EA’s John Riccitiello told stockholders at EA’s annual meeting “We see really high returns in these markets and very poor returns focusing on 3D, so we are allocating our resources toward new innovations. Frankly we have not seen a big uptake for 3D gaming. We have not seen a big uptake in 3DTVs in the home, at least not yet. We are not here trying to drive a market. We are here to react to what consumers are looking for.”, his markets being social and online gaming, both of which are enjoyed by millions around the world.
Sony has invested a significant amount of money in 3D games and 3DTVs as I have reported in the past. Nintendo’s current handheld console uses 3D as its gimmick on top of all of the capabilities of the DS.
EA is not shy about investing huge amounts of money into something, as is evident from their online gaming platform, and their recent agreement with Popcap to purchase the company for 750 million dollars.
Riccitiello cited some of the problems that were plaguing the 3DS and being common complaints. “It was perceived to be the next big thing, there were complaints about is causing headaches and nausea and all sorts of things. Frankly, it didn’t do that for me, but there were complaints, and it’s not performed as well as they would like.”
Nintendo’s response to the poor sales of the 3DS involved a sharp price jab and the slashing of executive salaries. 3D is a very nice thing in terms of aesthetics, but right now, it adds nothing to gameplay and it’s simply not for everyone. The 3DS is a commercial success to a degree but not near what it was speculated as being.
EA has the right idea on this, as online gaming is huge, and it’s only getting bigger. The more focus that goes onto that, the better, as it also benefits phone companies who provide internet, which in turn allows access to high-bandwidth services. It’s a benefit all around.
