EA interested in possible universal gaming console
- Posted October 22nd, 2007 at 06:43 EDT by
- 3,159 views
- 32 Comments
Everybody knows that Electronic Arts loves to distribute their games out to all gaming platforms.
There is no secret in that. If EA brings out a game, best believe that no matter what gaming console you own, you are more than likely going to enjoy that experience some way or another. The last time Electronic Arts made a game exclusively to one console is something worth researching. So with that known, it should be understood that Electronic Arts also has no quarrels when it comes to the industry having a universal gaming console.
"We want an open, standard platform which is much easier than having five which are not compatible," EA's Gerhard Florin said to BBC News "We definitely don't want to have [one monopolized] platform."
They [Electronic Arts] believes that by having a single console, it would be easier for publishers and consumers by having Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo stream exclusive contents to designated channels on the unit.
"You don't need an Xbox 360, PS3 or Wii - the consumer won't even realize the platform it is being played on," he said.
To back up Electronic Arts, videogames analyst Nick Parker commented, "There could be a Nintendo channel, a PlayStation channel and an Xbox channel on your set-top box," he predicted. "There might not be a need for a PS4 or dedicated consoles."
A universal gaming console is something that has been mildly debated over the years, but nothing concrete has ever surfaced. By having a universal console, the “console war” would be all but over, as everyone would be playing on the same piece of hardware.
However, even if that happens, hardware competition will still surface because one company is going to have a monopoly on that hardware that supports the Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft gaming channels. Meaning that other companies is going to want to cash in and create their own gaming hardware platforms that support the major gaming channels. So in result, we would be back in a console war and the universal console will be pretty much obsolete.
When asked about how long it will take for a universal gaming console to come about, the Senior EA Executive said, "I am not sure. We could be talking up to 15 years."
Comments
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Paranoimia |
Paranoimia- 6:51am BST - October 22nd, 2007
- 3
I mentioned on a forum about 4 years ago that we could possibly see a 'standard' platform in the future. Rather like DVD players - made by different manufacturers, but they all play the same discs, albeit with a few extra bells and whistles, depending on the manufacturer.
The idea was rubbished by other forum users at the time, and even I didn't think it will happen any time soon... but this at least proves me partly right, and that people in the business are starting to think the same way.
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djrussell |
djrussell89- 6:54am BST - October 22nd, 2007
- 4
I dont like the idea of just one console.. the idea behind it all is every console is different. I by far think the PS3 is the best, but others love the 360 more and others love the Wii more. I certainly would be "down" with just one thats for sure. It wont happen.
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bluesuedeshoes
- 7:33am BST - October 22nd, 2007
- 9
Right this old nuget has cropped up again has it??? Good god when will people learn? THe universal console is called a PC, its a pain in the proverbial for most people and quite frankley thats the reason so many consumers choose to buy consoles. The last attempt at a universal console was called the 3DO. Does anyone remeber that little gem? Backed by Panasonic, Samsung, Sanyo and Goldstar I believe. Also Phillips were close to buying into Trip Hawkins universal console dream when Panasonic brought the the idea out completely. In short no thanks the marketing was a mess, the system was a mess and their was no unified effort. IF it is to work then it'll need to be a hardware monopoly from either Microsoft, Sony or Nintendo with the others publishing their games on that system. That or they all agree a platform and make their own versions of it with Sony going for the high end media centre, Microsoft going for the cheap media centre and Nintendo packaging it in a case made out of card board to keep the price down. One mans Utopia is anothers nightmare.
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Jezer29 |
Jezer29- 7:36am BST - October 22nd, 2007
- 10
Way to shoot for the stars EA.. You freaking bunch of lazy turds.. God, these guys make me sick.. Get off your plush casmeir couches and make some real games.. Of course the would love something like this.. God forbid that they ever have to learn a new platform ever again..
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Ferre
- 7:36am BST - October 22nd, 2007
- 11
If it hapens it will be one expensiv console! and i think it will hurt the gaming industry. think about how hard it will be to integrate a new system ex PS4 in to the universal console with multiple different companies behind all different universal consoles. and im fairly sure off that microsoft, sony and nintendo won't licence their respective console to each other. is it a risk that new companies will take over the gaming industyr over time if it goes to far?
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Untildeath89 |
willmakenewonesoon- 7:37am BST - October 22nd, 2007
- 12
ea are bounch of r-tards, first of all there should be lots to choose between and second of all why buy wii or 360 or ps3 when their system is the same? will u make people feel the only difference between 600 and 300 $ is the price, the games that are in dev for 2 years and the ones 3 months arent same just because ea does it doesnt mean everyone should, i rather go for pc gaming then console if there are games on everyplat b/c pcs get almost all of the games that consoles have, consoles rock b/c they are special and different that includes everything from people who dont use internett to people who dont wanna buy pc for 3k$, u think cell and rsx on a pc would cost as much? all in one is what makes it special and we want to keep it that way and we like our games! i was planning to get army of 2 and moh mw thats all (burnout doesnt count as ea)
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Tha_Last_Romeo |
Tha_Last_Romeo- 8:36am BST - October 22nd, 2007
- 15
That wouldn't be cool. I actually think each console out now are different for a reason. It so that you have an option of getting what "you believe" is the greatest. Not what someone tells you, you have to get.
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richkaos |
richkaos- 9:44am BST - October 22nd, 2007
- 16
not going to happen, although just think! we could all own the same console (made by EA) to play.............yes thats right.............FIFA 2021, Madden 2021, tigerwoods 2021 and a whole host of other CR*P churned out by EA that doesnt look or play any better than the very first
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sorrow880 |
Sorrow880- 9:49am BST - October 22nd, 2007
- 17
Terrible, terrible...this is the WORST thing that could happen for gamers. Without the competition, no one will have to strive to be the best. Mediocre becomes the norm and everyone is afraid to be ingenuitive & innovative. The hand you second rate hardware and software because nothing forces them to do elsewise.
Can you say COMMUNISM? EA is a bunch of morons. They want a monopoly for profit, but in the same time it is excreting in the consumers face.
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Uncool |
Admodistrator- 10:42am BST - October 22nd, 2007
- 19
I'm not surprised that this came from EA, one who is known as a somewhat of a monopoly itself in the gaming industry. :E While the concept of one console to support all sounds dandy an all, competition has always done remarkable things to this industry an should continue to do so.
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debamf
- 12:40pm BST - October 22nd, 2007
- 23
EA are not saying this because it will be good for the industry, good for the developers and good for the consumer, what they are really saying it will only be good for the Publisher as themselves who can't be bothered porting games.
We all say that EA doesn't put the effort in when porting a game (they don't just put the effort in full stop, their best games comes from their 3rd party such as Criterion) this is proof that they don't have interest in porting games, they just do it for the money. EA want to monolpize the industry with their licenced products and have no other publisher outsell them in the top 20 charts.
Even if one unified console was the way forward, talks would brake down between the big 3 like they did when Sony and Toshiba talked about merging their tech to come up with one HD format. Companies want different things and see the industry differently. Imagine Sony wanted to put in the blu-ray player and Nintendo and Microsoft didn't want it? Your just never going to see a universal gaming machine.
Having 3 different machines is better for the industry as we are more likely to by more than one console to get a different experience. Your not going to by a console from Sony and a console with exactly the same specs from Microsoft just because of these channels EA talks about. It would be very much like buying 2 DVD players for yourself as a SOny DVD player can play exclusive SOny film and a Panasonic DVD player can play exclusive Paramount films. You'll be angry. but we would get 2 consoles for the exclusives because its not the same hardware but different which will offer different things.
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D3v1lwqer23
- 12:43pm BST - October 22nd, 2007
- 25
Sounds like Sony, MS and Nintendo will have to kiss an make up if this becomes a reality.
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wolfhawk |
WolfHawk- 12:56pm BST - October 22nd, 2007
- 26
This will not become a reality!!!! Hey EA if you want to code for just one "Universal Console" become a PC only developer!!!!! Oh ya, that's right, but then you have to code for 4000 different video cards, and then you have one guy online who has a way better advantage, because he has a $5000 PC, and you have some guy getting owned because he has the $500 PC with bare mimimum hardware requirements. EA you live in a fantasy world, go back to the basics and make some good games. If your to cheap to make them for every console then become a console specific developer and make some exculsives!!!!!
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alchemyuser1 |
alchemyuser1- 7:19pm BST - October 22nd, 2007
- 28
2 bad world's gonna end in 2012 o but hay maybe the last survivors of the extinction will make a universal gaming console.....we can only hope
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InfernoReaper |
GrimDarkling- 1:40am BST - October 24th, 2007
- 30
Stupid fascists. The day all 3 companies work together is the day I chew all my fingers off. Just a thought...controllers? Universal or what?
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PS3-The Ultimate Machine
- 5:29am BST - October 25th, 2007
- 31
It will never happen,the three GAMING GIANTS are wayyyyyyyyy too greedy to let that happen.
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bacontron
- 3:59pm BST - June 23rd, 2008
- 32
i have rockband and orange box. that being said 90% of the ea titles i've played lately were very disappointing compared to last gen ea. i hate ea trax, i hate the overall presentation throughout ea's sports and action titles, i hate them scooping up decent franchises and EAting their souls. ea is not the future of the industry and i don't give one good god damn what they say about it. they are massproducing shovelware onto every platform conceivable. gaming is no longer an art to them, it is a business. EA is a misnomer. i don't want games with $60 updates on an annual basis, i want games that transcend the years. games that will stand out for generations. i guess im not a big sports gamer. i can appreciate that rosters change on a yearly basis. but is EA really pushing the sports envelope? or just doing enough to keep up with the others. i guess i don't know enough to say. i don't know if having just one console to slack on will help ea make better games. i can see how it would help from THEIR point of view.
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