Comcast and EA are finalizing a deal to stream games on X1 cable box systems

[papamudd]

original article: http://thenextdigit.com/6150/comcast-finalizing-deal-stream-games-cable-box-systems/

Popular game publishing firm Electronic Arts is reportedly finalizing a deal with Comcast to bring its popular game titles to the media publisher’s own cloud-connected X1 cable box systems.

According to Reuters, which cites five separate sources close to the deal, EA and Comcast is finally coming out of prototype-testing phase from past 2 years. Popular game titles like Plats vs. Zombies, Madden, FIFA and Monopoly franchises were called out as those being available for streaming.

If the both company signs an agreement, then the Comcast’s X1 platform users can buy and play streaming games from their TV without the need of a gaming controller. It’s reported that a tablet you already own can be used as a controller to play the games. Although we have mentioned the bigger titles, the game will not come with bigger, console-level titles. These games would be smaller, smartphone-level games.

According to the sources, Comcast will not launch the action and first-person shooter games initially, as it has planned to try its hands on casual games first and later will look into more categories by coming down to user preferences.

As of today, Comcast has over 20 million customers in U.S. and with the vast user-base, it has the capability to impact on the living room entertainment and gaming market. If the companies closes this deal, then it would make you buy games easily with their new games distribution model, similar to that of buying a pay-per-view movie.

additional source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/02/us-comcast-gaming-exclusive-idUSBREA410V920140502?feedType=RSS&feedName=technologyNews

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at first glance I thought this was a MS / EA / Comcast deal :-p what do you guys think about it? WIll it be a bigger deal than PS NOW? Will you be able to play X1 games on the xone via the HDMI input?