Video Games in 2005

1. Video Games in 2005 The State of the Art John Salwitz Senior Development Director Electronic Arts, Inc.

2. Overview • Quick history of the video game business! • Key technologies and creative initiatives today. • What’s next in video games? • Where will young kids be playing games in 2 years?

3. Definitions • Arcade Game – Coin Operated Standup Game • Hand Held Game – Portable, Battery Operated • PC Game – Played on your “Dell” • Console Game – Played on your T.V.

4. Golden Age of Arcade Games • The dawn of video games! • Games are played in local arcades, college campuses, bowling alleys, 7-11s, movie theaters… • Players pay about $.25 for each game and play for about 3-5 minutes. • Hit games sell 75,000 units at about $2,500 each. • Hits include…

6. Sunset on the Arcades • Arcade game hardware grows substantially in complexity and capability. • Arcades dominate the video-game business in 1980-1981. • Console game titles are created largely as derivatives of arcade games. • In 1985 things begin to change… • In 1985 Nintendo launches the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System)… • The end of the arcade has begun…

8. Console Games Arrive! • At-home video game play has taken over the industry! • Nintendo entertainment system dominates the market. • 2nd party software publishers (non-hardware makers) begin to sell lots of games for “standard platforms”. • Most games are being played on 5 year old technology.

10. Console Explosion! • In 1990 Sega introduces the “Genesis”… 16-bit Video Games! • Shortly thereafter Nintendo releases the “SNES” (Super NES). • By the end of this period, video games are stored on CDROM. • Sony ends Nintendo and Sega’s reign in 1995 with the introduction of the Sony PlayStation (PS1). • With the PlayStation home video games become 3-Dimensional!

11. Console Explosion!

12. Modern Era of Video Games ! • Sony’s dominance over the video game business increases with the introduction of the PlayStation II in 2000. • Nintendo follows with the “Game Cube” • Microsoft follows with the “Xbox” • Most video games are created by software publishers.

13. Modern Era of Video Games !

14. Computational Power

15. Key Technologies and Features in Today’s Games. • Multiplayer – Many people sharing same game. • Open Worlds – Interactive Playgrounds. • Story Telling Through Game-play. • Incredible Environmental Realism. • Convergence: Video Games and Movies!

17. What video games will young kids be playing in 2 years… I have absolutely no idea! However… I have some idea where they will be playing!

18. Crash Team Racing Spongebob Supersponge Spyro: Year Of Dragon Shrek: Treasure Hunt Grand Theft Auto Disney Collectors Edtn Final Fantasy VIII Crash Bash Namco Museum Final Fantasy Anthology Last Year’s Top Video Games Top PS-II Games 2004 Top PS-I Games 2004 • Grand Theft: Andreas • Madden NFL 2005 • NFS Underground 2 • Spider-Man: The Movie • NCAA Football • NBA Live • MVP Baseball • Metal Gear3:Snake • Tony Hawk Underground • NFL Fight Night

19. Where will young kids be playing games in 2 years? ANSWER: They will be playing games on PS II and on the XBOX in their living rooms. By the way… there are over 45 Million of these consoles (world wide). Maybe… older siblings give their game systems to younger siblings? They will be doing so because next year…

20. What’s Next? • XBOX II and PlayStation III! • In the fall of 2005 Microsoft will introduce XBOX II. • In the fall of 2006 Sony will introduce PlayStation III. • Lets compare…

21. Computation… Next Gen

22. Finally… • Video game development happens in cycles. • We are just about to end one phase and enter another. • Each cycle brings a 10x improvement in hardware capability and wonderful jumps in quality. • Younger players play older platforms.

23. Care to play?