Apple is drawing attention to its Game Center mobile gaming initiative by tagging titles in the App Store as being compliant with the new program.
Apps that support Game Center features now sport the logo and a prominent Game Center tag in App Store searches and product detail pages, both in iTunes (shown below) and in the iOS App Store app.
Game Center enables app developers to add multiplayer features, friend invites, matchmaking, achievement tracking, and high score leaderboards to their games in such a way that users can track their performance from the Game Center app using a single account.
Supporting Game Center does not necessarily mean that apps implement every feature. Some Game Center apps do not support multiplayer features, for example.
However, the additional marketing push provided by Apple in iTunes to make the Game Center brand more recognizable is likely to encourage developers to support the new program by creating awareness of the new system among App Store buyers.
Apple added Game Center to iOS 4.2 in September for the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 as well as the second, third and fourth generation iPod Touch. It is not supported on the original iPod touch, iPhone, or iPhone 3G. Apple said it will add support to iPad in the upcoming iOS 4.2 release.
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