Next-Gen is Here, And There's No Looking Back

At last, the next generation is here … and I’m fired up.  Congratulations to our teams around the world who have helped us get ready to deliver so many great new games to our fans.

The North American launches of the PS4 today, and then the Xbox One next week, mark the start of a big holiday season for Sony and Microsoft.  The same is true for us here at EA.

Several years ago, we collectively made the decision to put a stake in the ground and win this new generation – we wanted to be in the pole position starting from day one.  The good news is that we are not only starting this generation with the most games of any publisher, most importantly we have the best games - and from the early reviews, the critics seem to agree.  This makes me proud, and it is a testament to our decision to focus on our tech, with Frostbite 3 and EA SPORTS IGNITE, as well as to go all-in and make sure that, for EA, next-gen is simply the best gen. Period.

Great games should deliver defining moments … the kind of defining moments that you thrive on and remember as a gamer. I’ve had a lot of those lately, starting with gameplay. Of course next-gen graphics are stunning, but immersive gameplay and a feature like AllDrive in Need for Speed Rivals is a perfect example of how we’re changing the way you play. Now a friend can come in and turn my single player world seamlessly into a multiplayer race. There is just nowhere to hide, and I love it.

Next-gen also offers a new depth to the gaming experience. This became clear to me the first time I played Battlefield 4 with the Commander Mode app on a tablet. When I used the Battlelog app to interact with the 64-player game happening on my console, and I then jumped into Commander Mode on my tablet to continue the session on the go, I truly understood how these new consoles allowed us to embrace the shift in player behavior. We can make the games play in ways they never have before.

Then there is emotion and competition.  The last transition brought fans a mixed bag of quality sports experiences out of the gate, but this time around our EA SPORTS games have come alive with the power of the new consoles and our tech. In FIFA 14, the intelligence and motion of the players, combined with stunning crowds and stadiums, delivers an emotional connection that's hard to replicate in any type of game.  I can FEEL the real world of sports now, from FIFA 14 to Madden NFL 25 to NBA LIVE 14, in ways that have never before been possible.   

Now, there are those who have said that, at least at first glance, it can be difficult to notice what a huge leap forward Xbox One and PS4 are from their predecessors. When we went from Gen 2 to Gen 3, the mere fact that there was online play and high definition made the jump to the new generation obvious.  What is now clear from developing for the new platforms – as well as playing games on them – is that this leap is even more indisputable.  Trust me, as a gamer, you will notice the difference immediately.

We believe strongly in this new generation of consoles, and I personally cannot wait for players to experience our games in the best way possible. Once you play next-gen, it will be hard to imagine playing anything else. The new generation is here, and there is no looking back.