If 2011 has had one overriding theme in iOS gaming thus far, it's definitely the mass acceptance of the platform. We've written several times on this blog about the ways in which we've seen iOS gaming come into its own and become a massively popular gaming medium. This may be one of the final validations we need. A free-to-play iOS MMORPG called Pocket Legends is now being advertised nationally on networks like MTV, Comedy Central, Cartoon Network, and Nickelodeon.

Never heard of Pocket Legends [iTunes Link]? Few would blame you. It's a big game, but it's hardly Angry Birds. Rather than the break out success of most other hit iPhone games, it appears to have been slowly building a following over time. It's a massively multiplayer game from Spacetime Studios that claims over one millions downloads since its launch, though were not sure how many active users that adds up to. In addition to its iPhone version, it was also a launch title for the iPad last year.

The national commercial seems to be a validation not just for iPhone gaming, but also for the free-to-play business model. Though ample evidence has proven that F2P is a very viable way to finance a game, this should be the nail in the coffin of that debate.

The commercial itself is pretty standard fare. A quick juvenile joke followed by an in-the-know young guy showing off his awesome new game to a cadre of extremely impressed young women. Which, as we're all aware, is exactly how high school actually works.