[Annelies]

It's no secret that Sony and Microsoft are hard at work on their next-generation consoles. After all, in 2011, Nintendo unveiled the successor to the Wii, which we know today as the Wii U. It's only natural that Nintendo's biggest competitors would later follow suit... but how? How would Sony and Microsoft approach today's market?

Times have changed since 2005, and digital distribution is becoming more and more of an accepted way for gamers to download and play their precious games or watch their favorite movies. Microsoft allows you to download and play full retail games through Xbox Live's Games on Demand service, and Sony offers PlayStation Plus members complete access to full retail titles as well. Both companies also offer a wide variety of movies and music. All at your disposal with the click of a button, and all downloaded directly to your console.

The big question is: Are either of these companies willing to go download-only with their new consoles?

We can count Nintendo out. The Wii U has been confirmed to feature a disc-drive that will run Nintendo's own proprietary disc format, however Microsoft and Sony have yet to publicly speak on the matter.

Well, without a doubt games would be cheaper since shipping & packaging costs would no longer be relevant to... anybody! You wouldn't need to worry about your favorite game being sold out. You wouldn't need to worry about attending midnight releases. You wouldn't need to wait in any lines, either. Sounds good, doesn't it?

You would obviously need an internet connection at all-times and depending on how many games you intend on buying, you might want a fast one. That's the price you'd have to pay for the convenience of digital distribution. Some would say it's a small one, but everybody doesn't have the money to dish out on the best ISP's and not everyone has an internet connection to begin with.

This hasn't stopped millions of PC gamers from enjoying digital distribution, however, so why should it stop console gamers?

Leave your thoughts below.


Source

Sony and Microsoft must fully embrace digital distribution with the PS4 and Xbox 720 or face extinction, Codemasters co-founder David Darling has claimed. "Consoles have become like dinosaurs heading for extinction as their natural retail habitat begins to change," Darling told MCV. "These ancient beasts must now adapt to a new environment where platforms like Steam, Facebook and Apple's App Store are pushing innovation." He added: "The industry is transitioning from boxed to digital games. Physical media like DVD is dying out and gaming is rapidly moving to digital distribution. "If hardware manufacturers such as Sony and Microsoft do not manage this transition soon, they will be overtaken and left behind by companies who are embracing digital distribution wholly and completely." Of the next generation of consoles, Darling believes supporting physical media would be a mistake. "If the next generation consoles have media drives like DVD to keep distributors and retailers happy so they can sell physical product this will make the machines uncompetitive," said Darling. "They will not be able to compete on price. The retailers will say to Sony and Microsoft 'you can't sell game X at retail for $60 and then sell it in your App Store for $2.' However, console-makers will need to sell games for $2 or else they will not be competitive with Apple." Darling sold his interests in Codemasters in 2007 and is now CEO of digital games outfit Kwalee in Leamington Spa.

[DEFAULTDNB]

Surely no physical media will eventually put lots of people out of pocket.

No dvd/bluray/proprietary memory card = no money at the pressing place,
No plastic cases/packaging = no money at the case distributors,
No more cover art/inserts = no money for those designers,
No new games = no money at the game stores (as if there were any left open now anyway) only network points to be sold to buy online... or cut out the middle man and use ur credit card...

No secondhand market whatsoever..... I don't know... I think it would do more bad than good.

EURGH! 100th post

[donglehater]

Retail games released through online distribution generally start at traditional retail price.

[Ubefuct]

No physical media = you don't own it. They would have restrictions limiting usage, PSP Go anyone? I will not buy any console without games on physical media. Its just another way for them to control/monitor/and pimp you to the advertising whores.

Just imagine, your playing your favorite game. You get to a save point, and bam a commercial for Pepsi. Game continues, reach a cut scene and another commercial. This is the type of $hit that will come with this type of console. They will probably say commercializing the games will allow them to sell them to you cheaper. We all know allow and going to are not the same.

Just like TV used to be free, paid by commercials. Now you pay & still get the commercials. Don't think for a second that the advertising business don't want to invade your games more than they have already

[donglehater]

Originally Posted by Ubefuct No physical media = you don't own it. They would have restrictions limiting usage, PSP Go anyone? I will not buy any console without games on physical media. Its just another way for them to control/monitor/and pimp you to the advertising whores. Just imagine, your playing your favorite game. You get to a save point, and bam a commercial for Pepsi. Game continues, reach a cut scene and another commercial. This is the type of $hit that will come with this type of console. They will probably say commercializing the games will allow them to sell them to you cheaper. We all know allow and going to are not the same. Just like TV used to be free, paid by commercials. Now you pay & still get the commercials. Don't think for a second that the advertising business don't want to invade your games more than they have already

Most intelligently worded rant I have read in a while here and I absolutely agree with every word.

[munky875821417]

i've gone through several ps3's and it sucks buying video media from psn because you'll never be able to recover it. I know you are supposed to back up everything but how many people really spend backing up their ps3 using that slow ps3 backup utility. I stopped buying stuff from their online store. I stick to buying movies at wal-mart or target or best buy. I'll occasionally rent a movie from them or cinema now, and i used to do vudu. I think sucks having to always call and deactivate systems to gain access to the content that i bought from their video game library. They ask what happened to my old ps3 and I told it ylod, rlod, and i tell them I threw it away. I'm not sure if I'm gonna buy ps4 or orbis because of the fact you have to buy 3 or more during the consoles life. I know not everyone has experienced the same problems I have but their are people like me that have serveral problems with several ps3's and it's no fun having a couple of expensive bricks laying around. I work hard for a living and expect quality for the expensive things I buy. I know ps3 and xbox had a lot of problems with QA I just hope they build systems that will last.

Sorry about ranting,

MUNKY875821417

My 9-cell battery on my laptop is lasting forever.......... xD

[donglehater]

Sorry for your luck bro. Im still using my old fatty.........had it now about 5 years? Cant remember and have a second slim that my daughters mostly play LBP2 on. I totaly understand about digi media and how they intend to screw us all with it.

[DEFAULTDNB]

Originally Posted by Ubefuct No physical media = you don't own it. They would have restrictions limiting usage, PSP Go anyone? I will not buy any console without games on physical media. Its just another way for them to control/monitor/and pimp you to the advertising whores. Just imagine, your playing your favorite game. You get to a save point, and bam a commercial for Pepsi. Game continues, reach a cut scene and another commercial. This is the type of $hit that will come with this type of console. They will probably say commercializing the games will allow them to sell them to you cheaper. We all know allow and going to are not the same. Just like TV used to be free, paid by commercials. Now you pay & still get the commercials. Don't think for a second that the advertising business don't want to invade your games more than they have already

Sony already applied for that patent, so we know that's definitely gonna happen at some point

http://www.ps3hax.net/2012/05/psn-with-advertisements/

[hellsing9]

Embrace the plugs on your neck.

[alienkid]

Sony's recent words on the subject.

My next gaming funds will go to PC. I'm done with consoles.