EA Fully Supports iPod's Entry Into The Video Game Market

When a company as powerful and influential as Electronic Arts (EA) gives its seal of approval, people stand back and take notice.

As previously reported on Infopackets, Apple recently added video games to the growing list of media that can be downloaded for the iPod from the iTunes web store.

Now EA is putting its full weight behind Apple's portable unit.

"Consumers have an appetite for a diversionary-type game experience -- a snack where they can play for five minutes," stated Mitch Lasky, the leader of EA's mobile gaming division.

The iPod is not in competition with standalone portable gaming powerhouses like the Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP. It doesn't need to be, though, because Apple is obviously going after a different market entirely: the mobile market, which is mainly compromised of people playing games on their cell phones.

It's a different beast altogether from the DS and PSP.

Forrester analyst Paul Jackson acknowledges as much. He admits that the iPod may not be the best system for games, but it has an advantage in the numbers game: millions of people tote their iPods around every day. "You are most likely to be carrying [the iPod] when you end up waiting for a flight, sitting in a dentist's waiting room, etc.," he pointed out.

EA is already involved creating games for mobile units and refers to the iPod as "a cousin to our existing mobile business." (Source: yahoo.com)

EA currently has five iPod games out on the market: EA Sudoku, Royal Solitaire, Tetris, EA Mini Golf, and EA Mahjong. (Source: ea.com)

According to Lasky, Tetris is EA's top-selling iPod game title. He opted not to comment on any other sales figures, however. (Source: yahoo.com)

For the full list of games available on the iPod, click here:

http://www.apple.com/itunes/store/games.html