> But it's still a failure, because it's bad for developers who have to support multiple APIs and bad for users who likely won't get some titles for their platform because developers have no resources to support multiple APIs.
That doesn't make it a failure, that makes it something you don't like.
This could easily be very big. If it helps developers make faster/better looking games on iOS they'll do it, especially if it's supported by middlware (since most devs probably don't make their own engine).
It that happens to make it harder to port games to Android (or at least get them to look as good), so much the better for Apple.
I don't like it for a reason that it multiplies exclusive titles. I consider it a failure. Normally authors should aim to reach the most audience, not to exclude users because they use a different OS. This API will proliferate the later.
A failure is something which doesn't succeed in achieving its goals. We often approximate this by looking at how widely used something is. For an API, this measure seems reasonable.
It has nothing to do with your views on vendor lock-in.
Direct3D also causes lock-in. That doesn't make it a failure.
That doesn't make it a failure, that makes it something you don't like.
This could easily be very big. If it helps developers make faster/better looking games on iOS they'll do it, especially if it's supported by middlware (since most devs probably don't make their own engine).
It that happens to make it harder to port games to Android (or at least get them to look as good), so much the better for Apple.