Epic: Future Xbox, PS could be mobile

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 4 October, 2010

Rein reveals tablet-esque vision.

Epic Games boss Mark Rein reckons future Xbox and PlayStation consoles could be portable.

"Imagine a future Xbox 360 that is actually a tablet you carry around," Rein told Develop.

"It will have more power than 360 does today, with technology like Kinect built right in.

"Imagine walking into a bar with some friends, propping it up on the table and playing games like Dance Central or Kinect Adventures anywhere you go. Then when you get home that same device will use technology like AirPlay or wireless HDMI to connect to your big screen, you'll pick up a wireless controller, or use your phone as a controller to play games like Gears of War.

"It feels like there's a great opportunity for game consoles to cease to be something you plug into the wall and rather become something you take with you. Of course it will be more than just your game console; you can have your productivity apps, your documents, and your media collections on it as well."

Both Microsoft and Sony have kept quiet on their plans for new hardware, and instead pushed motion control add-ons Kinect and Move.

Microsoft reckons Kinect, due out on 10th November, will extend the life of the Xbox 360 by five years.

Epic, of course, is an important cog in the Xbox 360 wheel. Its Microsoft Game Studios-published third-person action series Gears of War has done much to attract gamers to the console.

But Epic is keen to extend its reach beyond home consoles, and has in recent months pushed the viability of triple-A games on mobile phones such as the iPhone.

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (88) Latest comment 2 years ago

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  • rotmm #1 2 years ago

    Nope, I don't think so.

  • thewool #2 2 years ago

    Me neither.

  • Arcadiian #3 2 years ago

    So... Imagine if my Xbox/PS was a tablet PC? I don't understand what the point of that would be.

  • lucky_jim #4 2 years ago

    I've just imagined it. It's shit.

  • AusFreelancer #5 2 years ago

    I can it's called an "iphone" and it's pretty crap at games that involve buttons.

  • yarkiebrown #6 2 years ago

    or maybe it won't be... Tho i'm looking forward to playing kinect down the pub in hull

  • Fab4 #7 2 years ago

    Imagine losing it after being mugged by a group of chavs ;)

  • superstu1337 #8 2 years ago

    No.

  • mazzl #9 2 years ago

    let's keep the bar for music and beers, let's play with girls there.... not with you're console.

    why is there a shoppy video of an empty world at the end of the article?

  • miiiguel #10 2 years ago

    or use your phone as a controller

    Sounds confortable...

  • Skooch #11 2 years ago

    "Imagine a future Xbox 360 that is actually a tablet you carry around," Rein told Develop.

    "It will have more power than 360 does today, with technology like Kinect built right in.

    "Imagine walking into a bar with some friends, propping it up on the table and playing games like Dance Central or Kinect Adventures anywhere you go. Then when you get home that same device will use technology like AirPlay or wireless HDMI to connect to your big screen."

    Isn't that just a laptop?

  • JBlokeUK #12 2 years ago

    "Imagine walking into a bar with some friends, propping it up on the table and playing games like Dance Central or Kinect Adventures anywhere you go.''

    He is joking, right?

    The last thing I want to do when going out for a drink is play Kinect ffs.
    Edited by JBlokeUK at 04/10/10 @ 11:17

  • FireMonkey #13 2 years ago

    I really hope not. It's fine if they work on a portable console, but to make the main console portable is a mistake. I would never want to replace my big TV and surround sound system with a portable device, so why my home console?

    I know a portable device could be connected to these systems, but the games would start getting developed with the mobile control method, screen size, etc as standard and so become pretty shit for at home.

  • Jonathan_Fakenham #14 2 years ago

    Another developer talking out of his ass.. I can't wait to pick up the new Xbox tablet and hook it up to my surround system.

  • Gromit #15 2 years ago

    Look everybody - hundreds of pounds worth of equipment here. If I don't forget it in the pub, or bust it by being drunk, you can nick it off me.

    It would serve me right for wanting to play Kinectimals in a boozer.

    Get real.

  • b00n #16 2 years ago

    Imagine going into a bar and instead of playing Dance Central you actually... dance! With your mobile phone still in your pocket.

  • M_of_the_sys #17 2 years ago

    I don't think a tablet will look that good sitting under my TV gathering dust.

  • jag10 #18 2 years ago

    surely he can't be serious.

  • spekkeh #19 2 years ago

    Do not want, although I do reckon the next Wii will be something like this.

  • iHAZaCHEEZ3burger #20 2 years ago

    I'd just stick with the current gen if that happened.

    And glol at walking into a pub and propping it up on the bar.

  • Mkwone #21 2 years ago

    Is that not handheld gaming?

  • Fab4 #22 2 years ago

    My idea for the next generation of consoles would be the federation of your console to other people's consoles. I.e., when you pop round to your friends, you can securely network with your own console so that your profile/media is available at that location.

  • AHiFi #23 2 years ago

    Sure Mr. Rein...I'll walk into the Crown Inn, whip out my 720 and dance around while Roddy McKnuckles and Tam 'The Terrier' Stuart sit and mull over my fate.

    EDIT: Outside of that, would be nice. Can't see it though.
    Edited by AHiFi at 04/10/10 @ 11:28

  • chrisjm #24 2 years ago

    "Imagine walking into a bar with some friends, propping it up on the table and playing games like Dance Central or Kinect Adventures"

    do that in wetherspoons and you'd get glassed.

  • spekkeh #25 2 years ago

    surely he can't be serious.

    He is. And don't call him Shirley.

  • yarkiebrown #26 2 years ago

    achievements for dancing and talking to women might work tho...

  • TopKatt #27 2 years ago

    That'd be the PSP3 and the Xbox Lite or something, both vwery powerful portable systems. The PS4 and Xbox 720 will be even more powerful and sat at home under the telly.

  • Jon1292 #28 2 years ago

    The technology barely works in the huge bulky consoles, what makes them think we've all of a sudden evolved in to making magicial-wafer thin-heat dissapating microchips all of a sudden?

  • iamian #29 2 years ago

    Imagine walking into a bar with some friends, propping it up on the table and playing games like Dance Central
    ...
    Imagine going into a bar and instead of playing Dance Central you actually... dance!

    I don't know which one sounds worse...

  • youhavenomail #30 2 years ago

    Well, the next PlayStation out will be the PSP2, so he's 50% right.

  • BEXANT #31 2 years ago

    Well won't he look silly when the next batch of consoles come out and they are just big lunking powerhouses that need as much power as the average Fridge freezer, much like to current batch are today!

  • photoboy #32 2 years ago

    I don't think Rein is far off what could be possible. I got a cheap iPad recently and Epic Citadel is impressively close to what the current generation of consoles can produce graphically, which is impressive from such a thin device. I think if there were a small wireless joypad that could sync up to the iPad and games like Mass Effect, Ace Combat, Gears of War, Dead Rising 2, Uncharted, etc were available on it, I would be very happy to play it.

    What I don't want is a tablet device that only plays Kinect games or only allows for touch screen controls. Touch screen is fine for certain games, but usually a joypad is far preferable.
    Edited by photoboy at 04/10/10 @ 11:42

  • metalangel #33 2 years ago

    The landlord himself will glass you when he sees you whip out the enormous external power block and your ridiculous tablet-o-console quadruples his electricity consumption.

    Not to mention all the rednecks and lowlifes (remember, Epic are American so less Wetherspoon, more the "hey you, let's fight" Beer n' Brawl) went there to DRINK, not prance around like a bunch of Kansas City faggots!

  • Eraser #34 2 years ago

    It's not, because small, hand held sized automatically means that it's technologically inferior (in terms of processing power) to a full blown desktop style setup. Since both Sony and MS won't want to sacrifice processing power they're not going to do it. That's why there still exists a separate handheld market these days.

  • BadDevotions #35 2 years ago

    don't see what's not to like. As long as you could plug it into a telly as well then you have the best of both worlds. i'd buy a device that i could both plug into my telly and use as a normal console as well as take with me round to friends and not have to worry about having a tv when i get there. Imagine an Ipad but built specifically to play games on....

  • ThePissartist #36 2 years ago

    The worrying thing is; Epic had a say on the 360's hardware (showing GoW with 256mg and 512mg to MS). I really hope they have NO influence on the next hardware if this is their suggestion.

    This sounds like a really BAD idea, but then maybe my girlfriend thinks it's a great idea. I just really hope they're wrong.

  • schnide #37 2 years ago

    This sounds horrible.

  • ThePissartist #38 2 years ago

    Isn't this another way of selling the same hardware all over again? Only this time with a screen, it'll only cost you another £300.

    Sounds awful the more I think about it.

  • M_of_the_sys #39 2 years ago

    Imagine a £600 Ipad but built specifically to play games on....

  • toy_brain #40 2 years ago

    As others have said, if you replace the idea of a Tablet-style device with (for example) the PSP2/PSP3, which can be placed in some kind of dock that hooks up to your TV via HDMI, and allows you to use a DualShock controller, then that starts to sound like a much better idea.

    Yes, this is my wish for the PSP2. Make it happen Sony.
    Please make it happen!

  • Dave52 #41 2 years ago

    "Imagine walking into a bar with some friends, propping it up on the table and playing games like Dance Central"

    You'd last about 5 minutes in my local. What a fucking stupid idea. When will these people realise that gamers want to sit on their sofa or lay in their bed and play games. I have no interest in looking like a dick in my own living room, let alone going out and doing it in public.

  • geeza2020 #42 2 years ago

    what the fuck is that video at the end of the article? Is it the ipad showing off its graphics? Yes the town looks nice, but there is absolutely nothing happening in the whole place!!

    But back to the article, I really, really, really hope that this guy is wrong, and we have another good ol box under the telly next gen.

  • chasejamie #43 2 years ago

    I just want to sit at home and play games. By myself.

  • Nighthawk_08 #44 2 years ago

    This definitely will not happen. Imagine the costs to do this. The PS3's major flaw when it launched was price. There's no way in hell that this would be affordable to the masses. It also sounds like a really shit idea. Iv never thought once when playing a game " this would be great in the pub"
    Edited by Nighthawk_08 at 04/10/10 @ 12:18

  • Kinkster #45 2 years ago

    "Christ, I can't believe people can't see beyond his bar example. I wouldn't take it to the bar, but I would take it lots of other places."

    Big round of applause for that man. Negative points for all of you who think a portable games machine that you can play anywhere AND on a big screen is a bad idea.

  • Duke100 #46 2 years ago

    I also want to know what the deal is with that video (3rd person to post now), the world does look quite cool.

  • Dave52 #47 2 years ago

    I've just been thinking this through (having calmed down a little). I can't see this working because:

    1) They want people to buy this, not just one or two who can bring it round to their mates house.
    2) People have spent good money on their 42" HD (possibly 3D) TV, they want to play games on that thanks very much.
    3) If you want to sit on the train and play Plants V Zombies - chances are, you've already bought an iPad.

    There's also talk of MS putting Kinect tech into PCs, can you imagine...? Paperclip pops up "Are you trying to write a letter?", No I just want to check my Email FFS...
    Edited by Dave52 at 04/10/10 @ 12:27

  • space_ace #48 2 years ago

    imagined it. do not want

  • FireMonkey #49 2 years ago

    The video is the iPad running the Unreal engine. It is just a tech demo at the mo.

  • memeroot #50 2 years ago

    pico projector

  • retr0gamer #51 2 years ago

    I rather sit at home than play a game. I don't go to the pub to play DDR thank you very much.

  • BoffBoff #52 2 years ago

    "Imagine walking into a bar with some friends, propping it up on the table and playing games like Dance Central or Kinect Adventures..."

    I can forsee no problem with that. Whatsoever.


    I don't know what 'bar' that guy drinks in....

  • Madder-Max #53 2 years ago

    What a collossal bunch of bollocks. Yeah man. Take it into a bar. Put it on the bar and have drinks spilt on it. yeah man groovy. Or...how about plonk it on the bar in a wet patch and the device goes pftzzt! (or something like that).

    So in other words...take it into a bar and look like a complete fucking dick......and then get it nicked when you want to nip off for a piss and everyone else wants to carry on playing and piss off the bar management....definatley not a good idea.
    Edited by Madder-Max at 04/10/10 @ 13:04

  • brseg #54 2 years ago

    Initially I also thought it sounded ridiculous, but when the size of a console is small enough, and general cpu/gpu tech continues to improve, why limit a console to being a big box under the TV in one room? Its not a flexible solution. The future is (probably) mobile tech.
    Look at the size of the new Apple TV, too. Apple could do it first, ipad + apple tv = ?

  • altitude2k #55 2 years ago

    I think people might be taking his vision too literally. The reality would be different, but the concept is good.

  • b00n #56 2 years ago

    @kinkster: Definitely agree there is a lot of potential in having a portable console that does everything, but his examples could have been a bit better if he wants us to get excited about it right now.

    Would already be very happy if i could take my current 360 to other people's houses and tv to play with my profile and games etc without the need to hook up any cables.

  • K1LLAY #57 2 years ago

    I wouldn't mind a portable/tv output OnLive future with interface being upgraded all the time instead...

  • CatWeazle #58 2 years ago

    "Imagine walking into a bar with some friends, propping it up on the table and playing games like Dance Central or Kinect Adventures.."

    Yeh, then imagine getting beaten up & robbed.. This guy's obviously never been out drinking in the UK!

  • Ryze #59 2 years ago

    Er... not yet. Too many issues surrounding cooling, battery life, storage and cost to make the PS4/X720 into tablet PCs.

    They'd cost £2000, and still be compromised.

  • dirtysteve #60 2 years ago

    'Imagine walking into a bar with some friends, propping it up on the table and playing games like Dance Central or Kinect Adventures anywhere you go. '

    Has this man ever been in a bar? Imagine the state it would be in if your managed to get it home at all.
    Also, sheepishly following the iPad trend doesn't instill confidence in the man's ability to predict future trends.
    Edited by dirtysteve at 04/10/10 @ 13:33

  • Quint2020 #61 2 years ago

    Hey look, I can do this too!

    Xbox 720 and PS4 will be personal flying machines complete with toasted sandwich maker!

  • thubie #62 2 years ago

    no thnx i would reckon that in 6 years mobiles will be stronger then 360 and ps 3

  • Bonders99 #63 2 years ago

    The neanderthal couch potato gamer in me says....errr...No

  • Duke100 #64 2 years ago

    Thanks Incendiary Simian

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #65 2 years ago

    I've been expecting Nintendo to bring out a home / portable hybrid console for some time. 3DS has probably knocked that on the head though. I'd say we might see portable-ised versions of the next generation of consoles partway through their lives, but if MS and Sony keep to their current console architectures, I doubt they'll get the power consumption down low enough.

    But here's a thought. This thing is a bluetooth game controller and app store away from being a roughly Wii-powered, but HD games console. And it's innards are basically an iPad without the screen and accelerometers. There's speculation that Apple TV's video streaming capabilities might be coming to iPad, so might any future controller and game software support.

    If next year's iPad has the front-facing camera that's rumoured, and is specced like the dual-1GHz monster that the Blackberry Playbook is meant to be, then you've pretty much got the device that Mark Rein is describing.

    This is all Ifs, and I'm not saying it's what I want, but I believe it's just a corporate strategy decision at Apple away from happening.

  • el_pollo_diablo #66 2 years ago

    Despite all the 'no thanks' comments he's 100% right about this - and we're all going to love it.

    All he said was that a future console will be small and therefore totally portable, able to connect to any tv and access point without wires, and controllable using wireless joypads.

    What's not to like about any of that? It's like what you have now, only better in every respect.

    what am I missing here?
    Edited by el_pollo_diablo at 04/10/10 @ 14:05

  • Sunyavadin #67 2 years ago

    No thanks.

  • Dave52 #68 2 years ago

    Apple TV can't even do 1080p. It's a pile of poo...

    The hand held / portable market is pretty much sewn up with the 3DS, iPad/Pod and a new PSP likely next year.

    EDIT: And let's not forget the whole Android thing...
    Edited by Dave52 at 04/10/10 @ 14:07

  • neosalad #69 2 years ago

    wow.Sega had a similar idea with the dreamcastyears ago...
    with it's VMU's and how you could play game son them.

  • dingo75 #70 2 years ago

    I also want to know what the deal is with that video (3rd person to post now), the world does look quite cool.

    It's a free demo of a prototype from id software for the Iphone / Ipod Touch and Ipad unveiled at this years' Quakecon named "Epic Citadel".
    Link: [link url=http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/epic-citadel/id388888815?mt=8
    ]http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/epic-cita...[/link]

    They also showed a demo of Rage (the next game from id) running on the platform.

  • Er-El #71 2 years ago

    Mark Rein is obviously joking here, he has to be! He must've known this quote would spread fast by all the copy & paste articles out there, and it would give him something to chuckle over in front of his PC.

  • thubie #72 2 years ago

    No man i will accept a box that is 50% bigger then ps 3 fat.
    If it comes with the hardware that is 5 times stronger then current gen.

  • Moz #73 2 years ago

    Humm, like that's not going to cost a small fortune.

  • L0cky #74 2 years ago

    It's a free demo of a prototype from id software for the Iphone / Ipod Touch and Ipad unveiled at this years' Quakecon named "Epic Citadel".

    It's the Unreal Engine by Epic (hence why it's called Epic Citadel). It was Rage that id demonstrated at QuakeCon.

    /pedant

  • Quak #75 2 years ago

    We've had portables for a long time, Mark. Try looking up Game Boy on Wikipedia.

  • ronuds #76 2 years ago

    I don't see why it's such a terrible idea - as long as when I bring it home I can enjoy it as I do my console today? It's not as though I HAVE to bring it out with me, if I'd rather not.

  • man.the.king #77 2 years ago

    "It feels like there's a great opportunity for game consoles to cease to be something you plug into the wall and rather become something you take with you. Of course it will be more than just your game console; you can have your productivity apps, your documents, and your media collections on it as well."

    You mean a Laptop?
    Edited by man.the.king at 04/10/10 @ 16:06

  • carlitoswagon #78 2 years ago

    Imagine walking into a bar with some friends, propping it up on the table and playing games like Dance Central

    Imagine going into a bar and instead of playing Dance Central you actually... dance!

    Imagine my foot travelling at 60 mph towards your ballbags.......

    Imagine the look on your face when it Kinects!!

  • Dave52 #79 2 years ago

    I know I'll get negged for this, but just out of interest. Could the three people who negged my last comment explain to me what was so abhorrent about my statements...?

    Was it the fact that Apple TV can't do 1080p or the fact that there are already really good hand helds in the market place today. I'm curious. :)

  • slippysloppy #80 2 years ago

    I'm bored

  • ronuds #81 2 years ago

    @Dave52

    I didn't neg you, but I'd imagine it's the fact that you didn't seem to really understand that what Rein is talking about is more than the handhelds we have today.

    You talk about the 3DS and a phone, but what they're talking about is something obviously a lot more powerful than that. Also, calling Apple anything a "piece of poo" will get you run right out of the joint. :p

  • TheTrueSpin #82 2 years ago

    Yes, so I walk into my local bar with my £400 console and proceed to start playing Dance Central. After being asked to leave by the bouncer, I realise that my £400 console has developed a massive crack on the screen and even worse, Dave has spilt beer all over it.

    What a stupid stupid post.

    There are gaming Laptops already, but I don't see people in my local playing Crysis. Why does all gaming have to be casual nowadays? Gaming was already mainstream before the Wii, it's just that my gran didn't play it.

  • TheTrueSpin #83 2 years ago

    Oh, and I wish people would stop saying Epic Citadel proves the iPhone can handle almost PS3 graphics. The facts are that:

    a) the game is a tech demo with all the power given over the the engine. There is no AI or interaction with the gameworld, or other processes that are taking up CPU cycles like in other games. Real world implementation of this engine would see a big drop is visual quality.

    b) the resolution is 320x480 - that's 480p. If you ran this on a 1080 TV it would look far worse than most old PS2 games. The small screen means it looks sharp, but it really is not - it does however hide a lot of uglyness.



  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #84 2 years ago

    On an iPad, Epic Citadel runs at native 1024x768, and very nicely it does so, too, and 960x640 on iphone 4.

    The thing is, though that these devices are getting considerably more powerful every year. Top end arm devices in 2012 are estimated to be dual core at 2.4ghz. It's not outwith the realms of possibility that 2013 or 2014 will bring the equivalent of xbox 360's 3 cores at 3.2ghz for devices in the sub £500 range, plus the GPUs to match. In Windows Mobile 7, Microsoft already have a platform that runs on these sorts of devices, although it would be a bold move to start building mainline consoles out of mobile tech at this stage.

  • priesty_lfc #85 2 years ago

    Is this guy mental?

    without stating the obvious i'm fairly sure i'm not the only person to have upgraded my TV to to help me enjoy my gaming, why would I now want to get a smaller screen just so I do it in a pub or where ever else he think I might want to game?

    I wake up, i lounge on my sofa and game on my 46" Bravia for hours at a time. thats heaven for me.

    If I wanted to game outside i'd make more use of my PSP and my iPhone and my Mac.



  • ronuds #86 2 years ago

    @priesty

    You obviously didn't read the article. Rein said the console of the future would connect to your TV as well.

    That's why I don't understand the negativity - it's a win/win situation. You have the same functionality of today's console, but with the ability to take it on the road as well. What in tarnations could possibly be bad about that, unless people are negative for the sheer sake of being negative?

    It's like, would you rather have a regular car or a regular car that also flies? This group would take the regular car, methinks.

  • Collymilad #87 2 years ago


    Pass.

    Seriously, who need to play games ALL the time. If you're out, do something else.

    I love gaming, but jesus there are times for it and when you're out and not commuting, that's not really the time.
    Edited by Collymilad at 05/10/10 @ 01:56

  • Phishfood #88 2 years ago

    I can imagine the super rich owning stuff like that.