I think the Blue Man Group said it best; "I've been thinking about the future. I've been waiting for the day."
That day has come.
November saw the release and first blood of the next-gen console war, with Microsoft releasing its much-anticipated Xbox 360 (X360). The coming months will see the release of Sony's PlayStation3 (PS3) and, of course, Nintendo's Revolution. As of this moment, the console war has begun (again).
Recently I was given the opportunity to speak with Electronic Arts (EA) senior vice president and group studio general manager John Schappert about the next generation of home consoles and how his company plans to stay the high cost of development and software, how to keep the consumers happy, and his all-time favorite games.
"There are many aspects of next generation console development that we're excited about", said Schappert, "from robust online gameplay, to the portable elements of PSP, DS and mobile gaming, to the high definition graphics of the PS3 and Xbox 360, to the truly revolutionary new controller for the Nintendo Revolution. There truly is a lot to be excited about, more so than any other time in the history of our industry."
One of the biggest concerns facing gamers today is the rising cost of new games. Some in the industry, though, think these claims are bogus. Mark Rein, vice president of Epic Games, said the companies "make absolutely ridiculous statements" about development that "it's going to take $30 million to make a game and we need 300 people."
Schappert said he "wasn't present or aware of any such statements by EA, nor do I believe them to be true." Schappert would not comment directly on the prospect of new titles costing $60 or more, but says, "we [EA] continue to look for ways to leverage our size and development strength. As with anything, keeping our budgets manageable and delivering the best possible games are the goal. Whether it's redefining the way our game development teams are formed or leveraging our Renderware middleware across our development studios we continue to look for ways to develop smarter."
As for the future, Schappert said the public will "continue to see innovation in features as well as games - so whether it is feature innovation in your favorite franchise or richer online experiences and communities, including new ways to get content online, those are just a few examples. Smarter AI, deeper games, game innovations that create and define new genres the way SPORE has the potential to are some of the examples of what players can expect."
In the next generation, Schappert said gamers will "see both new franchises and others in development, you'll see beloved franchises with new games on new consoles and current consoles…Certainly two upcoming new games that we're excited about are SPORE and Superman."
Prior to Tokyo Game Show 2005, EA had gone on record as saying their main focus was on the X360 and PS3. But after Nintendo revealed the controller for Revolution, Schappert said, "Nintendo is a wonderful, valued partner and EA will continue to support and develop games for Nintendo consoles. We are very excited about the upcoming Revolution and its innovative, unique controller."
It would seem things are looking on the up-and-up for Nintendo fans. EA, considered the largest third-party developer, stands fully on-board with Revolution and DS, but what would a major gaming executive be without his all-time favorite games?
"I'd be perfectly happy with Zelda Ocarina of Time, Zelda Wind Waker, Super Mario 64, or Super Mario Sunshine. Actually, that list could probably extend to just about all Nintendo first party games," Schappert said. "They [Nintendo] continue to make some of the best games in our industry."
Once again, I would like to thank Mr. Schappert on behalf of all of us at WiiCafé for his time and effort and allowing the interview. A great big thank you goes out to the PR department at EA, as well, because this wouldn't have been possible without you.
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen - have a safe and happy holiday this year.
Kevin McGinnis
