Innovative new hardware and software are needed to drive growth in the console market, according to Robin Kaminsky, Activision's former executive vice president of publishing.
"For traditional games to grow, I believe a new generation of consoles is needed, consoles with real innovation and the resulting onslaught of new IP and innovative gameplay. Ideally these consoles will bring a breakthrough on how games are played or what kind of game experience can be delivered.
"It cannot be just bigger, more complex games or yet higher definition graphics," she added. "The industry, both traditional publishers and the console makers themselves, need something different in the next cycle... In an industry where new, innovative and fun is key there is no future in more of the same."
Kaminsky, who previously oversaw all studio and product development at Activision, went on to outline her hopes for the next generation.
"The next generation of consoles and games should recognize that consumers are mobile and active, value the player regardless of where and when they play, consider short and long play sessions, optimize both hardcore and casual games, embrace button/controller led play and new interfaces, enable content to evolve so games are dynamic not static, encourage alternative payment approaches like free to play, that drive more users to try the game, alongside the traditional buy it to play model, drive increasingly social and community driven experiences, and perhaps even allow play across devices regardless of manufacturer or form factor."
Last month, Kaminsky and former SCE Worldwide Studios boss Phil Harrison joined the board of Dave Perry's cloud-based game streaming service Gaikai.
Comments
30 comments so far...
NSFTM on 24 Aug '11 said:
innovation and orginality from the man who gave us countless sequels
raredevice on 24 Aug '11 said:
That's garbage. I would say a global economic recession is probably to blame for a fall in sales. That and the double dip America is experience too. I'm thoroughly enjoying my PS3 and will be for a few years more at least.
iucidium on 24 Aug '11 said:
No s**t, companies like Activision have created a 'lets play it safe, the muppets will lap it up anyway' culture in game developement.
Why bleat for a new generation of consoles when Activision will most probably use the same engine anyway?
SuperMike861 on 24 Aug '11 said:
*woman
It's funny that she worked at Activision though, the least innovative and risk taking publisher out there. They literally have 2 games, WoW and CoD. The rest was either run into the ground or quite sh*t.
Gamer4LIFE2011 on 24 Aug '11 said:
"Innovation has stalled" Er not for the PS3 it hasn't. It gets better ever year. Activison games are boring, they need to step-up.
YouStoleMyKill on 24 Aug '11 said:
Coming from an “Activision Veteran” this is hypocritical to say the least ....
try4life on 24 Aug '11 said:
innovative gameplay i take it he hasn't played cod yet
svd_grasshopper on 24 Aug '11 said:
innovation has stalled.
yes it has. try building a new engine or something. can't blame the hardware when you aren't even trying. they are whoring IW's old engine out with the same old s**t every year.
TheLastDodo on 24 Aug '11 said:
No they're not.
Upcoming titles like Bioshock Infinite, Journey and The Last Guardian tell me originality and creativity isn't dead on current consoles by a long shot.
Don't blame the current consoles because Activision CHOSE to forsake originality and innovation to focus on games they could annualize.
If you're gonna milk a cow, you've got no right to complain when all you get is milk.
oOo ZOMBIE oOo on 24 Aug '11 said:
Hmmm,and here was me thinking that THEY where the leaders in taking risks,what with there wonderfull array of mindnumbing,generic,predictable and underwhelming range of titles. Heres a list of there latest console releases:
Blur (2010)
Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2011 (2010)
Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010)
Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 2 (2010)
GoldenEye 007 (2010)
James Bond 007: Blood Stone (2010)
Singularity (2010)
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions (2010)
Transformers: War for Cybertron (2010)
NASCAR The Game 2011 (2011)
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
HARDLY INNOVATIVE!!!!
Athrun888 on 24 Aug '11 said:
lol, what a pile of bulls**t. The reason sales are slumping is, as already pointed out, the GFC part 2, and frankly a new set of consoles would only worsen that. I myself am perfectly happy with the current generation as it is and wouldn't buy any new ones any time soon (partly because new consoles are s**t for the first year or two, and partly because I'm perfectly fine with this gen).
Not to mention Activision aren't helping, they don't even know the meaning of the word innovation, I'm not going to be a hypocrite and criticise the yearly update thing when I play Pokemon (effectively Nintendo's CoD), but maybe Activision should actually branching out from yearly updates before one of their ex bosses can actually voice anything about innovation, I don't remember Activision innovating anything, ever.
The fact games like Arkham City, Skyrim, and Deus Ex are capable of coming to current consoles says to me the industry has stalled because of greed, nothing more, nothing less. Because those games look mighty impressive, granted, they aren't exactly 100% new innovated ideas, but they're looking like very rich gaming experiences, new hardware ain't the problem, the problem is greed, from companies like Activision.
tmulford on 24 Aug '11 said:
"For traditional games to grow, I believe a new generation of consoles is needed, consoles with real innovation and the resulting onslaught of new IP and innovative gameplay."
There is no need for a new generation of consoles to develop new IPs. In fact it can be argued that the time is right now for new IPs to succeed. Right now the PS3 and 360 have a combined user base in excess of 80 million users. That's plenty enough for a risky innovative new IP to find a target audience if it's good enough to succeed. If you launch on a new console you have to be at a level significantly above the current generation to stand out and the new console starts with a user base of 0. The only advantage is that there is less competition from other games.
TykerD3 on 24 Aug '11 said:
I agree with Grashopper. Activsion need a new Game engine. COD looks very dated now.
I would love the Nextbox to be release next year though...
KK-Headcharge78 on 24 Aug '11 said:
Well actually reading what he said, as many here seem to have missed, he is talking about the upgraded tech to develop new IPs and more advanced games generally, nothing to do with this gens established series, but hey you go off on one.
His actual point though is balls as has already been stated earlier there is plenty of space for this gen to develop new IP's.
toaplan on 24 Aug '11 said:
I'd like to see the Xbox720 unveiled at next year's e3, with a faster Kinect bundled or even built-in. Next year the 360 will be 7 years old, which is more than enough for a home console. The Japanese are already phasing it out anyway... And it would be a wake-up call for Sony. I think next-gen consoles are needed soon to put a little technological distance between the home consoles and all those tablets and smartphones that are rapidly evolving and gaining users, and to reduce the gap between the consoles and the pc.
capsule_toy on 24 Aug '11 said:
more power != more innovation
capsule_toy on 24 Aug '11 said:
Any developer worth his salt will find a way to work within the specified parameters of current generation technology and bring out the best from it. A quality developer will also be able to push the boundaries, if necessary, and do things that were previously thought difficult to do, or even impossible.
A developer, who isn't lazy, and who always creates, rarely (if at all) replicates will not bend to the will of the industry and make a "me too" title. Yet build something that is really enjoyable and beautiful at the same time.
That kind of developer deserves my money most.
JakeyBaby on 24 Aug '11 said:
No trust me. It's the economy. Back in 2008 I bought around 15 games, 2009 around 15-17 2010 around 10, this year I've only managed 6 and thats counting the ones I've not bought yet but intend to.
Some of the more inovative games come out at the end of the console cycle. If you introduce a new console, you need more power to keep up with the competition and the rate technology improves. But it doesn't matter how much it's improved, the first thing everyone is going to do is make THEIR game look the best, saying BALLS to inovation. So my stance on it, is keep the current cycle for as long as possible.
Everything she said in that last paragraph though, I agree with.
gearyboy on 24 Aug '11 said:
More powerful console does not EQUAL more innovation.
If anything it makes developers more lazy as they can create more aesthetically pleasing games more easily. As many on this forum have already written, I think the current crop of consoles are only now being used to best effect to create varied game experiences and I'm sure could continue doing so for another few years.
I'm currently playing Xenoblade Chronicles on Wii, a console considered well past it's sell by date. I'm sure it's not everyone's cup of tea but it's easily the best JRPG that's come out in a while and just one example of a game that doesn't require 'next gen' power to have an interesting story, solid structure, intriguing characters and solid game mechanics. Then think Lost Guardian on PS3 and the many innovative XBLA titles of recent times. Or how about the awkward, flawed brilliance of Catherine?
Thinking of the future, with the current trend of 're-imagining retro favourites' (MGS, Silent Hill et al) I expect most of the early PS4 / Nextbox releases will just be Higher Def versions of this generation's classics anyway- Uncharted HD x Infinity anyone?
kakah on 24 Aug '11 said:
I don't think you've read the article either...it actually asks for less complexity and it's "she" btw. I don't think you should post any more Headcharge78!
jsb115 on 24 Aug '11 said:
Release them whenever you want - all I know is the only gaming hardware I intend to buy in the next 12 months is a PS Vita. I don't see a need for next-gen consoles yet.
KMakawa on 24 Aug '11 said:
These are the devil words in activisions eyes, but -- Let your development studios create new engines for 2 years or so, rather then keeping them on the hamster wheel and you'll get your innovation.
LordVonPS3 on 24 Aug '11 said:
Bizarre reasoning from the lady at Activision. The Wii was seen as having innovative controls and yet the only thing the Wii really sold - was more Wii! 3rd party games bombed and Nintendo 1st party games were the only semi-innovative thing about the system other than the controllers. Mario, Zelda, etc - aren't exactly innovative on Wii - even with 3D graphics (GC / N64).
Better graphics and bigger more complex games have been a key factor in the improvement of all video games throughout the past 4 - 5 decades of their existence - from Pong to Uncharted 3. Without better graphics or added complexity we would not be where we are today and there is still a long way to go before graphics can accurately mimic real life - which is quite frankly the target to reach. This IS innovation.
Games don't need to be fun, they don't even need to be enjoyable, nor do they need to be big nor complex. It's just that the fact is games that are none of these things - don't sell particularly well in a modern climate. When I was but a wee whipper-snapper, we used to play kick the can and hide and seek. How many people do you see playing this today? How many hide and seek or kick the can video games are there? How many people do you know who bought a PS3 - just to play PS1 originals?
Frankly PS4 and XBox 3 are not needed now for different control schemes... Improvements to the likes of Kinect and PS Move aren't dependent on the X360 / PS3 being usurped. PS4 and XBox 3 are requested because the GPU, CPU, RAM and bus speed bandwidths are below par / out of date compared to the PC scene where software is developed. Everything else - capacity, control schemes, 3D, etc, etc - all spawn from the GPU / CPU / RAM & bandwidth fundamentals.
gmcb007 on 24 Aug '11 said:
The quality of games this year disagrees with this statement. In fact, I have yet to see an Activision game this gen that has pushed the tech to the limit. Most of their games feel like they are still stuck in the PS2 days.
KippDynamite on 24 Aug '11 said:
Obviously gameplay, etc. is important, but I REALLY WANT the next gen of systems to have much better graphics and more complex gameplay. I don't understand why so many people apologize for this stance. Better graphics are great! If Skyrim looks the same as Oblivion I doubt half as many people would be excited for it. And as good as Uncharted is to play, if it looked duff it wouldn't be nearly as popular.
alphafour on 24 Aug '11 said:
Game, set and match.
JuiKuen on 24 Aug '11 said:
Like I've always said: developers like these always rely on power rather than their own creativity
TOKEN on 24 Aug '11 said:
Like i keep saying let those who want one have one,those happy with this gen stay with this gen because it takes a few years for momentum of games and sales.
its funny how someone had a dig at rip off sequels but that really this gen has now.
monkeydude40 on 24 Aug '11 said:
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t312/monkey1969_photo/6a00d83452989a69e200e55050847c8834-800wi.jpg
Well Activision were good ONCE...
"Before the formation of Activision, software for video game consoles were published exclusively by makers of the systems for which the games were designed. For example, Atari was the only publisher of games for the Atari 2600. This was particularly galling to the developers of the games, as they received no financial rewards for games that sold well, and did not receive credit for their games. This caused several programmers to resign from their jobs. Activision became the first third-party game publisher for game consoles"
God how they have truly sold out.It makes me really sad that such a brilliant company employed this twerp...
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t312/monkey1969_photo/bobby-kotick-20090915.jpg
I`m sorry but new hardware WILL not encourage innovation.I`m pretty sure we heard the same old spiel before the 360 and the PS3 came out that THINGS WOULD CHANGE (tm).Ummm nope we got Fighting games,Racing Games,Shooting games,Adventure Games and ENDLESS football games.So just like the PS1,PS2,Xbox,Jaguar,Dreamcast,Megadrive,SNES and every other damm console ever invented.All we will get with the new offerings from Sony,Microsoft and Nintendo is the same old rigmarole with more textures.If people keep buying every flippin version of COD and Fifa and PES year in year out then thats EXACTLY what the publishers will keep on floggin us.Heres an idea if we want innovation ... DONT buy FIFA 12 or the next COD or the next PES cos guess what ITS THE SAME GAME AS LAST YEAR !!. If we all voted with our wallets and these all bombed then MAYBE they might be forced to think of someting new.
anyway rant over
paul on 29 Aug '11 said:
f**k activision sony will put out ps4 when there ready nothing we can do about it so go f**k youselfs you idiots