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Arstechnica: Would you consider a disc-free console option?

B

billythemule

Member
My PS4 and Xbox One are already disk free, with the exception of Killzone Shadow Fall that came included with the PS4. So I would buy a console without an optical drive if it was cheaper. This is pretty much a 180° from the point of view that I had in the PS3/X360 era. After downloading GTA5 onto the PS3 I realized that it was really really nice not having to deal with a disk anymore. Nowadays, with all the installing, patches and long download times, it cheapens disks in my eyes. They aren't as nice as collectibles any longer.
 
J

jroc74

Phone reception is more important to me than human rights
Now that I think about it, with PS4, XBO games installing to the harddrive...the only issue I can see is price of games.

Internet isnt that good across the board for eveyone to even consider a disc free option tho.

Stumpokapow said:
I don't think making a separate version of the hardware for the extremely small minority of people who definitively won't buy one or the other has any value, but certainly I don't see a problem with console manufacturers deciding to focus on the most profitable 75% of their audience instead of the least profitable 25%.
Click to expand...

Yea I can see it to target that specific audience. Kinda like what the PS4 Pro is....aimed at a specific group. Initially anyway.
 
K

Kimgaz

Neo Member
Never.

The collector in me cannot fathom a world without physical media and this would be a significant step in that direction. I'm not also keen on downloading huge, huge games with a relatively slow connection.
 
B

Bert

Member
Eh, I'm pretty much 100% digital anyway for the last couple of generations, barring one or two big games I absolutely had to have early. I'd bite. The only thing my PS4 disk drive is used for is so my 2 year old can repeatedly put Wii U disks in upside down and worry the shit out of me.
 
J

jroc74

Phone reception is more important to me than human rights
billythemule said:
My PS4 and Xbox One are already disk free, with the exception of Killzone Shadow Fall that came included with the PS4. So I would buy a console without an optical drive if it was cheaper. This is pretty much a 180° from the point of view that I had in the PS3/X360 era. After downloading GTA5 onto the PS3 I realized that it was really really nice not having to deal with a disk anymore. Nowadays, with all the installing, patches and long download times, it cheapens disks in my eyes. They aren't as nice as collectibles any longer.
Click to expand...

I had that same feeling with TLoU that you could IIRC pre order with that God of War game.

Load times were nice on 360 games installed to the harddrive.

I just cant have it as the only option tho. I like the choice we all have right now.
 
D

Dehnus

Member
Zombie James said:
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/03/would-you-consider-a-disc-free-console-option/







I'm not against the idea of offering a digital-only version of a console for people who don't care about what they'll lose, but overall there's still a lot of work to be done for digital-only to be a serious consideration for me. Right now, what we might gain in size and hardware costs we'll lose in flexibility and consumer rights and I'm not ok with that.
Click to expand...

I would but not in the way they describe it. I want a Flash Cart based console:p. Them lack of load times! :D. Plus I wouldn't mind paying a little more per cartridge to get that :).
 
P

Pooya

Member
There needs to be some economical advantage for me to consider it, if there is absolutely.

HW needs to be cheaper than the one with a drive though I guess this can be compensated by more storage, but we're talking about a lot more storage, not just equivalent of the parts. A 4TB disc less console same price as one with a 500GB one? Yeah, I'd take that. You're locking yourself to one market place/store and you're going to need that storage more anyway and leaving the benefits of disc based games, so there must be a little something on HW at least.

Cheaper software as digital goods have no resale value, that can be covered by recent trend of netflix style subscription deals to some extent but users of regular console have access to all of that too, so what I'm getting extra by limiting myself? Maybe have some better deals for those users.

Do that and you basically have PC but with one difference, all the game prices and everything around that goes through platform holder so we could see price gouging, PC doesn't have that issue. Similarly HW prices are controlled by one company.
 
F

Floody

Member
No, wouldn't care if they had it as a cheaper option for those that already are digital, but I'll never buy it. Day 1 digital games are still £10-£15 more expensive on PSN & XBL and file sizes aren't getting smaller.
 
E

eyeball_kid

Member
My internet is just too slow to support that.

All I want is to be able to install from disc and not have to swap discs all the time. If they need to tie a disc to a console (i.e. no used sales) I'm fine with that.
 
F

Fisty

Member
eyeball_kid said:
My internet is just too slow to support that.

All I want is to be able to install from disc and not have to swap discs all the time. If they need to tie a disc to a console (i.e. no used sales) I'm fine with that.
Click to expand...

I believe Don Mattrick has a console to sell you.
 
D

Diablohead

Member
I always wanted to see an xbox 360 without a drive, make it half the size and give it 250GB it would have been a nice little box.
 
Xion_Stellar

Xion_Stellar

People should stop referencing data that makes me feel uncomfortable because games get ported to platforms I don't like
Nope.


I will continue to buy physical games for as long as possible.
 
Q

Qassim

Member
I've had my PS4 and Xbox One since launch. Neither of them have ever had a physical game in them - I'd strongly consider it. However, I do use my XBO for blu-rays - the only physical media I'm still into.
 
R

RedSwirl

Junior Member
I honestly thought at least one console manufacturer would offer an optional digital-only version of their console last gen. I was surprised when the Xbox 360 Mini was announced with the disc drive but no large hard drive.

I actually think the main affect of the PSPGo is that it forced the market to finally accept a gaming platform where all the software could be bought digitally. Sony forced itself to take that step into a complete digital library, and in Japan even started selling digital versions of games for less than the retail price. I think in order for this option to not totally suck, console digital distribution would have to get much more aggressive, and digital-only console hardware might force the market to do that. You might even see other stores like GameStop, Best Buy, and Amazon -- who already sell digital console keys, to get more aggressive in how they engage digital console customers.

I don't think retail is going to completely go out of the picture in the foreseeable future. You can still buy music CDs. Maybe digital-only purchases will star to overtake retail when fewer people are stuck with crap internet.
 
Senteevs

Senteevs

Member
Yup. i only buy digital and don't watch Blu-Rays, so yes. Especially, if that makes the console cheaper and/or it offers more storage.
 
T

The Abominable Snowman

Member
I know, consumer rights and whatnot, and I do think there should be better rewards/sales for buying digital on console, but my goodness after this gen I cannot go back to disc. I'm pretty much full digital on PS4. I have maybe 10 physical discs mostly gifted to me or bought earlier on that I havent repurchased digital. My Xbox One will be used purely for the (all digital) GamePass service. I have one physical disc for it.

All digital is the future and I'm happy with that.
 
T

The Albatross

Member
I would. I've put a disc into my Xbox One like... 3 times. And i haven't owned a computer with a disc drive in at least 4 years. I've been entirely digital for console games since mid-360/Ps3 era. The only disc game I've played in ages was Halo Anniversary because I got it as a gift.
 
S

sir_kevith

Member
No, because I already have a Steam account with a couple hundred games tied to it. Whenever I upgrade my PC my games come with it and I don't see a console competing with that as a digital only platform.
 
poodaddy

poodaddy

Member
Yeah I don't really buy physical games so I suppose I would, especially if it resulted in a cheaper system even if only by a couple bucks.
 
A

AzaK

Member
Fuck off. No fucking way do I want a digital only system. All it is is a way for companies (Especially those big companies still mired in ancient mindsets) to control the content we pay for and squeeze even more money out of us.
 
M

MTC100

Banned
shoreu said:
My PC doesn't have a disk drive but I'd like the option for stuff on my console
Click to expand...

Same with me, don't miss an optical drive on my PC but I would never buy a console without one(or a cartridge Slot). I also almost never get games digitally for consoles.
 
Calm Mind

Calm Mind

Member
I wonder if Arstechnica is hinting at something that is on the horizon. I mean Sony already has your money. If they were to release a disc free PS4, who would be against it? It would be seen as another option.
 
D

Deepo

Member
If ALL games were available digitally (some of the toys to life games aren't, like Lego Dimensions), and it was an option alongside a console with a disk drive:

Hell yes.
 
Z

zulux21

Member
nope.

I accepted disk free games on the PC and that will be the only system I do so.
I still buy the vast majority of games I want on the ps4 even if it is also on PC because of the physical media and more flexibility with prices. you remove that and I will just buy more stuff on PC where it regularly has better sales on digital goods then the consoles do.
 
L

LastOne2100

Member
Nope. For console retail sales have been way better than digital. Not to mention reselling games after I've done to bankroll my habit :).
 
M

MTC100

Banned
Calm Mind said:
I wonder if Arstechnica is hinting at something that is on the horizon. I mean Sony already has your money. If they were to release a disc free PS4, who would be against it? It would be seen as another option.
Click to expand...

I don't think Sony will, given their track record of pushing Bluray on us with the PS3 even if it costs them and the customer an insane amount of money. Sony is also an entertainment company and wants us to buy Blurays for their consoles...
 
Calm Mind

Calm Mind

Member
zulux21 said:
nope.

I accepted disk free games on the PC and that will be the only system I do so.
I still buy the vast majority of games I want on the ps4 even if it is also on PC because of the physical media and more flexibility with prices. you remove that and I will just buy more stuff on PC where it regularly has better sales on digital goods then the consoles do.
Click to expand...

Better get used to PC then because whether you like it or not, an all digital future is fast approaching.
 
Calm Mind

Calm Mind

Member
MTC100 said:
I don't think Sony will, given their track record of pushing Bluray on us with the PS3 even if it costs them and the customer an insane amount of money. Sony is also an entertainment company and wants us to buy Blurays for their consoles...
Click to expand...

In five years, no one will give a shit about Blu Ray. Not even Sony.
 
Razzorn34

Razzorn34

Member
Hell no. Digital pricing is still insane for older titles. I can walk into Gamestop and pick up an older title for $15 used that would still be full price on PSN. Not to mention I like trading in my games. I only get digital if there is no other option on consoles.

On PC, I've been digital only for a while now. But, digital prices actually drop as they should also.
 
D

Daeoc

Member
Have been fully digital for a few years now(don't have any physical games for Xbox One, two for 3DS because there was a B1G1 deal), so yes I would.
 
DirtyLarry

DirtyLarry

Member
Nah. Never honestly. I am old school. I admit it. I like being able to say to my friends or family "borrow it for a bit I am curious what you think."
That is just not possible with the current digital distribution methods. At least not without sharing my login with people which I am not down with.
 
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