New App Store section for premium games?

Marguerite Reardon | Jan 30, 2009

Apple may be planning a new section of the App Store dedicated to premium game titles that will put more cash in the pockets of developers.

The new section will supposedly cater to games that sell for about US$20, according to the blog PocketGamer.biz, which first reported the rumor.

The new section will be restricted to only games of large publishers, rather than titles created by smaller gaming developers that are already offered through the main App Store, the site said.

PocketGamer believes that Apple will likely introduce the new section its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June.

The App Store currently offers more than 1,500 games, which is more than the combined titles offered for Sony's PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS, the two main competitors in the handheld gaming market. But some developers have complained that the open market place of the App Store and its Top 100 lists tend to reward cheaper but higher-volume applications.

That said, the Web site AppleInsider quoted Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice president of iPhone and iPod product marketing, as saying one of the benefits of the App Store is the low overhead required to become an influential player in the market. Developers don't need a publisher on the App Store to get their game out to the masses, which he said he considers a good thing.

Games are the most popular type of application in the App Store. And they make up almost 25 percent of all titles.

Via CNET News

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