calavera_jo
Neo Member
the only reason that no discs works on PC is because of competition. On console, since there is only 1 store on each system, the prices would soar up
steam vs gog vs origin vs uplay
steam vs gog vs origin vs uplay
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Arstechnica: Would you consider a disc-free console option?
- Thread starter Zombie James
- Start date
Calm Mind
Member
In five years, people will be looking back at Gamestop like they do Blockbuster movies.
The Abominable Snowman
Member
Worst first post in recent memory. Gimme them discs/cartridges, BAY BEEEEEEE
it's going to be at least 2 gens if not more if america never gets around to building a real internet structure. still way to many lost customers if you make it digital only.
plus it's not like I can't still go out and buy DVDs or CDs. To many people go out and buy those still as well to just cut them off.
that being said I still expect one of the gaming companies to try it (microsoft >.>) and when they fail horribly it will just delay another attempt even longer.
as for getting used to PC, well I use my PC a ton and am already used to it
I am a huge indie game player and in general digital only titles on consoles and PC I just buy on PC since I know they will continue working.
Willy Wanka
my god this avatar owns
Currently:
Sony - No
Nintendo - No
MS - Maybe because of what they have said about forward compatibility.
I'd more than likely just go 100% PC if digital-only consoles were the only available option though.
Sony - No
Nintendo - No
MS - Maybe because of what they have said about forward compatibility.
I'd more than likely just go 100% PC if digital-only consoles were the only available option though.
macksplack
Member
Have you seen psn prices for (new)games? Buying the physical copy is always cheaper over here. I remember a while back the pro digital crowd argued that digital only was going to be cheaper because they don't need to print discs and what not....yeah.
chekhonte
Member
No, never on console. I don't think console manufacturers deserve complete control on the price of their games. The used market brings down the cost of games over time and I don't believe that we'll ever see games (that you actually want) go under 40 bucks if the used game market disappeared.
PC is different since Valve doesn't have a true strangle hold on the PC game market hence they have to compete with other vendors in that space. For example steams sales have been crap the past 4 years or so and I believe that the gray market key sites are profiting big off it.
PC is different since Valve doesn't have a true strangle hold on the PC game market hence they have to compete with other vendors in that space. For example steams sales have been crap the past 4 years or so and I believe that the gray market key sites are profiting big off it.
NullPointer
Member
Yes.
That's pretty much my PS4 and Xbox right now. All digital, all the time.
So I'd be OK with it personally, but completely against trying to brute force the market as a whole into it.
Choice is good.
That's pretty much my PS4 and Xbox right now. All digital, all the time.
So I'd be OK with it personally, but completely against trying to brute force the market as a whole into it.
Choice is good.
Interfectum
Gold Member
Yup. I've been done with physical media for years.
Savantcore
Unconfirmed Member
No. Most of my games are digital but why would I restrict my options? To save a little on the initial cost? Nah.
FantasticMrFoxdie
Mumber
lastplayed
Member
Yep, my X1 basically is anyway.
PanicFreak
Member
As long as I don't need to have multiple copies of the same game for a household with multiple consoles, I'd be ok with it.
echoshifting
Banned
It wouldn't bother me; I'm already living the digital future with all media. But I wouldn't consider it a selling point or anything. Just give me a bigger HD.
dcx4610
Member
It works on PC because you could build 10 PCs over 10 years and your games still work. The architecture does not change, just the hardware. With consoles, the architecture and format changes every time almost without fail. I have zero desire to go digital on console for this reason.
I don't want to keep my PS3 connected when I get a PS4 just to play PS3 games. I should be able to play those PS3 games on PS4, PS5, etc. Until consoles adopt a permanent architecture like PCs, I'm staying physical.
PastorOfMuppets
Banned
You know, all this got me thinking about how important some console gamers hold the ability to resell games near to them.
What if you were still allowed to re-sell games with some sort of blockchain type technology. Not currency like Bitcoin but it seems to me that if digital goods are gonna replace physical media, we would need to do it via some implementation of blockchain right?
What if you were still allowed to re-sell games with some sort of blockchain type technology. Not currency like Bitcoin but it seems to me that if digital goods are gonna replace physical media, we would need to do it via some implementation of blockchain right?
PSN and XBL download speeds are poor enough that I wouldn't.
On Steam, I'm never more than 2 hours away from playing a new game after purchasing it but on PS4 it can regularly take over 4 hours to fully download a game.
When I want to play a game ASAP on PS4 I buy the disc copy. 30 seconds to install the entire base game on the drive and then all I have to wait for is the latest patch to download which is often less than 3 GB. With Xbox I don't feel like buying the disc speeds the process up at all.
On Steam, I'm never more than 2 hours away from playing a new game after purchasing it but on PS4 it can regularly take over 4 hours to fully download a game.
When I want to play a game ASAP on PS4 I buy the disc copy. 30 seconds to install the entire base game on the drive and then all I have to wait for is the latest patch to download which is often less than 3 GB. With Xbox I don't feel like buying the disc speeds the process up at all.
EYEL1NER
Member
I'll consider that maybe sometime way in the future I'll consider buying a disc-free console and going DD-only, but it isn't something I'll consider doing anytime soon.
I've had more than a couple times where digital titles and GWG on my Xbone won't work due to issues with Live: games won't launch, messages pop up saying that I don't own the game, messages pop up saying that I need to set my console to my 'Home' console to play the title (it is set as my 'Home' console and I haven't signed in on any other console). Digital-only with no discs as an option is still a long-ways down the road for me to consider. Prices need to change, laws in the US regarding ownership of digital content need to change, Internet infrastructure in the US needs to change. Digital-only has zero benefits for me other than "don't have to walk a couple feet to the console to change a disc," and that isn't enough to get my to change. I'm not going to quit CDs, Blu-Ray movies, or disc-based games anytime soon.
I've had more than a couple times where digital titles and GWG on my Xbone won't work due to issues with Live: games won't launch, messages pop up saying that I don't own the game, messages pop up saying that I need to set my console to my 'Home' console to play the title (it is set as my 'Home' console and I haven't signed in on any other console). Digital-only with no discs as an option is still a long-ways down the road for me to consider. Prices need to change, laws in the US regarding ownership of digital content need to change, Internet infrastructure in the US needs to change. Digital-only has zero benefits for me other than "don't have to walk a couple feet to the console to change a disc," and that isn't enough to get my to change. I'm not going to quit CDs, Blu-Ray movies, or disc-based games anytime soon.
Definitely not for me. I love being able to physically own games and look at them on a shelf all at once when deciding what to play. Plus, i'm a sucker for collectors editions with physical goods.
Not that I don't buy digital ever, just I definitely prefer having a physical copy.
Not that I don't buy digital ever, just I definitely prefer having a physical copy.
Orthogonal
Member
I wouldn't even notice since I already went all digital for this gen. My disc drive is occasionally used for a blu-ray movie, but that's it. Bring it on.
PopcornMegaphone
Banned
Before this generation I was firmly in the "I prefer discs" camp, but after Microsoft announced bc my viewpoint has begun to waiver. I now see more benefits to digital. I'm open to a DL only system but I'd like to have faster internet and a nice discount on the system. That said, nowadays if the price for a physical vs digital release is the same I typically go digital.
No.
•Data caps are still a thing
•slow internet/shitty internet e.g. Less than 2.5Mgbs download and 1Mgbs upload are also a thing
•games are now 20GB++
•Can't re sell digital
•online only games are a thing
•Storage space can be of trouble to certain people
•can't share digital games like you can do with physical games
•Data caps are still a thing
•slow internet/shitty internet e.g. Less than 2.5Mgbs download and 1Mgbs upload are also a thing
•games are now 20GB++
•Can't re sell digital
•online only games are a thing
•Storage space can be of trouble to certain people
•can't share digital games like you can do with physical games
Demoskinos
Member
Absolutely. I would love that.
I'm almost totally digital only this gen with PS4 and the option to buy a PS4 with more/better internal storage for the same money or a cheaper system overall is appealing, but the problem is right now the price for digital games on PSN remains at same price as retail for MUCH longer than physical discs, and until that changes, I like having the option.
Not only does having a physical drive allow me to go buy a disc when the disc version is significantly cheaper than the digital version, but it also gives me the option to resell that disc later if the price of digital drops, and also it gives the option to rent a disc from Redbox or GameFly.
Until the price of digital copies more closely matches the sales and reductions of physical discs, I'm not willing to give up that option.
Not only does having a physical drive allow me to go buy a disc when the disc version is significantly cheaper than the digital version, but it also gives me the option to resell that disc later if the price of digital drops, and also it gives the option to rent a disc from Redbox or GameFly.
Until the price of digital copies more closely matches the sales and reductions of physical discs, I'm not willing to give up that option.
Goldenroad
Member
I would consider buying a disc-less PS3 or something, for like $99, just to have something reliable to play all my digital purchases/PS+ games on, but not for current gen.
Zombegoast
Member
PSP go failed because it lacked a UMD
Yeah, I know, no one will buy CDs either, oh wait, people stated that 10 years ago. How about books, no one will buy books right? Oh, even with e-readers they are still bought?! Don't forget that we will never ever need to print anything as we can store everything online, strangely enough there are still printers sold around the globe...
I'd consider it. Would need to be substantially cheaper. And I'd need to be in a point where I don't need a console to play disc media (blurays etc).
I'm certainly not against the idea of a digital console sku overall. I hope next gen Sony and MS do actually offer a discless SKU. But I fear Sony got burnt with the PSP-GO and so won't.
I'm certainly not against the idea of a digital console sku overall. I hope next gen Sony and MS do actually offer a discless SKU. But I fear Sony got burnt with the PSP-GO and so won't.
I don't think that's true.
Black Mantis
Member
Most definitely.
SprachBrooks
Member
No.