Capcom: Next-gen console makers need to know what they're up against

There's no doubt that the industry has evolved significantly in the last several years, and with a new generation of consoles seemingly on the horizon, Capcom's Christian Svensson hopes that hardware manufacturers will pay attention to how the business has changed. Svensson, who serves as SVP at Capcom's California branch, particularly pointed to the PC and mobile spaces, and explained that first-parties will need to adjust to the changes these markets have introduced. "In many ways, I hope that first-parties react to what's happening in the PC and smartphone space, in that the barriers between developer and consumer are much lower there," he said. "Console makers need to be aware that that's what they're competing against, and that's increasingly what the customer expectation is, in terms of responsiveness and engagement." Svensson said that he hopes future consoles will allow easier distribution on digital content. By streamlining the current bureaucratic approval systems, these devices would help developers better serve their audience in today's increasingly digital market. "I'm hoping for a much more fluid means of providing updates to consumers, being able to have a much more rapid turnaround in between when content is submitted and when content goes live to consumers, to provide a higher level of service to them. I'm hoping that the networking and the processes in the future are built with that in mind," he said. If the consoles of tomorrow deliver on Svensson's hopes, he believes it would enable brand new online experiences that aren't possible with the devices and services available today. Gamasutra's extended Q&A with Svensson, which covers Capcom's social initiatives, its approach to Western development, and more, is now live.