With HD and motion control having become a part of most consumers' lives already, manufacturers and publishers are looking for the next feature they throw on the list. Sony and Nintendo have bet on 3D as the next big thing, with Sony pushing an entire line of 3D-enabled products and Nintendo surprising the world with the glasses-free 3DS. Despite being the publisher of Crysis 2, the title that wants to be the 'Avatar' of 3D games, Electronic Arts is less than enthusiastic about the technology.
"While there's no doubt that our industry will have its 'Avatar', where 3D is a defining aspect of the game ... I'm mostly interested, with all the mobile devices that are coming out, in how they're being connected to one another and how the same IP is shared over the top. I think that's actually a bigger driver for EA and the industry in the near term,” said EA’s COO John Schappert.
Schappert believes that other fledgling technology is far more important, including IPTV and mobile.
"I'm more in the camp that IPTV is a bigger idea for gaming, at least in the near term, than 3D is. It just provides a better social experience and you know that consumers playing with one another is a very positive and powerful motivator,” he continued.
Analysts have previously told IndustryGamers that products like Google TV could be real game-changers in the industry.
“We believe smart-TVs will enable browser based game play in the living room… including Droid game apps being converted to Google TV apps. We think game applications through Google TV will prove highly popular and with immediate capacity,” said Mike Hickey of Janco Partners back in October of last year.
Is IPTV the future to you?
