Says Kinect and the 3DS are not going to push the industry forward.
What impressions did you have of this year's E3? Were you impressed with motion controls like Kinect and Playstation Move? Or perhaps Nintendo's 3DS stole the show for you? Well, the CEO of Square Enix, Yoichi Wada spoke with Venturebeat (via CVG) and said none of these announcements are going to drive the industry forward.
So what does Yoichi Wada feel is actually going to move the industry over the next few years? That'd be the digital platforms on each of the consoles. He went on to say, "What's being announced are the Nintendo 3DS, the Microsoft Kinect, and the Sony Move... frankly, these are not the most essential parts of the console technology. The key parts of the console technology are Xbox Live, PlayStation Network and WiiWare." This means that Wada feels that it'll be software pushing the games industry, and not the new hardware.
He did not deny the potential impact these new announcements could make though. After looking at what the Wii was able to do with attracting such a broad audience, Microsoft and Sony's attempts must be taken seriously as well. Wada said, "I think that what they have focused on for Kinect is very interesting and I hope they will attract an even wider audience," however he remained skeptical that it would break new ground, as he stated, "I would say it is no different from just the Wii."
So that leaves me with two questions for you.
The first is, do you believe the WiiWare platform will have the content and sales to compete with PSN and the XBLA?
And the second question is, how much of a threat do you feel Kinect and Move are going to be?
Sony president gives a new perspective
President of Sony's Worldwide Studios Shuhei Yoshida recently gave an interview to IGN where he spoke out against Nintendo's attacks on his company's 3D gaming efforts. It appears, in fact, that Sony wants to work with Nintendo to promote 3D gaming in general.
"I have hope that they have a broader perspective with 3D," Yoshida said. "When you listen to what they are saying about the effect of 3D perspective to the games, they are saying the same message we are, but they don't have to bash some small part of what the other company is doing."
That "small part" he's referring to is the glasses required for eye-popping visuals in most 3D, including Sony's plans for the PS3.
Those glasses, however, aren't a small part. They're the biggest hurdle. Personally speaking, I'm not sold on 3D yet. I think the 3DS looks like a nice upgrade, even without the 3D part. But not having to wear glasses is enough to at least keep an open mind and give it a shot.
It's hard to tell if Sony really wants to promote 3D in general or are looking to use "PR speak" to ride Nintendo's coat tails. I'm guessing the latter.
Capcom exec predicts new consoles soon
It's about that time. Certain industry folks are talking time frames for the next round of systems. All three consoles will see successors within three years according to David Reeve, current COO of Capcom and former Sony executive, Digital Trends reports.
“All the first-parties have got to be working on something,” said Reeve. “The tricky thing is when do you put a stake in the ground on technology? That’s the problem. You can be waiting a few extra months to implement something, but you’ve got to set a date to go with a certain chip at a certain point otherwise you’re going to miss the key milestones.”
In recent memory, most console generations have lasted around five years. The Xbox 360 will hit that milestone this fall followed by the Wii and PS3 next year. But is anyone ready for new hardware yet?
All three consoles continue to gain new features thanks to Internet connectivity and software updates. The Wii just gained the ability to stream Netflix this year, for example. Incremental hardware upgrades like Wii Motion Plus also help to extend a console's lifespan.
But the 3DS could be the first early shot in a new round of console wars. The handheld is capable of visuals nearly on par with the Wii. Add in that both of Nintendo's competitors will soon have rival motion controls and Nintendo just might be feeling pressure to release a new system with not only more power but new play experiences.
Mario creator suggests something new for next year
Details on Nintendo's future plans surfaced at the company's shareholders meeting on June 29. While there were no specific announcements, the tea leaves can still be parsed. Looking at the highlights, several statements stand out and one is especially exciting.
The biggest ear-perker was when Shigeru Miyamoto said, "It's about time for a new game character. Perhaps this can be delivered next year." What does he mean by new game character? While it could be another friend for Mario to romp around with, wishful thinkers can hold out for a new franchise. Nintendo properties don't come out very often, but when the do it's usually worth the wait.
It's great to see all the old favorites coming back for the 3DS but what would really send the handheld over the top were some strong original properties.
Miyamoto also mentioned he was hard at work on the new Pikmin game, saying he has to finish it quickly. It's curious Pikmin wasn't at E3 if production is indeed wrapping up soon.
Also, the creator of Mario and Zelda is famous for incorporating his hobbies into game concepts. He went out of his way to mention swimming. Perhaps Nintendo will finally have an answer to Ecco the Dolphin.
(Source: Andriasang)
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