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NEWS
[LEADER] WAIT AND SEE? THE RUSH TO embrace 3D gaming as a way to reinvigorate the highgrade end of the gaming spectrum is certainly exciting. From the demos I have seen, it really can make triple-A content more compelling. And with many leaders in games psyched up for it, the industry can make a big splash with it at E3. It’s a far cry from the situation a year ago, which just left games like Avatar or early PS3 efforts to kick-start 3D’s place in games. But don’t be surprised if many air their reservations before E3 even begins. 3D is a big ask of people. And I don’t just mean the obvious concern that people don’t want to wear stereoscopic glasses all the time. While there isn’t that much of a huge impact on the bottom line when it comes to turning ‘normal’ games into 3D ones, the burden of cost falls heavily on consumers when it comes to playing them. These games need new vision hardware to run. And who in this climate, after having bought into the HD hype, is willing to buy a new 3D set?
“Could Nintendo’s efforts at the lower end of the 3D games spectrum be the key to unlocking stereoscopic games as a hot property?” I’m sure Screen Digest’s numbers aren’t that far off and that in five years millions of 3D TVs will be sold. But that’s still five years the industry will have to wait for the 3D promise to be fulfilled. In the meantime, 3D gaming might just remain the preserve of only the hardcore gamers willing to splash the cash. But perhaps Nintendo’s efforts at the lower end of the 3D games spectrum is the real key to unlocking stereoscopic games as a hot property. If played right by Nintendo, new handheld 3DS won’t just have a handy effect of rescuing the slumping DS market by introducing new hardware (hopefully with better anti-piracy elements) that consumers must upgrade to. Assuming its 3D elements are impressive enough, the 3DS can help spur consumer demand for these visually deeper games in the home, too. Nintendo’s now guaranteed mass-market reach means it has a bigger audience to make an impression on. As the 3DS includes the three-dimensional screen as standard, it could smooth out the mental leap many will need to make in justifying an upgrade for their screens at home. Of course, there are a lot of ifs there. It’s tricky to make bold predictions about devices few have seen yet without sounding like an idiot. And Nintendo is closely guarding its next handheld until E3. But broadly we can always expect Nintendo hardware to be economic in both design and price, and revolutionary in its impact. All of which sets the 3DS up as being the real driving force behind any switch to 3D gaming. Michael.French@intentmedia.co.uk
‘Online Pass gives great Peter Moore defends divisive pricing plan EA Sports says extra by Christopher Dring EA SPORTS president Peter Moore says the publisher’s controversial Online Pass allows the firm to deliver more and better digital content. Online Pass has proved divisive as it forces players who have bought a second-hand game to spend an extra $10 to unlock the online mode. Consumers that buy games new will not be affected by the initiative, which begins with Tiger Woods 11 next month.
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“Now we are looking at five million people a day on the EA Sports servers, so we have come a long way. “I look at the investment that we make in bringing digital experiences – building solid infrastructure, making sure servers stay up and offering customer support when needed. It all takes time, money and effort and we are at the cutting edge of that. “Online Pass is a way for us to frankly bring more digital experiences quicker. If it is
There is a cost to serve that we deserve to get paid for. $10 feels like a reasonable price for this service. Peter Moore, EA Sports
However Moore says that the sheer number of people using its online service every day is costly – and that secondhand sales have significantly reduced the firm’s catalogue business over recent years. “I remember getting very excited when 1,000 people came online to play NBA 2K on Dreamcast – that was a red letter day for us,” said Moore.
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going to be successful, it is up to us to create compelling, fresh, 365-days a year, digital experiences. And there is a cost to serve that we deserve to get paid for. “We used to do catalogue business, but that has diminished greatly and you can imagine why. $10 feels like a reasonable price for a game that will go on for months and months.”
EA Sports has also told MCV that its digital business has become a primary focus for the company because gamers are generally buying fewer titles than before. EA Sports’ senior VP of worldwide development Andrew Wilson added: “What our consumers are telling us, and the growth that we are seeing, is that the preference
NEW X FACTOR GAME IN THE WORKS?
A MULTIFORMAT X Factor game could be on the cards from TV production firm talkbackThames Digital. The company, which owns the rights to The X Factor and other brands including The Apprentice and Britain’s Got Talent, has told MCV it is working on “games and iPhone apps” for the shows. The firm has previously produced a 3D Grand Designs garden creator program and a Britain’s Got Talent iPhone app with footage and news from the show.