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EA CEO: Consoles now just '40% of the games industry

by Michael Arsenault on Thursday, July 21, 2011 , under

Consoles don't dominate the games industry as they once did and their standing continues to decline as new platforms steal market share.
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That's the opinion of EA top dog John Riccitiello, who told IndustryGamers: "Consoles used to be 80 percent of the industry as recently as 2000. Consoles today are 40 percent of the game industry, so what do we really have?

"We have a new hardware platform and we're putting out software every 90 days. Our fastest growing platform is the iPad right now and that didn't exist 18 months ago."

Riccitiello also said the notion of five-year platform cycles is completely outdated and that future hardware is likely to be driven by social experiences and cross-platform play rather than supercharged graphics.

"I would argue that one of the least interesting things about the games industry was that every five years you'd see a new console or platform from everybody at about the same time with about the same or similar upgrades or services... But it's not a particularly smart way to run an industry... bulges in technology investment followed by harvest."

He said of Wii U: "Nintendo is bringing out a new platform that brings together some of what we're learning from new media and new platforms like the iPad and then integrating that with a console. It's the perfect time for that in the industry."

Riccitiello added: "I would argue that there's more to be provided in terms of value for the consumer in micro-transactions and social experiences and driving those better in cross-platform gameplay between a console and a PC and a handheld device and a social network than there is supercharging graphics... I always liked the power, but I don't know if it's the story 
anymore."
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/312269/ea-ceo-consoles-now-just-40-of-the-games-industry/
11 comments more...

11 comments

  • GMSoccerPicks
    July 21, 2011 at 3:56 PM

    Never thuoght about it but i guess its true, with the growing number of ipods/ipads/iphones, plus all the mobile devices and computers, it makes a lot of sense that consoles are only 40% of the gaming industry

  • Michael Arsenault
    July 21, 2011 at 4:05 PM

    @GMSoccerPicks, This came as a surprise to me, it seems to be rather unfortunate that less people are playing on consoles and instead are playing angry birds on their iphone. I hope console gaming doesn't disappear in the future, I don't know.. I just don't how this is taking over the gaming industry.

  • PabloO
    July 21, 2011 at 4:14 PM

    Well i dont't belive consoles will dissapear in the near future. 40% in 2000 is not the same that 40% in 2011. We should see the real numbers to get a better picture.

  • Sam Meyotl
    July 22, 2011 at 4:12 AM

    I think that just people who doesn't play any games at all are now playing with their cellphones, pro gamers will be playing videogames on their PC and Consoles everytime, so... No worries!

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