Xbox 720's features will be more about design and services, says EA

The Xbox 720's features will be interesting once the console is revealed, but EA says this system needs to be more about its design and what it can offer consumers in addition to gaming.

[iNFAMOUZ1]

Hopefully state of the art tech is implemented, we all know pc will always be ahead but this is time for xbox to re claim its title as tech giant, DO IT microsoft!
oh and forget services its all about the games

[Abdou23]

One of the main reasons i'm thinking of switching to PC, is that companies now care for TV services more than gaming itself. I really buy gaming consoles just for the games.

[SilentNegotiator]

Exactly. When I read "More about....services", I just thought "How is that physically possible for the Xbox brand to be more about services?? Are they going to cut out games entirely?"

[Gazondaily]

Didn't anyone seek to report this article for the misleading title?

[shutUpAndTakeMyMoney]

pc is about to get even better!

"In other news, Gabe said that Valve wants to move on to DRM-free releases"

also since source engine 2 is coming imagine the free amazing content on pc!

http://www.dsogaming.com/ne...

@ Cam977 below

"EA’s president of labels Frank Gibeau said while giving his Keynote at GamesCom 2012 that he’s seen Sony and Microsoft’s new machines."

http://www.gamesthirst.com/...

maybe there is some truth then?

[DeadlyFire]

It would be nice to have a cheaper console with only console game services.

Although I suspect 3-5 Tflops will be the goal of Microsoft and Sony. If you consider the possibility of GPU + APU. Max I would expect is 130W at very maximum. Which if you consider 8850 to be in the running it runs at 2.99 Tflops + APU which are said to aim up to 1 Tflop. Possibly 2 APUs running along side each other in the consoles with possibly GPU on the side.

[Cam977]

Misleading title!
EA merely suggested this happen, they didn't directly state it IS what's happening.

[ShoryukenII]

EA made zero mention of the 720 as well. This isn't new from Examiner. Just rate the site down so we don't have to deal with their hit hungry crap.

[tehpees3]

People are still going on about power? Its about the games. not power. PS2 was the weakest system of last generation yet had the greatest library by far.

[hennessey86]

Isn't all about graphics, more power means better A.I, better physics, bigger gaming worlds etc I look forward to seeing what Microsoft and Sony come up with next generation and I will be buying no matter which is the most powerful.

[wishingW3L]

it seems people still believe that powerful hardware only means prettier graphics but they couldn't be more wrong. More power, specially for physics and AI will enhance games beyond what any gimmick could.

Not sure if this is the right wording to express my point but my English is limited.

[ronin4life]

You can always attain such effects by simply taking focus away from processing... you guessed it, the graphics. Optimization and stability will lead to better games far more than blindly upping the power and causing development costs to rise.

Great games have always existed regardless of power. Or all those ps1/xbox classics simply deal now that they are "outdated"?

[nukeitall]

@hennessey86:

Actually, more power is not necessary in hardware or more of x, y, and z.

It is often to do with the tools available and the ease of using that "power" or better said, possibilities.

PS3 is an excellent example. It's processing power is almost unmatched, yet poor design caused it to lag behind its direct competitor. Some smart design decisions (instead of bonehead ones) would have made it a screaming monster!

[zebramocha]

Can we stop bring the ps2 up,it was weaker than other systems but didn't stop Sony's first party from trying to make beautiful or a game thought technically impossible on their system.

@ronin Why would cost go up? If the system is strong enough than they wouldn't have to optimize as much because it could handle it.

[nukeitall]

I'm surprised that people still clamor to power, when this entire generation is turned up side down. The most powerful console is last place, and the least powerful console is at the top!

Get it, it ain't the power, but the application of said hardware!!!

It is almost always been about software, and very little hardware.

[madjedi]

@scofios Yes it was the weakest of the bunch, but you had alot of talented devs that made kickass games despite the limitations.

To all the people downplaying the importance of power look at the wii's lineup vs the ps3/360's lineup. Really are you people this dense? Sorry it's not even a contest.

You can sit there and scream retro pride ect all you want, but new generation games should take advantage of more powerful hardware.

"The most powerful console is last place, and the least powerful console is at the top!" Well since i am not a shareholder of either company, do you have a relevant point for a gamer?

Sorry never was interested in the sales game, funny how during the gamecube's gen, nintendo fans were it's all about the games. This gen it's lol #1 in sales and the highest metacritic score ever, so will good games be the goto argument for the wii u.

Always a nintendo guy shouting about how "power" is overrated, yeah yes it's easy to say that when your games have been the same since the gamecube. Why would power matter to games that are still stuck in the past.

I swear too many retards think, just because gamers think power is important, that we are all mindless graphics whores.

So why do you nintendo guys need to buy the wii u, the wii should be more than sufficient since you don't deem power or graphics as relevant just gameplay. If that is truly the case you should be perfectly happy with the original nintendo entertainment system's graphics

[nukeitall]

@madjedi

"You can sit there and scream retro pride ect all you want, but new generation games should take advantage of more powerful hardware."

There you said it *take advantage of more powerful hardware*. Keyword "take advantage of"! PC has plenty of brute force power, but is rarely taken well advantage of.

It is about easily accessible power that will make an impact.

"Sorry never was interested in the sales game, funny how during the gamecube's gen, nintendo fans were it's all about the games. This gen it's lol #1 in sales and the highest metacritic score ever, so will good games be the goto argument for the wii u."

To be fair, there will always be people saying something about something on every side of the fence. Stereotyping an entire group of people based on individual experiences isn't realistic.

Finally, sales is *THE BEST* method of determining demand for a product. If consumers buy one item over another, then there are more people vouching for it than another competitors product, pure and simple. It is the strongest vote, regardless of what the reason is.

FYI, no I'm not much of Nintendo fan.

"Always a nintendo guy shouting about how "power" is overrated, yeah yes it's easy to say that when your games have been the same since the gamecube. Why would power matter to games that are still stuck in the past."

What is so different about Xbox 360/PS3 games? It is pretty much the same games that existed on the PS2/original Xbox just a larger scale.

Furthermore, Wii actually has games that has never really been done prior with motion control. That little popular thing that changed an entire industry and propelled consoles to grandmas and soccer moms.

"I swear too many retards think, just because gamers think power is important, that we are all mindless graphics whores."

Nothing you have said have told me anything else, albeit I don't necessarily believe that about gamers in general.

"So why do you nintendo guys need to buy the wii u, the wii should be more than sufficient since you don't deem power or graphics as relevant just gameplay. If that is truly the case you should be perfectly happy with the original nintendo entertainment system's graphics"

There is a lot of "generality" in what you are saying so it's hard to discuss, but I think what most people talk about power, they are talking about negligible increase in power. By almost all respect the PS3 and Xbox 360 is on par, and any differences are almost negligible. They really don't enable much difference and I certainly don't want to pay gobs of many for this negligible impact.

If you want power to matter, make it so. Don't give me something that I can't tell!

Ironically, the Wii U is again introducing new "power" that other consoles don't have, such as the tablet. It also introduces a much better facility to handle new ways to experience your game that isn't possible on other consoles. Example of this is the PS3 inability to have cross game chat, which Wii U will have plenty of RAM to handle. Not everything in hardware power has to be to "graphics..." or richer environments.

[scofios]

PS2 was the weakest system.

Explain why it runs games like god of war 2 , shadow of te colosses, grant turismo 4, Black if it was weak???

[beerkeg]

It had great games, but the hardware was the weakest of the bunch. Which proves that power isn't the be all and end all.

[SkyGamer]

Art direction and pov. They remove a lot of stuff to add to the visuals. Gotta sacrifice one for the other.

[DragonKnight]

People seem to think that power only equates to graphics because that's all the developers use power for, better graphics. That's thanks to the vocal fanboy idiots who only want "photo realism" in their games and forget that if all resources are put into making a game look good, the rest of the game will suffer for it. You want people to know what "power" truly entails, tell the developers to actually use it properly.

[Cyb3r]

Call me old fashioned but I only want a games console for playing games if I want to watch TV shows and sports then I will use my TV on its own for that.

[wishingW3L]

The only thing I have hooked to my TV is a console so the more features the better.

[KMCROC]

I also only want a phone to just make calls on & not help me how to find my way or locate a gas station when run out of gas. better yet tell me about a restaurant before i eat or order from it , but you know what who needs all the convinces of the modern tech world to help navigate & entertain us or just make life easier.

[JBSleek]

Yes you are old fashioned and outdated. It's 2012 the time for dedicated technology is over.

Yes I understand you want gaming but at this moment having a dedicated gaming console is suicide. These are going to be media devices that also play games.

[Imalwaysright]

Well then sell your console. You clearly dont need a gaming PC or consoles. They are redundant to you as you can play games on your smartphone and/or tablet. Why spend money on a device that will become redundant?

Consoles will always be bought for 1 reason and 1 reason only: to play games. All the other crap is just a bonus. No one will buy a console to access facebook, stream movies or listen to music. That is why apps on a console are not a necessity. They are nice to have but no will buy a console for them.

[Persistantthug]

Are you trying to say they were wrong to do so?

Home Consoles from here on out will me multimedia & multi-service devices.
Frankly, I don't see why that has to be "wrong".

Why can't we all have both, Imalwaysright?

[JBSleek]

"Well then sell your console. You clearly dont need a gaming PC or consoles. They are redundant to you as you can play games on your smartphone and/or tablet. Why spend money on a device that will become redundant??

"Consoles will always be bought for 1 reason and 1 reason only: to play games. All the other crap is just a bonus. No one will buy a console to access facebook, stream movies or listen to music. That is why apps on a console are not a necessity. They are nice to have but no will buy a console for them."

1. Never use the word always because nothing is forever.

2. People want media devices in their consoles.

http://www.joystiq.com/2012...

http://news.cnet.com/For-So...

3. Gone are the days that consoles are used in your words for gaming because the "hardcore gaming" community can't sustain them.

4. So people didn't buy the PS3 because it was the cheapest Bluray player? Or that you could use Linux on it correct? Or people didn't get an Xbox because it could be a replacement for over priced cable?

Look I understand you are passionate about gaming but really if you think that consoles are only for gaming than you are really foolish.

[Imalwaysright]

@ Persistantthug They bought a PS3 because it was the cheapest and the best Blu ray player at the time. Everyone knows that. Dont you?

@ JBSleek Of course people they apps on their console. Will people buy a console for those apps? No. Do you know anyone that bought a console to access facebook? I dont. When discussing with your friends wich will be the best console next gen does any of them say that console X will be better than console Y because you can access facebook with it? I doubt it.

People dont buy consoles for apps. Look at the Wii. The thing outsold the self-proclaimed entertainment hubs by a wide margin and didnt needed the ability to access facebook to do so. 3ds is stomping the Vita and is lacking in the media capabilities vs the Vita. Consoles will sell regardless of what apps they have and dont need them at all. Consoles sell because of its games, every other crap is just a bonus.

[glennco]

and you want your mobile phone to be just a phone right?

[SilentNegotiator]

You're aware that not everyone has a phone as smart as your ass, right?

Plenty of people still use "dumb" cell phones. Not everyone has any sort of need for internet or Angry Birds.

[beerkeg]

Some people still live in huts Silent, what's your point?

[SilentNegotiator]

Comparing smart phones to HUTS?

Talk about a stretch.

[baldulf]

I don't want a media center, I want good videogames.

[AngelicIceDiamond]

Design and service features is what EA wants?

No EA you took enough of our money.

[jmac53]

I want good games and an awesome media center. Both damn it!

[MxRBrobaFett]

I hope EA has nothing to do with anything about the next gen systems

[GraveLord]

Gaming should be put first before anything else. That is the console I will buy. Sure having apps and services like Netflix...etc is awesome, but I can get that on my PC and even my phone these days, games however are a different matter. 1st party and Exclusive games are what define a platform IMO. Next-Gen consoles need to differentiate themselves from each other. They didn't do a good job this gen. Look at the PS3 and 360 library, nearly identical.

The more exclusive content a console has, the higher chance there is of a consumer buying your console. I believe that if next-gen consoles all have amazing exclusive games, there is a much higher chance of people being multi-console owners.

[ALLWRONG]

Sadly many will read just the title and come to the wrong conclusion. Is it me or does EA talk too much?

[ApexHell]

EA says something... nothing to see here move along.

[wages of sin]

Edit: My apologies. I re-read what you stated and I was wrong.

[StrawHatPatriot]

Gaming should move on to convenience. Put your disc in the console, while you play, it downloads to the system, so that if you're leaving, you can swap the game to your controller's screen and play anywhere, and so that if you wanna play the game, you don't need the disc anymore, all you need is the controller so that you can simply stream the software to your controller, and save anywhere.

[OldSnakePS3]

call me old fashioned but shouldnt it be about GAMES first and all that other crap secondary?

[Jek_Porkins]

Anyone else tired of the guessing game and all this cryptic so called "news"? I am really interested in an official announcement with stone solid specs and features, everything else is just rumor in my opinion.

[mochachino]

I think the more services and multimedia functionality the better. There's no reason for added functionality to decrease from raw hardware power.

[Demarco156]

720 is going to be a macbook?

[josephayal]

This is very Sad

[Kidmyst]

Wasn't it about a month back an article "confirmed" the new Xbox would be called Next Box not Xbox 720? I don't believe this like I didn't believe that until MSFT themselves report it. I build my own gaming PC's but still like consoles for the majority of my gaming. A couple years ago I read multiple articles around "PC gaming is dying" and because of rumored next gen news, the interest seems to be shifting back to PC gaming for core gamers. I have a PS3 and 360 but if rumors hold true, I may support one if I shift back more to PC's.

[XboxInnovation]

Games better be in 60fps, I don't care about extreme graphical upgrading.