Optical media leaving retail?

[Zekkyou]

sethnintendo said:

walsufnir said:
 You don't even play off discs, they all get installed on the consoles.
So basically this gen is already close to "digital only" and I guess next-gen consoles won't feature an ODD if streaming services for video evolve even more than they do now. 

There is still a company that doesn't require you to install the game on the system before playing.  There might be a patch and save data but that is it.  I'm sure Microsoft will try to pull similar maneuvers next generation when it comes to owning the game and being able to sell or lend to a friend.

I assume you mean Nintendo, and while you're right, that has more to do with the WiiU itself than anything. If Nintendo's next console is within or above the realms of the PS4 and X1, mandatory installs are something we're likely to start seeing from them (they're already giving the option for stuff like XCX). As games get bigger and more complex, you reach a point where running them directly off the disks simply isn't practical.