14 DAY TRIAL // The team that’s preparing the core ideas for future games at publisher Electronic Arts says that one of the features that they will be requesting from all internal development teams is a second screen presence.
The concept aims to allow players to enjoy their core game experience on the PC or on a console while they can also consult other information linked to it on another device, ranging from a mobile phone to a dedicated gaming handheld or a tablet.
Patrick Soderlund, who leads the Games label at EA, tells Polygon that his company wants to see meaningful expansion for all its brands.
He states, “If you look at how the smartphone affected your life, how Facebook affected your life, I can’t watch TV without using five times during a movie. It’s ridiculous, but that’s what it is, and everyone does that.”
He believes social interactions are more important than ever and that games will be affected alongside the rest of the media landscape.
Soderlund adds, “Today, this is one of the first things our game guys design when they start looking at Star Wars: Battlefront, which is going through design right now. One of the first things we talked about is these things, that tells you it’s in the minds of the people who make the games.”
Battlefield 4, the first-person shooter from DICE, and Need for Speed: Rivals, the racing game from Ghosts, will both include second screen experiences.
In Battlefield 4 the Commander mode is available on second screen devices and will allow gamers to direct the actions of their peers, use special abilities, and control the battle space.
The Autolog in the new Need for Speed is designed to keep gamers connected with their friends, allowing them to see their performance and the events they are interested in.