Topic: EA wants to turn all IP's into online universes and across multiple devices

[MysterD]

G4TV -> EA wants to turn all IP's into online universes and across multiple devices.

Electronic Arts would like to turn all of its brands into "online universes."

To EA's Northern Europe boss Keith Ramsdale, speaking at the company's UK showcase this week, that doesn't necessarily mean an MMO or online play; it means being able to play a "brand" across multiple devices, each one contributing to a singular goal and profile. Think of Mass Effect 3's multiplayer game, with free iPhone app and paid iPhone app, all of which work together toward a common experience.

Here's how Ramsdale describes a hypothetical, future version of FIFA:
"Imagine a player gets up in the morning, plays an online match on his 360 before going to work. On the bus, on his way to work, he practices his free kicks on his tablet. At lunch he looks at the transfer window on his PC. On the way home he chooses his kit on his smartphone."

[Quemaqua]

Is it just me, or does this seem ludicrous? I mean, we already spend way too much fucking time playing games. Now we need to devote every waking second to playing the same thing?

[MysterD]

No, it's not just you, Que.
I think their idea is insane - but, for other reasons.

I just can't see playing said game on my PC; doing something else related to it on a phone; and etc etc.
Talk about diluting the experience.

Why not just let me play said entire game on any platform?
I buy it ONCE somewhere [PC, X360, etc] - I own that game for EVERY platform.
And then, if I want - I can take my saved games to put them on The Cloud and/or save locally on whatever device.

Only thing that might be a challenge for dev's to figure out - different UI's and controls per each platform.

[gpw11]

Only thing that might be a challenge for dev's to figure out - different UI's and controls per each platform.

Well, I don't think they're saying they want the same game across all platforms, per say, (also, I didn't read the article at all) but rather that the ip will become a universe where many games take place across various platforms.  So, you have the main Mass Effect games on consoles and the PC, and you have an action-based iphone/android game, and a RTS game on the tablets. Completely different games within the same universe and I imagine there'd be benefits for playing the different side games, kinda like what they've experimented with in ME3.

I think it COULD work and be pretty cool, with the right IP and if it was pulled off correctly.  Of course, it probably won't be and we'll find that the individual games aren't self-contained at all anymore and we'll all be pissed about it.

[Xessive]

Yeah, I see where they're going with this.

In ME3 you can get the ME3 Datapad app for iOS and basically use it to track info/progress and also use the Galaxy Map by deploying fleets to help raise the war rating of each section.

It's an interesting concept but like Que said I can't see anyone but hardcore fans living and breathing the same material daily. I'd be into it with certain franchises, just depends on what I'm really drawn into.

[Quemaqua]

I think it's just something I've been thinking about lately. Like commercials for Vita that advertise the same thing with the tagline "NEVER STOP PLAYING". Really? How about you put down the fucking videogame and get a life instead? I mean, I love games, I love the hell out of games, but at some point don't you just start wondering if there isn't entirely too large a portion of our society that lives to do nothing but entertain itself?

I don't know. I guess my mindset has changed so much that this stuff bothers me. I still love to escape into the world of a game, but I also wonder how much better my life might be right now if I hadn't let myself waste so much time on the shit as a younger man.

[Cobra951]

. . .

I don't know. I guess my mindset has changed so much that this stuff bothers me. I still love to escape into the world of a game, but I also wonder how much better my life might be right now if I hadn't let myself waste so much time on the shit as a younger man.

I'm right there with you.

[Xessive]

I can appreciate the cross-platform universe span but what I'm more interested in is cross-platform gameplay, specifically cross-platform multiplayer.

I understand that since EA aren't hardware manufacturers they may not have a strong position to influence it, or they may not even want it, but we know it's possible and has already been done with few select titles.

[Cools!]

For some games it'd be cool, but personally I'd hate having to buy multiple platforms and games to get the "complete" experience. I'm fine with add-on apps like stats, streaming, etc. for things like mobile devices.

[Pugnate]

I don't know. I guess my mindset has changed so much that this stuff bothers me. I still love to escape into the world of a game, but I also wonder how much better my life might be right now if I hadn't let myself waste so much time on the shit as a younger man.

I think you are going through a bit of a crisis. I went through the same for a while and only got out of it recently. I too started blaming games.

Trust me, when you are on track with things in your life, it will all seem fine. You didn't waste anything on anything. Everything happens the way it should to make you the person you are today.

Be patient. You will find success with your writing buddy. You are supremely talented.