Every console generation has had a new trick up its sleeve. Whereas the original PlayStation kicked off a few years of focused marketing that made video games a mainstream success utilising new CD-ROM technology, the original Xbox poured a concrete foundation for taking the action of games into online arenas.
The current generation? While a graphical upgrade has always been a primary attraction, Sony and Microsoft’s efforts to make the idea of sharing game experiences a very viable reality. Thanks to built-in capture devices and software, just about anyone with an Xbox One or a PlayStation 4 can grab some footage of their antics for a quick upload, or go a step further and start a livestream.
What does the next generation hold in store for gamers? If current trends are to be believed, it’s a future where streaming games plays a large role. Microsoft and Sony are looking to move away from traditional physical media for games, instead offering their best titles as cloud-based products. That’s an idea which can’t be supported without some of the biggest players in the game joining in on that act, and it sounds like EA is keen to head to the cloud as well with whatever console hardware is on the way.
“There are a few articles out there; a few rumours; and a little hearsay as to what [the new consoles are] and when they’re coming and what they might be, Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson said to GameSpot.
I don’t think we’re in a place today to have a conversation about that. But just know that we’ve worked with Microsoft and Sony and Nintendo for many, many years and we look forward to working with them for many, many years more, even if we all collectively seek to move–either some portion of or all of our experiences–to the cloud.
It’s still going to be a while before Sony and Microsoft even announce their future consoles. My money is on E3 2019 being the teaser for what’s to come, with a 2020 launch date. I’d also bet money on Microsoft being the industry leader on this move, as the green brand has been making some terrific strides in setting up a streaming ecosystem for the future.
November will see Xbox’s daddy hit the stage at the Mexico City X018 event. If there is an announcement planned for this year, X018 looks like a great platform to announce…something.
Last Updated: October 31, 2018
Ghost In The Rift
October 31, 2018 at 13:44
Bad news to anyone living in a third world country with bad internet infrastructure and pricing…unless it gets fixed in the next 2 years or so?!? i will treasure every hard copy i’ve got cuz they will save me when the net is down.
Magoo
October 31, 2018 at 14:08
Bah. I’m going to call bullshit. Imagine trying to migrate a whole gaming community or region to cloud based gaming without sacrificing any latency or input lag. This tech is still very far away and companies like EA are just making noise about it now because they know it’s coming and they want to be seen as the pioneers when it arrives.
Reminiscent of when Apple patented touch screen tech long before anyone even developed it.
Gavin Mannion
October 31, 2018 at 14:19
I actually think they all are going to push very hard to get the next consoles to be digital only. Means they can cut out the middle men when it comes to distributing and selling discs.
Cutting people out means more profit, this is the only reason they are pushing digital distribution