Death of disc based games

[JR#8]

So IGN came out with an article today claiming they believe the consoles after next gen will all be downloadable software and disc based games will disappear. What are peoples thought's on this?

Personally I can probably see it happening but I'm not in favour of it as I actually enjoy having a case + booklet. I never trade my games so collecting them is also part of the fun.

 

[HBK619]

If we don't get some form of better broadband network in Australia then it won't be happening for us...(especially if the Libs gain access in the next election, their plan is deplorable ).

There's not a whole lot of issue for me around the downloadable area of gaming, Steam does it better than anyone so really there's no reason that a system like that only in a console form (although really would there be a need for a 'console' then?) couldn't work.

It all depends on exactly how the model is based. Does it all become subscription similar to OnLive? Does it become pay as you play? Do retailers like EB/GAME, etc. sell cards that you redeem? Or do retailers die and you buy everything straight from the publisher/'console owner'?

 

[Mingo]

Very possible, but would be a disastrous loss of jobs...

 

[Glenno23]

I know EB Games as a company are already looking into it and the effect it could have on our business if this was to happen

But if they're talking after the next gen, well i think 2020 is when that would happen. Thats a long time to prepare for retilers to make new plans to survive

 

[Leezorr]

Its already happening, i pretty much download all my games at the moment via either steam or G2play. I think its amazing as i always have the game i have bought available and two don't have to worry about disk ect never losing a game.

Plus the price diffrence is emmence, i bought dues ex the new version realsed this month for $30 au, how can EB ect compete with that.

Any decent net connection can download 4-5gig in a few hours i dont see why you need to worry about NBN adsl2 is fine to do it.

 

[SugarShane]

I much rather having the physical game too, and i think there'll be a demand for discs for many years still. You can download all your movies and s**t off iTunes or wherever but people are still buying DVDs and Blurays.

 

[Premiers04]

Its already happening, i pretty much download all my games at the moment via either steam or G2play. I think its amazing as i always have the game i have bought available and two don't have to worry about disk ect never losing a game.

Plus the price diffrence is emmence, i bought dues ex the new version realsed this month for $30 au, how can EB ect compete with that.

Any decent net connection can download 4-5gig in a few hours i dont see why you need to worry about NBN adsl2 is fine to do it.

Still not good enough though not when the alternative of going to the shops and playing the game for a couple of hours before the download is finished. I'd rather be playing than waiting and having trade value on a physical copy is better than spending say $60 on a game and then having no choice but to delete it when you no longer want it.

 

[Mitchemx]

Kinda worry about the impact it would have on price, with microsoft, sony etc controlling the services. Steam is great, but in terms of consoles i import eveything from the UK at half the retail price of stores in Australia.

If everything goes download, i think the only option will be to pay the ridiculous $90-120 price tags new games have these days in oz.

 

[Premiers04]

TBH i cant see digital games taking over physical copies. This isnt a 100mb music cd we're talking about, your not going to find many people will have either the patience or the download quota to download a bunch of 10-20gb games. Then you factor in server traffic and varying broadband speeds. I think PC will go full digital but consoles will be like DVD and cds players.

Your average consumer wants the physical copy.

 

[JR#8]

IGN's article believes games will be cheaper so you only pay for the base product. Then if you want all the extra's like Multi player ect you pay extra for it. That way you are not paying for products you don't want.

 

[spidermanbatman]

IGN's article believes games will be cheaper so you only pay for the base product. Then if you want all the extra's like Multi player ect you pay extra for it. That way you are not paying for products you don't want.

Does that mean if i buy the future COD titles I can choose to only buy multiplayer and cheap out on the campaign?

 

[Piss Poor]

if this happens then I will be a gamer no more.

don't like downloading anything over 1GB, it takes too long and my internet is not that good- plus I still like single player RPG and online games can get ******

 

[Piss Poor]

TBH i cant see digital games taking over physical copies. This isnt a 100mb music cd we're talking about, your not going to find many people will have either the patience or the download quota to download a bunch of 10-20gb games. Then you factor in server traffic and varying broadband speeds. I think PC will go full digital but consoles will be like DVD and cds players.

Your average consumer wants the physical copy.

100% spot on here.

Will never happen

 

[Gold Member]

TBH i cant see digital games taking over physical copies. This isnt a 100mb music cd we're talking about, your not going to find many people will have either the patience or the download quota to download a bunch of 10-20gb games. Then you factor in server traffic and varying broadband speeds. I think PC will go full digital but consoles will be like DVD and cds players.

Your average consumer wants the physical copy.

Agree.

Also must factor in whatever percentage of console and console game sales are paid for by parents, 40% maybe? Glenno may be able to shed a slither of light for us... Anyway I can't see parents being happy to set up a digital download account attached to their credit cards for little Johnny.

 

[Glenno23]

IGN's article believes games will be cheaper so you only pay for the base product. Then if you want all the extra's like Multi player ect you pay extra for it. That way you are not paying for products you don't want.

MX Vs ATV Alive has just come out and tried this

$69.95 RRP with the basics on the disc. Want the full package (more bikes, tracks and modes) like Reflex had? Gotta pay. Their reasoning behind it is "you get what you pay for" its then up to the consumer on the level of their experience

Now, the recent MX games have been average, but by all accounts, this one sucks balls

Maybe someone should try it with a good game

 

[FGMPR]

I know EB Games as a company are already looking into it and the effect it could have on our business if this was to happen

But if they're talking after the next gen, well i think 2020 is when that would happen. Thats a long time to prepare for retilers to make new plans to survive

I know Gamestop in the US have bought Impulse, the online DD PC store and will start offering trade-ins for console games for their digital PC games on offer. I can see retail co-existing in minor ways like this, but with the rise of cloud gaming and the closed nature of console DD, I'm not really sure how much they can do about what will be a huge issue for them in the years to come.

 

[dumb]

i think it is the packaging that becomes obsolete hand in hand with format. if i can widen the scope to include any type of physical copy vs digital - you need to introduce incentive.

as an example

there's a whole bunch of stuff there, with the cd's.

there's scope to retain the physical copies if they improved packaging. like others probably, i've wondered about USB's with a game or album that are individualized/branded. you're sold the product but also a piece of merchandise. it's a more attractive proposition than just another cd case, dvd case with a manual. mass production is good to fit it in the rack but comes without personality.
ie, ltd edition items with numbered copies.
they need to couple up the merchandise with the game (ie, halo figurines).

none of that takes into account whether or not it -should- die though. maybe it should, but those seem like measures in case it should not.

 

[JR#8]

MX Vs ATV Alive has just come out and tried this

$69.95 RRP with the basics on the disc. Want the full package (more bikes, tracks and modes) like Reflex had? Gotta pay. Their reasoning behind it is "you get what you pay for" its then up to the consumer on the level of their experience

Now, the recent MX games have been average, but by all accounts, this one sucks balls

Maybe someone should try it with a good game

Yeah I heard about this, it was always going to fail for two reasons.

1- The game is s**t
2- The base price is still too expensive.

I hope this doesn't happen, because then my dream of opening my own Video Game shop will never come true.

 

[Eth]

100% spot on here.

Will never happen

It will happen, but not in the near future. Everyone will eventually get internet capable of downloading 10 gigabytes in a few hours.

 

[Heisenberg_]

It will happen, but not in the near future. Everyone will eventually get internet capable of downloading 10 gigabytes in a few hours.

I think everybody complaining about how it won't work are neglecting the fact that they are saying it will be two gaming generations away so 2020 at a minimum, although personally I would rather have a physical copy.

 

[Donners]

It wouldn't bother me at all if this happened. I have literally one and a half bookcases full of disc-based games, but haven't bought one in years.

With Steam and Gamer's Gate, there's just no need whatsoever. It would be a bit of a loss to no longer be able to import games cut-price games from Asia, but if you have a bit of self-control, a sale will come along.

 

[Xtreme]

I would not object to them doing it, the only thing is i would miss the game case and physical instruction manual (although i rarely read manuals from cover to cover these days.... i still like them as part of the "game package").

Have embraced Steam over the last few years and Microsofts "Games on Demand" service over the last 12 months (have purchased more games than i'd like to admit!). I much prefer digital downloads over physical discs, however while one "fear" has ceased (potential disc damage). Another arises (i'll be pretty annoyed if/when the hard drive fails ).

 

[Mancey]

Is an absolute 100% certainty to happen eventually, only question is when. Probably questionable for the next gen but it'd be odds on for the one after that.

Good speeds and unlimited quotas should be the norm by 2020

Discs are pretty old school. Consoles generally lag behind PC's by a gen or so and PC's are pretty much there now

 

[Summer Nights]

Is an absolute 100% certainty to happen eventually, only question is when. Probably questionable for the next gen but it'd be odds on for the one after that.

Good speeds and unlimited quotas should be the norm by 2020

Discs are pretty old school. Consoles generally lag behind PC's by a gen or so and PC's are pretty much there now

Spot on. It's only a matter of time, and I'll be sad when it's all over. I rather like having a disc, a cover and a booklet and sitting all my games on a shelf near my games setup.

 

[FGMPR]

http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/09/gamefly-to-add-unlimited-pc-play-this-holiday/

Following on from my earlier post, I thought it would be interesting to bring this up. Gamefly are adding a PC DD rental system as part of their package. Its another example of the way DD is find more and more avenues to replace the retail product.

Of course, with the consoles being closed systems, these kind of innovations are going to be hard to work out if they are going to be a part of the next-gen consoles.

Still, its interesting to see how things may proceed in the future.