While Apple touched on the potential of the iPad as a gaming platform, it seems that game developers see potential, but are cautious as far as the long-term potential for profit on the platform. As one developer told us, “…there is potential, but without seeing the makeup of who is buying the iPad it is hard to know how much interest there will be in anything beyond casual gaming titles.”

While the pricing of the iPad came in at less than many expected, it is still more than typical portable gaming platforms, but you do get a lot more for the money. The fact that it runs the same OS as the iPhone, however, goes to iPad’s favor, as it will be possible to offer titles on both platforms with some customization to take advantage of the bigger screen offered by the iPad.

Some developers that we have spoken with indicate that their iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch development would still be targeted at lower cost and easier to develop casual gaming titles, which they believe have a better chance of success on the platform to start with. Until the iPad builds a large enough installed user base and people figure out what they can do or want to do with the product, it is difficult to say which direction gaming development will ultimately take on the platform over the long term.