The rush to create the perfect Android-based gaming system has seen some pretty high-profile misfires. OUYA was crowd-funded to the tune of $8.5 million but has performed poorly at retail, while the UK-made GameStick is another Kickstarter project which has failed to live up to its potential.
It's Nvidia's SHIELD handheld - a canny combination of portable and home console - which has fared best when it comes to critical reaction, but the console still hasn't been released outside of North America and seems to have faded into the background amid recent launches, such as Mad Catz's M.O.J.O. system.
Where now for the system? Will we see the console in the UK? What are Nvidia's plans for the brand? Keen to find out some answers, we spoke to Jason Paul - General Manager of the SHIELD project - to find out a little more about the console's future.
Know Your Mobile: The SHIELD is easily our favourite Android console, but what's the commercial and critical response been like for SHIELD in the States so far?
Jason Paul: We’ve been very pleased with the critical and commercial response for SHIELD so far. It’s been received very favorably by press, but more importantly for us, the gamers that have purchased SHIELD tell us they love the device.
What has the reaction been like from Android game developers? Are they pleased to see an Android platform which takes gaming seriously?
Jason Paul: The reaction from game developers has been very positive. We’re starting to see more console and PC game developers create mobile versions now that their games can be enjoyed as intended. Rochard and Mount and Blade: Warband are two recent examples of this.
We’ve also had a number of game developers who we previously hadn’t worked with come to us asking how they can add SHIELD support for their titles.
At the time of release, some suggested that SHIELD was something of a vanity project for NVIDIA, produced largely to show off the power of Tegra 4. What are your thoughts regarding this claim?
Jason Paul: The team of engineers and designers who worked on SHIELD is full of gamers. We always intended for SHIELD to reach our fans’ hands.
Do you see traditional consoles as rivals to SHIELD, or is it competing with smartphones and tablets?
Jason Paul: We see SHIELD as a new product category. It’s built with open gaming in mind, aimed at PC and Android gamers.
Unlike Ouya and GameStick, you decided against restricting SHIELD users from the Google Play store, and instead opted for a curated marketplace under the Tegra Zone banner. Why did you decide on this approach?
Jason Paul: SHIELD was created with the philosophy that gaming should be both open and flexible. We didn’t want to restrict choices, but at the same time wanted to help gamers easily find the best content for the device. Using TegraZone to highlight the best of Google Play felt like a natural choice for our strategy.
The aforementioned Ouya and GameStick have been joined by the Mad Catz MOJO recently, and there are other Android-based consoles around the corner - all of which opt for the set-top box approach. These all take a different approach to SHIELD, which is a portable system that can connect to the TV and also streams PC games - the best of both worlds. Why did NVIDIA decide on this route, and why do you think your rivals haven't followed suit?
Jason Paul: I can’t speak on behalf of some of our partners like OUYA and MadCatz, but we decided to make SHIELD portable so that gamers could pick-up and play their favorite games anywhere. Because of SHIELD’s Console Mode, 1080p HDMI output, and Google Play support – including apps like Netflix and Pandora – it also makes a fantastic entertainment device when plugged into the TV.
Can you tell us a bit about NVIDIA GRID, which recently launched in the US? Is this comparable to cloud gaming platforms like OnLive and Sony's upcoming PlayStation Now?
Jason Paul: GRID is our cloud gaming technology that renders and streams games; your readers can think of it as a gaming supercomputer in the cloud. We released a US West Coast GRID BETA for our SHIELD customers at the end of last year to test the technology and get feedback from the community. We were quite surprised to see gamers from the East Coast as well as Europe enjoying the quality of the gaming experience from our Santa Clara servers. The potential of the technology is really incredible.
You recently demoed the unit at the Eurogamer Expo in the UK. What plans do you have for the UK launch, and what price are you targeting?
Jason Paul: We are excited to bring SHIELD to users outside the US, but are not discussing specific plans at this time. Because it’s a new product category, we launched it in a very measured manner, focused on limited geographies to start.
Where now for SHIELD? Do you plan to create yearly hardware refreshes for the line?
Jason Paul: We’re very focused on supporting the current generation of SHIELD with over-the-air software updates and new games. When we launched SHIELD, we said we intended to bring to market new versions of SHIELD using on our latest Tegra processors. This hasn’t changed. But right now we aren’t providing any details on future generations.
by pbriden via Featured Articles
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