EA on iPad charm offensive

The iPad has subtle yet important differences from iPhone and iPod touch for games developers, says Travis Boatman, VP of worldwide studios at EA Mobile. "It’s a destination device," he tells our sister site Mobile Entertainment.

"It’s more deliberate, and people expect more of a deliberate, immersive experience… People really do decide to sit down with it on their laps and play for longer periods of time. That affects the kind of games we build."

EA has so far released five iPad games, including new versions of Mirror’s Edge, Command & Conquer and Need for Speed Shift.

Boatman also praises the "beautiful blank canvas" of Apple’s iPhone, saying that iPad benefits from similar freedom for developers to explore new interfaces for games.

"Creative teams can paint any kind of interface for their game, rather than be forced to use a D-pad or rollerball," he says.

"It puts control back into the hands of creative people."

For the full EA Mobile interview, click here.