EA reckons next wave of tablet games will match PS3 and Xbox 360 visuals

The visual fidelity of tablet and mobile gaming is going to increase far more rapidly than is being seen in the traditional games space.

That’s according to EA Labels president Frank Gibeau who told IGN that the next wave” of games for mobile devices could rival current gen consoles in terms of visual punch.

In the near future, the next wave of tablets and phones will have nearly Xbox 360 or PS3 capabilities in terms of graphics,” he stated. Some of our engine technology that used to be console-specific now can, with modifications, be able to power games on tablets and on phones in the near future. We’re just getting ready for that.”

Publishers have learnt their lesson, however. While it was once believed that direct ports from console to tablet were sufficient, most now recognise that getting the tech to play ball on mobile is only half the challenge – the key is making sure traditional games are adapted to work well with touchscreen interfaces.

You have to redesign the game,” Gibeau added. You can’t just bring it over and have a virtual d-pad on the tablet. It doesn’t work.

You have to re-architect it around touch, voice, camera. Our teams are having a lot of fun with that, reimagining an experience on a tablet using the same graphics and assets in some ways, but completely remixing the meal. Same ingredients, completely different meal. That’s kind of the way we think about it.”