". Anyway they will be making their own games when they buy Valve. *trollface*

Well, later in that same paragraph I said "if they indeed want to", meaning if they do indeed want to get into the business. The whole statement was made under the assumption that they do.

Why? Look at MS with RRoD and Sony with YLoD. People still stuck with them because there is a lack of options. If it happened in the car manufacturing industry would people continue buying and replacing the same car that breaks down? No, they'd jump ship and go to another manufacturer. MS, Sony and Nintendo will have to step up their game. I think it'd be a great thing.

I hope you're right, but I see a player or two being forced to drop out. We'll see. Maybe the traditional console market is going to be changing anyway....

[ElTopo]

Just thinking about a Apple console partnership with Valve would be huge. We thought a Steam box console would be big, but an Apple console running Steam would be bananas if this is what all of this amounts to.

People had unbelievably unrealistic expectations of a Steambox though, a lot of that was due to fanboys and wishful thinking. I think we could expect a lot more from Apple, for the better or worse.

[laika09]

Cult of Mac is the VG Chartz of Mac rumor sites. They're known for just making shit up.

[Zeth]

If it's priced anything like the ipad, no thanks.

Best value in class?

Cult of Mac is the VG Chartz of Mac rumor sites. They're known for just making shit up.

They're one of the most respected as far as I know. The founder/editor is well respected in the community and they dont often run outrageous rumors like many others. And Fully Flared is the greatest skate video of all time :)

[Clear]

I'd imagine MS would be the most hurt by Apple's entry into the market. For a start off the product seems closest to their primary unique selling-point (Kinect), and most importantly MS is the least globalized gaming success story.

Sony & Nintendo have a firm presence in all worldwide markets whereas MS influence wanes the further you get culturally from America.

[XOMTOR]

Cult of Mac?? Really? /facepalm/

Anyway, if Apple is gonna get into the console space I wish them well; just doesn't seem to fit their business model. Gotta wonder how Valve fits into all of this though.

Bah, after thinking about it, as a PC gamer primarily, this won't affect me anyway. As long as Nvidia/AMD are willing to pump out discrete GPUs, Intel keeps making CPUs, I can buy mobos off the shelf and Steam keeps having sales, I'll sleep okay. The console space is getting too complicated these days and I'm too old and cranky to deal with it.

[Metalmurphy]

They're one of the most respected as far as I know. The founder/editor is well respected in the community and they dont often run outrageous rumors like many others.

They just did.

[Eaten By A Grue]

People had unbelievably unrealistic expectations of a Steambox though, a lot of that was due to fanboys and wishful thinking. I think we could expect a lot more from Apple, for the better or worse.

Complete randomness, but it would be hilarious is Valve and Apple were partnering up so Valve could have a Steambox with Steam that would use Mac games using a MacOSX variant to bypass Microsoft.

Cult of Mac?? Really? /facepalm/

There is nothing wrong with them.

[soultron]

I feel like they're reading way too much into the Valve meeting.

And releasing by the end of 2012? FY 2012?

Seems way too soon for us to not have heard any hardware spec rumours.

[Auto_aim1]

I'd imagine MS would be the most hurt by Apple's entry into the market. For a start off the product seems closest to their primary unique selling-point (Kinect), and most importantly MS is the least globalized gaming success story.

Yeah, Apple entering the console business should affect Microsoft the most, but I think they have enough cash to aggressively build their brand worldwide.

[Haunted]

There's a site that's called cult of mac?

Good lord.

[Kayhan]

Bet it's going to be less powerful than Wii U.

1599 US DOLLARS?

I can believe this.

[alr1ght]

There's a site that's called cult of mac? Good lord.

of course there is

[freenudemacusers]

I can believe this.

If you don't pay attention, sure.

[RedSwirl]

I mean, if these physical controller stories turn out to be true, I could see them coming out with a third generation Apple TV that has a hard drive, full access to the app store, and a bit more meat behind the hardware. Once iOS games get made specifically for that machine it could definitely be a contender.

Honestly they wouldn't even really need physical buttons to get the casual audience. The main effect of that (if this box were powerful enough) would be the ability to run core games, maybe even ports of games from other consoles.

[watership]

This would be a killing machine. But who would this kill more? Sony or Microsoft?

[GotEmRunnin]

Apple Cult + Valve time = world war 3?????

[laika09]

Best value in class? They're one of the most respected as far as I know. The founder/editor is well respected in the community and they dont often run outrageous rumors like many others. And Fully Flared is the greatest skate video of all time :)

All of these Apple rumor sites are within the same echo chamber, and mostly just regurgitate the same rumors they read on all the other ones. In the unlikely event of an original rumor, they're almost always wrong.

To my personal taste, Cult of Mac is one of the least thoughtfully critical of Apple, and their original content is painful to read.

[Hix]

I'd imagine MS would be the most hurt by Apple's entry into the market. For a start off the product seems closest to their primary unique selling-point (Kinect), and most importantly MS is the least globalized gaming success story.

Kinect is irrelevant, people buy an Xbox for the third party games (CoD etc), Halo/Gears and most importantly because all their friends are on it. Apple bringing out an iBranded TV with motion controls isn't going to dent that or ANY of the console market because nobody is especially interested. Except fanboys of course.

[alexandros]

An Apple console would decimate Microsoft, as the US market is their bread and butter. An Apple Steambox, on the other hand, would destroy everyone. EVERYONE.

[rezuth]

Cult of Mac is the VG Chartz of Mac rumor sites. They're known for just making shit up.

Haha, since when? Leander Kahney is a respected asshole but I can't remember any time they just "made shit up"