Today I read this article written by an apparently easily offended Matt Pecham who likes to make connections that don’t really exist.

Let me explain…

In his PCWorld article he quotes Phil Schiller as saying: “When [the DS and PSP] came out, they seemed so cool. But once you play a game on the iPod touch, you think ‘hey, these things aren’t so cool any more’.”  He then connects this to his own statement: “Does [Phil Schiller] think those of us presumably ‘un-cool’ enough to enjoy games that last more than a few minutes a go are some sort of endangered species?”  First off Mr. Pecham, that sentence makes no sense.  Second, in what world did you hear Mr. Schiller say that the people who play the DS and PSP are ‘uncool’, the only statement he made was about the actual console.  You are starting to sound like a Microsoft commercial making accusations that “I’m not ‘cool’ enough to have a Mac.”

[Game Over Pecham]

But beyond Matt Pecham’s poorly written article and apparent bias of his own, let’s actually talk intelligently about the iPod Touch / iPhone as a gaming console.

In Apple’s ‘Special Event’ yesterday morning (afternoon for us in the MidWest), it did sound like Apple is selling the iPod Touch as a gaming console.  While this is a good plan, I personally think they are over-exaggerating the potential market.  When comparing to Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP, Apple talks as though the Touch could be a replacement of those systems.

Now I am no gamer.  I have never played any game on the PSP nor the DS.  I rarely play any video games at all, but I know from playing the occasional game on my iPhone, that there is no way that the Touch, as a standalone console is going to be replacing products like the DS or the PSP.  Playing complex games is more than just pushing is certain locations, but it is about feeling the buttons underneath your fingers.  How are you going to fit the complexity and vast number of buttons from an XBox controller on to the screen of the Touch and still have clear vision to play a complex 3-Dimensional rendering game smoothly?

In contrast, I believe Apple should be marketing the iPod Touch much as the Nintendo Wii was marketed, a different type of game console.  The Wii was revolutionary with its controls.  How could so many games be played with so few buttons and a wand?  Well look at the success that is the Nintendo Wii.  Apple should not be attempting to take over the hand held game console market, but add to it in an innovative way.  Hardcore gamers will not be dropping their other hand held consoles to switch to a standalone Touch anytime soon.

Now once there are controllers and a variety of attachments available to be tethered to the Touch … then we’ll have to revisit the topic.