[Rob Robertson]

Popular games are coming to App World all the time (Cut the Rope and Plants vs. Zombies are imminent) but would it make sense for RIM to hire a small team of game developers to make something exclusively for PlayBook?

Maybe they could get some of the developers from TAT involved, I know one of the TAT guys is heading up the new "online gaming" platform for BB10.

Don't get me wrong, I think the ports of popular iOS/Android games are great. I just think that there are some avenues that an internal team could exploit:

• Bezel gestures. Why clutter up the play area with buttons when a top down bezel gesure will do the trick instead?
• Take advantage of HDMI out. How about a game that's specifically suited to be played on your HDTV? The average consumer doesn't even know that the HDMI out exists, this would be a good way to highlight that feature. Maybe they could even utilize the 3D that TAT demonstrated many months ago? Now THAT would be an attention grabber.
• Utilize BB handsets. So Apple has already done this but picture a game of scrabble where the gameboard is shown on the PlayBook but your tiles are on your 9900, away from prying eyes. Maybe you could even hook the PlayBook up to your HDTV for a super-sized game board? Boggle, Pictionary, Monopoly could all work this way.

Now I'm certain that an endeavor such as this is destined to be a loss-leader and a company in RIM's situation could ill-afford another one of those. So this is just a pipe-dream. Which is too bad because this initiative could pay dividends down the road. This game studio could create API's that make it easier for 3rd party game developers, it would create some much needed positive buzz in the media and given the fact that this software will all work on the BB 'London', they have a killer app ready to go for it come 'late 2012'.

This meant to be a short post but somehow turned into a monster. So sorry for the wall of text.

What do you guys think?

[Jean-luc_Picard]

I think that they should just set up APIs so that you can have the BlackBerry phone be the remote for the playbook (maybe have a "currently selected app" section in bridge which would do the same type of thing for the app currently in focus as it will do in 2.0 for powerpoint), and then they should put the key features right on the front page of the developer website with large pictures. At this point in order to find out about bezel gestures and HDMI out, etc. just from the developer portal, you have to read through the whole documentation and remember those specific facts. What I would want them to do is have a little "app ideas" or "tips" thing at the top of the website (for each of the individual development tools at first, then once these features are available for all devices then on the front page of the developer website), which would cycle through images which would say things like "Output 3D content to a compatible 3DTV through HDMI" or "Remember to use bezel gestures to keep your menus out of the way" or "connect your app through BlackBerry Bridge to a compatible BlackBerry Smartphone for external controls" (sorry about stealing all of your ideas instead of coming up with my own). This would give Developers the ability to do everything you've suggested, remind them of what they can do, and help developers who aren't at all creative get ideas for new apps. What it wouldn't necessarily do is create "exclusive" playbook apps, but I think that there would be some of that because once the developers create an app that is designed to use Bridge as a controller or bezel gestures or Presenter mode (they probably should open up those APIs too) or output to a 3DTV, it will become impossible to port without losing a lot of the awesomeness of the app (imagine playing multiplayer Need For Speed outputting to a 3DTV with everybody using their own phone as the remote, now imagine playing Need For Speed single player on your iPad).

I can sympathize with you, this post was also meant to be a short post...

[anthogag]

I hope RIM concentrates on making the core native apps really slick, powerful, and integrated (Ex. file manager, photo/video shooting and editing, printing, web browsing, PIM, etc..).

I think they should focus on getting the best games on playbook

[Darlaten]

The premise is an interesting one. I haven't made up my mind as to whether or not it would be a good/bad idea as I'm torn with whether RIM should simply court some of the more prolific and high-quality publishers or whether or not they should hire some of the game designers that have been let go from various publishing gaming studios that have closed this past year in order to make a RIM Studios game.

The former would, presumably, have brand recognition and quicker times at bringing games to the Playbook. The latter would, possibly, open up a brand new door for RIM which may, in the long run, prove successful depending on the quality of the games being produced.

It's an interesting question and conversation.

[TGaT]

i thought RIM owned Magmic but i cant find anything on it.

[anon(375378)]

The premise is an interesting one. I haven't made up my mind as to whether or not it would be a good/bad idea as I'm torn with whether RIM should simply court some of the more prolific and high-quality publishers or whether or not they should hire some of the game designers that have been let go from various publishing gaming studios that have closed this past year in order to make a RIM Studios game.

The former would, presumably, have brand recognition and quicker times at bringing games to the Playbook. The latter would, possibly, open up a brand new door for RIM which may, in the long run, prove successful depending on the quality of the games being produced.

It's an interesting question and conversation.

It is interesting...I'm just a little concerned about them not completely focusing on what they're already working on. Get their current products working on the level we expect, then look into other aspects.

[Just Me]

It is a good idea. Are you certain they are not already working on this?

The ability to use the playbook as a controller and ancillary display for a game which is playing on a TV or computer would be great.

[enzo588]

Open up a brand new door for RIM which may, in the long run, prove successful depending on the quality of the games being produced.
I think they should focus on getting the best games on playbook




R4Crown3DS

[FourOhFour]

I think they'd have a real nice solution on their hands if they sold a bluetooth controller and hdmi cable as a "gamers" package. The emulators would be awesome fun with this kind of setup. (heck, Wii remotes are bluetooth, even).

[Darlaten]

It is interesting...I'm just a little concerned about them not completely focusing on what they're already working on. Get their current products working on the level we expect, then look into other aspects.

My concern about this suggestion is somewhat related to yours although different. Should RIM create a gaming studio, which I'm increasingly thinking would be a worthwhile endeavour, I don't want the people involved in this studio to be involved in anything else at RIM in terms of product development/software/etc. I just want them to focus on gaming.

Given a hypothetical scenario of RIM hiring game designers, I think it would be best to leave these people to what they do best - keep them separate from other non-gaming products, in the hopes that they can just focus on creating powerful and unique games for the Playbook.

I'd be concerned that the gaming studio, and the people therin, would simply be watered down as the workers are pulled to other products resulting in a less than stellar delivery (read that as on-time delivery) of games.

I wonder if the board of RIM has debated this or discussed an internal gaming studio?

[MagmicGames]

i thought RIM owned Magmic but i cant find anything on it.

We are not owned by RIM. Not sure what would bring up a rumour of this sort, but hopefully this clarifies it.

[Rob Robertson]

We are not owned by RIM. Not sure what would bring up a rumour of this sort, but hopefully this clarifies it.

Thanks for clarifying. Is Magmic working on anything new for the PlayBook? All I see from on App World is NYT crossword puzzle and magic 8 Ball.

[marcinz]

or team that can get OS ready for the launch