Digital only doesn't mean you have to download it.

Let's use Microsoft in this case. Microsoft could provide a kiosk at a retail location, where you make your purchase. From that kiosk, you insert a thumb stick, enter in your gamertag, and it copies your copy of the game to the thumb drive.

Go home, stick it in your console, and either it just works or you enter in a code from your receipt to fully license it. No long downloads. For those who have fast connections or are willing to wait, they can download directly from home, but for those who can't a quick and easy way to get the game.

Or maybe you purchase the game via your console but obtain the game via the kiosk using your mobile phone as verification. Walk up to the kiosk send the authorization code to the kiosk from your phone, it copies a fully licensed copy to your thumb drive or once again provides you with a code to plug in when you get home and install it.

You could also have a Special Edition digital retail package too. Where you get a special edition thumb drive with the game installed on it, a code to enter in, and possibly other goodies.

Digital doesn't have to mean download only. There are options with digital.

So your going to the store. Downloading the game. Then downloading the game to your system. All to avoid disc loading which would be faster. And you'd need a 64GB SDXC card. Still not cheap yet. What if you buy more than one game. You'd need more cards or a bigger SD card. More waiting. 256GB SDXC is over 500$ The point of digital is to avoid going to the store is it not? And switching the game to a thumb drive in a retail pacakge is just changing the media its stored on. You'd still add in an extra step. Unless you can run the game off the thumb drive. Which voids a digital option again.

whats the point of a console if there is no disk? just get your games on steam if you want digital.
consoles should be "pop in n' play" not downloading and waiting and then patching.

Also, you can just go fully digital on consoles if you really want that

Yes. Which is why Physical and Digital should just co-exist. One shouldn't just kill the other. Both have their benefits and supporters. What would be needed to end physical would have the internet be perfect. No download caps, and no speed limitations. A 100GB game or movie would have to be usable within the first 5 minutes. A 10 hour wait doesn't beat out going to a store, or relase day deilvery. And digital would have to over come physical ownership, transferablity to future systems, and hardware failures. Also the elephant in the room: the abuse of DRM in only favoring the company and screwing the consumer.

Not to mention the horrifically long waiting lines on launch day.

I just got Max Payne 3 on PSN for $8 and the file is 13GB. I have a decent connection, but that is really a massive file. Next gen game data sizes are only going to get larger while my internet speed isn't speeding up. Like many of you already pointed out, people want to own their content. This isn't anything new. If I buy a house, I own that house. I'm not licensing it or renting it... I own it. If I want to sell it, I can. I don't hear housing manufacturers complaining about second-hand housing sales even in this economy.

Before you say something, you can think about it. Ask yourself if it's a good idea._____________________(wait)_______________________if it isn't; delete it and we'll never know. ;)

Well me I'm ecologically against physical media period.... between the plastic waste, from the box, the ink, the blister warp, the metal, the waste of energy to press box ship and all those people driving around to get them... the good old I can't wait to dl because my connection is too slow or I just want to own a plastic dust collector because it's my choice, just seem arrogant and self-centered... they should gas you with the fumes of the burning plastic....

Btw I'm in no way a tree huger but I at least try to do my share when it is easily accessible and doable without a lot of personal constraints

Or you could just go to a store and hand over cash in exchange for a disc and go home and play it.

WOW