EA want ONE platform

[whatfruit]

Hey people I thought this article might intrest y'all

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7052420.stm

As we have seen EA buying alot of the old develpors and publishing houses. Could EA be condidering in moving into the market making a super platform or sonsole and if so DOES THAT NOT SCARE THE FUCK OUT OF. Ever since EA have been clearing up the quality of said developers and publishers of finished articles have dived. But in some ways i can see the point. I wish sega would come back and do what they did best make simple easy to play games that dont requier a fucking manual thicker than the complete works of shakespere and Context contorls so complicated that soon we will have the chance to selct to wipe our bottoms and worse still wather to use charmin or asda "shades".

[Sir_NutS]

I hope they do. The videogame industry is one of the few tech industries that divides it's hardware so much and has so many different standars and media. I hope one day we have a single console that will play all the fucking games and there won't be any more console wars on teh winterwebs EVER.

Not gonna happen but would be nice.

[DarkeSword]

Wishing for no console wars on the intarwebs is like wishing for no more intarwebs.

[Hyperion5182]

I for one prefer console wars. Competition is a good thing. EA is the devil anyway.

[Avatar of Justice]

I personally hope for a future where each different game requires a different console.

[whatfruit]

I personally hope for a future where each different game requires a different console.

LMAO! ha ha ha ha

[DarkeSword]

The title of this thread is really bothering me. It should be "EA Wants One Platform." Electronic Arts is a singular subject.

[Gollgagh]

The title of this thread is really bothering me. It should be "EA Wants One Platform." Electronic Arts is a singular subject.

The entire first post bothers me.

lern 2 typ moar bettar, kid

[The wingless]

Electronic Arts™ is a superlative company whose corporate decisions are bold and pragmatic, ensuring fiscal responsibility for both the common weal and wealth of the company, employees, and its wholly owned subsidiaries.

[whatfruit]

The entire first post bothers me.

lern 2 typ moar bettar, kid

I do aploogise for my ppor typing but i am using an external water proof keyboard after some fukcer poured wine over my keyboard thinking that it looked sad and could do witha drink.

[linkspast]

The entire first post bothers me.

lern 2 typ moar bettar, kid


This entire kid bothers me...

But one system would be great in theory, but I doubt as many amazing games would come out.

Now each game is trying to be THE game to have... Halo 3 which is only on one system,
But if that is gone then we get stuck with crap...

[Strike911]

Even though fanboys are annoying, console wars are good for the consumer.

How?

It forces the manufacturers to innovate and improve their systems. We wouldn't have Nintendo systems with DVDs if the Playstation didn't battle it out with the N64. We'd still be with cartridges if Nintendo had their way. We wouldn't have motion sensing capability on PS3 (and future consoles) if it weren't for the Wii. Both the Wii and PS3 allow for music playback in game which the original Xbox pioneered. Admittedly, the Wii and PS3 don't utilize this feature very much but it is possible. And XboxLive will be emulated by Sony and Nintendo (eventually... haha, not anytime soon but they'll try though...). And look, Nintendo's Mii concept was emulated by Sony in Home. And home is now being emulated by Microsoft, which was just recently announced. For the consumer this is good. We get new stuff, new content for the console(s) we purcashed.

Without competition we would still be in the N64/Playstation generation. There would be no need to innovate, no need for better graphics, because we would all be at the mercy of one company giving us the same old stuff. Sure, we'd get games, but we wouldn't see interesting things like motino control and online play if Nintendo was in charge from 1990 on. Seriously, their online model was in response to the overwhelming success of XboxLive. Reggie has said this in interviews. Competition is good. Fanboys can kick and scream how companies are stealing each other's ideas, but in the end we get better systems out of it, now and in the future.

[The Coop]

Electronic Arts™ is a superlative company whose corporate decisions are bold and pragmatic, ensuring fiscal responsibility for both the common weal and wealth of the company, employees, and its wholly owned subsidiaries.

Hello company line. How are you today? :lol:

[Dhsu]

SHILL'D :p

[herograw]

The title of this thread is really bothering me. It should be "EA Wants One Platform." Electronic Arts is a singular subject.

It's great how you point out the title is bothering you, as opposed to, say, the entire 1st post.

and update my kirby mirror already!

[The Coop]

In a sense, EA making their own console would work. Why? Because EA has quite a few smaller companies under its belt, so it has the means to create a steady stream of "exclusive" titles... much like Sega used to, and Microsoft/Nintendo/Sony currently do. The question would be, could they get other third parties like Sega, Konami, Capcom and them to make games for their system as well? That could be problem, as there are already three, four or more versions of various games being made now.


But, as for their desire to have a single system to play everything, were already have that. It's called a PC. A little tweaking, and you can play games all the way up to the GBA, PS1 and N64 on it, with the DS, XBox and PS2 likely being worked on :-D


...

Okay, bad joke. But in all seriousness, that idea wouldn't work. One system means that everyone currently making consoles would have to agree on the hardware, and that's no going to happen. Even if this single unit had the best technology available in it, Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft would look at it, see something they could do better, and run off to make their own version of it so they could get that extra profit. And even if they did agree on the console, each company would start making their own add-ons for it as well, which would result in a very similar set up to what we have now ("Want to play our games? Buy our add-on!"). Not to mention, the idea of Nintendo/Sony/Microsoft having their first party titles on the same system as one of their competitor's first party titles probably sends chills down the spines of their respective CEOs.

[Kiyosuki]

As annoying as the console war weirdness is, having no competition between companies in any business is usually not a good thing.

[Antipode]

It might be good for the industry but I can't see it being good for EA...everyone buys their games for all systems - I think if they made them exclusively no one would buy. I mean, I certainly wouldn't buy a whole new console to JUST be able to play Madden and Medal of Honor...

[The Coop]

It might be good for the industry but I can't see it being good for EA...everyone buys their games for all systems - I think if they made them exclusively no one would buy. I mean, I certainly wouldn't buy a whole new console to JUST be able to play Madden and Medal of Honor...

If they marketed it right, all the football nuts would indeed by a new system for Madden... especially with that NFL exclusivity thing.

[Antipode]

Actually, I think you might be right...one of my roommates ONLY plays EA sports games, so it'd be perfect for him. I guess if nothing else it'd be a big blow to all the other companies - EA does make some popular stuff, after all.

[Bigfoot]

I miss the days of just 2 consoles. The good ol' war of Nintendo and Sega.

[yangfeili]

I miss the days of just 2 consoles. The good ol' war of Nintendo and Sega.

As do I. I particularly miss the later phase of that competition, where the SNES was pretty well dominating, and yet some of the greatest games ever came out during that period (sort of messes with the whole "We need competition" thing).

[kamoh]

Well fuck them.

[Prodigal Moon]

I'm for anything that allows us to have access to a larger selection of games on a single system. I don't know who has $1000 to spend to make they can play MGS 4 and Halo.

There's got to be a way to establish a standard that all games and systems would work with, while allowing console makers to continue to compete based on whose box is cheaper, runs more smoothly, or has added features (live, home, blu-ray), etc. I guess that would pretty much be a gaming-only PC, actually.

[The Coop]

I miss the days of just 2 consoles. The good ol' war of Nintendo and Sega.

That was a fun era, yes? Sure, Nintendo was ruling the roost in the 8bit era, but the Genesis gave the SNES a real run for the money up until the 32bit era started. Some great ideas and games came from the two of them trying to one-up each other in their battle for first.

Of course, NEC was in the background for a while, but they didn't really pose much of a thread to either Sega or Nintendo.

[OverCoat]

I hope one day we have a single console that will play all the fucking games

like... the PC?

though emulation has kind of stagnated recently hasn't it

[GeckoYamori]

This is a stupid assumption. Why would they spend enormous amounts of money on a single system of their own when they they're already earning trillions from selling Madden on PS2, PS3 and Xbox 360 without having to bother with hardware of their own?

[Neonlare]

This is a stupid assumption. Why would they spend enormous amounts of money on a single system of their own when they they're already earning trillions from selling Madden on PS2, PS3 and Xbox 360 without having to bother with hardware of their own?

Capitalization.

[The Coop]

This is a stupid assumption. Why would they spend enormous amounts of money on a single system of their own when they they're already earning trillions from selling Madden on PS2, PS3 and Xbox 360 without having to bother with hardware of their own?

Stupid? I don't think so. Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony have had their franchises on their own systems for years (and Sega once upon a time). They could make a lot more money going multi-system with their popular franchises, but for whatever reasons, they're one system only.

[PassivePretentiousness]

The current market structure of the industry makes sense to me. There is no reason to believe that a shift to consolidation of different systems is likely, let alone desirable. The only change I see possible in the next decade is room for smaller, specialized companies making consoles that cater to specific audiences as the size of the market continues to grow. I'm surprised that hasn't already happened more.

[Dexie]

Ps2 emulator?!?!?!

[Dhsu]

ROFL Microsoft!

[Steben]

EA wants just one vg remixing site.

http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/04/01/221247

[megadave]

Competition is extremely important. That competition drives the games industry to make good software. Variation is also extremely important. EA are wrong on so many levels. They are the new world order threat of the games industry.

[sephfire]

I'm not sure why some people assume this means EA wants to put their own console on the market. I am sure that the EA hate is a bit over-blown, though.

[Drack]

If you read what the article really says, EA's platform will include everybody's hardware, but when you put a disc in, you don't know/care which console inside this mega-console is being used. Also some stuff about advanced networking, lie some of the games may be based around some sort of thin client.

Sounds to me like they're pushing an uber-expensive omniconsole. Not a good idea in my opinion.

And in the EA bashing, folks, I don't like em any more than you do, but this is a hardware idea. Really has nothing to do with software.

[sephfire]

If you read what the article really says, EA's platform will include everybody's hardware, but when you put a disc in, you don't know/care which console inside this mega-console is being used. Also some stuff about advanced networking, lie some of the games may be based around some sort of thin client.

I am not sure how long we will have dedicated consoles - but we could be talking up to 15 years," Mr Florin added.

He predicted that server-based games streamed to PCs or set-top boxes, would become increasingly important.


I don't see anything in there that suggests they want to enter the console ring, at least not now. Perhaps they will be working on such an "open console" themselves in the future, but for now, he seems to just be making predictions about the directions gaming hardware will take in the next fifteen years.

Nothing in there seems to suggest an EA super-platform happening any time in the near future.

[shikigami]

man who knew EA were such socialists on top of slave-driving nazis?

[megadave]

man who knew EA were such socialists on top of slave-driving nazis?

Yep, that's what I've heard too:

http://ea-spouse.livejournal.com/274.html

[The Author]

Two words come to mind:

Crash


Burn

[Guy In Rubber Suit]

The idea of one console is nothing new. I read of several top industry heads wanting one console as well, or at least predicting that the future will go in that direction. I don't know off the top of my head but I imagine a simple Google search will yield some results.

I like the idea of one console though I wouldn't want to see one company make it. A collaboration of companies and they license out the technology, kind of like the VCR, DVD player, the Blu-Ray player or HDDVD player. Granted going in this direction it probably would make it more PC like but then again the current crop of systems have very similar PC ideas such as downloadable content, mods, patches, harddrives and hell you even have to install some shit now to get somewhere. PCs are going the more console route by have a more plug and play kind of interface, example being the software will install in the background while you play the game.

I imagine as we head towards more download only content, we'll see a one platform war, however there might be different service plans you might have to suscribe to in order to download them. So in that regard, we can have our console war only it'll be the subscription war.

[whatfruit]

Yep, that's what I've heard too:

http://ea-spouse.livejournal.com/274.html

i read this article and it made me sick to my stomach. I have started to think that EA has been killing the games industry for some years becasue every old software production house that they absorb loses all creatvivty and churns out half baked sequel after half baked sequel (FIFA games are the ideal mould to look at and is in some way why their populartiy has fallen and Pro Evo rise has been so prominet in the football game of choice) also the last Oddworld game strangers Wrath was poor and did not feel Oddworld at all but a genric shooter. The medal of Hounour games have also fallen in quality.

yes they may have better graphics, but the innovation that is absent and so more prominet in smaller or independent houses not owned by EA.

The problem horrible thing that EA has done is taken the Game making process out of the hands of the game lovers (programmers, artists)who actually love their art and want to push the barriers on game interaction and placed it in the hands of the suits. The suits dont give a flying fuck about game design and player interaction they simply want their money.

The only way i can see a real change in EA is if the technical people striked for better conditions, better pay packets and to have more control over what they were producing. The problem there is that they would simply employ people who would be more than happy to work in the competitive industry. The only way it could work is if it was an industry wide strike.

an EA CEO http://www.oddworld.com/universe/industrial/characters/glukkons/molluck_assets/cg_assets/scroll_cg06.jpg

[Citris]

Actually, as far as I know, I've been boycotting EA for years. I say "as far as I know" because business structure has always been confusing to me, so I may be buying from companies who are owned by EA.

Basically if it says "EA" on it, I don't buy it.

[megadave]

Less moaning about typing, and more EA hate please. My thirst for hating them is unquenchable.

[whatfruit]

another great independent studio succombs to the big EA machine. This makes me cry I love Bioware and Pandemic. Here it comes folks shit Knights of the Old republic games, shit Rpgs and shit new FPS

http://www.bioware.com/bioware_info/press_releases/2007_10_11_EA_to_acquire_bioware_pandemic/EA_to_acquire_bioware_pandemic.pdf

[Katsurugi]

Electronic Arts™ is a superlative company whose corporate decisions are bold and pragmatic, ensuring fiscal responsibility for both the common weal and wealth of the company, employees, and its wholly owned subsidiaries.

I agree with The wingless. Having a single platform would simply make it easier for EA to pick off smaller independent game developers. Really, it would just be favorable to EA rather than the console gaming industry. Though there would be less hardware competition, on the software side, this would grow exponentially. Smaller companies wouldn't really stand a chance unless they had a large budget or helped by a certain larger company. I think EA hasn't had enough of messing around with game development teams.

Also, the grammar in the title really annoys me. I almost wish I didn't post so it could fall off of the first page.

[anosou]

I hope they do. The videogame industry is one of the few tech industries that divides it's hardware so much and has so many different standars and media. I hope one day we have a single console that will play all the fucking games and there won't be any more console wars on teh winterwebs EVER.

Not gonna happen but would be nice.

It would send the prices skyrocketing though.
so yeah, one platform is suckage

[megadave]

One console wouldn't be enough to satisfy the needs of all gamers. You can't have a console with the power of the Xbox 360 and PS3 and the accessibility and low cost of the Wii. It's impossible. You pick which one best suits you and go with it (if you're good with money, you can get all of them).

What EA wants is basically just a PC, and that just isn't going to work. I mean, I want EA to die a horrible death, but it just isn't going to happen and there are people besides me who want different things.

For instance, lets imagine a store - A really big store, that has everything that the consumer needs: Electronics, food, music, furniture, drugs, car repair, clothing, jewelry, gasoline - And lets make all of the prices unbelievably low. This store will buy out all of those other stores (well, as many as possible), and those stores won't be able to compete. Those other stores may make better products and offer a better service, but they won't have the chance because big store has more locations and has put various restrictions on the companies who make the products it carries.

The experience will become grating. You will only have that one store to choose from, as the other places have been choked out. There will only be one company for employees to work. When you go in, the lines will be clogged and the employees will be so overworked and stressed that creativity will be very low on their list of priorities. The other customers will push, get in the way, and generally act like retards.

But now you have no other choice. You shopped there, while you could have shopped somewhere else. You could have went to that little corner store and paid a little extra. But no. You bought the same product again and again, even though each one was just a simple rehash of its predecessor. The little corner store is closed now, and the family had to move into a smaller house and get on welfare for a while.

This is what happens when you buy Madden NFL 06, 07, and 08 (well in the case of EA, any of their games). This is what happens when you dismiss a game because it's too "kiddy" or too "weird". This is what happens when you only play the big titles like Halo, Mario, and Final Fantasy and skip out on games like Viewtiful Joe. This is what happens when you say "There is only one console worth buying".

EA and many other companies are hurting the game industry. But so is the consumer. You, the consumer, have to make smart decisions as a consumer and keep your industry healthy. Without you, none of these companies would be anything.

[anosou]

This is what happens when you only play the big titles like Halo, Mario, and Final Fantasy and skip out on games like Viewtiful Joe.

I like you.
I try to do that, too bad Final Fantasy is a great series of game. Otherwise I would diss it.
Actually nowadays I'm trying to find all the obscure-but-good titles for the PS 1 & PS2. Slow progress but I'm getting there: http://soundscape.escariot.net/games/

[E sharp]

Yep, that's what I've heard too:

http://ea-spouse.livejournal.com/274.html

"EA's bright and shiny new corporate trademark is "Challenge Everything." Where this applies is not exactly clear. Churning out one licensed football game after another doesn't sound like challenging much of anything to me"

Yeah....I never really liked EA. They don't really produce any that involves creativity if you ask me. All of their games are produced for Dumb Jocks for the most part.

[megadave]

I like you.
I try to do that, too bad Final Fantasy is a great series of game. Otherwise I would diss it.
Actually nowadays I'm trying to find all the obscure-but-good titles for the PS 1 & PS2. Slow progress but I'm getting there: http://soundscape.escariot.net/games/

Anna K. tennis, I can see why you bought that game. I'd say you have me beat. Most of my odd titles are virtual console games. I downloaded World Heroes the other day. It's a blast (wish part 2 would come out soon, what other game lets you put a pirate against a football player?).

[The Coop]

Anna K. tennis, I can see why you bought that game. I'd say you have me beat. Most of my odd titles are virtual console games. I downloaded World Heroes the other day. It's a blast (wish part 2 would come out soon, what other game lets you put a pirate against a football player?).

Eternal Champions: Challenge From the Dark Side let's you play as a pirate versus a chicken or a hoop snake. Beat that :lol:

[sephfire]

Whatever problems our kind might have with EA, they didn't grow this large selling stuff that no one wanted. Their business model may not thrill us, but it's proven to be profitable to them, and they would be idiots to abandon a succesful business strategy.

[anosou]

Anna K. tennis, I can see why you bought that game. I'd say you have me beat. Most of my odd titles are virtual console games. I downloaded World Heroes the other day. It's a blast (wish part 2 would come out soon, what other game lets you put a pirate against a football player?).

Anna Kournikova's smash court tennis is one of the finest multiplayer experience on the Playstation! :O I played it constantly with my friend. I mean, you can play as Yoshimitsu or PAC-MAN and have loads of stupid tools to hit the ball with. and it's probably less than $7 :D

I've yet to own a current-gen console so this downloading thing ain't my cup of tea yet. Though I REALLY look forward to virtual console. Since I'm born in 89 I kinda missed out on many many good games.

I feel like I'll have to start a website for real and do a column on obscure games..