14 DAY TRIAL // Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has chimed in on the current state of the gaming industry, and revealed that a new generation of consoles are needed in order to kick start innovation in the segment and draw in new customers.
We're reaching the half way point of this console cycle, at least according to hardware manufacturers like Sony, Nintendo or Microsoft, but developers are already asking for new devices that take advantage of the new technologies currently being showcased.
Ubisoft joins the group that wants a next generation of gaming devices, but only because the current one is making developers less willing to invest in brand new properties or gaming experiences.
Guillemot says that more developers are just content with waiting for a new generation of consoles to appear until they release a brand new property, so, until then, they're going to keep on pumping out sequels to existing ones.
"If we look at the industry's history we see that there are times when it is right to introduce new IP and times when it is harder," he said to MCV. "At this stage in the consoles' lifecycles it is possible to do new IP, but it will be more attractive when new consoles come along. That's when consumers are more open to trying new things. As consoles get more mature it is the big established brands that soak up most of the sales."
Guillemot emphasizes that when new hardware appears, both developers as well as customers are more willing to try out new things.
While new peripherals like the Kinect or PlayStation Move are nice, and new handheld platforms like the Nintendo 3DS or Sony's Next Generation Portable, are even better, Guillemot believes new technologies need to be implemented in home consoles.
"The accessories and handhelds are really good, but I think it would be great for the industry to take advantage of technological advancements," he said. "Processors are more and more powerful, graphics cards have moved on, there are many technologies that would help us deliver a better experience and help the industry to grow."
Even if Guillemot and plenty of other developers and publishers believe changes are necessary, Microsoft, Sony or Nintendo are still confident that their current devices will still be on the market for quite some time.
All three companies are adamant that new things like the Kinect, PlayStation Move, Wii Motion Plus and other such technologies, including Microsoft's new Xbox 360 disc format, will prolong the current console cycle another few years.