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[Gadirok]

yeah thats the big issue here
sony gives the consumer an option of physical or dd
ms is forcing dd, even when you buy a physical disc

Not to mention with DD on the Vita or PS3, in many cases you did get preorder dlc for Day 1 digital games on PS3 (typically some theme or the same digital dlc retailers had).

For most Vita games, its been the same thing EBgames/GameSTOP has offered in digital cosmetics or boosters or digital soundtracks that come with buying the game digitally off the PSN store within the first week.


If I didn't get preorder deals, I would definitely go digital only considering I don't pay 13% HST where I live like I do with retail making it more cheaper than retail discs, but also enabling me to get the same preorder dlc available with retail.

I could care less about steelbooks and physical preorder doo-hikkies. The convenience of being able to play a game without swapping discs straight from your harddrive is the best experience.

 

[SolidSnakex]

They are delaying an all digital console which IMO is inevitable.

How are they delaying it? If you only want to purchase digitally then there's nothing stopping you on the PS4. Your games will be on PSN the day that they're made available at retail. The only difference is that they aren't putting any ridiculous restrictions on the retail product.

 

[Dragon]

They are delaying an all digital console which IMO is inevitable.

The PS4 will be all digital. The PS4 will also be able to play disc based used games.

Best of both worlds!

 

[Dizzy]

And once you’re used to the idea of all your games being installed onto your hard drive, they can wean the disc diehards off of physical goods and move them onto downloads, which cut out the middleman and put more money into the hands of the game publisher (and Microsoft).

Luckily I won't be buying an Xbox One, so I'll never get used to that idea.

 

[Verachi]

Or maybe Xbox One will indeed totally fail at retail and it’ll be Microsoft scrambling to catch up. One wonders if there is a Third Console Rule emerging here: Any maker of game platforms that enjoys two successful machines will invariably think themselves invincible and make power-mad decisions in the design of the third machine that doom it. Nintendo ruined Nintendo 64 by selfishly sticking to cartridges versus CDs. Sony created an overengineered boondoggle with an astronomical price tag and crappy games. In the eyes of gamers, Xbox One costs $100 more than PS4 and does less.

Hopefully this. MS needs to take an arrow to the knee for inflicting shitty policies.

 

[theDeeDubs]

I pretty much agree with all of this. MS's biggest hurdle is going to be price point not DRM. This generation would've been boring if we had two identical boxes anyway.

 

[Dance Inferno]

Even though I'm firmly on the PS4 side of the fence, I can fully appreciate what Microsoft is trying to do with its online services. Its family sharing plan is brilliant and creates a very strong and direct network effect for Xbox One users by increasing the available library of games they have access to (most systems have an indirect network effect where the more people who own the system, the more likely publishers are to release good software for that system).

Not only that, but knowing that every Xbox One is online connected gives developers more freedom to build online features into their games, and not just as peripheral options for gamers to use such as chatting with each other, but rather as part of the fundamental game mechanics and world design.

Having said all that, this is the kind of thing that will be difficult to communicate to the average consumer when Sony's message of "we respect your rights as a consumer" is immediately powerful and invigorating. If the PS4 can build a strong and unassailable lead over the Xbox One in its first year, then Microsoft's family sharing plan will no longer look quite so enticing when most of your friends game on a PS4.

 

[Kobun Heat]

It's not about a consumer being able to choose going all digital, it's about 100 percent of the games on the console being stored digitally and tied to an account. Microsoft is taking the risk of forcing the issue, but (and this is the point) in the long run, Sony may be taking a risk by not forcing it.

 

[Venin]

Have you SEEN Titanfall?

Spoiler

Well, let's not forget Titanfall is also coming out for the 360 and PC.

EDIT: Actually, I suppose that's not the point. It was a very interesting game that was showcased at Microsoft's conference, so I guess it counts. Was there anything else, though?

 

[Sky Chief]

They are delaying an all digital console which IMO is inevitable.

Lol, whatever. You could just as easily make the argument that their vision for Gaikai is a step beyond the all digital console and even further towards the vision of gaming as service model.

My Vita is an all digital console and it works brilliantly that way. Just because there is an option to use physical media does not mean anything.

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

http://techland.time.com/2012/09/27...wnloads-how-much-longer-until-retails-demise/
Look at the date, Wired. Look at the date.

And Sony is also playing The Long Game. All-Digital isn't here yet, and until that time, they want people to buy both types on their system. Choice, happy customers and all that; both made a calculated risk and Sony's turned out smart and MS's turned out dumb. Simple as that. The question now is "What's MS going to do to get that plan back on track", cuz they are seriously derailed atm.

 

[harSon]

I love the "MS is playing the long game" comment every time they make a flop.
WP8: MS is playing the long game
Surface: MS is playing the long game
Windows 8: MS is playing the long game

They always are playing the long game though. If that wasn't their mentality, then the Xbox brand would have stopped after the original.

 

[Gadirok]

Lol, whatever. You could just as easily make the argument that their vision for Gaikai is a step beyond the all digital console and even further towards the vision of gaming as service model.

My Vita is an all digital console and it works brilliantly that way. Just because there is an option to use physical media does not mean anything.

Exactly. Theres nothing wrong with the option of having both.


I prefer the option of having to trade in some of my physical games when I am done with them. If a game is really good I'm likely to buy it again, perhaps digitally since its more convenient.

 

[Natureboy99]

I think it was pachter who used the music industry as precedence that physical is going nowhere. They still sell tons of CDs. and music was digital long before games were. Movies, same thing.

 

[JWong]

Oh dear, someone tell Wired that Sony is way ahead of Microsoft on the digital front.

Waaaay ahead.

 

[H_Prestige]

They always are playing the long game though. If that wasn't their mentality, then the Xbox brand would have stopped after the original.

Yup, all those products suck because MS is thinking long term. When people will prefer sucky products over actually good ones.

 

[WrenchNinja]

It's not about a consumer being able to choose going all digital, it's about 100 percent of the games on the console being stored digitally and tied to an account. Microsoft is taking the risk of forcing the issue, but (and this is the point) in the long run, Sony may be taking a risk by not forcing it.

How is it not about consumer choice?

 

[avaya]

Brought and paid for article by MSFT.

 

[Gadirok]

They are delaying an all digital console which IMO is inevitable.

Good luck destroying all those retail and manufacturing relationships you have developed for the past 2 decades.

Some people (like in Canada where we have bandwidth caps up our asses) would prefer to buy discs rather than downloading a ~50gb download like Uncharted 3.

 

[Ploid 3.0]

This is what I get out of it. I don't see any championing going on or whatever. They're probably very very happy with the feedback but there's a long way to go.

Sony doesn't seem to be underestimating Microsoft. Despite the negativity the Xbox One will do very well. A lot of people will adapt to the policies and just simply roll with it as time goes.

Yep, they know, like any company should, that they still have a up hill battle going on. To just kick back and expect things to be over would be a age old mistake of tortoise and hair.

Sony: "We had one good day, but it's not over yet"

An aggressive Sony took E3 by storm last week, but says it was only ‘one good day’.

The company’s pre-E3 press conference was quite low on new games compared with Xbox. But its decision to not force online checks every 24 hours, or block trade-ins, was a real crowd-pleaser.

And PS4’s £350 price tag is more attractive than Xbox’s £430 (including Kinect).

The result has been a huge increase in pre-orders.

Yet SCE UK boss Fergal Gara has played down the significance of winning E3, telling MCV that the company needs to keep its foot on the gas up to launch and beyond.

“Winning is determined by a much longer timescale,” he said. “We were very pleased with how our messages went down at E3. We aim to be the best for gamers, and this was a key step in that direction.

“E3 is important for early momentum and generating pre-orders. But it is only one step along. We feel we had a good day but there is loads more hard work to do, and we are focused on that.”

The E3 event marked a more aggressive Sony, with barbed remarks aimed at Microsoft during the show. And Gara says the firm won’t hold back in the future.

“My UK and Ireland team is under the most competitive pressure in Europe,” he said.

“So if we want to be more successful, we have to earn it. We are have to be more driven and focused.”

 

[Deleted member 8095]

^

Personally I don't remember seeing anything at Microsoft's conference that stood out. I don't even remember being interested in anything. I went in with an open mind, too, so it wasn't just me ignoring anything good because I wanted to hate. I was literally looking for reasons NOT to hate during that conference.

God forbid we have different opinions on things.

 

[Rolf NB]

It's not about a consumer being able to choose going all digital, it's about 100 percent of the games on the console being stored digitally and tied to an account. Microsoft is taking the risk of forcing the issue, but (and this is the point) in the long run, Sony may be taking a risk by not forcing it.

What exactly does Sony risk? What's the worst case scenario out of this for them?

 

[Krakn3Dfx]

They are delaying an all digital console which IMO is inevitable.

No, they're giving actual benefits to digital (play a game while it's downloading, download the MP part of the game ahead of time to jump online faster as great examples) while giving the option to buy physical and not worry about being online if you're a single player only gamer.

Also, Sony pioneered Day One digital on home consoles and require it on the Vita. Ms is playing catch-up with existing feature sets while locking them down for no other reason than to maximize profits.

 

[pushBAK]

'Microsoft playing the long game.' Sony's already stated every game is downloaded from the PSN store; they've addressed the 'long game'. Simply because Sony isn't applying the same DRM to it's discs doesn't mean Microsoft's got the edge on the late game or has 'future proofed' their system. Four years from now, both consoles will be on equal footing on games-as-a-service. However, Sony's Gaikai will probly shine through as the real winner of next-gen.

 

[stuminus3]

Why we still got bookstores.

 

[RionaaM]

Well, let's not forget Titanfall is also coming out for the 360 and PC.

EDIT: Actually, I suppose that's not the point. It was a very interesting game that was showcased at Microsoft's conference, so I guess it counts. Was there anything else, though?

Dude, it's a meme. Don't take it seriously, lol

 

[Swifty]

Physical media and digital delivery is mutually exclusive... why?

 

[Glorified G]

Have you SEEN Titanfall?

Spoiler

I hope this meme never dies

 

[dmg04]

I see Microsoft making an attempt at skipping the early adopters and immediately targeting the general public. Is the general public looking to spend $500 on a streaming box and game console with a tiny library? I think they made a mistake and I think it's wrong to suggest that the early adopter crowd is not really important. The momentum needs to start somewhere.

I think they're pushing for an all digital platform, thus making it easier for mom and pop to give their kids access to games. With this push in mind, i doubt they'll limit or restrict their digital library. At least for the One, they'll be pushing for day 1 downloads.

 

[jmdajr]

Good luck destroying all those retail and manufacturing relationships you have developed for the past 2 decades.

Some people (like in Canada where we have bandwidth caps up our asses) would prefer to buy discs rather than downloading a ~50gb download like Uncharted 3.

The CD section at best buy and retailers keeps getting smaller and smaller. Granted you can still and will probbaly be able to buy Music CDs for years to come.

 

[GuardianE]

The numbers will eventually tell if gamers want to go all-digital or not with the next generation. I think that Sony's model actually works better in weaning "disc-diehards" off of physical media than Microsoft's strongarm tactics..

Microsoft's model has people buying discs that are worthless. It's stupid.

 

[Sky Chief]

No, they're giving actual benefits to digital (play a game while it's downloading, download the MP part of the game ahead of time to jump online faster as great examples) while giving the option to buy physical and not worry about being online if you're a single player only gamer.

Also, Sony pioneered Day One digital on home consoles and require it on the Vita. Ms is playing catch-up with existing feature sets while locking them down for no other reason than to maximize profits.

PS+ is also absolutely amazing for DD content and sales...

The PS4 will predownload games it thinks you may enjoy based on your playing habits...

The PS4 will let you stream demos to try before you buy, PS+ already offers free DD trials...

Don"t even get me started on cross buy...

 

[DualX]

Not hating on it. The handheld could have been a lot better though. I should know, I used to own one myself. It just didn't have (and still doesn't) have games like Crisis Core to be enjoyed.

 

[sechsterangriff]

Why do people keep referring to these issues as if all the these things were mutually exclusive?
Allowing your console to work off-line with no disc based DRM, etc, does not prevent it from being an all-digital device with all the benefits of day-one digital releases, or persistent worlds, cloud services, etc.
Is flexibility such a thing of the past?

 

[firehawk12]

The dumb thing that everyone ignores is that PS3 has digital preorders for most major releases, while Xbox 360 has yet to implement any true day 1 digital strategy.

Yet somehow Microsoft has the better digital strategy? What?

 

[Felix Lighter]

I think they're pushing for an all digital platform, thus making it easier for mom and pop to give their kids access to games. With this push in mind, i doubt they'll limit or restrict their digital library. At least for the One, they'll be pushing for day 1 downloads.

Day one downloads are available on both consoles. I don't see how they are making it easier for mom and pop. Now, tell mom and pop that their kid can't borrow or lend games to their friends on one platform but can on another.

 

[MidgarBlowedUp]

I think by "long game" he means throwing a hail mary

 

[Marleyman]

However, Sony gives you both options, while MS is more forcing it. The thing with discs tying to your account is rather convoluted and confusing. I think the transition is going to happen more naturally.

You really think it is going to happen naturally?

 

[Warm Machine]

Why we still got bookstores.

Have you been to a book store lately? My local Chapters sells a lot of toys and housewares and it is expanding all the time.

 

[Marleyman]

Also, Sony pioneered Day One digital on home consoles and require it on the Vita. Ms is playing catch-up with existing feature sets while locking them down for no other reason than to maximize profits.

No other reason but profits? Why do it at all knowing the backlash?

 

[Dysun]

Hey leaving the choice up to the consumer is a bad thing apparently

 

[jmdajr]

Have you been to a book store lately? My local Chapters sells a lot of toys and housewares and it is expanding all the time.

Most of the bookstores in my area are out of business. Starbucks coffee is not enough.

 

[PapaJustify]

It does matter but not as much as many here think. It is the first impression that counts and lays the foundations for future customers. And the Xbox got a lot of negative mainstream press while Sony got a lot of positive.

That means that some people who would have never considered a PlayStation, now do. And in 5 months those people might be on the fence buying a PS4 or Xbone or even both, when before they would have never even thought about getting a PS4. So this is definitely a win for Sony. But they haven't won next-gen yet, as some here suggest.

 

[Relaxed Muscle]

I don't get it. The fact Sony supports throughly physical media dosn't make him unable to have a decent digital storefront. Neither MS cut the middleman here, most games will be sold on retail shops and they cost the same as PS4. So what's the real benefit here? that once digital takes over MS will be on a better position?, that quite the statement since we didn't even see Sony storefront and social solutions in their console.

Hell, I'd say that thanks to PS+ Sony is way more ready to offer a good digital service than MS.

 

[Rolf NB]

The CD section at best buy and retailers keeps getting smaller and smaller. Granted you can still and will probbaly be able to buy Music CDs for years to come.

Because online

 

[SolidSnakex]

You really think it is going to happen naturally?

It will if it's what consumers want. You don't need to force it if that's the direction consumers are going in. They'll gravitate toward that form of purchase naturally.

 

[khaaan]

Sony is giving people flexibility, I can play any digital or disk based title whenever I want without being checked on. Sony has already embraced digital by providing an amazing service for the past three years and they wouldn't mention Gaikai if they thought gamers have an issue with being connected.

I understand what MS is trying to do, it'll probably end up being one of the major sparks for consoles to move towards a PC-like digital world. The problem is that this is a company who has not displayed that they have the customers best interest in mind.

Luckily Ps vita is doing great.

When you barely have anything worthwhile on the physical front, of course digital will do better.

 

[raphanum]

dime-a-dozen journalism.

 

[Marleyman]

It does matter but not as much as many here think. It is the first impression that counts and lays the foundations for future customers. And the Xbox got a lot of negative mainstream press while Sony got a lot of positive.

Negative mainstream press IMO still isn't going to stop the Xbox 360 owners who want to buy the system to keep playing COD, watching/playing sports with their same group of friends.

 

[raphanum]

You really think it is going to happen naturally?

In an economical and technological sense, yes.