By With the Switch 2 poised to launch a new era of consoles this June, EA founder Trip Hawkins has offered insights on the upcoming direction of gaming systems.
In a blog article, Hawkins expressed his belief that cloud-based technologies will prevails, asserting that the era of the traditional console selling 150 million units is concluded.
“Regarding the next wave of consoles, we’re currently on a glide path where the cloud dominates everything, making it significantly simpler to operate rack-mounted GPUs in data centers rather than persuading consumers to purchase more consoles at elevated prices than they have done historically,” he remarked. “We will never again see a conventional console achieve 150 million unit sales, akin to the PlayStation 2.”
Hawkins elaborated that the “technical capability” of PCs, alongside current-generation consoles and new smartphones, may be “sufficient” for users.
“Even for Sony and Microsoft, it will soon be more advantageous to concentrate on their game-streaming subscription platforms rather than incurring losses on hardware production and promotion,” he noted. “PlayStation and Xbox can persist as brands while being more accessible on PCs and billions of smart devices, creating a mutually beneficial scenario for cloud providers, gaming labels, and players.”
The original Switch has surpassed 150 million units sold, and that figure is expected to rise further when Nintendo releases its upcoming earnings report this month.
Concerning the Switch 2, Hawkins anticipates it will achieve over 100 million lifetime sales, but he doubts it will reach the landmark sales numbers of its predecessor.
Microsoft is developing a next-generation console, potentially incorporating a handheld, while Sony is rumored to be working on the PS6. However, release dates for both remain uncertain.
Microsoft is already substantially invested in gaming-streaming technologies, while Sony also enables users to stream games. Microsoft has indicated that game-streaming is merely one potential avenue; it will continue to launch dedicated gaming consoles as well.
Hawkins departed EA back in 1991. Among his many achievements, he played a crucial role in signing John Madden to a development agreement, leading to the hugely successful Madden football franchise. A film about Madden is in progress, with John Mulaney set to portray Hawkins. The veteran executive recently discussed the film, mentioning that director David O. Russell chose not to engage with him.
After leaving EA, Hawkins established 3DO to develop a new gaming console, but it never gained traction.
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