People don't like to be regulated in business, but when it comes to iPhone games, it seems to be necessary. As the iPhone has gotten more sophisticated and powerful, with its wide screen and touch controls, the potential for developing games for the device has grown by leaps and bounds. But the creation and promotion of these games has, until recently, had a very "wild west" feel to it. The "anything goes" atmosphere of these iPhone downloads is mirrored by a similar attitude in the business and promotional practices associated with them.

There are about forty million iPhone users, and chances are that there are just as many interested in games, as there are gamers using other technologies. So a certain percentage of iPhone users are satisfied with just a few basic games, as they are for their home computers. On the other hand, the primary iPhone downloads of other users are games created specifically for this device. Game applications have proliferated wildly, even for the earliest version of the iPhone which had to be hacked for any non-original programs to be downloaded. The iPhone 3G and 3GS versions that now allow downloads can accommodate Apple-approved games placed in their online store, and many others downloaded by those who've hacked their iPhones.

And because gaming is such a huge, profitable industry, iPhone games have been subjected to another sort of "wild west" tactic, much the same as other products have been in this consumerist society. Apple's store and tech blog sites allow people to write iPhone app reviews and rate the applications. But many companies promoting games have actually written to reviewers, offering to pay for favorable reviews, in the hope of increasing sales. This leads to doubts, both about the reliability of any reviews at all, or how good the games actually are.

However, the "wild west" feel of iPhone games promotion and reviewing may already be in the process of being tamed. In December of 2009, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) instituted new regulations that require reviewers and even bloggers to reveal if they've received payments or "free stuff" in return for reviews. If people know that reviewers of iPhone downloads have received compensation, then this can be factored into the equation. Hopefully, this will help users know whether they are receiving accurate information, and this will guide them in which games to download.

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