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[MisterHero]

What the hell happened between EA and Nintendo? Surely there must be someone out there gossiping about it - no journos interested in trying to crack this one open?

There was a rumor of EA wanting to handle Wii U's online but Nintendo said no. It's probably not accurate, but it's not unprecedented either (EA and Sega, MS).

 

[Relaxed Muscle]

From the other thread:

DICE defines generations based on when 3D came into being on consoles and EA followed.

 

[RoboPlato]

In regards to Wii U being next gen or not, I consider it current gen since it's currently out. I'll continue calling it current gen once Orbis and Durango hit.

 

[popeutlal]

The complete lack of 3rd party interest is Nintendo's biggest problem. Wii U will have an ever harder time than the Wii in that regard.

Nintendo's biggest problem is that they are not releasing 1st party games for it. So far we only have two very uninteresting releases from Nintendo.

 

[grandjedi6]

I'm more offended by EA's inability to count. Gen 4? So anything before the PS1 is now Gen B.C.?

 

[Aquamarine]

Before the craziness and accusations begin, I am pretty sure the way they're describing gens is different from the traditional definition of 'whatever the newest iteration of a console' is.

I think he means the distinction as the differences in a generation where you have to build new engines and such... with Wii U, you can pretty much port your PS30 engines with modifications and be done with it. To get the most out of Orbis/Durango, you're going to have to build from scratch.

For a game company, the distinction would be very real and a total different ballpark in terms of investment.

Yep. An AAA Wii U game can be sold with PS3-level of assets. The PS4 / 720 are both a step above that, requiring larger budgets and larger teams to be an AAA contender.

 

[Takamura-San]

"We have a strong relationship with Nintendo." Is that really what you want to hear? Because that's all they'd say.

I admire EA using better excuses than Capcom for not supporting the Vita. At least we know is not a resolution issue.

 

[DaBuddaDa]

Clearly their internal generation structure is different from the internet's (which grew out of wikipedia). Arguing about which number "gen" this is is besides the point and arbitrary.

 

[Pie and Beans]

Think EA started with 16-bit didn't they? So 16-bit/32-bit+64-bit/128-bit etc/HD gen/ errrrr... so doesnt even make too much sense there. Gen 5 would have.

 

[Cosmonaut X]

And any journalist worth their salt would continue to press and not be a lacky though I digress. Gaming Journalism is more about getting freebies than being a journalist

It's not even about getting EA to publicly say something; it's about trying to leverage your sources and get them to explain what happened ("a source within EA speaking on condition of anonymity..." etc.)

 

[Hero of Legend]

In regards to Wii U being next gen or not, I consider it current gen since it's currently out. I'll continue calling it current gen once Orbis and Durango hit.

But do you consider Wii U to be the same gen as the PS4 and 720?

 

[ZealousD]

Doesn't have to make sense. I think we know what they mean

Do we though? If EA is clumping together different gens together it puts a lot whole different spin on the comment.

 

[Like the hat?]

- PSX/ N64/ Saturn (Gen 1)
- PS2/ Xbox/ Gamecube / Dreamcast/ Wii (Gen 2)
- PS3/ Xbox360/ WiiU (Gen 3)
- Orbis/ Durango/ Steambox (Gen 4)

Was SNES and genesis gen 0 or -1?

 

[Samurai-Don]

Can someone tell EA that the Wii U isn't a generation 4 console, that honour goes to the SNES, but a generation 8.

You think that they would know that considering that they are in the video game business.

 

[SolidSnakex]

That's pretty telling. I still expect them to pump out some ports to the Wii U not too long from now.

I expect them to continue to release their sports titles on the Wii U. But i'd be surprised if they released something like BF4 on the console.

 

[Randolph Freelander]

...Do I really have to pull up the dictionary definition of generation? Really?

I think the point is at least in EA's view, the Wii U is not in the same class as what they expect/know the next Sony and Microsoft consoles to be, and that's going to be true no matter how you want to define "generation." Pull it from a dictionary, wikipedia, or from wherever, and it is still irrelevant.

 

[PaulExcellent]

Jeez... That's something.
Well, I hope that they balance releases on the "next-gen" consoles and the WiiU.

It's a neat console, and I want to see more games take advantage of the controller screen.

 

[cacildo]

Aside from Dead Space 3, what does EA have in the next months?

 

[grandjedi6]

From the other thread:

That's still stupid!

 

[Takamura-San]

And any journalist worth their salt would continue to press and not be a lacky though I digress. Gaming Journalism is more about getting freebies than being a journalist

What leverage would a website have on EA to actually make them state something that would sour their relationship with nintendo any further?

 

[famousmortimer]

Gen 1 = vectors

Gen 2 = sprites

Gen 3 = polygons

Gen 4 = magic??????!!!?!?

 

[def sim]

From the other thread:

Oh.

So there's our answer then. I'll post it again because people are clearly missing it.

DICE defines generations based on when 3D came into being on consoles and EA followed.

 

[Metalmurphy]

They're not they only ones.

 

[HawthorneKitty]

Good thing I don't care about how they define terms.

 

[USC-fan]

I like the gen 4 instead of saying next gen for the ps4/720. At least people wont get as upset if he would have said "next-gen."

 

[boyshine]

Dafuq are they talking about? Gen 4? What are the other 3?

Didn't you know? Game consoles didn't exist until Sony said so.

 

[Shion]

Funny how EA's biggest franchise debuted before what they seem to consider as gen 1.

 

[kitsuneyo]

EA coming across all obnoxious. I don't like it. It certainly doesn't make me want to support their mostly shitty games.

 

[Saty]

Wii U isn't even listed in their latest financials. Well, can't blame EA too much when even the analysts in the Q&A didn't ask a single question about how EA's Wii U games have performed.

 

[tkscz]

I'm guessing Gen4 is not meant to be generation, but code for something else. As, starting with WiiU, we're in Gen8.

 

[Linkhero1]

You really think that's what it is? EA would reserve the right to not comment, or give non-answers. Blaming the press is misguided.

It doesn't mean they shouldn't try and ask.

 

[def sim]

Aside from Dead Space 3, what does EA have in the next months?

Probably the same as everyone else: A number of unannounced titles for the upcoming consoles.

 

[Beermeister]

Gen 4

 

[AOC83]

They probably started counting when the gaming Jesus aka Sony arrived.

 

[Like the hat?]

There was 3d on SNES, even somewhat on nes and game boy and whatever else.

 

[Macho Madness]

It doesn't mean they shouldn't try and ask.

I agree, the question should be asked. Just don't expect an answer.

 

[Mr.Wreckless]

The Wii U really is in a bad situation.

There is more talk in here about what Gen numbers they are using than how the Wii U will fare with what seems to be limited EA support.

 

[baxter2231]

EA: Wii U isnt next gen

oh boy lol

 

[Carl]

From the other thread:

Needs to be in the OP...

 

[Takamura-San]

I don't get the fascination with Gen4.

 

[Arkam]

Dont get your panties in a bunch over the "Gen4" remark.

Thats just how EA does things. PS2/XBox/GC/Wii was Gen2
Xenon/ps3 were called Gen3
So it only makes sense for them to call nextbox/ps4 Gen4


Now what I wonder was if they actually called psx/n64 Gen 1.... but that was long before I entered the industry.

oh and for the record when they got Wii U kits they called them Gen2.5 at first since they were not sure to port up from Wii or port from Gen3. but that was before they really got to mess with it too much

 

[Sendou]

It's good that it's finally confirmed that Wii U actually competes with Master System as far as generations go.

 

[Ding-Ding]

Dear Nintendo Fans

Thank you for purchasing our "Gen 3" hand me downs. Hope you continue to purchase these limited investments we have made on your system at premium prices, while we concentrate on the real "Gen 4" consoles that don't come with duct tape.

Lots of Love

EA

 

[Coolwhip]

EA please go away.

 

[Wiz]

So by Gen 4 they mean 3D graphical leaps. Which sort of makes their statement reasonable.

 

[RoKKeR]

EA has totally disregarded the WiiU at this point. They even said in their investor call today that they don't consider it to be in the same category as "Gen 4". (Durango/Orbis)

Quite hilarious after their big on-stage proclamation of WiiU's greatness and how much EA will support it back in 2011.

 

[daxgame]

EA still mad

 

[Meelow]

Ah so WiiU?/PS4/X720 aren't really next gen, they are 4th generations behind according to EA.

 

[Eusis]

Gen 4? Even if I'm being generous and start with NES

NES ->SNES ->PS1 -> PS2 -> Wii/PS3/360

That's 5 already dude.

I guess now it starts with PS1, either due to the advent of 3D or the advent of Sony blowing the mainstream wide open. Either way I think it's really stupid to treat it as if the prior generations don't matter, it should either be from the very start, or at least from when the NES resuscitated consoles.

Alternatively, their view is more along the lines of this: the start of games period (Atari), the start of sophisticated 2D design (PC/Nintendo), the start of sophisticated 3D design (Sega/Sony/Nintendo/PC), and the start of serious alternative controls (DS/Wii/Move/Kinect/Wii U/next consoles... though I guess that should've ALREADY started.)

EDIT: Yeah, guess it's the former afterall. Maybe it's just from being raised on NES/SNES but I really don't like that kind of division, especially as A LOT of what was relevant then stayed relevant to more recent generations, nevermind where handhelds fit.

 

[Dave Meltzer]

Unprecedented relationship.