Apple's iGame is totally iFake

by Christopher Grant { Mar 9th 2006 at 9:30PM }

Here's the deal: a leaked scan from the April issue of gaming mag EGM promises that "Apple bites into the portable-gaming market" with a handheld game system dubbed--we kid you not--the iGame. While we don't doubt the veracity of the scanned images, faithful readers of EGM are well aware of their April Fools jokes including, but not limited to, the Sheng Long code in Street Fighter II, and the ire-inducing Wind Waker preorder bonus.

The entire thing has been catalogued and transcribed at Station A for the curious. Future Apple product prognosticating is an ancient tradition that EGM is pretty late to, with a particularly weak entry no less. Who's gonna believe the iGame when we all know that Apple is definitely working on a Video iPod, that's also a cell phone... and a tablet PC... and that's the system that will have handheld gaming functionality! You heard it here first, folks.

See also:
Blog debate: is Apple making a game console?

[Via Engadget]

Tags: Apple, iGame

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Andrew @ Mar 9th 2006 9:42PM

Oh man, rebuking their prank weeks before April 1st, That's just cold.

Alkaiser @ Mar 9th 2006 9:42PM

With games and Apple surging, I get a lot of non-gamer types and n00bs coming up to me and asking "So when's Apple going to get into the game business?" or making statements to that effect.

So then I get to say, "Uh, remember the Pippin?"

Them: "What?"

Me: "Exactly. That's why Apple's not getting into the video game business."

I don't think you'll ever see a dedicated Apple gaming device again. That Video iPod speculation is probably the best shot.

Sean @ Mar 9th 2006 9:42PM

Of course it's fake. The king of patented interfaces would never steal nintendo's d-pad.

mrdelayer @ Mar 9th 2006 9:46PM

iTotallyCouldHaveToldYouThatItWasFake.

FEEZY @ Mar 9th 2006 10:07PM

DAMMIT! thanks for ruining it. i wanted to fall for it. tho im rarely gullible. but still!...

-al @ Mar 9th 2006 10:53PM

Didn't the Video iPod come out last year? If not, what the hell am I watching videos on?

narc @ Mar 9th 2006 11:16PM

hey, anyone remember that old akuma in resident evil prank?

Xeres @ Mar 10th 2006 5:57AM

I don't think it would be such a bad idea for Apple to release a portable gaming device though. If Apple released a handheld game system then the games would most likely be available for download through the use of a program similar to iTunes for a reasonable price (a lot cheaper than DS or PSP games), making it easier and more affordable for users to acquire games. Of course this would create a lot of piracy since illegal downloads would eventually surface, but I believe this would create a good revenue for Apple and by applying some sort of security measure which could stop or at least reduce piracy such as allowing users to download games only through Apple software or something like that.

Well, it doesn't seem like this is happening any time soon but it's nice to speculate.

C. Grant @ Mar 10th 2006 8:33AM

-al, that's the iPod, with video functionality, otherwise known as the 5G iPod.

DG @ Mar 10th 2006 8:43AM

I used to look forward to the EGM April prank. One year, it was "Streets of Rage 3" spelled "Steeets" on the cover. That was it -- that was the prank. I saw it, thought it was a typo, and continued on about the Beavis and Butthead video game (which was the cover feature).

A month later, they said they hadn't received any mail from anyone noting the "prank," and therefore weren't giving out any prizes. Needless to say, I was pissed.

32_Footsteps @ Mar 10th 2006 8:46AM

You know, I still meet people who insist the Sheng Long trick is completely real. I have even met a couple of people who claim to have successfully done it. An April Fools joke that still requires debunking is possibly the greatest one of all time.

However, in the interest of being a devil's advocate, anyone remember the first April Fools joke done by Nintendo Power, the AFD Reality System? It was a supposed series of games that would put gamers in real-life scenarios. One such game was Muttroid, where you'd have to take care of a dog, play with it, and even give it regular baths.

Boy, that was an obvious gag. Nintendo would never make a game that was a dog-owning simulation.

Fleecebeast @ Mar 10th 2006 8:48AM

"Who's gonna believe the iGame when we all know that Apple is definitely working on a Video iPod, that's also a cell phone... and a tablet PC... and that's the system that will have handheld gaming functionality!"

Perhaps the point was to get lots of media coverage by hitching themselves to the Apple bandwagon. And I, for one, don't think that's going to...oh wait. I guess it did work.

Incidentally, I find this fake announcement much more interesting that the *real* Apple announcement at the end of February.

Neko Ewen @ Mar 10th 2006 9:30AM

"DAMMIT! thanks for ruining it."

^^^ What he said. Only not the least bit sarcastic. I thought it was a tired gag the first time they did it, and it never got less so, especially since it now means that you shouldn't trust any damn thing you read about video games on April 1st.

Martin @ Mar 10th 2006 10:12AM

How could you all ruin it. Come on Joystiq! Not cool!!! My brother is still waiting for Legend of Zelda:TP to come out so he can get his copy of realistic Wind Waker!!! I love the site, but I think you have done a disservice by ruining their April Fools issue!!!

mike @ Mar 10th 2006 10:19AM

Hey Joystiq, Remind me not to invite you to any surprise Parties. Really, did you have to announce it to the world what the april fools joke was. What is next. Are you going to release Playstation 2's real sales number. Is there no mystery to you Joystiq.

Your a Jerk!!!

C. Grant @ Mar 10th 2006 11:51AM

It's true. There is only black emptiness where our soul used to be. You can thank an unforunate addiction to movie-licensed games for that, damn YOU Home Alone 2!!

Mathue @ Mar 10th 2006 9:00PM

Very fake, really...

Actually, using a glossy Apple logo that's been superseded two or three times over was the tip off for me. A more realistic one (keeping in mind Apple would create their own version of the D Pad) would to be to use the current mirrored Apple logo that has the 'slight' slash at the top such as what you see when an iPod video boots. That and many other things that have been touched on by others.....