Apr 10
14
Apple Doesn’t want more games?
Thousands of game developers were waiting for Adobe CS5 release for a one specific reason. Adobe promised new Adobe Flash CS5 will have I-Phone / Android app compiler. That means you could make games for I-Phone and Android from Flash itself. Lots of companies were in pre-production for new games. This could open doors for new games, new opportunities, new development systems and eventually new jobs in gaming industry. Apple’s application store is so big it could turn all those dreams into reality for game developers like us.
Well, Apple already destroyed it all before it even started. New version of the iPhone Developer Program license makes those dreams impossible. It is like a slap on the Adobe’s face, some other game engines, Indie Game Developers and game players.
Here is what Apple says on new version of Developer License section 3.3.1
3.3.1 — Applications may only use Documented APIs in the manner prescribed by Apple and must not use or call any private APIs. Applications must be originally written in Objective-C, C, C++, or JavaScript as executed by the iPhone OS WebKit engine, and only code written in C, C++, and Objective-C may compile and directly link against the Documented APIs (e.g., Applications that link to Documented APIs through an intermediary translation or compatibility layer or tool are prohibited).
Well that means you cannot make games with Flash and send it to Apple anymore. Adobe CS5 is not even out yet and Apple bans the Flash with this last minute move. This section also affect some other game developing engines, like Unity 3D for example. Some of the most successful games in app store are made with Unity, but this new section bans also Unity 3D for future games. It might also affect future Unreal Engine mobile or I-Pad plans badly. So what is going to happen to developers already in production of games with Unity 3D? Don’t ask us, we are one of many and we are still not sure…
Why? Don’t they want more games in their store? Isn’t that weird?
Well it is Apple after all and monopoly is in their vocabulary. They don’t want a lot of Flash games and apps releasing for both IPhone and Android. Elimination of Flash and other engines will consequently keep them on top. It’s not in their interest for every iPhone game to be available on Android. Of course on this death row are some other game engines to be sacrificed, and some small game companies and some indie developers will be screwed here and there. That’s just couple of eggs lost in the way of the great omlet.
We love to make games and we will never stop doing it. It doesn’t matter for Apple, Microsoft, Sony or whatever the platform it is, we will figure it out and keep making games for players. It will be Flash, Cocoa Touch, Unity or whatever we have to use… At the bottom line game developers make games for players not for these companies.
We wish Apple could learn to share the big pie and not to limit game developers or players.
But we guess there is no app for that…
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