Apple's App Store is a mishmash of high caliber, engaging games and low quality shovelware. It's difficult for developers to get their games noticed when they deserve to be and it is just as difficult for consumers to find these gems.
Apple is rumored to be working on a premium games section that would only be open to a limited number of large developers to attract prominent franchises at a $19.99 price point. This way they could showcase their games without having to worry about getting lost in the shuffle.
A premium section would allow developers to focus on pushing the iPhone and iPod touch to their limits. Development costs are always a big concern when creating games of this nature. To recoup the development costs they need to charge more and until now, large developers had no reason to believe that these types of games had a place at the App Store.
The question that begs to be asked is, will small developers still have a chance to compete? It's hard to believe that there isn't enough room at the App Store for both types of developers. Quality usually prevails over quantity, as long as the small developers keep creating unique games there shouldn't be a problem.
It's not as if anyone is saying that expensive games are the only quality games, it's just that if Apple wants to be considered a contender in the mobile gaming market they need to attract prominent and established IP's. This may just be Apple's next step in creating and managing its own gaming platform.
[via Pocket Gamer]
