Samsung, Google and Apple to Enter the Video Game Market

Google generated an estimated $8 Billion revenue in 2012 from mobile searches on Android phones.

Three big companies are entering the video game market. Samsung has already shared its video game system, which relies on the processing power of already existing Samsung devices. Other technology behemoths Google and Apple are in a mad dash to crank out their own proprietary consoles.

What will this mean for the big three that already dominate the market?

Probably that they are about to have a lot more competition.

Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft have the majority of the video game market share with their respective consoles, but it is about to get a lot more crowded in the near future.

Did OUYA Pave the Way?

Let's not forget OUYA - the little guy - among behemoth video game systems.

This "little engine that could" sold out of its video game consoles in late June 2013 after being on sale for just hours on Amazon, while Target and Best Buy still had inventory that was flying off of the shelves. Amazon sells OUYA for $99.99.

OUYA is an open-platform console that runs on a version of the Google OS.

OUYA (pictured on the right) started out as a Kickstarter project that was fully funded at $8.6 million, breaking Kickstarter records with the substantial dollar amount of funds raised.

Samsung Makes the First Move

Samsung will be the first of the new players to make the jump into video games with the launch of their games controller in the Summer of 2013. This Android-based console will allow a hook up to portable Samsung devices (up to 6.3 inches). It connects to Samsung devices via the NFC and Bluetooth functionality.

Samsung has a video game dock that has an HDMI port so more serious gamers can connect the smaller device to the dock, which will be connected to a TV or monitor.

Digital Trends thought it looked very similar to the already existing X-box controller.

Apple and Google Not Far Behind

Tools Journal shared in this article that Apple has already started adding support in iOS 7 and OS X 10.9 for third-party video games controllers.

App developers may not be overly excited to create controller-specific games (because it would limit their audience of consumers) but Apple would want App developers to create the ability to support third-party controllers.

Companies Logitech and Moga have officially signed on to build controllers that work with Apple devices. These companies were specifically mentioned in Apple's keynote at their WWDC event on June 10, 2013.

Google is Still "Hush Hush" on Their Secret Video Game Project

The Wall Street Journal shared in this article that Google is rabidly working on an Android-powered system after realizing that Android software is growing faster in popularity than proprietary software sold by Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft.

Google's Android launch in Fall or Winter of 2013 will have to compete with the new systems being launch by Sony (PS4) and Microsoft (One). Nintendo's next generation system - the WiiU - has already launched, and is seeing dismal success.

Market Research company PwC indicated that $24.9 Billion was spent on video games worldwide in 2012. Google plans on steering some of those green bills in their direction.

The Wall Street Journal article thinks that Google's decision to enter the Android video game market was heavily influenced by the mild success of the OUYA video game system.

Google's video game hardware would come from the Google X hardware lab in association with its Motorola hardware division. To date, Samsung has been one of Google's largest hardware partners. This new rivalry in the video game market may impact the future business dealings between Google and Samsung.

1. Gross, Doug. "Report: Google's making a video game console." CNN.
2. Shaughnessy, Haydn. "Sorry Google and Apple: Samsung Unveiled Games Console First." Forbes.com.