Has Xbox Live Arcade really peaked, as World of Goo creator Ron Carmel yesterday argued? No, analysts have told Eurogamer.

"But Microsoft should take a look at Ron Carmel's piece," declared Billy Pidgeon of M2 Research, "which eloquently makes the case (and backs it up with data) that XBLA has peaked for a specific group of independent developers who are responsible for high quality games that outsell the average XBLA game.

"Sony is acquiring more unique content for PSN, and in many cases it's exclusive content, which will cost Sony more but will clearly differentiate their online games store from XBLA and other competition."

"In terms of digital games delivered through a home console, Microsoft will continue to be the market leaders," stated Jesse Divnich of EEDAR.

"I am not disagreeing with Mr. Carmel, I believe some of his points are valid and any digital service provider has its own restrictions and hurdles. Not every game is the right fit for every service.

"We certainly are seeing some fracturing among developers, and Xbox Live and PSN are no longer the only option for game distribution."

"That doesn't sound right to me," said Michael Pachter of Wedbush Morgan, responding to Carmel's claim. "If anything, there are more titles than ever, but we haven't had a Braid or Limbo so far this year.

"As the 360 price comes down and the installed base continues to grow, there should be a significantly larger addressable market for XBLA games, so I think it continues to grow."

Ron Carmel surveyed 200 independent developers. His results, which he admitted weren't sacrosanct, showed dwindling support for Xbox Live Arcade. Part of this is due to laborious XBLA constraints. The other part can be attributed to the rise of PC, Mac, iOS and Android gaming. Billy Pidgeon said that "viable alternative marketplaces" are "good news for developers and gamers both". Whereas Xbox Live Arcade and PSN are "predictable", he said, other markets can be "risky".

World of Goo developer 2D Boy believes Xbox Live Arcade "peaked" last year (2010) and that "Microsoft is not yet aware of this".

Studio co-founder Ron Carmel surveyed 200 independent game makers, some of which are responsible for significant - but undisclosed - XBLA titles.

He discovered that more developers want to make PSN games now than titles for XBLA. He also found PSN and XBLA seventh and eighth in a list of target platforms for 2011. The most popular was Windows, followed closely by Mac, iOS, Linux, Flash/browser and Android platforms.

Nearly three quarters of the developers surveyed said ease of working with a platform holder was paramount - followed by installed base and platform suitability.

When asked about specific platform holders, the majority deemed Steam, Facebook and Apple "very easy" to work with. Sony's PSN majority, like Google's Android, was "so-so". Most people found WiiWare "difficult", whereas Microsoft's XBLA was "excruciating".

"Given that ease of working with the platform owner was voted the most important factor in choice of platforms, it becomes perfectly clear why XBLA, despite being a very strong channel with a large audience and huge earning potential, is dropping in popularity among these developers," observed Carmel.

"But if things keep going the way they are, and XBLA keeps losing talented developers, I believe the diversity of games available on XBLA will diminish, quality will suffer, and revenue numbers will drop as players start to move away from an unremarkable portfolio of games. We will see a lot more 'genrefication' and big publisher franchises."

Acclaimed indie physics puzzler World of Goo is slithering onto the iPhone soon, developer 2D Boy has announced.

The smartphone version of the game is all done and has been submitted to Apple for approval so should be available "soonish", according to a post on the developer's website.

It'll cost £1.79 but early birds can pick it up for just 59p during its first 24 hours on sale. It will be a universal app, so if you've already got the iPad version you're essentially getting it for free on your phone.

Anyone clinging onto a 3G model is out of luck – you'll need a 3GS, iPhone 4 or third generation iPod Touch to run it.

For those yet to get acquainted with 2D Boy's genius creation, the game launched on PC and WiiWare back in 2009 to stellar reviews.

It then landed on Apple's tablet late last year. "If a better game ever comes to the iPad, you might well spontaneously combust," wrote Eurogamer's Kristan Read in his 10/10 endorsement.

Good news: ace physics-based puzzler World of Goo is heading to the iPad. Better news: it'll be ready any day now.

Developer 2D Boy announced on its website that the game will be out "As soon as we get approved by Apple. We hope before the holiday season."

2D Boy promises that it's exactly the same game that we awarded 10/10 back in 2009 on PC and WiiWare, right down to the multiplayer.

"Yes, you can play with 11 fingers on one screen. Which means you can play two handed, with friends, an animal, anything up to eleven fleshy things touching the screen."

The release is iPad only for now, but a future iPhone release hasn't been ruled out.

"Maybe," explained 2D Boy. "There's a lot of iGoo to pour in, and we don't want to release something if it doesn't run absolutely buttery smooth."

The two-man indie development powerhouse added that plans for World of Goo 2 are also under consideration.

"A second World of Goo is a possibility, and something we would enjoy working on. Working together again on WogPad has reminded us how fun it was to make the original.

"A second World of Goo will need to feel like a perfect and appropriate continuation of the first game. No Red Bull Can levels or rapping Goo cutscenes, according to our official design doc."

WogPad? Woah Nelly. We're going to fire off an email now and let them know what that word means round these parts.