Developer strikes it rich with iPhone game

[GTS Mark]

(CNN) -- With its glassy touch screen, powerful graphics, crisp sound and tilt feature, the iPhone is more than a smart phone for some users -- it's a portable entertainment system.

t's also become a potential gold mine for entrepreneurs who create games for the device. Just ask Steve Demeter, developer of the popular puzzle game "Trism."

A former ATM software designer for a large bank, Demeter created "Trism" in his spare time and pitched it to Apple last spring. The company made the game available for download with the July launch of its App Store, an online provider of applications for its iPods and iPhones.

Priced at $5, "Trism" earned Demeter $250,000 in profits the first two months.

"It's done phenomenal business," said Demeter, 29, who lives in the California's San Francisco Bay area. "I'm very honored that so many people would enjoy my game. I get e-mails from 50-year-old ladies who say, "I don't play games, but I love Trism.' That's the coolest thing."

It can take dozens of professional developers and millions of dollars to create a video game for a traditional console such as a PlayStation or an Xbox. But the iPhone and the App Store have helped democratize game development by opening the field to any software coder with talent and a clever idea, industry observers say.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/11/18/i...per/index.html

[WebairGerard]

that's a cool story. i bet there a quite a few doing well with these apps.

[D Ghost]

yeah great story, good for him

[Paper_Amar]

at least no more weed arrests

[aico]

Same thing is about to happen to a guy who made a game for WoW. I believe it's like Bejeweled, and you play it while inflight.

[pornguy]

Good for him. Hope it keeps selling.

[borked]

no money to be made in iPhone apps. Move along now, nothing to see here.

[WiredGuy]

You only hear about the success stories though, I have a feeling there's a ton of developers who will never see a dime from their apps. Its really about how Apple pushes those apps to people and how well they can market them.
WG

[Adam X]

that market is still wide open for anyone to make some coin... I've watched the app store take off ever since they opened it.. and the apps just keep coming..

there are som OK games and utilities in there, I use several of them...

iphones rock...

[borked]

You only hear about the success stories though, I have a feeling there's a ton of developers who will never see a dime from their apps. Its really about how Apple pushes those apps to people and how well they can market them.
WG

Not really about how Apple markets them, but who they let in the door.

Last I read last week, Google is still waiting on getting their app accepted for speech recognition to allow you to speak your search terms. Word on the street is Apple is delaying it because the whole principle allows google to interconnect their online apps and also proveds the holy grails of copy/paste.

_that_ is the problem

[WiredGuy]

Not really about how Apple markets them, but who they let in the door.

Last I read last week, Google is still waiting on getting their app accepted for speech recognition to allow you to speak your search terms. Word on the street is Apple is delaying it because the whole principle allows google to interconnect their online apps and also proveds the holy grails of copy/paste.

_that_ is the problem

How does that provide the holy grail of copy/paste?
WG

[crockett]

that's a cool story. i bet there a quite a few doing well with these apps.

Yea I'm working with a game engine that can build iPhone games. I haven't played with that end yet but I know some others that are doing it. I know of a guy that just finished up a boxing game for it and I'm betting he's going to do real well with it.

[crockett]

Not really about how Apple markets them, but who they let in the door.

Last I read last week, Google is still waiting on getting their app accepted for speech recognition to allow you to speak your search terms. Word on the street is Apple is delaying it because the whole principle allows google to interconnect their online apps and also proveds the holy grails of copy/paste.

_that_ is the problem

Yea that's the shitty part of dealing with Apple and their iPhone they have to approve you before you can release anything.

[borked]

How does that provide the holy grail of copy/paste?
WG

well, between google apps at least. However, I've read it will allow you to dial contacts by speaking there name, so there is some interface to underlying Apple stuff, so the "Highlight all, copy etc" if it can interface will allow you to paste into eg mail.

Dunno tbh, cos I'm just going on what I read on tech sites. Anyway, copy/paste stuff has been found in the 2.2 SDK, so it shouldn't be long before it arrives *rollseyes*

[doridori]

You only hear about the success stories though, I have a feeling there's a ton of developers who will never see a dime from their apps. Its really about how Apple pushes those apps to people and how well they can market them.
WG

absolutely. this is an excellent point. we only observe the stars, and the stars themselves forget about the gloom, and we end up with only stars in our eyes.

wut about that guy who made that app that flashes" I'm rich" and made like 5k before steve jobs got all bitchy about it and closed it.

[Gasper]

say "trism" out loud a few times.. no wonder people like that game

[Shoehorn!]

Very cool for him.

[WWC]

Love these stories!

[Adam_M]

Going to but the game now to see what it's all about

[V_RocKs]

And Apple made $750,000 profit... for nothing...

[tranza]

That's really cool for him...