THQ Talks Cloud Computing

Non-disc-based gaming is where gaming is heading in the future, and industry executives like THQ's Brian Farrell see lots of possibilities in cloud computing.

Speaking at the Cloud Gaming USA conference, Farrell sees all kinds of outcomes from cloud-based gaming, including lower costs for console manufacturers and thus, cheaper systems and higher adoption rates. On the flip side, he also predicts that by cutting out the retail store middleman, more money will directly from consumers to the developer and publisher, and it will be possible to have different pricing models.

More interestingly, Farrell sees cloud computing allowing more connection between companies and consumers. "The box, ship, and done model is transitioning to: observe, measure, and modify," he said. Farrell said he sees a model with "direct consumer feedback" allowing a company like THQ to "interact with players in new ways that can be reactive to their desires, play habits, and buying habits."

Currently, Farrell says that THQ is already trying to keep gamers connected to its products longer with Saints Row: The Third, which Farrell says will have 40 weeks of post-release DLC that will "grow and change the experience as the consumer engages with the game."

[via GamesIndustry.biz]