Epic CEO: There Are “Too Many Platforms,” Consolidation Inevitable
Let’s face it, the tech industry is getting pretty cluttered. We’ve so many computing options that it often becomes quite overwhelming for both consumers and developers. From PCs, Macs and Tablets, to smartphones, consoles and dedicated handhelds, the options are spread far too thin, and Epic CEO Tim Sweeney believes that soon some of these devices will fade from existence.
Speaking at DICE, Sweeney explained:
This is too many platforms. We’re seeing now iPad sales have surpassed the sales of PCs. This is a real revelation, this is a product that wasn’t invented until a few years ago and its basically supplanting personal computers. Over time these platforms will be whittled down to a competing set of platforms to maybe three winners worldwide across everything.
Over time these platforms will be whittled down to a competing set of platforms to maybe three winners worldwide across everything – computers, game platforms, smartphones… We should expect a lot of consolidation here and winners and losers according to who picks the right directions and executes successfully.
I doubt that many would argue against the assumption that smartphones will one day lead to the death of the dedicated gaming handheld, but what about tablets? Could they really mark the end of PCs and Macs? Or perhaps we’ll see a future dominated by either Windows or Mac and their subsequent devices will be the de facto computing option?
At this point it all is just speculation and guess work, but that doesn’t mean we don’t want to hear from our readers. Let us know what you think this consolidated future may look like in the comments below.
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25 Responses to “Epic CEO: There Are “Too Many Platforms,” Consolidation Inevitable”
I’m not entirely sure how correct he is. Sure, one day it may happen, but I get the feeling some of these things are a fad. Tablets and iPads and such I find pointless. I’m not upgrading to a smartphone until the day there is absolutely no choice. And until a tablet can match the capabilities of a desktop, or a smartphone has the specs of a Vita, the cluttered market will continue.
So you’re that guy. XD
“I doubt that many would argue against the assumption that smartphones will one day lead to the death of the dedicated gaming handheld”
Hi.
One day it will all just be a cloud-powered brain plug.
Fact.
I have the feeling more people would argue that statement than you think.
The 3DS and vita would argue
Dedicated gaming platforms are here to stay.
So, are epic saying they don’t have the man power to program for all these “dedicated” gaming machines. Why does this guy even care? It just means more money for his company. Even if its just selling usage rights to their newest unreal engine. Guess when you are stupid rich all you have left in life is senseless complaining.
He is right in some ways. One day I am sure there will just be Mac or PC but one of those platforms has to draw the other crowd for that to happen which I don’t see happening very soon. Smartphones and Tablets are not likely to make dedicated handheld gaming devices obsolete. These things, for the most part, cost twice as much as a Vita or 3DS and yet they have less than half the power. The statistics say that more people are playing Angry Birds on their phone than there are people playing games on dedicated handhelds. What the statistics don’t show is that those people didn’t give up their dedicated handheld for a phone. They are new “gamers” of the casual “Play this while in a boring meeting or on a plane” variety. As for consoles I think that by the end of the next generation (after Wii U, PS4 and new Xbox) one of the big three will drop out and just do software. Who that company is I am not quite sure. It will all depend on the way the next generation goes. In the end though, I think one of them will drop out (right now my bet is on Microsoft based on their recent business decisions. Plus they have the least to lose in the market and console development is expensive. If they could push Gears, Halo, Fable, and the like into the homes of people who only support Nintendo or Sony systems and at the same time don’t have the cost of a console they will make a bigger profit and of the three they are the most interested in profit over customer satisfaction). I also think that this gen will give rise to cross-platform online play. It might be late in the gen but I think that it will happen in the next few years.
I also believe it will be Microsoft. They have made the least amount of impact in the console gaming world and therefore have the least amount to lose.
iPads do not count as a platform.
Can’t take the heat, get out of the pot. This is the stupidest thing I have heard. W hy is it that developers want to have their games on many platforms? BIGGER payouts. You might replace the word developers with people who want to back a game financially.
There are too many people car manufacturers
Too many movie studios
Too many cloths designers
Too many cellphone manufacturers
And so on
Gaming is no different.. Consolidation won’t happen
Yup. There is too much of everything in the world.
im tired of lazy ass developers coming up with excuses to notmake their games the best they can be. Epic has made nothing but shitty games imo. so far ive hated them all the controls suck and the graphics are mediocre at best. Why cant there be more developers like naughty dog, guerrilla games, quantum dream, insomniac, and other developers whos game shine in pitch darkness.
Switch your mind. Naughty Dog and their fellow competitors are truly amazing and EXCEPTIONAL devs. Making great software is something very difficult to achieve.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_development#Development_process
way to state the obvious…I don’t know if it will happen to the extent he seems to think but the evolution of technology shows us that new leading tech will eventually replace old ideas. Eventually small form factors will have the power and performance of the larger, ie. tablets vs. pc. I can see a point where everyone would have a tablet dock that connects it to a larger monitor and keyboard just like we have with laptops today but even more portable and convenient.
Eventually the smartphone may replace dedicated gaming handhelds but that is also assuming that Sony and Nintendo are willing to develop games for smartphones. A lot of people think that the Vita is expensive but I don’t want to know what a smartphone with REAL gaming capabilities would cost. The best phones at release start around $200 on average with a contract, I guarantee you add Vita like gaming capabilities and you start to see $400 prices under contract.
iOS isn’t going anywhere, I think there will be one survivor between Windows, Android, and Blackberry at some point but not in the near future. Blackberry needs to make a strong surge or they will disappear fairly quickly. They’re still doing alright, but it seems like Android and Windows phones are improving more quickly which seems ridiculous considering Blackberry got a head start.
in my perfect future there would be only ONE handheld, and ONE home video console instead of 3!!!
I get sick and tired of having to get a console because of EXCLUSIVE GAMES!! ARGH!!! just make ONE console and have ALL THE GAMES ON ONE!
That may sound like a good idea at first but then that cuts out competition and then innovation will be put into low gear because it is expensive to make new ideas reality and if there is only one console then people will not have the choice they have today and innovation will die. I hope that made sense I am half asleep and can’t be bothered to read over this haha.
If you are shortsighted then that would happen.
I am one of the few that believe in a collective unity for the better of everything.
Create the best games possible instead of taking shortcuts to earn more money when you already earn more than you spend.
Instead of competition between consoles have a healthy competition between who makes the best games in all areas.
Have one console that can do EVERYTHING.
Support each other instead of trying to out campaign others in order to damage their sales.
A worldwide video game society that grow and evolve together instead of trying to make others seem like failures in order to rise.
Logic, what are you gonna do about it? LOL
That’s all fine and good but we are talking about corporations here. These people do what they do to make money. If game developers were in charge then your idea would work but they are unfortunately not in charge and therefore your idea sadly is not likely to become reality.
And that is why I HATE corporations, suits and wall street type of ppl. When a persons number one thought gives him dollar sign eyes then he’s lost in my book.
Basically I hate everyone with authority over something they don’t know or TRULY understand… scratch that, I hate everyone who tries to control what other ppl can, or should do.
try recording a movie soundtrack or album on a tablet u need a powerful pc or mac and tons of plug ins…this guy is lazy and everything cant be 4 cheap games and cheap handhelds,the i pad is cool but u cant do avatar on a fu%$ ipad
while your @ it could u please make 1 fast food chain cuz i dont like having choices or people tryin to win me over as a cusumer
I love my tablet. Quad core Tegra 3, putting out PS3/360 like gfx’s for games like Shadowgun. Couple that with the use of a PS3 controller. That’s my mobile gaming platform, and I have NO complaints.
I don’t get why people are calling him lazy for what he said. If you have every tried to make a game or looked into what it takes to make a game then you will see that no game developers are lazy. Even the worst games out there aren’t bad because developers are lazy. It costs a lot of money and takes a lot of time to make a game. When a broken game comes out it isn’t because the developers didn’t want to fix those things it’s because they didn’t have the money to fix them. This guy here isn’t in any way being lazy with what he said. He is explaining what he has seen ad what he thinks could happen.