So, the folks at EA certainly like Xbox’s SmartGlass

The second screen possibilities that Microsoft’s SmartGlass will provide once it launches later this year have us plenty interested. The question is, who will make the extra content? Where’s the developer support?

Microsoft has already confirmed that it will be using the tech in all of its own first-party games, and it looks as if the first third-party has just publicly thrown their weight behind it now as well. And they’re a biggie.

Publishing giant EA is the one in question, calling SmartGlass “very important.”

Says EA Labels boss Frank Gibeau: “I think it’s a killer initiative. I really like it a lot. It ties into what we’re trying to do as a company.

”What we’re trying to do as a developer of games is – we’re looking at multi-screen environments as being really key in what’s happening in gaming. You play games on your mobile. You play games on your PC. You play games on your console. So giving people more access points through multiple screens is a great thing.”

EA Sports head Andrew Wilson shares the excitement: “I think it’s very important for a couple of reasons. SmartGlass will bring in a whole new audience to gaming, but with respect to SmartGlass integration with a console experience it is changing the way people interact with consoles.

“If you look at Madden or FIFA this year, they have a series of multi-screen applications that allow you to manage your connected career or manage your FIFA Ultimate team while you’re in front of the screen or while you’re away from the screen. What that’s enabling is people to engage in a world that’s very, very important to them that they’re very passionate about even while they’re away from their 60-inch television.”

SmartGlass will be available sometime this fall. Watch the announcement video Microsoft showed at E3 again below:

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