Will the Success of the Iphone App Store Kill Homebrew on Consoles ?

***wraggster*** · August 21st, 2009, 01:18

The Apple Iphone has been a staggering success both in terms of hardware sales and especially the amount of sales of apps and games.

Im sure most folks were expecting an homebrew scene that would topple the mighty PSP/DS/GP2X scenes with the sheer amount of owners of the iphone and the power of the phone.

But coders soon realised and quite rightly so that they could make some cash for their hard work and many coders who were in the console scenes on many systems now release exclusively on the Apple appstore.

Because of the success of this we have all the other console manufacturers changing their consoles to create their own version of the app store and this will of course see more amateur and hobbyist coders leave the homebrew community to try and make some moolah on the many different new app stores, the PSP one springs to mind.

What better way to battle homebrew than to entice and poach the very coders who make the scene what it is than by giving them the opportunity to make a name for themselves by writing a killer game or app and the chance of being head hunted by one of the big software houses (it has happenned before in the emulation and homebrew scene over the years) and also the chance of funding a living than just doing it for free.

You cant blame any coder who wants to go this way but it makes you wonder where the homebrew scene on new consoles ie the Wii, DS, PSP, PS3, Xbox 360, Apple iphone and Palm Pre will be in a few years if they all create successful app stores.

of course we still have open source consoles such as the Dingoo A320, GP2x Wiz, GP2x and soon the Pandora so we are safe in that respect but the lure of a living from the talented coders who are in the homebrew communitys may push many away.

Interesting times are ahead, anyone have similiar thoughts or concerns, let them be heard via comments.

**madcat1990** · August 21st, 2009, 01:39

I say homebrew will never die (Free homebrew that is).

Apple is making homebrew legal, but payable too!

I'd prefer the stuff I can download off here (for example) for free! instead of paying 99 cents or more for every single download I make! XD

**apex05** · August 21st, 2009, 12:41

I think some of the better quality homebrew might end up in the app store so obviously we'll lose out.

**devdj** · August 21st, 2009, 21:36

the only things that apple can kill are there own products just look at all those iphone exploding two of my friends iphones exploded in there pockets a day ago and now they are looking for compensation. crapple apple is no threat at all.

**Eviltaco64** · August 21st, 2009, 21:39

That's like saying the success of the video game market would kill homebrew because all the coders would get jobs at some large video game corporation.

**Aryn** · August 25th, 2009, 11:34

I say that homebrew will survive because:

1. The novelty of hacking a system and running unsigned code is not present on the IPOD App store

2. The IPhone and IPOD Touch have a smaller screen than the PSP and a number of other systems, which makes them still attractive

3. There is still a challenge for developers in programming for various devices INCLUDING those they are not supposed to program for

4. The IPOD Touch and IPhone lack the directional controls and buttons, all they have is a touch screen. This means the Iphone/IPOD Touch lack what other systems already have in terms of gameplay.

5. Every system has a different flavour of games, including homebrew. The IPOD Touch only provides one flavour.

**dcdood** · August 27th, 2009, 23:37

No way. that statement would make more sense like : "will the App Store kill homebrew on Palm Pre (or other iPhone competitor)"

Homebrew wont be defeated on consoles!

Unless the game made actual sense to be on the iPhone, it shouldn't be there, i cant see the iPhone as a major competitor in the video game system market! with no D-Pad\ no Buttons, i mean a touch screen and motion sensitivity can only go so far...

the best thing about homebrew is that it gives people the creative freedom of development and the ability to patch holes that the big guys left such as Youtube ( PSPTube) and missing the classics (BoR \ Emulators)

i love homebrew, it's also inspiration for some that some guys made a game on a game console for free, w/o being paid! and they dont come from some massive budget companies

(thats my inspiration for game development)

and as long as there are hacks for unsigned code and free Software kits (iPhone \ XNA) Homebrew will never die

**VampDude** · August 28th, 2009, 15:31

Originally Posted by apex05

I think some of the better quality homebrew might end up in the app store so obviously we'll lose out.

Nobody will lose out, you are possibly forgetting that homebrew titles port quite easily from just about anything.

Originally Posted by Eviltaco64

That's like saying the success of the video game market would kill homebrew because all the coders would get jobs at some large video game corporation.

Exactly, not all the homebrew programmers will code for Apple or join whatever program they are running to make money from the work of the smaller people.

Originally Posted by Aryn

1. The novelty of hacking a system and running unsigned code is not present on the IPOD App store

One day, it possibly will be.

Originally Posted by Aryn

2. The IPhone and IPOD Touch have a smaller screen than the PSP and a number of other systems, which makes them still attractive

Small can be ugly, especially when it's touch screen. The iPod/iPhone release of Duke Nukem a short while ago was horrible, nobody liked how it controlled. I think slightly bigger screens are better.

Originally Posted by Aryn

3. There is still a challenge for developers in programming for various devices INCLUDING those they are not supposed to program for

Like the XBOX 360, Wii and PlayStation 3... There will always be someone to write a code to exploit the devices that weren't meant to be.