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[texhnolyze]

Oh, I'd love that.

The only one disc that has inserted to my PS4 Slim was Final Fantasy XV. I turn off my PS4 every day so when I turn it on in the morning it always make that annoying spinning sound (why would it spin in on boot up the first place?). Every time I run the game it's spinning again. My apartment is pretty quiet and I hate that disc spinning sound. Every other games I've played on my PS4 are digital.

Never again.

 

[Tyaren]

No, first of all download speed is terrible for me. I'd have to download a 50GB game for over a day. I also like to physically own stuff, look at it, hold it, collect it. If I really like a game I often order special editions.
So far I only ever ordered smaller indie games digitally.

 

[ZombiePlatypus]

Never.

 

[Kintaro]

Yeah, I wouldn't mind a super small, no disc drive PS4. I'm switching to all digital anyway. It's a poopie BR player to boot.

 

[leng jai]

Don't really feel like paying RRP for everything at launch to be honest.

 

[CeePhour]

Yes, disc drives should be optional. Hell, sell them as an external add on. Just allow us to use whatever 3.5" drive we want.

 

[aravuus]

I can't believe I'm actually saying this, but maybe? Digital prices, while absolute horse shit still on consoles, don't really matter that much honestly since I play like a couple of games a year on consoles anymore.

So if I could get a digital-only version of a console for, say, a 100 euros or so cheaper, I'd probably seriously consider it.

 

[Fess]

I've never bought a physical game for PC so digital-only is nothing new to me. But I've bought 3 or maybe 4 games full price, the rest are Steam/GOG sales purchases and Sony/Microsoft have a looong way to go before competing with Steam/GOG on that front. There is no competition so the prices will always be higher on console than on PC.
So, nope, I wouldn't consider a digital-only console right now. Maybe if they opened up to third party digital stores, like if Steam/GOG came to consoles, then I'll consider it.

 

[CeePhour]

I'm a bit surprised by all of the "console sales suck". Are those of you referring to release day prices only? Because there are constantly very competitive sales on PSN (I am unfamiliar with MS's offering this generation).

 

[ArtHands]

Nope for consoles, because their digital stores are still vastly behind to what Steam is offering now for one.

 

[Tohsaka]

No thanks, I'll never go all-digital on consoles as long as physical is still an option.

 

[Adam_Roman]

Only for systems with cartridges.

 

[rockman zx]

Never, I resell my games all the time and I buy second hand games too. Is not an option for me. Digital prices are ridiculous anyway.

 

[ChronotriggerJM]

I'm a bit surprised by all of the "console sales suck". Are those of you referring to release day prices only? Because there are constantly very competitive sales on PSN (I am unfamiliar with MS's offering this generation).

Yeah PSN sales are bonkers.

 

[Putty]

Not a chance in hell...

 

[kunonabi]

I typically don't buy physical games for any Sony console made after the PS3 so you would think I'd be interested. Problem is the occasional limited edition release and watching Blu rays makes it unlikely I'd bite. The Switch will probably be all digital for me due to the hybrid nature of it. Assuming they release a revision I find acceptable to take out of the house anyway.

 

[hiro_x]

I'd buy it. I only have around 5 retail games that I really don't care about. I live in the Philippines where games rarely get discounted so I buy my games when there is a sale on xbox live. Plus, internet is cheap here so I can download anytime I want. I pay $38 for 50mbps and throttles down to 15mbps once I reached my 300GB, I can also add $2 for additional 50GB.

 

[davidwhangchoi]

i love to resell my games.


one day i want them to become retro titles on a bookshelf

 

[Beelzebubs]

I'd be more than open. I mainly play on PC these days and haven't used an optical drive in nearly 7 years.

 

[Bastables]

Note Orland has stumped for the imagined all digital future of the Xbox one, even while being unable to point out the benefits to his own mother.

When I got back from E3 last week, I called my mom for a regular check-in. Obviously, I brought up the show and the battle between Sony and Microsoft. When I described Microsoft's game licensing policies to her, she said they were "the stupidest fucking thing I've ever heard."

When she asked incredulously why Microsoft did what it did, I found myself fumbling for an answer. Despite recently having a long sit down with Microsoft's marketing chief where he was tasked with answering this very question, I found myself struggling. I couldn't easily explain to my own mother why in the world she should see Microsoft's "digital future" as anything but stupid.

And ends with forlorn dreams of a future that he could not even explain to mum.
So yes, the market has spoken and the Internet won today. The forces that would have changed the way your gaming discs worked were rebuffed and forced back by sheer will. But in another way, we all lost the potential to see whatever Microsoft's vision of the digital future actually was. Instead in all likelihood, we'll eventually get a digital future that looks a lot like the digital present—only without any discs at all.

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013...ails-to-sell-the-future-retreats-to-the-past/

He'd been one of the voices expecting Sony to follow in MS foot steps, and by default assent to MS superior strategy.
Of course, if Sony followed Microsoft's lead in pushing the same kinds of potential restrictions on game discs, Microsoft probably could have ridden out any negative reaction to its decision. If Microsoft and Sony united on these issues, gamers would be left with nowhere to turn.


He's also continued to fight the lost Xboxone battle by shoehorning Nintendo as maybe, coulda be assenting in 2015.
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/08/is-the-world-ready-for-a-disc-free-game-console/

 

[Apoleptica]

No disc no buy. Cartridges are preferred.

 

[spazchicken]

Would publishers consider passing along some of their savings to the consumer?

 

[danthefan]

I think they'd have to release it as a cheaper SKU along with one with a drive in order for me to consider it.

Removing the disk drive and telling me it's the future, along the lines of Microsoft with the XOne, and I'll almost certainly never buy it.

 

[99Luffy]

Id be fine with a external usb disc drive.

The thing I dont like about discs is that its basically just a key to the digital file. Im looking at some of these disc install sizes.. and then the store file size.. hmm seems awfully close.
I wish disc owners automatically got a digital version too. But that just makes too much sense.

 

[FingerBang]

Buying games both physically and digitally, I have to say I probably wouldn't mind as long as games are sold at retails as well. Locking games onto one store makes it close to impossible to find deals.

I actually got so lazy that I buy digitally cause I hate switching the disk.

 

[Shambalakan]

Never.
Other than my slow download speed, I always love physical games more than digital ones. And I want to sell my games whenever I want.

 

[d9b]

Nope.

 

[Brockxz]

it's interesting how PC gamers have already accepted for about 10 years disc free gaming (my PC doesn't have optical drive already for 5+ years) but console players still won't give up.
I would love to see disc free console option but only if Sony, MS, Nintendo would fix their store and start to do something Valve does. Good prices, regular sales etc. And for fuck sake, no region locks. Valve also should change this shit.
My download speed is a lot faster than trying to install game from disc to console. I downloaded Mass Effect Andromeda in about 12 minutes.
Also, I think I have never resold any game so that doesn't bother me.

 

[Chittagong]

Haven't bought a sinble retail game since 2013 so yeah I'd be fine. But retailers would boycott one.

 

[J 0 E]

I've gone all digital this gen, I see it as a great "option".

 

[Camp Freddie]

Buying games both physically and digitally, I have to say I probably wouldn't mind as long as games are sold at retails as well. Locking games onto one store makes it close to impossible to find deals.

I actually got so lazy that I buy digitally cause I hate switching the disk.

This. PC digital works fine but only because Steam doesn't have a monopoly.
I don't trust XBL and PSN to offer me the best deals if they're the only way to buy games for the consoles.

 

[Rathorial]

I'm surprised a site like Arstechnica would be short-sighted enough to suggest cost savings with dropping a disc drive. Losing console retail would make many video game purchases outside sale times more expensive per user.

I still buy console retail games for 3 reasons:

1. PSN servers continually under-utilize my internet bandwidth vs. Steam, XBL, Origin or even Uplay.
2. Every new $60 console game I can get 20% off buying through Amazon or Best Buy, and this only works with retail titles.
3. Various retailers compete with each other, along with having to clear stock, increasing the chance an older game I want will hit a low price point.

 

[Mokujin]

I don't like the idea of a digital only console but I would like to see PS5 / XBox 2 going cart + sd, this saves both costs and lowers power usage and looking at standards like UHS III can potentially give much better speeds and latency plus removing mandatory installs.

Outside of cheaper costs media the disc + HDD combo we have now on PS4-One looks like an aging and cumbersome solution moving forward.

 

[Ethelwulf]

But we already have the option to do it. If you want to go digital simply do it.

 

[Hoho for breakfast]

I'd consider it when it's not being forced and if digital could ever match physical prices. And Comcast lifted my data cap. And if the PS network was better. And if....

Never mind I think I just considered it and decided my answer is no.

 

[13ruce]

Only when the average internet speed is way higher in the future. We are gonna have install discs for a long while.

 

[Käebi]

Yep. As someone who mostly buys in sales or games I definitely know will love (only bought one game fullprice this year, NieR), I would love a disc-free console. PC is digital-only anyway. My only problem with console digital-only are the licenses. I wouldn't feel safe to still be able to play my games in 10-15 years on a digital-only platform.

 

[Jo Shishido's Cheeks]

It's weird how digital music, film and television is fine but digital games turn a bunch of GAF into raving luddites.
'If I can't have a game in a box like we've been doing since the 80's I'll quit gaming forever!' LMAO

 

[SmokedMeat]

Yeah, the savings of a driveless system would be passed down to consumers the same way digital console game savings are passed down. In other words you're not going to see any savings.

But by all means they should do it.

 

[RionaaM]

It's weird how digital music, film and television is fine but digital games turn a bunch of GAF into raving luddites.
'If I can't have a game in a box like we've been doing since the 80's I'll quit gaming forever!' LMAO

No one's asking for music CDs to die, that's the difference. People who use Spotify tend to be more sensible and not want options removed just because they personally won't take advantage of them.

 

[AppleSeason]

No. I don't want to have to buy a separate BD player.

 

[TheKingOfPain]

It's weird how digital music, film and television is fine but digital games turn a bunch of GAF into raving luddites.
'If I can't have a game in a box like we've been doing since the 80's I'll quit gaming forever!' LMAO

Slow internet connections and data caps are a pita, don't you think? A song, or even a whole album, takes only a fraction of what an average console game does in size and consequently in both data usage and time to get downloaded. I have no cap, but my connection is pretty slow, so that it took 17 hours to download the Ryuga Gotoku 6 demo (36 GB, it's basically the whole game with restrictions).
Going all digital is not as simple as you may think for a lot of people, so a digital only console would be understandably frowned upon.

 

[daegan]

Not only no, but does anyone really think retail is going to be keen to sell a device that cuts them out at a more appealing price?

 

[Bastables]

It's weird how digital music, film and television is fine but digital games turn a bunch of GAF into raving luddites.
'If I can't have a game in a box like we've been doing since the 80's I'll quit gaming forever!' LMAO

If only we as consumers welcomed Xboxone's future just like Orland ars tech piece in 2013 lamented. Then Kyle Orland 2013, 2015 and 2017 articles could have been redeemed as visionary.

 

[Son Of Sparda]

I buy most of my games digitally, but no. I still like to get a retail game every once in a while.

 

[Donos]

Seeing the cheap prices of used disc games (PS4) i say no but in reality i only buy digital nowadays (through sales, never new). Just to lazy to get up and my little kid also puts the disc out and bends them...

 

[SmokedMeat]

It's weird how digital music, film and television is fine but digital games turn a bunch of GAF into raving luddites.
'If I can't have a game in a box like we've been doing since the 80's I'll quit gaming forever!' LMAO

Probably has something to do with digital console games being nothing like digital music/movies. You don't lose your digital movie/music library just because you bought a new device.

 

[Ruud_Luiten]

Yes!!

I hate discs. They are:
- vulnerable
- slow
- big
- must be exchanged everytime you want to play a different game
- take up space
- cannot add data like dlc or save data; so, modern games are split between console and disc
- using on other consoles require the physical disc. I need to have the disc. With digital I can login and download the game.

It's so old fashioned..

 

[Jo Shishido's Cheeks]

No one's asking for music CDs to die, that's the difference. People who use Spotify tend to be more sensible and not want options removed just because they personally won't take advantage of them.

We never asked and yet manufacturers effectively killed the CD anyway (for the better.)
I access my music through a smartphone, tablet, laptop, desktop and Apple TV and none allow me to insert a CD. It's still an option, should I want to hook up an external disc drive I suppose, just as in this hypothetical scenario with 2 console SKU's physical games would still be an option.

Slow internet connections and data caps are a pita, don't you think? A song, or even a whole album, takes only a fraction of what an average console game does in size and consequently in both data usage and time to get downloaded. I have no cap, but my connection is pretty slow, so that it took 17 hours to download the Ryuga Gotoku 6 demo (36 GB, it's basically the whole game with restrictions).
Going all digital is not as simple as you may think for a lot of people, so a digital only console would be understandably frowned upon.

I used to leave a computer on overnight to download a single song and look at where we are now. The internet will improve and when it does for many, it'll be better that there's an established digital infrastructure waiting for them rather than halting all progress and only beginning once the majority are at an acceptable speed.
If the future was always delayed for those who aren't ready we would never get there.

 

[Dommel]

Don't really care about physical but an all digital console would mean zero chance of broken streetdates.

And one thing I love is finding a game before it's actual release date.