Electronic Arts Inc (NASDAQ:EA) and Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA) have joined hands to offer cloud-based video games to television. As a result, subscribers, who have Comcast X1 set-top box, could play Xfinity games for free with the help of either tablet or smartphone. Currently, the service is undergoing trial and the images of the game will also show up on the television. That will allow the user to either swipe or tilt the mobile gadget to make this occur in the game.
Steering Wheel
Electronic Arts Inc (NASDAQ:EA) and Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA)’s alliance make the user phone the steering wheel if the user wants to play a racing game. However, these features or facilities will not happen if there is no set-top box X1 from the cable service provider. Comcast is using its cable box processing power for the first time to deliver high-definition gaming experience through the television.
Initially, gaming titles such as PGA Golf Tour, Plants Vs. Zombies, Peggle Nights, and Real Racing 2 will be included. Other gaming titles would be added during the course of the time. The companies said that the games are focused at people such as the parents of gamers since they don’t pick up a game controller easily. Also, these people were likely to be more familiar in controlling mobile games.
Management Comments
Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA)’s Senior Director of Strategic Development, Bryan Witkowski, said that the company has been looking at the video gaming market for several years. He said that the company wanted to provide a great experience for its customers and therefore, waited for the right opportunity.
Similarly, Electronic Arts Inc (NASDAQ:EA)’s Rich Hilleman, its Chief Creative Director, initiated the process of an experiment for the cloud-based gaming system through the television a few years back. Both the companies were talking to each other since then about the possibilities of bringing the games. The latest addition is the culmination of the last few years’ efforts.
Electronic Arts Inc., incorporated on May 8, 1991, develops, markets, publishes and distributes game software content and services. The Company’s software content and services can be played by consumers on a range of platforms, including game consoles (such as the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 from Sony, and Xbox 360 and Xbox One from Microsoft), personal computers (PCs), mobile phones and tablets. In its games, the Company utilizes brands that it either wholly own (such as Battlefield, Dragon Age, The Sims and Plants v. Zombies) or license from others (FIFA, Madden NFL and Star Wars). It delivers its products and services to its consumers across multiple platforms, including consoles, mobile phones, tablets and PCs (both through downloads via its Origin portal and through free-to-download games that can be played directly over the Internet). Its studios and development teams are organized around three divisions: EA Studios, EA Mobile and Maxis. The Company operates development studios in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.
EA Studios is engaged in developing games and related content and services across a range of game categories. Its franchises include FIFA, Madden NFL, Need for Speed, Battlefield, Mass Effect, Star Wars and Dragon Age. Its studios within the EA Studios organization are located in the United States, Canada and Sweden. Its EA Mobile organization develops and publishes games for play on mobile phones and tablets, as well as certain casual games for the PC. The mobile organization’s brand portfolio includes wholly owned properties, such as Plants vs. Zombies, Real Racing and Bejeweled, as well as licensed intellectual properties, such as Tetris and The Simpsons. The EA Mobile organization also manages its Pogo online service, through which it offers casual games, such as card, puzzle and word games on www.pogo.com, as well as on other platforms. The EA Mobile organization has studios located in the United States, Canada, China, Australia, Finland and India. Certain mobile games, such as those related to its EA SPORTS franchises, are developed primarily by the EA Studios organization. Its Maxis organization focuses on creating compelling games and related content and services that engage player creativity. The Maxis portfolio includes the wholly owned franchises The Sims and SimCity. Maxis games are primarily developed at studios in the United States.
The Company competes with Sony, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Take-Two Interactive, Ubisoft, Disney, Warner Bros, Supercell, KING, GungHo Online, Riot, Tencent, Nexon and Valve.
The post Electronic Arts Inc (EA) and Comcast Corporation Align (CMCSA) To Provide Cloud Games To TV appeared first on Live Trading News.