Apple Working with EA on iPad Games?

Apple is aiming to make a big splash with its iPad tablet next week and hopes that games from Electronic Arts will help generate interest in the product. While the iPhone and iPod Touch market is one of the fastest growing segments in the gaming industry, Apple hopes that developers will flock to its upcoming tablet. EA’s games could serve as an example to other developers. According to The Wall Street Journal:

Apple is also working with videogame publisher Electronic Arts Inc. to show off the tablet’s game capabilities, according to one person familiar with the matter.

While I’m sure the iPad (or iSlate or iTablet) will be a success, I’m certain that it will only do a fraction of the numbers the iPhone has done. A lot of people need phones and love the extended multimedia capabilities the iPhone offers. The iPad, on the other hand, appears to be a pure luxury; nobody needs a multimedia tablet with Internet capabilities. With that in mind, the installed base of the iPad will be a fraction of the iPhone’s, making it less appealing to developers.

The important thing to remember is that since both products will presumably be using iPhone 4.0 software, developers can write the bulk of the code for the iPhone and (again, presumably) optimize code for the larger tablet. Theoretically, it shouldn’t add too much additional work. I’ll ping some of my developer friends and see what they think.

If Apple and its partners deliver a healthy dose of games for the iPad, will that make the device more appealing to you?

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AT&T Needs to Spend $5-Billion to Catch up to Verizon?

According to Gerard Hallaren, director of research at TownHall Investment Research, AT&T would need to drop some serious cash to get its network on the same level as Verizon’s — (using Dr. Evil voice) five-billion dollars!!! PC World has reported:

AT&T would need to spend about US $5 billion on its wireless network to catch up with the coverage offered by Verizon Wireless.

The $5 billion investment gap could expand to $7 billion because of the need for new backhaul capacity to link AT&T’s wireless network into the wired Internet, Hallaren said.

Although AT&T has been spending more money to improve its network, I wouldn’t expect Verizon-quality service any time soon — certainly not in this economy. Of course there’s always the chance that the Wireless Fairy will fly down from the heavens and improve AT&T’s network with a wave of her magic wand.

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Conan O’Brien Gets $45-Million in Severance, Free in September

The latest late-night drama is over, as NBC has settled with Conan O’Brien over The Tonight Show. The ousted host will be free to pursue other opportunities after September 1, 2010. According to E!, “His severance deal is said to be worth roughly $45 million, and will include a $33 million payout both for NBC’s breach of his contract and 12 million thanks-for-playing bucks for his most senior staff members.”

I’m happy that Conan’s staff will be getting some money. Having moved from New York to Los Angeles less than a year ago, they were always the real victims in this whole affair. Hopefully O’Brien will share some of his loot with his junior staff too, since it will tough to find work until this Fall. On a side note, I’ve always wanted one of these giant severance packages. Too bad I’ve never had a job that’s important enough to warrant one (*cough* Bernie Stolar *cough*).

Where do you think Conan O’Brien will end up? Fox? Comedy Central?

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Trauma Team Walkthrough: The Magic of Endoscopy

The latest video walkthrough of Atlus’ Trauma Team for Wii goes over the endoscopy gameplay. Find out how the Wii’s motion controls are used to perform this arcane and mysterious medicinal art. Okay, it’s not really arcane and mysterious, but most sciences seem that way to me, which is why I was fascinated by this video. Check it out!

Coffee Talk #70: What Influences Your Game Purchasing?

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the democrats totally blowing it in Massachusetts, Apple giving Google the boot for Bing, or your pick for the WWE Royal Rumble, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

There are very few videogames that surprise me. I’ve been playing games for decades and writing about them for almost 15 years. For the most part, I know what games will interest me. I know what I like and I know what I will enjoy. I don’t need to read game reviews to help me make a purchasing decision. Having said all that, Darksiders threw me for a loop. I was mildly interested in the game because of Joe Mad’s involvement (remember, I’m a comic-book geek too!), but I was pretty sure it wasn’t a “must have” for me. A friend’s opinion changed all of that.

One of my industry friends is super hardcore into games and I respect his opinion. Lately he was raving about Darksiders on Twitter. He’s a fairly enthusiastic fellow, so his praise wasn’t surprising. He did surprise me with several well-reasoned tweets that equated Darksiders with classic Zelda games. Whoa. A game with unique and modern graphics that has the gameplay sensibilities of old-school Zelda?!? In the immortal words of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, “Gimme a hell yeah!!!” My friend’s opinion and insight totally sold me on the game, kicking it up to the “must have” category.

I wanted to see what influences your purchasing decisions. Do you rely on reviews from outlets and writers you like? Do you do your own research? Or are friends your biggest influence? What’s the one factor that can change your mind on a game that you’re borderline on?

NBA and NFL Jerseys Coming to PlayStation Home

Sony Computer Entertainment of America has announced that the PS3’s PlayStation Home is getting generic NBA jerseys and NFL player jerseys tomorrow, January 21. Online community specialist Locust_Star (not his or her Christian name, I gather) wrote the following on the PlayStation Blog:

Continuing to come strong with the sports content, EA is bringing a boatload of football and basketball items to the PlayStation Home community this Thursday, January 21. From NFL jerseys that sport (pun intended) the names of some of the league’s best players — from Romo to Manning to Bush — to NBA jerseys emblazoned with the logos of your favorite teams, we have something for every sports fanatic this week (that is, unless you are a fan of curling or solo synchronized swimming.) Head to the EA Sports Complex or the PlayStation Home Mall come this Thursday and stock up on these hot items before Super Bowl fever lays you out or you get benched for throwing elbows on the court.

If only I could get my avatar to wear a Favre jersey and sing “Pants on the Ground” constantly. That would rule!

A lot of you are against virtual goods, but I also know a lot of you love (American) football. Will your PS Home avatar be sporting a new jersey soon?

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Pocket God is the First iPhone App to Sell Two-Million Copies

Showing the legitimacy of the iPhone and iPod Touch as a gaming platform, Bolt Creative revealed that Pocket God has sold more than two-million copies in about a year. With comparatively low development costs and a huge installed base, the iPhone platform has been attracting tons of developers. For dubious reasons, a lot of enthusiast gamers foolishly dismiss it as a “fad” (then again, a lot of them called the Wii a fad). Gamasutra has reported:

Bolt Creative has announced its popular and frequently updated iPhone game Pocket God has sold more than two million units since its launch on January 9th, 2009. Pocket God is the first paid application in the App Store to reach the sales milestone, according to Bolt.

I’m loving my (sim-less) iPhone more and more as a gaming platform. With titles like Civilization, Bird Strike, and Skee Ball (my latest addiction), I can keep myself entertained for minutes or hours.

Here are two questions for you. Have your feeling on the iPhone as a gaming platform changed? I’m always looking for game recommendations. Any iPhone games dazzle you?

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Happy Birthday N8R!!!

As some of you already know, today is N8R’s birthday! Please join me in wishing him an excellent day, month, and year. He’s one of two people that convinced me to start this site, so everything here is pretty much his fault! Ha!!! Seriously though, thanks for everything man! Happy birthday!!!

On a side note, before I got to know him better, I always thought N8R was a member of the Green Party, as in Ralph N8R.

Today’s Poll: Which Motion Controller Will You Buy in 2010?

It’s going to a potentially big year for motion controls on consoles. The Wii has done filthy numbers, largely thanks to the unique experience it offers through motion. Microsoft is getting in the game with Project Natal, while Sony plans to do the same with PlayStation Arc. It might be too soon to tell, but I wanted to see if any of you were planning on picking up any or all of these motion controllers. Let the polling begin!

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Fat Princess Gets Patch and Brownie Town Map

Sony Computer Entertainment of America has announced that Fat Princess will be getting patch 1.04 on Thursday, January 21. In addition to the usual fixes, this patch includes a new map call Brownie Town (as in, “Won’t you take me to?”). A free map and overall improvements? I’m down!

Last time this game was patched, I threw around the idea of getting together and playing it online with a bunch of you. I totally dropped the ball on that one. Let’s make it happen this time! Are any of you still up for playing in RPad’s Army?

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