After the discussion panel, smaller discussion groups and presentations tried to predict just where the iPhone will go next, and what new games will harness the iPhone's unique controls and capabilities.

Sebastian de Halleux of Playfish sees the future of the iPhone in social gaming. Unlike the Nintendo DS or other gaming platforms, the iPhone can tap into a person's social graph. The future, he believes is to design games for social interaction. The act of playing a game generates different emotions depending on the genre. In the future developers will need to start addressing social emotions and connect social friends to the game.

"Social networking is the next gaming experience. This is what separates the iPhone," said de Halleux.

Clearly, the iPhone game industry is still maturing and progressing. When big-name publishers and small creative minds can co-exist and be successful, the clear winner is the consumer. With so many options in the App Store and an excited community behind it, the iPhone gaming platform has a great future.

Check back here next week for coverage of the Game Developer Conference.