TIGA, the organisation representing the gamesindustry, has welcomed the announcement of the latest Xbox console and said
that it now looked forward to hearing more about how Microsoft would work with
the development community. In particular, TIGA said that it looked forward to
announcements about new games IP to be launched on the platform at E3, the
trade show for computer and video games and related products, in Los
Angeles on June 11th – 13th.
A
number of UK developers were featured as partners at the announcement,
including TIGA member and independent developer Playground Games, who had
recent success with their Forza Horizon game.
Trevor
Williams, COO at Playground commented:
“Microsoft have and continue to be a
fantastic partner for us. It was great to be one of the British companies
highlighted in the announcement. We are really excited by the possibilities
Xbox One opens up for us and hope this new platform will create opportunities
for indie developers to come back to the big screen space. We are heads down
our next big game and hope to share more details soon””.
The more powerful Kinect, with the ability to
respond to heart rate, muscular flex, highly accurate voice and photon-accurate
responsiveness to gestures open up exciting new possibilities for interactivity
with both games and TV. The ability of SmartGlass to connect smartphones with
TV functionality also goes some way to addressing how consoles can integrate the
second screen.
Microsoft seems to be echoing Netflix’s
approach in creating top quality, exclusive entertainment, with the production
of a Halo TV series backed by luminaries such as Steven Spielberg. This could
herald a new era of gaming’s most legendary characters going truly mainstream,
and engaging new audiences who may never have controlled them on screen. The potential for developers to access Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing platform
could also be one of the most significant advancements in the cloud gaming
concept yet seen. This separation of local and cloud processing power could
potentially open up new frontiers in graphics and in-game physics.
Jason Kingsley OBE, TIGA Chairman and CEO and
Creative Director at Rebellion, commented:
“Microsoft is clearly
investing in a strategy that, in winning the living room, should grow the
overall console market. This is good news for developers everywhere. The effort
and investment in pushing the boundaries of how we interact with games, and how
games interact with the rest of the entertainment spectrum is also commendable.
“Developers now look
forward to hearing more about Microsoft’s commitment to developer
collaboration, how Xbox One’s digital marketplace will provide
more distribution and marketing options, tools and measurement, and how
SmartGlass will allow cohesive, immersive multi-device gaming experiences. We
also look forward to hearing more about the games that will deliver the next generation of AI, storytelling,
and interactivity.””
Dr. Richard Wilson, CEO, TIGA, added:
“TIGA welcomes the
Xbox One; this new hardware will ignite the long-awaited new console cycle and
give UK games developers and British games sales a much-needed shot in the arm.
I look forward to hearing more from Microsoft on how its digital distribution
platform will evolve to support smaller, independent development teams. It will
also be exciting to see Xbox One’s confirmed new IP at E3.””
About TIGA:
TIGA is the trade association representing the UK’s
games industry. The majority of our members are either independent games
developers or in-house publisher owned developers. We also have games
publishers, outsourcing companies, technology businesses and universities amongst our
membership. Since 2010, TIGA has won 14 business awards
and has been nominated a finalist for 16 other awards.
TIGA’s vision is to make the UK the best place
in the world to do games business. We focus on three sets of activities:
political representation, generating media coverage and developing services
that enhance the competitiveness of our members. This means that TIGA
members are effectively represented in the corridors of power, their voice is
heard in the media and they receive benefits that make a material difference to
their businesses, including a reduction in costs and improved commercial
opportunities.
For further information,
please contact Dr Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO on: 07875 939 643, or email: richard.wilson@tiga.org.