EA calls for single open platform

[disciple]

Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo should abandon the console wars and help build a common gaming platform, a senior executive at Electronic Arts has said.

Gerhard Florin said incompatible consoles made life harder for developers and consumers.

"We want an open, standard platform which is much easier than having five which are not compatible," said EA's head of international publishing.

He said the web and set-top boxes would grow in importance to the industry.

"We're platform agnostic and we definitely don't want to have one platform which is a walled garden," said Mr Florin.

EA currently produces games for more than 14 different gaming systems, including consoles, portable devices and PCs.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7052420.stm

one solitary gaming platform? ahm.. NO eh..

[Crixx_Creww]

why not?

one platform to rule them all?

so developers could focus on rocking out with their ***** out in game play an graphics?>?

[disciple]

they have the PC for that..


one console... that go be like TSTT with no digicel all over again

[Spazosaurus]

I agree with Disciple. That describes almost exactly the scenario with PC. One single platform (Windows) though not open, is still one platform on which the vast majority of serious gamers game on.

So you have all developers developing games for a single platform........sounds like PC to me.

Makes me wonder once again.....why can't dev's code games to run on a standard of PC hardware rather than have people upgrade to the latest anytime they want to play a latest title. With EA suggesting something like this, im now convinced its possible, but the people responsible are just unwilling to do it.

[Exar_Kun]

The ideals of capitalism won't allow this to happen. No one is going to be willing to drop their own console division to build a unified system.

But I can only hope EA gets brave and tries. And fails. And goes out of business. Because:
<-- see avatar

[Crixx_Creww]

captain awesome
yu do know that console gamers make up of the gamers world wide right
and that pc gaming is in the minority in the industry.


disciple, how the hell would that be like tstt with no digicell?

if all the console makers came together and created one platform it would have the best most workable ideas from all the platforms in one.

it wont be about one company having a state monopoly on a service...
complete incorrect comparison dude.

[Spazosaurus]

Im not denying that consoles gamers are in the majority. What im saying is that if something like this, a common gaming platform is introduced, it wont be much different from pc's. Why? Because you have multiple developers who would normally develop for multiple platforms, just develop for one now. In that sense, consoles will be just like pc's.

That said, I reiterate. If they could make one common console that has a life cycle of...lets say 2 years, I cant see a reason why the same can't happen for pc.

Now don't get me wrong, I love the upgrade scene every year because we get to see the absolute best graphics in the industry because devs have ever increasingly powerful hardware to play with, but, at the same time, code the damn games so that people with older hardware can also confortably play newer games.

[Synchronomyst]

EA only wants this to advance their developer monopoly and maximize their profits. This his nothing to do with the gamer at heart. Disgusting.

And the idea of all console developers consolidating into one company is the most idealistic bunch of shit I've ever heard, especially when all companies have radically different business models and priorities and ideals that they'd like to promote with their single consoles. The fantastic bureaucracy that'd create within the industry is actually terrible for gamers. How do you divide profits? How do you decide which idea has more merit than the other? Competition facilitates creativity. A move away from diversification to consolidation is a step backwards.

Once again, the PC is there. It is up to the developers to decide whether or not they want to migrate. The reason why the majority of gaming and in turn developers are focused on consoles is solely because they were far more accessible to the general public in the advent of home gaming. Times have changed radically. There are for more PC's in households than there are 7th generation consoles. If they want standardization in the industry then they should discuss that as software developers and not even nearly suggest that to the hardware developers...neither on the console or PC side of gaming.

[disciple]

disciple, how the hell would that be like tstt with no digicell?

if all the console makers came together and created one platform it would have the best most workable ideas from all the platforms in one.

it wont be about one company having a state monopoly on a service...
complete incorrect comparison dude.

competition breeds innovation.
if there were only one console, innovation would not die, but it would move along at a slower pace (cuz.. innovation takes money.. and why speed up when there is no burning need to)

in a perfect world , the situation you describe , with everyone contributing equally , you'd have a perfect console..

but that would never happen...   microsoft would want part A in, but sony would want their interpretaton of it, cuz at the end of the day, they'd get more money off consoles sold if they contribute more to its design

would something as diiferent  the wiimote have a place in the 'one console' >? perhaps not..  a lot of people were sceptical about it before, and let's say MS and sony would be too, and veto it  ( yeh it could sell as a after-market accessory... but we know how successful those things are, right>?) so apply that to anything 'different'


i say tstt before digicel, in the sense that there would probably be  no motivation to offer the consumer more than they ( console maker) feels like ( okay.. we close to there right now LOL)
but how about a situation where u pay for the console alone.. and you hadda pay for everything else ( as in power cables, controls, memory)   
i mean.. forget about value bundles...  is not like you gonna complain... wha's the alternative?


and they could charge how much ever they want for the console... they doh have to price it competively against other products.. there won't be any

so instead of takin a hit  early on, and waiting for the volume,later reductions in manufacturing costs and game licenses to catch up and make the console profitable,

they could price it to make a profit from the get go.. charge as much as they want... cuz they the only game in town

(which, of course, would only be detrimental if they have some exorbitant price.. if it affordable, that point would be moot )

[Arcmanov]

On the surface it seems like a good idea, but its just an EA 'pipe dream'.  Every game company wants to
establish their own space with their own distinctive product, so...ahm...no.  This idea might not ever see
the light of day.

Its still a good idea though.

[Spazosaurus]

As someone mentioned, something like this is a pipe dream. There's a lot more money to be made by having thngs just the way they are. Sony and the rest are probably scoffing at that idea put out by EA.

[disciple]

but on the real, tho..


EA have the franchises and probably the war chest of dough to eventually make their own console... trhow some hardware men from sony, nintendo, ms.. or even sega, and they could do it..

i sure if they pull Madden from other consoles, and make it a EA console exclusive, they go real sell..  ( granted in the states mostly.. but thas still a success to build from)

[AR!Ø]

it would be cool tho. think of the possibilities of games...it could be more than putting a character from here in this etc.
personally i find EA get too damn big and it should be brought down from within (cue evil laughter). this might do just that....