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[AtomicShroom]

Have any of these high-ranking executives ever stop to think that they're actually shooting themselves in the foot by eradicating retail and the used market?

Think about it. Why do most people trade games in? So they can afford new games!!

Have they ever stopped to think that if people become unable to trade games in and recover some of the money spent on them, they won't be buying anywhere near the same amount of new games every year?? Instead of being able to rely on trade-ins and buy 10-20 brand new games per year, they'll only be able to afford 3-4 instead??

Hello?

Sales of games will go DOWN. Not up!!

 

[Jonnyram]

Have any of these high-ranking executives ever stop to think that they're actually shooting themselves in the foot by eradicating retail and the used market?

Think about it. Why do most people trade games in? So they can afford new games!!

Have they ever stopped to think that if people become unable to trade games in and recover some of the money spent on them, they won't be buying anywhere near the same amount of new games every year?? Instead of being able to rely on trade-ins and buy 10-20 brand new games per year, they'll only be able to afford 3-4 instead??

Hello?

Sales of games will go DOWN. Not up!!

That's an interesting theory, but surely if the flow of money into the industry is predetermined, as you suggest, the prices of games will eventually level out to a degree such that consumers will be able to afford them? Should sales dwindle, production of games will slow down, companies will go out of business, and the market will shrink.

I think DD's the future, for sure, but I think 10 years might be a little too short term. Maybe more like 15-20.

 

[Spike]

How will DD take over, exactly?

Here in Canada, when ISPs first started selling their service years ago, unlimited usage plans were available. Now, they have limited usage to 40-60GB per month, with astronomical charges should you go over the limit.

Also, the CRTC has also allowed the major ISPs to traffic shape non-essential internet traffic through their service. Guess what? Gaming is a non-essential service.

Instead of these services getting better, they are getting worse. I shudder to think what the outcome would be if we moved into a fully DD-only future.

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

Screw all DD. Imo, it is just another way for companies to screw over consumers even further. I don't mind having it as an option because I actually like it, but a mandatory DD only future will probably mean far less deals on games and higher prices that will not drop no matter how terribly they are selling. I truly think sales of games will decrease since no one will feel like spending $60-$70 for games that cannot be resold or traded. If that is the future, I might not be playing current systems during that generation.

 

[Dead Man]

How will DD take over, exactly?

Here in Canada, when ISPs first started selling their service years ago, unlimited usage plans were available. Now, they have limited usage to 40-60GB per month, with astronomical charges should you go over the limit.

Also, the CRTC has also allowed the major ISPs to traffic shape non-essential internet traffic through their service. Guess what? Gaming is a non-essential service.

Instead of these services getting better, they are getting worse. I shudder to think what the outcome would be if we moved into a fully DD-only future.

Yeah, DD only and streamed content in Australia won't be viable for at least 20 years in terms of infrastructure. Then we have the ISP's and Telstra's pricing plans that make it impossible as well.

 

[ghst]

100% proprietary storefronts on 100% proprietary hardware.

if ms ever find themselves in this position, some of the steps they've taken in their maniacal rampage to rid their customers of all traces of dignity throughout this generation will seem relatively altruistic.

 

[faceless007]

I see many consumers are absolutely fine with the video game industry imposing an even worse form of planned obsolescence on them.

 

[lucablight]

It's not hard to see why this company has fallen so badly over the last decade.

 

[tpfkanep]

What's going to happen when a company goes out of business? All that moneys paid for the game, subscriptions, etc = down the drain with the company?

 

[Tobor]

Assuming XBLA dies, game all have cloud saves, and DLC is never offered again. Then it's a perfect plan!

Well, that's what the extra 100GB is for.

 

[kitch9]

Resale? If steam were my only option I'm probably only buying the most sure things ever. Never dropping over $8 on a game without, say, EAD Tokyo or SPD1 on it.

I've never sold a used PC game of mine as it just ain't worth it. Its a non issue.

 

[AdventureRacing]

Looking at squares output this gen i think making games may be out.

 

[TheExodu5]

Think about it. Why do most people trade games in? So they can afford new games!!

If they're trading in games, then an equal amount of people are buying used games. It's not a win. Sure, a few people may have less income due to the inability to trade games, but others who would have bought used will now buy new. Don't forget it takes 3+ games to trade up to a new game.

 

[iamaustrian]

fuck that shit.
as much as I love Wiiware/PSN Store/DSiware, a download-only gaming future is a no-no for me.
it will be the day I stop purchasing consoles and their digital-games

 

[Ardorx]

a DD future is the only future that matters. ALL BOW DOWN TO DD.

Bow down and prepare to get facefucked, you mean.

 

[A Twisty Fluken]

I've never sold a used PC game of mine as it just ain't worth it. Its a non issue.

The typical rights situation on PC game purchases, both retail and digital, have pretty much resulted in me buying Blizzard games and indies under $10, and that's all, which is exactly what I'm saying.

There's a reason I spend most of my gaming money away from the PC.

 

[vantastic]

i hope all the dd-only supporters in here aren't also in pspgo threads saying "pspgo + dd only = fail! lulz!!!!!!!!" but it's gaf, so i wouldn't be surprised. :lol

 

[thetrin]

The day when physical media becomes completely obsolete will be a dark day indeed. I like my physical media, and I enjoy being able to pop in games years and years after the companies that made them have become defunct.

I hate to tell you guys, but publishers love DD not because it gives power to the consumer, but because it takes it away. It power into the hands of those who publish (not create) these games.

Oh yeah, that sounds fantastic. :\

 

[Flying_Phoenix]

The day when physical media becomes completely obsolete will be a dark day indeed. I like my physical media, and I enjoy being able to pop in games years and years after the companies that made them have become defunct.

I hate to tell you guys, but publishers love DD not because it gives power to the consumer, but because it takes it away. It power into the hands of those who publish (not create) these games.

Oh yeah, that sounds fantastic. :\

Pretty much.

This is why Gaming publishers are doing back-flips when they think of SONY and Microsoft gong DD because they know for a fact that these companies will work with them.

If it wasn't for that sole fact then they'd avoid it like the plague. See the music industry and iTunes for an ideal example.

These companies just want more and more money. I mean hell all of these big whig companies (with the exception of Nintendo) agree that used game sales should be banned lol @ arguing with a free market economy). These companies don't care about digital distribution being the future because it's the "next step", they care about it because it has you spend so much more from your wallet.

I realize that there are advantages to digital distribution. Unless there are some ties with the copyright holders, games will be available forever on the spot (imagine being able to download any of the SEGA Saturn cult classics for a reasonable price). Also we might not have other games get discriminated or overlook because they are digital download only. And most importantly, digital distribution cuts out the middle man. So anyone (yes even YOU) can go and make a game and have it published on the service for everyone to play.

However while the potential is there, the maturity of these services has a long way to grow. And I will assure you that every one of these publishers will try to screw us while we're spending our cash as much as possible.

 

[SecretBonusPoint]

Its going to be very interesting to see if Square will try and pull the International Version/Final Mix bullshit in this generation with DLC and Patches freely available. Theyve already just done it with Dissidia Universal Tuning on PSP, and PSP games have the ability to patch and do DLC these days as well.

And since we're still waiting for SE's first 'big global release', I'll file this under Wada Loada Rubbish as well

 

[NintendosBooger]

Why is it assumed that DD will trigger a price increase for games?

With DD, can't publishers cut out retailers and the cost to put games/manuals on a physical format (x500,000 to 3,000,000 copies), leading to a price DECREASE for consumers?

 

[water_wendi]

Screw DD only. i will never bow down to it. The only times i would even consider DD is if it were through an indie dev (Spiderweb for example) and if i can actually download the install exe vs a distro service like Steam.

 

[Cygnus X-1]

I wonder if this announce has been made just to say another thing in a subtle way: that since Microsoft and Sony are format owners, this imply that Nintendo is out and that Nintendo is going to become a third party.

Crazy? I dunno.

 

[Dead Man]

Why is it assumed that DD will trigger a price increase for games?

With DD, can't publishers cut out retailers and the cost to put games/manuals on a physical format (x500,000 to 3,000,000 copies), leading to a price DECREASE for publishers?

Fixed. If they have a closed system, why lower prices for consumers?

 

[Draft]

Physical media fanboys fucking owned.

Destroyed.

See you dinosaurs in hell.

 

[bj00rn_]

Physical media will be around a long time.

Just like vinyl.

 

[TheExodu5]

Fixed. If they have a closed system, why lower prices for consumers?

To get increased sales/revenue? They still need to balance prices to generate the highest revenue possible. Take a look at Steam if you want to see what's going on here. Don't go by Microsoft/Sony/Nintendo's notion of DD pricing.

 

[TheExodu5]

The typical rights situation on PC game purchases, both retail and digital, have pretty much resulted in me buying Blizzard games and indies under $10, and that's all, which is exactly what I'm saying.

There's a reason I spend most of my gaming money away from the PC.

Because you buy shitty games that aren't worth keeping? Yeah, that seems like a fair argument.

edit: woops forgot I just posted. :lol

 

[lordmrw]

Why is it assumed that DD will trigger a price increase for games?

With DD, can't publishers cut out retailers and the cost to put games/manuals on a physical format (x500,000 to 3,000,000 copies), leading to a price DECREASE for consumers?

If that were the case why is that when games are released on steam, impulse, etc. they still cost the same as a new console game?

 

[°°ToMmY°°]

Physical media fanboys fucking owned.

Destroyed.

See you dinosaurs in hell.

:lol

 

[Cynar]

Why is it assumed that DD will trigger a price increase for games?

With DD, can't publishers cut out retailers and the cost to put games/manuals on a physical format (x500,000 to 3,000,000 copies), leading to a price DECREASE for consumers?

Customers always get fucked in the ass by these companies, this is what will surely happen when a DD only future happens. Thankfully it won't be as soon as these people are hoping for due to bandwidth caps and such.

 

[AtomicShroom]

Why is it assumed that DD will trigger a price increase for games?

With DD, can't publishers cut out retailers and the cost to put games/manuals on a physical format (x500,000 to 3,000,000 copies), leading to a price DECREASE for consumers?

Yeah, in a fantasy world where publishers are good and caring entities with not a hint of greed that will happily pass any savings they make onto the consumers instead of keeping it as profit for themselves.

The current DD schemes in place have shown us that they have no intention of doing that. They have shown us that DD will bring same or higher prices than retail, less freedom, less deals and rebates, and less price drops over time.

All in all, DD is total bullshit.

 

[Dead Man]

To get increased sales/revenue? They still need to balance prices to generate the highest revenue possible. Take a look at Steam if you want to see what's going on here. Don't go by Microsoft/Sony/Nintendo's notion of DD pricing.

Steam is great for cheap prices on older games, but for Non US customer it is often rape for new games.

Edit: Not to mention, same price as retail releases in the US, as far as I understand. I know some of that is b+m influence, but I'm pretty sure if big publishers wanted to pass on the savings, they would find a way.

 

[Tim-E]

Physical media fanboys fucking owned.

Destroyed.

See you dinosaurs in hell.

:lol
Post of the thread.

 

[Rolf NB]

Why do they keep him so long.

 

[Azelover]

The real future of gaming is far from DD-only. But of course DD is here to stay, but it's not everything.

We're going to have an ever changing product that includes the game. The real future of gaming is going to be packaged goods. The ever standard software utopia has not only already happened, it's passing by.

 

[gregor7777]

I'm down.

I'm buying less and less physical media as time goes on. Hell, I've barely played my PS3 this year.

75% of my purchases this year have been DD. The retail PC market has shrunk year over year for probably the last 10 years, and yet the prices in the DD market are great, and sales are abundant.

If PC DD were a closed system like XBLA or PSN, I don't think that would be the situation.

So basically it's the closed system consoles I'd really like to see die off. All three can burn in Draft's hell. Open PC forever.

 

[goomba]

Open PC forever.

Indeed Open Source PC's forever.

 

[gregor7777]

Indeed Open Source PC's forever.

Heh, well, as an open source dev myself I'd like to see it, but we'll have to deal with MS and DirectX for some time longer I'm afraid.

I'm referring to the PC as an open market.

 

[Hobbun]

Physical media fanboys fucking owned.

Destroyed.

Why? Because of what Wada said?

:lol

 

[ShockingAlberto]

The man who follows Yoichi Wada, no matter what he's saying, is a man I pity.

 

[kinggroin]

No thanks. What's so hard about offering consumers options? DD and optical media.

I've learned something this generation as a 360 owner (up until recently anyway). Gamers, the kind these developers are focusing on, will pretty much take it right up the ass without lube.

Lemmings.

 

[arstal]

How will DD take over, exactly?

Here in Canada, when ISPs first started selling their service years ago, unlimited usage plans were available. Now, they have limited usage to 40-60GB per month, with astronomical charges should you go over the limit.

Also, the CRTC has also allowed the major ISPs to traffic shape non-essential internet traffic through their service. Guess what? Gaming is a non-essential service.

Instead of these services getting better, they are getting worse. I shudder to think what the outcome would be if we moved into a fully DD-only future.

The demand will increase, and if the companies don't play ball, they'll be forced to via government taking over a failed market, or communities will do their own broadbband services and shit companies out like how Wilson, NC did it.

www.stopthecap.com

The typical rights situation on PC game purchases, both retail and digital, have pretty much resulted in me buying Blizzard games and indies under $10, and that's all, which is exactly what I'm saying.

There's a reason I spend most of my gaming money away from the PC.

Use Impulse. Then again Stardock admits that DD= more profit for them. They claim they'd sell DD cheaper, but Wal-Mart and other retailers refuse to stock if they do.
(Wally World is Stardock's #1 source of revenue)

 

[ShockingAlberto]

Well, that's what the extra 100GB is for.

Your math also makes the weird idea that game sizes will go down in the future. If it balloons to blu-ray size (it will), then your number is cut in to four times what you say.

 

[°°ToMmY°°]

Heh, well, as an open source dev myself I'd like to see it, but we'll have to deal with MS and DirectX for some time longer I'm afraid.

I'm referring to the PC as an open market.

google chrome?

 

[Ranger X]

The music industry is also getting digitalised since like 10 years and even more. 10 years later we are just getting NEAR (we aren't even there yet) to the point where "everything physical is also available digitally). We are soon reaching a 50/50 market and we are still FUCKING FAR from DD only.

Great business man with fiscal dreams would like like to proceed 5 times faster than reality so their pockets receives more gold. They will cry and whine and PR left and right that the futur is what they see and even suggest people timeline and such. Just failed attempt at mind control really. It works on the long run but people aren't this fast on change and especially when they don't see a clear and direct benefit. Wait, even when they see it (music industry) they still don't change fast.

Now that retard want to make us believe gaming is different? what about movies? Nothing will be "all Digital" in a near futur and oh fucking not gaming either. WTF are they thinking really? I could believe this in maybe 20+ years (because with a timeline so long you really can't predict much) but 10 years? Total wishful thinking. In 10 years from now gaming might be at the point music is now, having every physical game available digitally or something similar to this.

.

 

[gregor7777]

google chrome?

The OS? Yeah, it won't be mainstream for a long time, if ever. MS has an unprecedented choke hold on the desktop OS market.

But that's not really a part of my point anyway. I meant 'open' in the sense that there is competition in the DD space, and no incensing fees or bullshit hoops (other than dealing with DD publishers) you have to jump through to develop and market your game on the PC.

Closed system consoles can't die soon enough. Sony, MS and Nintendo can burn as hardware developers. GTFO I say.

 

[mckmas8808]

Customers always get fucked in the ass by these companies, this is what will surely happen when a DD only future happens. Thankfully it won't be as soon as these people are hoping for due to bandwidth caps and such.

It won't ever happen. Why exclude people that don't have the internet? What happens when a friend wants to borrow my game for 2 weeks?

 

[charlequin]

DD solutions are only an acceptable direction for the industry to move when they not only are equally open to competition as physical distribution (i.e. every piece of software is available through multiple retailers with independent room to vary pricing, not just a single gatekeeper that also controls the hardware platform) but are also actively superior to physical media in terms of consumer utility and freedom (i.e. either a total lack of DRM so that you can freely backup and use your content anywhere or a Steam-type solution where very minor DRM is counterbalanced by the ability to redownload and reinstall your software as often as you like, wherever you like as well as with the promise of unlock codes to be released if the system shuts down.)

Anyone who hopes for a "DD-only future" and doesn't accept these as the minimum baseline for acceptable policy on such a future is just a shill, dying to sell out their fellow gamers.

 

[A Twisty Fluken]

Use Impulse. Then again Stardock admits that DD= more profit for them. They claim they'd sell DD cheaper, but Wal-Mart and other retailers refuse to stock if they do.
(Wally World is Stardock's #1 source of revenue)

Impulse lets me transfer rights? I couldn't even get them to transfer a cheap copy of titanquest from an accidentally created new account to my existing account.