Microsoft might not be the only PC-centric company to eventually produce a videogame console as notebook giant Acer is ready to branch out in new directions, including a possible venture into the console gaming space. Betanews recently spoke to Acer’s senior vice president James T. Wong at their press event and got the lowdown on what the next year holds for the Taiwan-based company.

It seems that the PC market is first on Acer’s list as they will begin producing desktop computers under the Acer name as well as the recently acquired eMachines, Packard Bell and Gateway brands. After the home computer market is fully tackled, the gaming scene may get a console with the Acer brand attached. “If you look at most of the other game machines that are out there right now — Nintendo’s, the Xbox — they are ‘closed’ and proprietary systems,” he said.

Wong went on to explain that the Acer gaming console would be based on what he calls “open standards”. It’s hard to know what Wong may mean by “open standards” but one theory is that third parties may not be charged for certification of games on the new console. This may attract many independent developers who are short on capital for new gaming franchises. We’ll watch this news carefully as it develops (or falls apart) but it certainly seems as though Acer would have the financial backing to enter a market with the price of entry the gaming industry requires.