Florin calls for single gaming platform

[Shrygue]

via Games Industry (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=29802)


EA's Gerhard Florin has said he wants to see one single gaming platform rather than a handful of incompatible consoles.

Talking with the BBC about the difficulties of developing for multiple systems, he said that within around 15 years we could see a dedicated platform that would play everything.


"We want an open, standard platform which is much easier than having five which are not compatible," Florin told the BBC.

"You don't need an Xbox 360, PS3 or Wii - the consumer won't even realise the platform it is being played on."

Florin feels that hardware could take the shape of the increasingly powerful set-top boxes that can already handle HD streams and provide access to the Internet.

But he said it is also important that everything stays open and that no one puts up a "walled garden", a closed monopoly on the service where everything has to be published by the owner - much like the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live.

[The King]

no they shount do this
this will ruin not just the companys competition but it will also ruin some of the video game variety and likings

[SSaxdude]

Nintendo had a monopoly on the US console scene from 1985-1989. It was convenient to have one widespread console, but Nintendo abused this power because they had the monopoly. Look at the unlicensed Tengen games. I'm willing to bet that if Sega's Master System was as popular as the NES, Tengen might have considered releasing their games for the MS instead of the NES (hoping that Sega wouldn't sue them to death for releasing unlicensed games.)

[mastersho]

Yeah this is an ideal, and this is the only thing it can be. To have one Console for all games here in now would cause too many problems to list(and I'm not even gonna try and list them all) and might even put off some gamers and mostly all fanboys.

[XDelusion]

It's called: Hack your freaking XBOX! ;)


Might was well have a one world government too, as well as a one world currency.

[The King]

It's called: Hack your freaking XBOX! ;)


Might was well have a one world government too, as well as a one world currency.
lol

[Shadowblind]

This is a great idea--think Wii+360+PS3=Insane at $350 or less. And alllll the games come with it.

It can never happen though. Too stuck up to ask the other to merge and too stuck up to welcome a merge. However, that would cause problems just as has happend with nations that aren't fully bonded.

[sonofsamus]

single gaming platform
It's called a PC.



Oops, I forgot that PCs allow homebrew by nature, and the industry just hates that.

[NeoXCS]

It's called a PC.



Oops, I forgot that PCs allow homebrew by nature, and the industry just hates that.

I was gonna say the same thing! :rofl: I mean that just sounds like a computer with all the games compatible. You'd probably have to upgrade it for the next gen games or else it would go slow and everything! :rolleyes:

[osgeld]

yea 1 game console made by many manufactures sounds awesome *sarcastic tone*

its been tried, during the peak of video games with cd-i and 3do

both failed because by the time everyone got what they wanted in the system it cost 2-3 times as much as the then current consoles

then they didnt do anything perticulary well, they would suck at 2d games,and really sucked at 3d games

so what you ended up with is craptastic fmv choose the path games and that god aweful zelda adventure thing

besides its not like poor or lil EA cant afford some extra dev teams

[Shadowblind]

You have to continually update a PC over and over and they're are so many things to make it not work, drivers, viruses, sound cards, RAM, hard drive, CPU....its far easier to make a game a console with all the specs already laid out.

[jungletek]

You have to continually update a PC over and over and they're are so many things to make it not work, drivers, viruses, sound cards, RAM, hard drive, CPU....its far easier to develop for a game a console with all the specs already laid out.

Fixed :D

[Shadowblind]

Fixed :D

Lol, thanks I guess :p

When you have the perfect specs for games on PC (just got a new graphics card, DX10 is KICKA**!) then it can be a helluva great gaming system. But, there also comes the producer. Sony and Nintendo seem to despise giving their games to any audience beyond their consoles. Now you know why I have so much respect for MS. They do make extremely stupid decisions regarding Vista only games, but seeing as there are practically only 2 Vista only games out....it seems MS has fixed this error, as is very obvious with its recent releases, not to mention gears of War for both XP and Vista.

[Eyedunno]

Anyone who thinks this is actually a good idea is a tool. It makes sense for video formats, but not for consoles, as there are a lot more variables, such as control modes and the whole cost vs. features conundrum.

Here's an idea, Florin. You get one development team together for each game, then release the sources when they're done. That way, anybody can compile it for any cons... Wait! Where are you going, Gerhard?! I wasn't done telling you my awesome idea! Oh well.