The chief creative officer at gaming giant EA believes that the rise of Smart TV will bring a new gaming audience, but only if manufacturers stop making their own proprietary platforms and back something like Google's Android.
With CES 2013 on the horizon, there are several new Smart TV arrivals likely and the potential for connected gaming is clear.
But, speaking to the IPTV News site, EA CCO Richard Hilleman believes that TV companies need to consider abandoning proprietary standalone platforms and embrace more common offerings like Google Android - allowing games developers to code for bigger audiences.
Leverage
"Stand-alone platforms (Linux-based) have historically not leveraged our mobile, console or PC-based titles," he added.
"Open platform systems like Android give us a lot of leverage and still have the freedom to redefine a new user experience.
"We need to be able to aggregate some of the platforms to make product development cost-effective in the short term."
Hilleman also believes that manufacturers need to be aware that different regions may well be seeking very different experiences.
"I think the US and European markets will mostly be interested in products that don't fit in a console experience," he said.
"Shorter duration game cycles - 20 minutes for connected TV, versus two hours at a time for console - Free-to-Play or small price points, and MUCH easier-to-learn gameplay will matter.
"In the parts of the world that don't have high console penetration, I could imagine deeper, longer experiences working, but that will be an evolution.
"I also think in Asia, it will likely be a very high Free-to-Play market in the long term."
From Informa
