DICE: Second screen not a fad, will play a role in studio's future games

Second screen technology will not be a short-lived fad, DICE creative director Lars Gustavsson believes, but a mechanic the developer will look to take advantage of in all of its games going forward.

[GarrusVakarian]

I disagree, i think tablet companion apps are fads but that's not to say i think they are bad....I think some are pretty cool (like the BF4 companion app for commander mode). But, tablets have a huge mainstream focus at the moment (nothing wrong with that) and in a few years everyone will have moved onto the next big thing. But hey, things come and go, i guess you could call most things a fad, just some fads last longer than others.

[malokevi]

Tablets are the natural evolution of PCs, and we still have those around. Sci-fi authors have been predicting tablet-style touch devices (desks) for decades. I don't see tablets/touch devices going anywhere for a long, long time.

Many of the people I know own one, or intend to get one in the near future.

[GarrusVakarian]

I would say they are a more of a temporary "branching off" product than a natural evolution of PC's, i would call laptops natural evolution of the PC. I believe the traditional home PC/laptop will still be here long after tablets have grown out of fashion. I too intent on getting an e-reader, so im not biased against tablets.

[malokevi]

Computing tech... so hard to predict where it's gonna go. I think that once touch/voice has been perfected, PCs will all but fade from existence. But that's still a ways off.

I just like to imagine minority-report style consoles where people are waving their hands, issuing voice commands, and thinking at their computers. Though, maybe more fantasy than reality at this point.

PCs will be around for the foreseeable future, though. For business/creative purposes, they are second to none. We need the tactile responsiveness of mouse/keyboard until a viable alternative is discovered.

[SkullBlade169]

I have one and it is in no way a natural evolution of a PC. It is a glorified mobile phone without the phone.

I admit, it's hardware is powerful for its size and I've seen some nice games run on it, but both iOS and Android are so limited GUI wise and aren't as functional as an OS on a desktop PC.

Tablets are simple side-devices for simpler applications, not replacements.

[malokevi]

But mobile phones are also a natural evolution of the PC...

I don't know why you're splitting hairs? They are all computers that fit in your pocket. This argument is silly.

[SkullBlade169]

We may as well go further and say that a digital watch is now the natural evolution of the PC by your logic, since they can now run simple programs.

[guitarded77]

Commander Mode for Star Wars Battlefront?!?!?! That could be interesting if they have ground to space battles.

[SpiralTear]

If it's not a fad, DICE, then prove it.

Make it integral. Make it feel essential to the overall experience and not seem like a cheap, shoehorned way to artificially broaden a game's appeal.

[Crazay]

I've yet to see any real good or practical use of "Second Screen" in any way EXCEPT for Madden when you're playing with a friend in the same room on the same screen. It's too distracting. For the Walking Dead, you miss the show, for games, you get killed. Until they (Developers) really show us some well thought out practical uses for it, I'll pass because I see nothing worthy yet.

[ricochetmg]

A game like MAg would benefit from a second screen.

[MilkMan]

Huh?!
Wtf did I just read? Why they complaining about WiiU then?