By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close
bunchanumbers on 05 March 2015
Edit Thread
Shadow1980 said:

Not only are the network infrastructure concerns a serious obstacle, even bigger than the one for digital downloads, but there's also the fact that the demand isn't there. Console gamers still vastly prefer physical over digital, and probably for good reason. There's no net gain, and in all likelihood a net loss, for gamers if consoles switched to all-digital. We've come to expect certain things regarding consoles: That we own our copies, that we enjoy the benefits of the first-sale rule (including the second-hand market), that we aren't required to be always online, etc. Not only that, but digital-only would have to be forced, which if it happened would be the first time an industry forced digital on anyone (record companies didn't force us to buy mp3 players, book publishers didn't force us to buy Kindles, and movie studios didn't force us to switch to Netflix). PC gamers made the transition voluntarily, and probably because A) the various competing services made it worth their while and B) first-sale rights were iffy regarding PC games anyway. While there is obviously some demand for digital on consoles, I sincerely doubt it'll be a situation where the vast majority voluntarily switch over.

Also, the problem with streaming games would be the same issue that happens with streaming movies & TV. You know how Netflix periodically removes movies and shows due to expiring contracts? Imagine that for gaming. Here's a hypothetical headline and article circa 2022 (shamelessly paraphrased from a recent BGR article on Netflix):

 

 

"Every game being removed from PS Now in March"

Every month, at least a few of the contracts between Sony and third-party publishers like EA and Activision expire, which means that some of your favorite games will vanish from the PS5's streaming service. Want to know what’s being removed in March? Read on to find out.

March 5

  • Grand Theft Auto: Vice City 2
  • Mighty No. 10

March 13

  • Call of Duty: FutureWar 2099
  • Shovel Knight 2

March 25

  • Batman Arkham Anthology
  • LEGO Star Wars Episode VIII
  • No Man's Sky
Lots of big names going away this month. Enjoy them while you can.

Yeah. Imagine a future that's potentially like that. At least digital downloads don't normally disappear from your hard drive just because a game was delisted. While a downloadable game that is delisted cannot be purchased anymore, if you did get it while the getting was good you still got it. Downloads might not be as good as physical, but they're better than streaming.


You also need to add something else to your title, which will be the new games brought in for unlimited streaming. Netflix does the same thing with movies. They rotate out movies all the time and there isn't outrage. In the end, it will play out just like that. Besides contracts can be renewed and updated. We couldn't get the Donkey Kong Country games in the States for a while and look what came on sale last week? Donkey Kong Country games. It won't be the end of the world.