Hiku said:
bigtakilla said:
More than likely to move save data from home console to handheld. I doubt this would be the home consoles main source of memory though.
There is speculation that all games for NX will run on these cards (home and hh) so it's far from impossible. That seems rather odd too though. No matter how cheap they are, they're still more expensive than a dual layer bluray. And it would be far cheaper to not habe physical games at all.
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When the text was translated by a Chinese guy on GAF (the text in the OP used Google translate), the word console was used. Not sure how accurate that is, but either way, if carts are to be used for the console, I would think it's so that people will be able to use it in either the console or the handheld. If the console uses disc media, you wont be able to put it into the handheld. (Unless Nintendo come up with a smaller sized disc, but I don't think thats a good idea).
I wouldn't dismiss the possibility of digital-only, but I don't find it realistic today, or a successful strategy if Nintendo choses to go that route.
Their prevous console had a bare minimum of storage space, and the people who wanted digital only would have to buy an externnal HDD. It was a similar situation on 3DS. Going from that directly to digital-only doesn't sound likely to me. Even Sony and MS, who have been accomodating towards their digital userbase for the past 10 years, wouldn't do that. MS certainly wanted to "ease" people into it with their DRM policies. But even amidst all that, their games would still be sold physically as well.
spemanig said:
I'm not remotely worried of that happening.
It isn't too soon. Every single electonics media platform has a digital only offering aside from consoles. Nintendo will fix that. They've been all but confirming it for the past two years. Retailers would get over it like they got over every other digital only platform.
Here's what Miyamoto said in June 2014 on the subject of what, in hindsight, is obviously the NX:
"So, particularly with digital downloads now and the idea that you're downloading the right to play a game, that opens up the ability to have multiple platform digital downloads where you can download on one and download on another. Certainly from a development standpoint there is some challenge to it, because if you have two devices that have different specs and you're being told to design in a way that the game runs on both devices, then that can be challenging for the developer—but if you have a more unified development environment and you're able to make one game that runs on both systems instead of having to make a game for each system, that's an area of opportunity for us."
Miyamoto is literally saying that the unified platform is coming to light because of the advent digital downloads.
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The answer to offering some things in digital form only would be to offer some things in digital form only. Not everything.
You can still buy movies, books or even music in physical form. There may be some exceptions, but that's not the norm. Even in the music industry, the revenue for digital music didn't pass the revenue for physical format sales until 2015. And it wasn't by a long shot. $6.85 billion vs $6.82 billion.
So that's still around 50/50.
In the console industry, we're looking at something like a 20/80 split. And those 20% don't translate into 20% of people who buy digital only. I buy some games digitally, so I factor into that number as well.
As for what Miyamoto said, that the unified platform came to light because of digital downloads is your interpritation. What he said was that it opens up the ability for multi-platform digital downloads. Which already exists today between systems that do not have a unified platform. I interpret this as one factor they intend to make use of for their unified platform. Not that this means it revolvs around digital media only. And the reason I think he used this particular example is because it's something that exists today so that people can relate to the situation better. Namely the other parts you highlighted. Why isn't this the case for most digital downloads? He highlights the issue of how each version of the game has to be reprogrammed to fit the different architecture and specs of the different platforms. When you download Resident Evil Remake for PS3, it also lets you download the game for PS4. But that's not the same version of the game. It's another version developed separately and specifically for PS4. And that's what I think he is highlighting here. With a unified platform sharing the same type of architecture, this wouldn't be a concern, and the games could be adjusted as simply as they can between two PC's with different specs.
The reason I believe he used digital downloads as an example is because they are currently the only form of "cross-platform buy" on consoles/handhelds today. Nintendo and Sony console storage media have never been compatible with their handheld system. And there has never been a reason for it, since the the games wouldn't work natively on the other system anyway.
spemanig said:
RolStoppable said:
The lion share of video game software sales comes from physical media. Ignoring the majority of the market by going digital-only won't be perceived as a positive aspect by third parties.
And no, physical media does not go against a unified platform.
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PC begs to differ. Mobile begs to differ. Digital is growing on consoles faster every year. People aren't buying physical. They're buying games. Those sales don't just evaporate on a digital only platform - they migrate. If the NX offers only one option, consumers will simply adapt that option, especially when it's more convenient like with digital.
Are you joking? Third parties want all digital. No used games. Profit forever. Higher profit margin because they don't have to manufacture anything.
Yes, it absolutely does.
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When people buy physical, they tend to do so out of preference. And the reasons for that can vary a lot. It's not that most of them are unaware that they can opt to go digital. The question is how many of them can be forced into digital only. If it was a simple matter, Sony, MS, the music, movie and book industry, etc, would have done so already. I agree that third parties would love digital only. No storage or shelf space needed, no manufacturing costs, low distribusion cost, etc. Yet physical still remains an option that's very commonly chosen.
Steam have been successful in this, but this is the result of many years of making the transition, along with very low sale prices even for new games, and all the while physical copies on PC games still exist for the most part for people who want to go that route.
We saw what happened when MS even tried to force people into their DRM plan, which had everything to do with moving towards digital only down the line. PS4 pre-orders ran circles around XB1, and they're still feeling the effects of the backlash today, in spite of dropping all those plans.
spemanig said:
shikamaru317 said:
PC was eased into digital over the course of a several years, it wasn't an overnight "sorry, you have to buy digital now". Even now physical is still an option on PC for many of the bigger games.
Also, as an Xbox fan I surely haven't forgtten what happened to MS when they tried to announce a DRM heavy console that would hurt things like used game sales and rentals. Console gamers want things like used games and rentals, that's why MS got so much hate after the initial Xbox launch. Do you really want to see Nintendo go through what MS went through?
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The iPod didn't. It was absolutely an overnight "sorry, you have to buy digital now," and now Apple is inarguably the most powerful tech company in the world because of it.
The NX will be the same, only it won't be even remotely risky because PC, mobile, and ebooks have been getting people ready for it for over a decade.
I've already address the flimsy MS argument far to many times here to be worth going into it again. When rumors arise that the NX turns into a brick where you can't play games your console after 24 hours of not being connected to the internet, we'll talk about the situation being even remotely coparable. Until then, it's not.
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Digital media for portable music meant not having to lug around those huge portable CD players, or the casette tape players that couldn't skip tracks. Music would also lag when you made sudden movements with a portable CD player, making it very unpracticle for having with your when you're out running, besides its huge size. Along with being able to easily download your music for free, these conveniences were the biggest benefits from MP3 players.
Not much of this applies to consoles or handhelds, aside from being able to carry multiple games with you on a handheld gaming device.
So of course people will prefer the format that doesn't force them to lug around huge CD players or cassette tape players with all the drawbacks that came with them. There was no reason to sell anything but digital for mp3 players. Even for home use, mp3 is very convenient nowadays.
That said, as I already mentioned, people still buy physical albums in droves. Just not to bring it with them on the go.
Another big benefit from mp3 purchases is being able to pick and chose exactly which songs you want from an album, and which ones you don't want. You may only be interested in three tracks from Kanye's new album. Ok, 3 dollars. Previously you could buy the singles released from these artists, but they may not be all the tracks you want from the album.
While there are some video games sold in an episodic manner, or have extra DLC content, there's no directly similar benefit to be found in videogames since most games are designed in a way where just playing one small portion of it without the context of the rest doesn't give the experience you expect from a game.
Obviously, we both know all this, and you've still formed your opinion around this and believe Nintendo will go all digital.
For me, these things tell me that digital-only would be a big mistake, and I'm not expecting it for the NX.
But there is one thing you said which I don't understand, that maybe you could explain to me?
| "The amount of consumers Nintendo will gain in this move will exponencially eclipse the insignificant few consumers who will refuse to buy an all digital platform no matter what games they want comes out for it purely on principal." |
Why would you gain consumers by limiting their purchase options to digital only, rather than offering both options (physical or digital)?
I don't see anything being gained from excluding the option of physical purchases in terms of consumers. It's not like someone will brush off a game that's available in both physical and digital form, but then all of a sudden be interested in it if it's only available in digital form. In that sense it's certain that they will only lose consumers, when considering this move alone. Not gain a single one.
The only gains to be made here when it comes to the consumers will come from the other aspects of NX and how they handle their games. Will they work on multiple platforms? Etc. But as mentioned, this is possible with both physical and digital games being made available.
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