14 DAY TRIAL // Apple is beefing up its PR staff with two high-profile communication directors from giant console maker Nintendo and video-game studio Activision, sources tell MCV.
The gaming-centric website claims to have heard that current Nintendo UK communications boss, Robert Saunders is to join Apple’s Public Relations team where he will oversee iPad, iPod, and iPhone communications.
Saunders has been with Nintendo for seven years now and has played a key role in the launches of the Wii and DS gaming consoles. He is also credited with bolstering his employer’s relationship with the media, MCV reports.
While Nintendo has been reachable for comments, an official statement from Apple is not available as of yet.
Speaking of Saunders’ departure, Nintendo UK's Marketing Director Dawn Paine said, "We would like to thank Rob for all his hard work and huge contribution to Nintendo UK.”
"I have personally enjoyed working with Rob immensely over that period and am I proud to have had him in my team. We all wish him the very best of luck for the future which will undoubtedly be stellar."
As mentioned above, Apple has also ‘poached’ Nick Grange, Activision's European PR director who also held positions at Electronic Arts and Microsoft.
As with Saunders, it is unclear exactly what Grange will be tasked with in his new role at Apple, but it is believed he will oversee the iPad exclusively, from a PR perspective.
The hirings do not come as a surprise, with Apple heavily promoting its iOS devices as fully fledged gaming platforms.
As popular as the iPod touch has been as a handheld gaming console, the iPad 2 has recently stepped in with its A5 chip, double the RAM and nine times the graphical performance of its predecessor.
Some gaming studios, like Epic (makers of Unreal Tournament) have touted these enhancements as key to writing the next chapter in portable gaming.
