General Category > General Discussion
Odds that next Gen is digital only
sheep2001:
But that's the thing. We are moving further and further from physical shopping. Less physical merchandise, less physical shops. Don't know about the U.S. But in the UK, almost all music stores have gone. The shift to digital music was so swift, the stores didn't have a chance to alter their business models. I used to love going into music stores as a teenager, and browsing the sales - current generation is missing out on that. It WILL go the same way with games. Movies are almost there with the amount of streaming services there are. Hell even buying a film these days you get a digital download vouche along with the disc. It's only a matter of time guys.
But they can never take our retro!!! Lol
TDIRunner:
--- Quote from: sheep2001 on September 15, 2015, 09:35:05 AM ---But that's the thing. We are moving further and further from physical shopping. Less physical merchandise, less physical shops. Don't know about the U.S. But in the UK, almost all music stores have gone. The shift to digital music was so swift, the stores didn't have a chance to alter their business models. I used to love going into music stores as a teenager, and browsing the sales - current generation is missing out on that. It WILL go the same way with games. Movies are almost there with the amount of streaming services there are. Hell even buying a film these days you get a digital download vouche along with the disc. It's only a matter of time guys.
But they can never take our retro!!! Lol
--- End quote ---
It doesn't bother me. I've always said that even if they stopped making video games today and it became impossible to buy games going forward, I would have enough games in my collection to keep me entertained for the rest of my life. So no worries there.
Arseen:
--- Quote from: sheep2001 on September 15, 2015, 09:35:05 AM ---But that's the thing. We are moving further and further from physical shopping. Less physical merchandise, less physical shops. Don't know about the U.S. But in the UK, almost all music stores have gone.
--- End quote ---
There is one major difference between music and games.
When the music companies decide that a song is to be removed from their site you just go to another site and get it... legally or illegally.
There is always device that let's you play the song.
Try that with a game... ;)
WILL NOT SWITCH TO DIGITAL UNTILL IT'S 100% QUARANTEED THAT THE GAME I BUY WILL ALWAYS BE AVAILABLE FOR ME TO REDOWNLOAD FOR FREE EVEN IF MY MACHINE BREAKS AND I HAVE TO BUY NEW.
Thom Grayson:
It depends on how long this generation lasts.
If it lasts only another 2 years or so before we get new systems, then the next generation will still be physical. This is what will happen if the people who believe that the relative power of gaming PCs is going to influence development trends are right.
If it lasts another 8 or so years (running at least as long as the Xbox 360/PS3 generation did), then the next generation will probably be digital only, especially because the current generations are pushing 'free games with your subscription!' so hard. This is what will happen if the people who believe that we have reached a point where technology is by and large 'good enough' for the average consumer are right.
I've got a feeling though, that the future isn't going to be consoles or even PCs exactly, but Netflix style 'pay a flat rate, play any game on our service!'. And the console wars are going to be replaced with 'which things are on which service/who has original content'. Exactly like with what we are seeing with HBO Now, Orange Is the New Black, etc. That is to say, streaming, with no regard for the device it's on.
Steam might well become that service, and maybe Playstation/Xbox will survive as services as well. Nintendo would become nothing but a Virtual Console company. Hardware-agnostic is probably the future.
I have enough physical games to survive and ignore that shift though :P
Polygon:
--- Quote from: wiggy on September 15, 2015, 07:17:49 AM ---When the infrastructure in the US catches up with the rest of the developed world (in terms of internet speeds and caps, or lack thereof), then there will be DL only consoles.
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Bingo!
That is the only thing holding it back right now. That being said, I agree that we have one more generation with physical media. The NX was brought up and I have to say, we don't know anything yet. That patent might have nothing to do with the NX. Hell, it might not be used for anything at all. And maybe it is for the NX. And maybe the NX isn't even a replacement for the Wii U. It could very well be a mobile device.