Game Company Executives Believe iDevice Combination Could Take On Consoles

It looks like gaming may be the next major industry Apple could reshape with the iPad. Executives from Electronic Arts and Epic Games recently discussed the future of game consoles. And both said the tablet may play a large part. Mike Capps, president of Epic Games who appeared on stage at last week’s introduction of the new iPad, is a big proponent of iPad gaming. Along with console hits like “Gears of War,” the company has produced the iOS megaseller Infinity Blade series. Capps said, in an interview with Reuters, that if a wireless Bluetooth controller is developed for the iPad, it could easily take on the console market. The new iPad now features low-energy Bluetooth 4.0, just like the iPhone 4S.

"It is quite easy to imagine a world where an iPad is more powerful than a home console, where it wirelessly talks to your TV and wirelessly talks to your controller and becomes your new console," Capps said.

Frank Gibeau, president of Electronic Arts' Labels, said the company is also watching how the iPad will affect gaming. While EA has been firmly rooted in consoles, the company has begun to be a player on the iOS scene as well with games like Mass Effect Infiltrator.

"When the iPad gets to the processing power that's equal to an Xbox 360 and it connects to a television, that's no big deal to us. We'll put the game through the iPad and have it display through the television." Gibeau said.

And developers have already given us a look at what the iPad gaming future might look like. Firemint released Real Racing 2 HD last year that features the pictured Party Play. The mode enables up to four people to play the game together in a split screen match streamed to a TV through AirPlay. It should also be interesting to see what gaming features an Apple television set might feature when it’s released, possibly sometime later this year. How often do you use your iPad as a gaming device? Does Apple really have a chance to take on the console makers and change yet another entertainment bastion?