iOS 5 Game Center: Getting Serious About Gaming
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Who cares about Game Center? Apparently nearly all iOS users! Apple was able to announce at WWDC that iOS has become the world’s most popular gaming platform. This stands to reason, when the iPhone, iPod and iPad are all best sellers in their respective sales categories.
The upgrades with iOS 5 will now allow you to post a profile picture, meet new friends based on recommendations made because of the games you play, evaluate potential opponents based on an overall achievements score and most importantly you can make game choices and purchase them directly from within Game Center itself.
With these changes, Apple is looking to address the competition and succeed at becoming a true hub for gaming on iOS devices. The primary theme appears to be an increase in social networking which is an area where Game Center currently falls short. People want to find their friends and make new friends based on common gaming interests and this is something they will now be able to do. The downfall is that there is no capacity for live chat with other online players, which is a feature offered by both Facebook and OpenFeint, Game Center’s main competition.
The other shortcoming is that Game Center is limited to iOS devices. Both Facebook and OpenFeint are cross-platform, though Facebook Games excels on the PC as opposed to mobile devices. While it makes sense that Game Center wouldn’t be available on an Android device given that it is an Apple product, it is unfortunate and may be the reason it isn’t a definite home-run.
The advantage of Game Center is integration, being part of the core operating system offering makes it a clear choice for many users who are less tech-savvy. Because of this built-in nature, this is the first service most people will use and that might mean it becomes the last.
My feeling is that this upgrade is most significant for those of us with multiple iOS devices, where the main interest in Game Center is to carry profile and game settings between each of them. This isn’t so much because the upgrades assist with this but because it shows a commitment from Apple to keep Game Center alive and current.
