Electronic Arts is ready for next-gen consoles, has ‘been working on it for some time’

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We’re on the cusp of one of those shifts in gaming which only the widespread proliferation of next-gen consoles can bring. A rising tide lifts all boats and the bottom tier of gaming will be given an overhaul with the latest tech. It stands to reason we’ll also benefit on PC from multiplatform titles not having to cater for the PS4 and Xbox One as well, and Electronic Arts sounds as if it’s excited for how the next generation can change our gaming experiences.

Talking during EA’s Q1 2020 financial results briefing, CFO Blake Jorgensen said “We’re working hard on moving, building games for next year on Gen 5. I think it’s obvious. I think everybody in the industry is doing that. 

“As has happened in the past, not all games come out on Gen 5 immediately. And obviously, with games like Madden, you’d probably bring the Gen 5 game out when the Gen 5 console ships, not when Madden itself ships, but we’ll be ready on Gen 5. We’re very excited about it and we’ve been working on it for some time.”

EA being EA, they like to assign their own generations which fly in the face of commonly accepted knowledge. The so-called 5th gen will actually be the 9th gen of home consoles and should, all things going well, roll out to store shelves in 2020.

It sounds as if behind the scenes EA has been privy to the PS5 and Xbox Scarlett for some time now. Reading between the lines a little, it would appear the next-gen consoles aren’t going to ship around the time Madden launches. That would mean we’re looking at either an early 2020 or late 2020 launch for the PS5, while Microsoft has already confirmed Xbox Scarlett is inbound for holiday 2020.

The next big question then is what is EA planning to cook up ready for the next crop of consoles. The latest iterations of FIFA, Madden, and NHL are assured. Anthem will probably be a distant memory. But, it’s probably around the time we can expect a new title from DICE. Battlefield: Bad Company 3 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Scarlett anyone?