Apple’s Texas Hold’em game was one of the first titles I purchased from the App Store when it opened for business in 2008, and the only game Apple has developed for iOS devices. And while it was a fantastic purchase at the time, the Cupertino company hasn’t exactly been committed to maintaining its popularity.
Its last update came in September 2008, and today, the game has been removed from the App Store completely.
The game made its debut in late 2006, with its first appearance on the iPod, and was ported to iOS (then the iPhone OS) two years later when the App Store opened up its doors to the iPhone and the iPhone 3GS. Its release fueled speculation that Apple had plans to enter the gaming market with its own iOS titles, but it seems the release was just a backup for the company.
Not only did it demonstrate the ability of iOS devices when it comes to gaming, but it also provided a safety net for Apple if it couldn’t attract third-party developers to the iOS platform. As it turns out, the service has been a huge success, with titles from big-name developers such as EA, Gameloft, Sega, and more.
With developers like those onboard, Apple doesn’t need to develop its own titles. But maybe if the App Store hadn’t turned out to be such a huge success, we’d have seen more games from the company.
Interestingly, the Texas Hold’em page on Apple’s website is yet to be taken down.
[via MacRumors]
