Will Apple soon play in casual gaming?

A trademark extension request has reignited rumors that Apple is looking to get into the gaming market. 

The extension, dated February 5 and found here, sees Apple looking to extend its name into “toys, games and playthings, namely, hand-held units for playing electronic games; hand-held units for playing video games; stand alone video game machines; electronic games other than those adapted for use with television receivers only; LCD game machines; electronic educational game machines; toys, namely battery-powered computer games.”

As these filings always are, Apple’s description is a very vague and generic one. Such a description fits Apple’s current product portfolio, as the company does support some basic games on iPods and it would make sense for Apple to expand its now limited gaming offerings on existing lines, but also could be viewed to offer merit to rumors of Apple’s planned expansion into standalone gaming devices.

Other evidence supporting a gaming move includes AppleInsider reports last month that Apple would use Intel’s Silverthorne in a new generation of handheld devices and statements from Piper Jaffray analysts who soon expect touch-based gaming on Apple’s iPod and iPhone lines. 

But the most pertinent argument behind any Apple gaming push, however, would be the booming casual gaming market itself. Casual gaming has become relevant to electronic devices that are not necessarily videogame consoles and attracts non-traditional gaming personalities (the Nintendo Wii being a prime example of this). Similarly, Apple has had business success stretching its iPod line from initial techie geek audiences to near luddites. There’s no reason why Apple would not want to extend itself into casual gaming when it’s not only a tremendous opportunity for growth, but a business strategy the company is familiar with.

So perhaps the question shouldn’t be “Will Apple soon play in casual gaming?” but “How will Apple play in casual gaming?” Does it want to compete with the living-room friendly Nintendo Wii or the on-the-go Nintendo DS? Will Apple create its own gaming division or allow third party developers into its closed-off corporate structure?

To be fair, this week’s reports are based on rumors. Apple is following its typical closed mouth policy and has yet to make a formal statement or return my voicemails, for that matter. And while it should be noted that Apple also made similar generic filings just before it announced plans for its iPhone, EDN Senior Technical Editor Brian Dipert (the brain behind our Brian’s Brain consumer electronics-focused blog) reminded me this morning that such gaming rumors have been floating around almost as long as Apple has been in existence.

Share your thoughts on Apple and gaming below.

–Suzanne Deffree, Managing Editor, News