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CodeMasters Founder: Physical media is like 'having a dead body handcuffed' to Xbox 1
- Thread starter ReaperXL7
- Start date
Thank you OP for adding this post to the OP. Everyone is already slamming CodeMasters when this guy doesn't even work for them anymore. He just founded the company
I understand that viewpoint.
It's just not an issue for me. I've had my consoles always connected since the original Xbox and thankfully my internet is reliable and uncapped, and I can set up a WiFi hotspot on my phone for the rare cases when my home connection is down. I plan on buying all my Xbox One games digitally, as I already do on PC, Wii U, and iPad. I just would have liked if the retail Xbox One games were also just digital licenses (basically, so you don't have to swap discs) because I would have occasionally bought discs when retailers had sales. I'm getting gigabit internet early next year so the whole download times issue will be less of a concern.
Basically, I don't want to swap discs, and I want to be able to buy games from as many stores as possible. And I don't buy used games. That's why Microsoft's DRM didn't bother me.
Kai Dracon
Writing a dinosaur space opera symphony
When I glanced at the thread title I read it as "CodeMasters Founder's dead body handcuffed to Xbox 1".
Dr. Kitty Muffins
Member
"They let the market pull them back.."
That is all I need to read. The mentality of some in the industry is a joke. It is like they aren't even real capitalists but something else entirely.
That is all I need to read. The mentality of some in the industry is a joke. It is like they aren't even real capitalists but something else entirely.
Red Chocobo
Banned
But you can re-sell dead bodies.
RedRooster
Member
I like starting this next gen with physical disks, then slowly publishers can start releasing digital copies for 30-50% off the retails disk version and give users the option. I would imagine a large amount would move over to buying the digital versions (whether its through download or buying the cheap "dummy" disk at retail that is meant to install once and then throw away) and eventually by the end of the generation most everyone is buying the digital/dummy disk versions at the reduced price. Hopefully.
Another case of peeps not reading articles!
"Codemasters co-founder" He doesn't actually work at Codemasters and hasn't done for years. It even says in the article that he parted with the company in 2007!
As for the whole digital distribution thing, I still think we are 2-3 years off being able to considering living in a totally digital world. It is still always nice to have the options so I would like to see physical media stay for a number of years
Maybe with some features becoming digital only which it pretty much has been for the past 5 years like DLC, patches and enhanced multiplayer experiences. With games like Destiny and Titan Fall I'm sure those games are going to be a lot different compared to how they launch due to digital only content.
"Codemasters co-founder" He doesn't actually work at Codemasters and hasn't done for years. It even says in the article that he parted with the company in 2007!
As for the whole digital distribution thing, I still think we are 2-3 years off being able to considering living in a totally digital world. It is still always nice to have the options so I would like to see physical media stay for a number of years
Maybe with some features becoming digital only which it pretty much has been for the past 5 years like DLC, patches and enhanced multiplayer experiences. With games like Destiny and Titan Fall I'm sure those games are going to be a lot different compared to how they launch due to digital only content.
Gamefly has made my gaming hobby cheaper then ever. Comes down to if you "have" to buy the games or not. I don't care about owning games. I just play them and return them when I'm done. Costs me about $190 a year which if you break it down is a little more then three $60 games per year. Digital games I buy when they are around $3 or less ($5 for good ones). If game rentals go away after this generation, I'll probably just use my iOS devices to game as its not worth the significant cost to me to buy games.
Ol No Bones
Banned
I agree. Neither console should have had a disk drive. They were trying to partly go all digital and stupid people freaked out.
I understand not wanting to have to worry about disc swapping, but that shouldn't be any reason to be fine with what MS wanted to do with their DRM. Nor should it be because you have access to a wide bandwidth with no cap.
Digital downloads shouldn't be filled to the brim with DRM to make it ok. The best option would be the exact opposite. At least Steam gives you a larger offline buffer and deep discounts on games, but it's still far from perfect.
I don't think anyone should outright excuse DRM just because it makes game buying/playing easier.
Now I want to know where I can buy dead bodies.
Version 3.0
Member
Gaming is all about dead bodies. Bring it on.
SmokedMeat
Gamer™
"It was interesting how the market did pull back with Microsoft," he says. "I don't think Microsoft sold it in the right way - they weren't strong enough
Yeah, next time just beat your customers over the head with it. Tell them screw you, this is how it is and that's that. Gotta be tough with the peon consumers, tell them how they're going to spend their money and like it, cause it's our way or the highway. After all, it's in our best interest to make sure the industry takes away consumer choice.
Yeah, next time just beat your customers over the head with it. Tell them screw you, this is how it is and that's that. Gotta be tough with the peon consumers, tell them how they're going to spend their money and like it, cause it's our way or the highway. After all, it's in our best interest to make sure the industry takes away consumer choice.
I have no philosophical problem with DRM. I use Netflix and Spotify, and rent movies from Amazon. I have an MSDN subscription for software. And I already buy DRM-laded digital games for various platforms. I never have issues and it just doesn't bother me.
hydrophilic attack
Member
The 180 changes nothing in this regard. If you don't want to put your game on a physical disc, then don't. iOS and Android are not the only markets for digital-only games. It would be an interesting experiment to see if the benefits of digital distribution would make up for locking out people who for some reason don't want to or can't buy digitally. I would expect that, at least for large-budget games, it wouldn't, at least not yet.
VicDaMoan03
Member
He brings up a good point of the physical drive What if Microsoft did this with two SKUs?
SKU 1: Xbox One, Kinect, BluRay drive $500
Allows used games
Physical games $60
Digital games $50
SKU 2: Xbox One. Kinect, no physical drive $450
Does not allow used games
Digital games $50
This would push people to go digital only while allowing the option for used games.
SKU 1: Xbox One, Kinect, BluRay drive $500
Allows used games
Physical games $60
Digital games $50
SKU 2: Xbox One. Kinect, no physical drive $450
Does not allow used games
Digital games $50
This would push people to go digital only while allowing the option for used games.
MightyHedgehog
Member
Not true at all if you look at the continuing and growing success of tablets and other digital-only platforms that sell games. Consoles, before now and currently, offer little value to retail outside of accessory sales that net them fat margins if they aren't already involved with used trade where they similarly get a large portion of sales. New software and hardware don't fetch much at all for them, so going all digital just means more shelf space for other things to sell. A whole generation of kids have grown up into digital only world with their iPads and Android tablets and, of course, phones. PC in North America is all practically DD only. There's room for DD-only consoles...there has to be since it's going to be a reality by start of next-next-gen in five or so years, but there's most certainly a current market that's growing and friendly to DD libraries being the de facto standard on a platform.
Discs games were the same digital goods you install on the console, so you wouldn't need to download 20gb if you can't. Right there they needed to close the Feeding the Multitude and it came with more shenanigans than benefits they could prove them selves, even with the family share, the damage was done, internets get crazy and menace to boycott.. well we know what happened.
I won't talk about it anymore, 'cause people already made their minds and I did got a hook back than trying to clarify what I saw.
zephervack
Member
Weird that the CEO doesnt know that a lot of their sales for racers are to small european countries with shitty internet.
Honestly I'd take it. The first one was surprisingly good.
I would definitely go for something like that, but I wouldn't want to pay that much. Maybe it could only apply to smaller/indie games.
Wonko_C
Member
So they wanted this:
I'm ok with that.
I wonder if the Xbox One were announced like that back then, people would've been more forgiving of their DRM stuff?
Edited my original response since I was also slamming codemasters. Apologies Codemasters, you have nothing to do with this besides being caught in the crossfire.
I love physical media so much that I purchased a physical PC copy of Super Meat Boy after already owning it via Steam. There are so many reasons why DD only is not a viable choice
.
I love physical media so much that I purchased a physical PC copy of Super Meat Boy after already owning it via Steam. There are so many reasons why DD only is not a viable choice
at this time
dcx4610
Member
Tell that to the millions of people that buy Blu-rays and games on disc.
Yes, digital is the future but it's not here yet and physical media still serves a good purpose. I have 100s of Blu-rays and I wouldn't be able to fit them on a 500GB hard drive. A disc makes it easy to store them and I don't have to worry about a drive failing.
Games this next generation are also going to be really large and to me, it's just easier to have a game on disc.
If hard drive sizes were quadrupled to what they are on now and ISPs didn't have bandwith caps then maybe digital would make sense but that's not the case. Not to mention, there has to be a compelling reason to go digital and when the games are priced the same as their physical counterparts, there isn't one.
Yes, digital is the future but it's not here yet and physical media still serves a good purpose. I have 100s of Blu-rays and I wouldn't be able to fit them on a 500GB hard drive. A disc makes it easy to store them and I don't have to worry about a drive failing.
Games this next generation are also going to be really large and to me, it's just easier to have a game on disc.
If hard drive sizes were quadrupled to what they are on now and ISPs didn't have bandwith caps then maybe digital would make sense but that's not the case. Not to mention, there has to be a compelling reason to go digital and when the games are priced the same as their physical counterparts, there isn't one.
That would require the console to have a... disc drive. You know, the thing Codemasters wanted out of the consoles for whatever reason they never managed to fully specify in that article?
semiconscious
Gold Member
& there you go - where all physical media is dead, whether you personally have great internet or not
...AyaisMUsikWhore
Member
Ugh, I hate these argument. What's stopping them from going all digital.
Why use console manufacturer to make the rules instead of taking the rules into their own hands. If publishers cared so much then sell all digital but Microsoft taking the hit for their ignorance isn't fair.
They want people to play their games but want the console manufacturers to do all the dirty work, please. They are just as pathetic with their slimy speeches trying to make it seem like they are the good guys.
How about they come out with a console with no disk drive and try to push all digital, they would be doing the same thing MS had to do.
Why use console manufacturer to make the rules instead of taking the rules into their own hands. If publishers cared so much then sell all digital but Microsoft taking the hit for their ignorance isn't fair.
They want people to play their games but want the console manufacturers to do all the dirty work, please. They are just as pathetic with their slimy speeches trying to make it seem like they are the good guys.
How about they come out with a console with no disk drive and try to push all digital, they would be doing the same thing MS had to do.
Manmademan
Member
there's no incentive for retailers to carry the digital only variant. you'd have to build in a margin to get them to carry it, which would at least increase the price back to 500. this is why the pspgo was consistently more expensive than the baseline psp, even with no umd drive.
pointless.
alternatively MS could ONLY sell it via their website direct, but now you have shipping costs.
a digital only sku simply doesn't work when all of the alternatives get to sell for zero margin due to the razor/blades business model
I know you meant this as a joke but I legitimately loved that game (finished it about 5 times) and would be ecstatic about a sequel.
I already pay around that much for gamefly which includes the postage rates. I'm not sure whether data hosting would cost more or less than senidng discs across the country but just not having to worry about stock of rentals would be a huge benefit to the consumer.
mckmas8808
Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
So they think MS should have put out a console that most people wouldn't have bought?
This about sums it up.
It's cute that he works for a company that makes time wasters nobody plays, but I'm not sure his "expertise" was really needed here.
timetokill
Banned
You heard it here first. All you people in rural areas, or those with bandwidth/data caps... you have 6 months left to enjoy gaming.
After that, GET FUCKED bros!
After that, GET FUCKED bros!
Beer Monkey
Member
LOL. Take the disk drive out and force people to deal with bandwith caps. This guy must be some troll who wants to see XB1 marketshare shrink to a tiny fraction of what 360 had.
Nobody will ever have to buy a disk and put it in their XB1 if they don't want to. They can buy every title digitally.
Nobody will ever have to buy a disk and put it in their XB1 if they don't want to. They can buy every title digitally.
Yeah, let's not do what the consumers want and instead push restrictions upon them.
Sounds like a great business plan.
Sounds like a great business plan.
I've always wondered about this when the occasional developer lamented that the digital future is not here yet. You all already have the option to only sell your games digitally. Just do it if you think it'll do better for you and let the market decide how the future of distribution will look like.
NullPointer
Member
Can't get along with any idea that relies upon collusion and using your weight to eliminate customer choice. This scheme wouldn't have worked unless Sony went in the same direction. They didn't and MS was forced to reverse.
Digital is already happening, and will continue. No need to force the issue right now when it can be offered as an alternative.
Digital is already happening, and will continue. No need to force the issue right now when it can be offered as an alternative.
mckmas8808
Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
Not even close to enough devs want an all digital only future.
DirtyLarry
Member
I cannot help but feel anyone who says he is right and absolutely agrees has a terribly narrow view of the world at large and believes other peoples situation must closely resemble their own. Or they are a publisher.
Myself? I have 75 down 35 up on Verizon FIOS, no caps, so all digital is no doubt a possibility for me. However I realize there are, believe it or not to all those who say all digital is the way to go, still people who have nowhere near those speeds and who also have caps on just how much they can download monthly.
Nevermind those people who live in 3rd world countries, who may not even purchase their first PS4 or XBox One until 5-10 years from now. Guess what? There are still people who the PS2 is their latest and greatest console. Why do you think it is one of the best selling consoles ever? So you think those people have the luxury, or even the means, to download only digital games?
So I know the argument is going to be, well fuck those poor bastards. I could not disagree more. Never-mind the fact I too like a few already mentioned, like displaying my games on my shelves. I also like letting friends or family members borrow those games, or even crazier, sometimes I trade my games into Amazon for credit. How would I do that again with all digital?
As also mentioned, if they really want to go all digital, nothing stopping them from doing so whatsoever.
Myself? I have 75 down 35 up on Verizon FIOS, no caps, so all digital is no doubt a possibility for me. However I realize there are, believe it or not to all those who say all digital is the way to go, still people who have nowhere near those speeds and who also have caps on just how much they can download monthly.
Nevermind those people who live in 3rd world countries, who may not even purchase their first PS4 or XBox One until 5-10 years from now. Guess what? There are still people who the PS2 is their latest and greatest console. Why do you think it is one of the best selling consoles ever? So you think those people have the luxury, or even the means, to download only digital games?
So I know the argument is going to be, well fuck those poor bastards. I could not disagree more. Never-mind the fact I too like a few already mentioned, like displaying my games on my shelves. I also like letting friends or family members borrow those games, or even crazier, sometimes I trade my games into Amazon for credit. How would I do that again with all digital?
As also mentioned, if they really want to go all digital, nothing stopping them from doing so whatsoever.