Console exclusives are dying - EA founder

EA founder Trip Hawkins has predicted the death of the traditional games console's dominance - forecasting that all future gaming will be Cloud-based.

Hawkins believes that developers will need to cross "platform boundaries" to succeed in this brave new world - bringing an end to console exclusives such as Alan Wake and Heavy Rain - as games will be playable via multiple devices.

[NYC_Gamer]

console exclusives are alive and kicking on the ps3&wii

[Shoko]

So he says this because he feels that a developer working on one system can't succeed? Bungee? Naughty Dog? GG? The thing is, exclusives TEND TO BE higher quality than multi-plats, so they're still successful although they're only on one console. Heck, there's plenty of exclusives that sell just as much or more than multiplats (ex: Wii Fit, any Halo game, New Super Mario Bros Wii, MGS4)

Plus, exclusivity is mainly what defines a console. If every dev were to go multi-plat, than it wouldn't matter which system you have (unless it has a different control scheme)

Just make quality games and you'll be fine, Trip Hawkins. Maybe you're seeing a decline in your company, I don't know, but maybe that's because we keep getting the same games over and over again =/

[Red_Orange_Juice]

I think console exclusives are doing pretty good, I don't want them to disappear. I Want Xbox to have it's Halo's, Mass Effect and Gears and PS have Uncharted, Killzone and GT, same with Nintendo.

[Commander_TK]

Never knew u where lol. I thought u h8ed this site.

On-topic, exclusives will never die because then there would no point in competition. If there were no exlusives, then what would the point in owning all consoles. Features?

Oh, and it´s exlusive, not console exclusive. Console exlusive, what a stupid term

[Cold 2000]

The best console exclusives I played this year were ME2 (highest rated game of the year) and AW.

Cant wait for Reach and Fable 3 too.

And maybe he actually has a point. MGS, DMC, Resident Evil, GTA, Tekken and Final Fantasy have all gone multiplat this gen. They all went to the 360 too. And it looks like FF Versus is next.

Luckily Sony owns Heavy Rain because they would have lost that too of course. Either than that I dont see what else they can loose since they've already pretty much lost everything that was 3rd party.

[darthv72]

That statement should be true if you are a third party company. If you are a first or second party then the point is moot.

Exclusives need to be part of a console generation. It is there to show off what can be done when there is no least common denominator to factor in.

[D4RkNIKON]

@ Cold.. Just stop it already.. You are acting like Sony is losing all of it's exclusives to MS when the opposite is true. Sony has first party studios that make great games like Little Big Planet, Killzone, God of War, Uncharted and so on. These games will never see the light of day on the 360. The article is about third party devs going multiplat because they have no ties to one console over the other and would rather release their game to a bigger audience rather than divide their profits.

[sikbeta]

This guy is talking about Third Party console exclusives, right? If not, he's totally wrong...

Sony = First and Second Party Exclusives + third party
N = first party exclusives + third party shovelware

@Cold

lol Next one is Mass Effect Sigma... and FFvs13 is PS3 Exclusive Pal, SE will not port the Game in like 5DVDs to end up paying more royalties to MS for a game that will sell less on the x360...

[darkcharizard]

He's only saying this cuz his company makes no exclusives... idiot!

[nycredude]

More than likely, since his company is a third party company, that he is speaking about third party exclusives, which I agree with.

[gtamike]

M$ only buys timed exclusives lol

[pippoppow]

What would MS be without PC ports not on the PS3 and timed exclusives?

That term "console exclusive" is used by MS and their devoted fanatics. It's meant mask the lack of exclusives titles which in turn lessens desirability. Some of the masses are misled and the fanatics are easily swayed.

MS' tactics are deceptive based. Charge for online and add apps instead of dedicated servers. Get timed exclusives and PC ports so that they do not have to create their own studios which would cost more money. Charge $300 for a 360s for a year older console, shrunken components but add a $10 internal wifi to try and justify costing the same as the last model let alone a PS3.

[ViperX2]

I agree, the only exclusives that are dying are 360 and PC. Don't get me wrong I love PC gaming and wish Battlefield 3 was a PC exclusive, but you can't blame the developer, this is a business after all and the overall goal is to make profit and get a pay check.

[BYE]

Last time I checked Starcraft 2 and Football Manager 2010 (the one from SEGA, not EA) were still very alive in my PC.

Console exclusives are great, but there are these types of games you would never be able to play on a console.

[bobcostus]

I believe 2nd party exclusives are dying. Which is why Bungie and Insomniac are going Multi-platform. However, 1st party exclusives are here to stay. Especially in the case of Nintendo and Sony.

[Inside_out]

In the very near future, M$, Nintendo and Sony will be an Icon/logo on your television screen that you click on when you want to enter their domain and game. Activision and EA will have there own sites as well. No more consoles, no more discs...just gaming. Why will you need a console when all you need is a Internet connection. Sure, people in third world countries will be behind but not for long. World Wide Web is the future.

Cell phones, tablets and other mobile devices we haven't even seen yet will carry gaming and connectivity everywhere you go. Epic has said the next generation of cell phones will be powerful enough to run Gears of War. It's a done deal...waiting for the price to drop to implement.

[RAZORLAND]

tell that to Sony Computer Entertainment

[muDD]

ME2
AW
GeOW3
Fable3
REEEAAAACH!
Code Name "Kingdoms"!

360 exclusives are "just as alive" as the ps3 and wii exclusive. I am not saying this to say that these exclusives are better, but what I am saying is these are very good exclusives... and the ones who will disagress are cultmember fanbois who are weird enough to hate a machine that is not even alive...

[Nate-Dog]

Good. The more people able to play every game the better. But companies that go multiplatform after being mainly exclusive or companies that regularly develop multiplatform games need to make sure every game is the same on each platform or else they should just stick to making exclusives. You look at the RDR problems on PS3 and differences with it in comparison to the X360 version and also the FFXIII differences on the X360 in comparison to the PS3 version and it shouldn't happen.

Don't go multiplatform unless you can offer everyone the same experience.

[UltimateIdiot911]

I'm very mix about multiplatform. Many time multiplatform does not take advantage of either consoles. Many of my friends who own PS3 mainly buy exclusives and rarely get multiplat titles because they just don't do the PS3 justices. Also, if they do take advantage of the PS3 like EA making all the special editions and taking advantage of the space, gamers goes on about all the exclusive content BS and etc. Now, 360 owners are less entice to get let say Dead Space 2 or MoH on the 360 because they pay the same price for less. If you make the experience equal, no one wins, if you take advantage of one, someone loses.

I only buy multiplat when they hit around $20 price like I recently did for ACII. While I am much more willing to pay around $60 for an exclusive because many of the time I will find the quality there to justify the price.

So while it's good that everyone can play the game, I just feel that it's not worth $60 these days and many multiplat titles drop in price faster than exclusive titles. The quality is usually lacking.

[R2D2]

I always wanted for MS and Sony to have one day of the year where they release an exclusive game to each other, for examlpe: Gears for Resistance and Halo for Killzone.

[bjornbear]

at failure to understand ho exclusives work.

[Mista T]

there are ways to get more console exclusives, like have a console far more advanced in tech and graphics, or have a distinctive unique controller (wii).

[waterboy]

of course the pc fans have brainwashed everyone into thinking thats not the case when it is infact true

[evrfighter]

720p/30fps gaming is sooooo advanced. Wish I could run that on my pc

Oh wait...I did...10 years ago.

[360Defender]

Please tell me what planet you live on, consoles are crap compared to a decent gaming rig. Sub HD on most games, no AA... what a butt load of crap! LOL

You can have your POS3, I will be playing my gaming rig hooked to my 50" Plasma and 7.1 surround in at least 1080p with AA and all effects. Good luck doing tht with your "toy".

[Capt-FuzzyPants]

Console exclusives definitely arent dead.

[Stealth20k]

When mario is on the ps3, then console exclusive are dead

[MetalGearBear]

http://n4g.com/news/567285/...

lol.

[Stealth20k]

^ thats a stupid article.

[waterboy]

but ps3 exclusives arent

[Fishy Fingers]

Which is tricky, because my main reason for owning all the systems is for their exclusives, if everything were multiplat what would be the point.

Nintendo and Sony have strong in house studios so I guess they're safe. MS need to starting spending their money on talent, not DLC.

[Sony Fiend]

Don't say this and keep Mass Effect on the 360 at the same time.

[Chubear]

.... should give you an idea of what's coming down the pipe line for Mass Effect shouldn't it?

[Applegate]

Yeah...the same thing that came down for Mass Effect 1...oh wait!

[Shoko]

The Wii especially doesn't have to worry about this simply due to the fact that it's a Nintendo system. They'll always have their exclusive franchises like Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Fire Emblem, DK, Pikmin, F-Zero, Starfox, Pokemon, Kirby, Kid Icarus, etc. But the same goes for Sony. They have so many studios that they own, that they'll always have a guaranteed flow of exclusives.

This guy is either dumb, or he's only looking at the 360. Not to bash it or anything, but no one can deny that the amount of 360 exclusives (and content for that matter) is rapidly dropping.

[lil boy blue]

Most of ea wii games suck or second rate.
look at jam we are having to be for online.
DS:e second rate rail shooter.(not that bad though)

I would rather have that stop games if they cant make a great quality.

[irishninja]

just imagine how much gt5 would sell if the xbox could handle the graphics

[UltimateIdiot911]

Not too well compare to PS3 since it doesn't support any logitech steering wheels. But before the graphic, it needs a bigger storage medium.

[dkgshiz]

Its going to be the number one selling racing game of this generation. Take a look at GT5P. That game as of right now is the number one selling racing game of this generation. Plus it was just a demo!

[Sikct9a]

I just got off the phone with Sony and they told me no!

[irishninja]

i would love to have forza on ps3 it would be interesting to compare gt5 and forza3

[dkgshiz]

Take a look at the PS3s 1st party exclusives and just STFU.

[Jdoki]

Exclusives by 3rd party devs may well be dying.

But on PS3 and Wii 1st and 2nd party devs are knocking out some great exclusives.

From a business and profit point of view it makes sense to launch a game to the widest audience possible - so unless Sony/Nintendo/Microsoft are stumping up some cash then 3rd party devs have almost zero reason to develop exclusively.

[pippoppow]

Ms better come out with some serious online apps and hope timed exclusives do not fade away as well. It'll be down to Halo once a year with Fable every 2 years and Rare motion control games. future for MS looking dimmer.

[Henry Cain]

Sony let M$ have GTA. As far as other exclusive Sony still has plenty of them. Also MGS was on the xbox. Not to mention that 360 is getting a spinoff of the mg series. The best exclusives on the PS3 are only on the PS3. The best exclusive on the 360 IMO is ME which can be played on PC. Alan Wack would have been on PC, they didn't want to waste money. Same goes for Crapdown 2. The PS3 has the best and most exclusive hands down.

[JJFNIGHTS80]

Is he crazy or something? Someone needs to smack him on the head. Cause CONSOLES aren't dying now. Look at so many great games coming out and more of them on the PS3 Wii is strong also but the Xbox 360 is loosing support. Don't know what else to say bout him unless EA is the one not making any sales.

[gamingisnotacrime]

so the whole exclusives are dying argument is looking weaker by the day

[1942]

well if that is the case then M$ will be gone soon since they will have nothing to convince people buy their console. sony have more then enough to make their consoles standout and give people a reason to buy them. i'm all for this idf it means no more 360 fanboys and M$ ruining the game industry.

[gano]

More hyperbole bs.
So its better to buy 3 systems, that might have incomplete features/components.
Buy the accessories needed to make them complete.
Just to play one game that WilLL NOT function the same on these 3 systems, and hope i get the best one.
and yet i have 3 consoles to play the same game on all 3 systems.....
................wait...huh... .

[hilliat2783]

@Cold 2000
"The best console exclusives I played this year were ME2 (highest rated game of the year) and AW.

Cant wait for Reach and Fable 3 too.

And maybe he actually has a point. MGS, DMC, Resident Evil, GTA, Tekken and Final Fantasy have all gone multiplat this gen. They all went to the 360 too. And it looks like FF Versus is next.

Luckily Sony owns Heavy Rain because they would have lost that too of course. Either than that I dont see what else they can loose since they've already pretty much lost everything that was 3rd party."

What BS your such an XBOT it's not even funny. I checked you history and you want everything that is exclusive to the PS3 to come to the 360. Stop being mad because you only own a 360...how about you get a job and go by a PS3 so you can play some more great titles. Both consoles have great exclusives and everyone knows that multiplats are never as good as exclusives which means to be a real gamer you need to own all of the consoles.

[Shoko]

Actually, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the highest rated game of the year. Just sayin..........

[asgharagha]

exclusive games are really playing major role in this generation i think more than last generations and i think this situation continues