Looking to expand first-party game production?

Apple is looking to hire a new game programmer for its Cupertino headquarters, listings show. The person would specifically hold the title of "game/media software engineer," and work with a small team on various entertainment apps for the iPhone and iPod touch. Requirements include three to four years of game development experience, with knowledge of C, C++, Objective-C and/or iPhone programming. Applicants must also have "at least one AAA title" under their belt, and ideally skills in audio, graphics or network code.

The company has had minor investments in game design for some time, generally as a means of providing initial content for iPods and iPhones; last year it released Texas Hold'em for the App Store. It should now be less dependent on first-party production however, as the App Store currently has over 100,000 titles, many of which are games from third-party developers. Apple may thus be interested in gaming simply as a means of supplementing revenue, or else as a way of showing off new hardware. id Software founder John Carmack has accused Apple management of having an opposition to games.

by MacNN Staff