Something to Think About.
Google has just announced GoogleTV, their new initiative to bring Google to the television. While initial thoughts may border on WebTV or failed Microsoft initiatives of the late 90s, Google’s solution will be very different.
In fact it may not only revolutionize how we watch television, but how we play games as well.
Beginning this Fall 2010, Google will be bringing a version of Android to home televisions. Whether via built-in operating systems, DVRs and set-top devices, or through Dish, the service will be readily available to just about anyone. While Google’s goal is to capitalize on advertising, it poses a significant paradigm shift to how we use the 40+ inch devices that sit in the corners of our living rooms.
GoggleTV is built around the company’s search technology and optimizing the web experience for televisions. Starting with a general home page, users will be able to add their favorite TV channels, YouTube subscriptions, friend recommendations, and more along with the ability to search and access any website. Add in Android apps and widgets, and the TV will become a prime media consumption device. Example: while watching the big game, having the Twitter application running in the sidebar will show what your friends are saying about the event. Or better yet, surf the web to MTV’s website, where the channel will be streaming in the corner as you shop their music video selection.
Data can even be pushed from a mobile device or PC to the television. Start a video on your phone and flip it to the TV when you have a chance to sit down.
Media consumption aside, the system can possibly become the backbone for impressive, intuitive gaming experiences… enough to potentially put a dent in the console-gaming market.
The web experience will be built upon Chrome and include support for Flash, Javascript, etc. This allows the user to be able to play Flash- and browser-based games like Farmville, Quake, and Desktop Tower Defense without needing to load up a console or PC.
Farmville. The killer app. Based on Flash and residing in Facebook, the most-played game on the planet is coming to televisions. In fact the entire infrastructure of Facebook’s gaming services will be there, allowing Grandma to tend to her virtual crops while watching One Life to Live. With the improvements in browser-based and free-to-play gaming (of which several games will be shown at E3 in June) the future outlook for consoles may be a bit bleaker than just a one-console future. How about a no-console future?
Google also announced that they are encouraging developers to make their apps and websites compatibility across mobile, PC, and TV. By using a required pointing device (or an Android-based phone) playing Android games on the television is forthcoming as well.
Google has even ramped up their gaming-specific group, perhaps with efforts to create a gaming hub within GoogleTV that would be home to such games.
Are console futures about to become bleak? While the immediate timeframe is dominated by big-budget games, the casual market continues to grow. And with browser-based and streaming games (a la OnLive) improving exponentially, in 2-3 years time we might see a big change in how we play games at home.
Something to Think About is a semi-regular column posing questions about the relevance of emerging technologies to the gaming industry.
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