Disc-based delivery system will fall

[Bageara]

Ive no doubt this has been discussed before on this and many other forums, but i found this new bit of news earlier and was wondering your take on the matter.

http://www.psu.com/Reeves--Disc-base...0004041-p0.php

Will we really be downloading all our games in the foreseable future? I like actually going to the shop and buying a game,having the disc in my hand,the artwork on the cover,i like it to sit neatly on my shelf next to my PS3 with the rest of my collection and I dont think im ready to give up the likes of my MGS4,GTA4 limited edition to downloads of PSN and then theres the trade in value.

[Nerdkiller likes BD]

I'm not ready myself, particularly because I don't have a fast enough provider for downloading the games, not to mention how much you get back after deleting your game. I'd say, keep the discs for the important games, while the small games go for download.

[NJMetsFan]

I don't like downloads for some of these reasons:

1. Can't take games to a friends house to play or borrow
2. Can't sell/trade
3. Possibilities of hard drive crashes and having to redownload everything
4. Can't rent games(possibly could, they could activate a game for a week then after that it won't work)
5. I will miss the cases and disc artwork as well
6. Quickly showing your collection without turning on the system

I'm sure there are alot more reasons I can't think of either.

[hardcore_canadian]

If the Big Corporations go through with it, we have no choice

Edt: Except to boycott, but that won't work

[ThePhantomOak]

Agree, It will not work for major titles. EVER.

Originally Posted by NJMetsFan

I don't like downloads for some of these reasons:

1. Can't take games to a friends house to play or borrow
2. Can't sell/trade
3. Possibilities of hard drive crashes and having to redownload everything
4. Can't rent games(possibly could, they could activate a game for a week then after that it won't work)
5. I will miss the cases and disc artwork as well
6. Quickly showing your collection without turning on the system

I'm sure there are alot more reasons I can't think of either.

The big one, IMO, is that once you buy it, you cant show it off (a big point of keeping games), you cant sell it, even after paying full price, and you cant move it from one consol to another without a pain in the ass.

What will be pushing it is Sony and Microsoft can make a MUCH better margin on games that are just transfered data, with no manufacturing cost at all.

IMO, We wont see it on any large scale.





One of the greatest parts of Downloaded games (for me) was the reduced cost, and that I could play it regardless of the disk. That was how I felt with Warhawk. With GT5:P I lost ALL interest in downloadable games, because I dont like it, I dont play it, and I cant get back even $5 for it, and the hard copy is the same price. Turned me off to Downloading games until they change something in a mojor way (ie 50% price with returnability).

[NJMetsFan]

Now if they sold downloadable games for $40.00-$50.00 with the option of receiving the disc for an extra $10.00, then I will be ok with that. But if I can't get the disc then its a no go for me.

[DeathByAsh'aman]

My opinion falls along the lines of what most of you have already said. They have a long way to go before this medium can become something. As of now basically the only thing downloads have going for them is that you dont have to get up and put in a disc to play. Not a very compelling pro when looked at next to all of its cons.

[Geofruben]

Originally Posted by NJMetsFan

I don't like downloads for some of these reasons:

1. Can't take games to a friends house to play or borrow
2. Can't sell/trade
3. Possibilities of hard drive crashes and having to redownload everything
4. Can't rent games(possibly could, they could activate a game for a week then after that it won't work)
5. I will miss the cases and disc artwork as well
6. Quickly showing your collection without turning on the system

I'm sure there are alot more reasons I can't think of either.

Your first two reasons are exactly why companys prefer "Air" purchases. The game makers lose money when you sell, trade, or borrow. And studios can have a bigger slice of the rental pie now. And the physical library is becoming archaic. People didn't have physical libraries of Cheers or Seinfeld... yet people still watched them. You don't have Iron Man in your back pocket yet but you still payed to see it. Same concept really. Just to play or watch something does not mean you have to have the item on your shelf. All my music is on my phone, ipod, and computer now. I got rid of ALL my CDS> waste of space and plastic. My friends can flip through my entire music library through cover flow or other methods a lot faster then looking through hundreds of CDs. And the albums go everywhere I go now. The future is coming. Less tangible but more hands on if you will.

[Gamma_Winstead]

Originally Posted by Geofruben

Your first two reasons are exactly why companys prefer "Air" purchases. The game makers lose money when you sell, trade, or borrow. And studios can have a bigger slice of the rental pie now. And the physical library is becoming archaic. People didn't have physical libraries of Cheers or Seinfeld... yet people still watched them. You don't have Iron Man in your back pocket yet but you still payed to see it. Same concept really. Just to play or watch something does not mean you have to have the item on your shelf. All my music is on my phone, ipod, and computer now. I got rid of ALL my CDS> waste of space and plastic. My friends can flip through my entire music library through cover flow or other methods a lot faster then looking through hundreds of CDs. And the albums go everywhere I go now. The future is coming. Less tangible but more hands on if you will.

yes but you don't OWN Iron Man. it's like renting it.

[Paulness]

I'm torn on the idea... On the one hand I like having my library of games to browse through, but considering we use the the PS3 more like a home entertainment system than a game console I do like the idea of being able to switch from movie to music to video (TV) files saved on the hard-drive...

But on the other hand the size of games that would be downloaded would need significantly larger HD than the PS3 currently comes with.

(I currently use an external for music/video files, but have not swapped out the internal drive.)

[PS3-Playb3yond]

I seriously don't like this idea. Approximately what size would the games be then?

[Petra_Kalbrain]

Here's what I would say to Reeves if I could look him square in the face, eye to eye.

"We aren't bunnies and you aren't a frog. Let's not jump ahead! Deal with tomorrow before you deal with our childrens children and their late-teen years."

[Mobe1969]

In Australia we have pretty poor download limits.

I think they will always be around. Try trading in or selling a game you downloaded...

[Terjyn]

Tell the people who don't even have internet service that they need to buy downloads.

And yes, there really are people who own game systems but don't have internet service.

[AliceT]

I dont think it will happen anytime "soon", but 20-25 years from now, it may be a reality for most people.

[hayzink]

Originally Posted by ThePhantomOak

Agree, It will not work for major titles. EVER.



The big one, IMO, is that once you buy it, you cant show it off (a big point of keeping games), you cant sell it, even after paying full price, and you cant move it from one consol to another without a pain in the ass.

What will be pushing it is Sony and Microsoft can make a MUCH better margin on games that are just transfered data, with no manufacturing cost at all.

IMO, We wont see it on any large scale.





One of the greatest parts of Downloaded games (for me) was the reduced cost, and that I could play it regardless of the disk. That was how I felt with Warhawk. With GT5:P I lost ALL interest in downloadable games, because I dont like it, I dont play it, and I cant get back even $5 for it, and the hard copy is the same price. Turned me off to Downloading games until they change something in a mojor way (ie 50% price with returnability).

thats something i have been thinking of for a while, trade your old psn downloads in for half price credit, think it would be a great idea.

hard to implement but as how would they track if you stil have the game stored or not

[Proteus]

I bet they'd love it if it happened... They can screw the consumer.

I'm still bitter about my GT5 experience, to be honest. It was an example of the the WORST customer service in history.

Why can I not use the game on any of my profiles? Why only the Master Account profile? The hard copy doesn't have this limitation (because there's no way to put it there).

They just want to be able to DRM the hell out of everything and force you to by 'licensing rights' (a concept average joes don't understand nor do they want to understand) just so you can have a friend play the game as well as you.

It's a crock. Make the game. Sell the game. Let the market work from there. DRM in and of itself is a scam, in my opinion.

[skyfire2261]

Originally Posted by NJMetsFan

I don't like downloads for some of these reasons:

1. Can't take games to a friends house to play or borrow
2. Can't sell/trade
3. Possibilities of hard drive crashes and having to redownload everything
4. Can't rent games(possibly could, they could activate a game for a week then after that it won't work)
5. I will miss the cases and disc artwork as well
6. Quickly showing your collection without turning on the system

I'm sure there are alot more reasons I can't think of either.

1. You can log into your account, download the game to your friends System and play it on his PS3 now.

2. Well why not? Sure the big bad greedy corporations want us each to buy our own copy but I don't see why it is not technically possible to trade online my copy of Super Stardust HD for your copy of R-types?
Further more why would you sell/trade? isn't the point of buying games is so you can keep them and play them when you want too? If you think your not going to play it then it's probubly something you shouldn't buy. Sounds more like renting see point 4.

3. Back-ups are your friend. PS3 lets you do this now. (i've never used it mined you but what else would it do? If i still had to re-download everything would that not make the purpose of a feature sony itself put in pointless?)

4. I don't see how this is a negative? Charge me a few bucks for the FULL game, not a demo and let me play for a week. A week is ample time to decide If I like then I just pay the difference. Easy.

5. I'm the kind of gamer who almost always gets the limited edition of any game that offers it. I was a junkie you could say. You know what that stuff is doing now? nothing. Seriously ask yourself why am i getting this extra stuff? It's just sitting in the drawer doing nothing.

Besides, it's not like artwork cannot be downloaded and viewed on your TV. PS3 has excellent wallpapers & themes (which can be made by anyone too and applied) and the actual cover artwork for PSone games (hope to see PStwo as well someday) and downloaded PS3 games have there own artwork that comes up when you highlight the games icon.

If you must have the books/soundtracks or whatever else they throw in then they can be offered and shipped to you. Hell offer them for sale through the store when you buy/download the game and it will be mailed to you as part of the deal. Either bought as part of a promotion or separately doesn't matter works either way.

6. I don't see how this is a negative either. When I turn on my PS3 and see what games I do have on it right there at my finger tips I'm just blown away. Far more then the drawers and drawers of CD's and DVDs sitting in my cabinets less then a foot to my PS3. It's just such a level of convenience the console industry has never seen.

I only have 3 PSone games right now but I can't help but imagine what it would be like to have all my Playstation 1-3 games like that! Ready at any time in one spot and no worries about Laser assembly failures or scuffed/scracthed discs from everyday use (it happens no matter how good you take care of them and i take damn good care of them). Yes I know HDD have moving parts but HDD will eventually be replaced with Solid State Drives so yet another area with moving parts that will be taken out of the picture.

I grant you while I support Digital Distribution 100% i know there are some areas that need to be worked out. Not everyone has an internet connection and even then NA is severely behind the rest of the world when it comes to d/l speed. Plus Solid state drives are way off from being affordable as well as matching capacities.

I see this gen as a test phase for digital distribution. I don't see consoles becoming format-less anytime soon mind you not even next-gen. Next gen I see consoles going with Flash based formats and digital distribution as the delivery mediums.

Just think of it. Once again consoles could have no moving parts, no loading times. No bulky optical drives, less noise and heat.

Dare I say $199 launch prices again? Makes me all giddy just thinking about it.

[Marquoz]

I just don't like the idea of digital download for the time it takes to download the game, and also for the limitations of hard drive space. It's easier to store them on a shelf a couple feet away then it is to figure out what to delete every time I download a new game. Even a 1TB drive will get filled up after about 20 games at 50gb each. I know that they aren't all that big, but they are getting there with HD audio and video.

Once you have all 20 games, it's either delete one and hope you don't want to play it anytime soon, or buy a new hard drive and start filling that one up. I don't savor the idea of daisy chaining a bunch of external drives just to store my collection of games.

[ThePhantomOak]

Originally Posted by Terjyn

Tell the people who don't even have internet service that they need to buy downloads.

And yes, there really are people who own game systems but don't have internet service.

30% of AMERICANS dont have ANY internet.

I think something like 60%+ of American internet users measure speed with a K and not a M.

Downloads wont become a big player for a LONG time.

The big hitch from the providers perspective is bandwidth. There is already problems with data transfer with just sites like youtube with low rez.


BTW, Music is a horrible thing to look at when you think about how DLing will progress.
The #1 reason Music worked so well is because you can buy the track/s you want. I have NEVER heard of anyone saying, "Man I wish I could buy chapter 4 of Terminator. That shit was great!" The albums full of shitty songs could be avoided. With movies, you cant take bits out. It is a movie, or it is a clip. The second reason is the files are TINY. They are ~5MB. A HD movie is in the G range, not M.

What we will see is stuido's charging a premium for extra content and provide it via download (kind of like mappacks and songs from PSN).