Physical media is like "having a dead body handcuffed" to Xbox One

[Zappykins]

Subie_Greg said:

Zappykins said:

Subie_Greg said:
Companies like Microsoft and Sony could easily make digital games more appealing by selling digital copies cheaper and offering more or better preorder bonus.

But we haven't seen that so far

Now they charge the same or more for many of the games found on XBL or PS Store. And the preorder bonus suck compared to what Gamestop or Best Buy offer.

Do you realize they can't sell digital items less than retail or the retail stores will simply stop carrying their items?

They have all digital items - like Xbox Live Arcade (cept for some titles.)  Where they are the only ones, or nearly the only ones selling them.

Its a business decision, not a mean/stingy thing.

So that means They have to charge 10 - 20 dollars more for a digital game? Can't count the number of times a game has been $30 on XBL or PS Store when it's $20 at Best Buy or Walmart

Nope, but they might be bound by contract at a set price aka 'suggested retail price' SRP, and the larger retailers can discount beyond that point for a period of time or promotion. 

Watch Amazon's discounts, they usually can beat anyone, because they are so large and add special provisions to their contracts. 

It's also the reason why the game cost about the same at the Microsoft Store vs Gamestop, even-though MS keeps more of the profit if you buy from them.

Other sure, a digital game cost significantly less to distribute than a physical media game.  But if they can keep the transition slow, then they can keep the prices closed to the same rate.

Do you really think in 10 years that we will still buy buying game disk in stores?