If anyone what happened to PC games many years ago, you would get a physical box with a disc for installation. However, there would be a piece of paper with a digital redemption code on it (that you could scan or type in).

Retailers would be happy because they are still selling you a box.

You can throw the box away when you are done with the installation, as the digital code would let you redownload the game if required.

Sony / Microsoft just need to create a digital marketplace where you can sell your code. Once you agree to a sale (where Sony / Microsoft and the developer get a cut), your code becomes invalid and you can no longer play the game. Whoever bought the game from you now has a digital copy.

Everyone wins (except for the environment, because of all of the thrown away plastic boxes).

Once everyone has gigabit Ethernet connections to the Internet, retail stores can just sell you cards with codes -- until Sony / Microsoft bypass retail altogether and sell everything digitally.

Whatever man keep reading what you want to read....

Again I am not suggesting that we use SD cards. I am not even suggesting anything I was just repliyng with the wifi SD card tech to OP( I used the SD cards as example of wifi tech). The transfer rate I am talking about is the wifi transfer rate of the SD card (which is laughably bad because of the form factor) NOT the transfer rate of the SD card itself which is dictated by the class obviously.

BTW WiiU does not need to install disks onto its harddrive/flash memory at all (This is directed to one of your replies not directed at me)

I can get a 64gb SD card for 20 bucks including VAT so where is the "any publisher would need to pay at least $25 for a 50GB SD card" (which btw does not exist) nonsense coming from? Are you seriously telling me that Nintendo or Sony would have to pay more even tho they get it cheaper to begin with and also get quantity discount and and dont have to pay VAT and also dont have to pay additional 20% or so thats added by best buy/media markt so they make a profit?

And please explain to me how 3DS games are 15 or so dollars cheaper than Wii games? 3DS games are not cheaper to make than Wii games so "Which ultimately means that game prices will go up to $80 minimum." also is nonsense. None has to sell games for 60 bucks they do it because people still buy their games.

Or well explain to me why Blurays can cost 10 dollars instead of 60? Because the consumers would not pay 60 dollars. Thats the only reason.

Its not that games are more expensive to make than movies. Limiting your userbase because you have a closed system that does not play ALL games but only games designed for your machine and then limiting yourself to a smaller potential userbase because your game is expensive is the only reason why games do not cost 10 dollar day1 (and the obvious greed factor also is one of the reasons).

Just imagine if you had to buy a fox player to watch fox movies. And a WarnerBros player for Warner movies....


Lets just agree to disagree.

If you truly love good games, I really doubt it. A game is a game, no matter what format it is. Let's face it, the world is going digital, whether it be music, books, games, movies, etc, and everyone is slowly adapting. An all-digital future isn't nearly as bleak as you are making it sound.

Oh Lawd. Don't give me the ''if you truly loved games'' routine lol

Were going to have to agree to disagree because this will go nowhere

Yeah, and that has been almost completely eradicated for most PC games. Retailers aren't the main problem when it comes to digital liscencing, since they can just sell gift cards for the service and take a cut from that. The main problem comes from resellers such as Gamestop who depend on ripping off the end consumer with bloated pricing on used media, and the publishers not liking that their profit margins are being cut due to having to manufacture physical media and packaging, along with shipping. 

In the end, digital v. physical is going to be a slippery slope until Sony, MS, and Nintendo adapt the sales practices of Valve and offer massive discounts, thus making consumers happy and willing to switch over to a digital-only future. It happened with books (Kindle), PC games (Steam), and console gaming is next. 

Works for me. We'll see if you still care about games a decade or two from now. Who knows, you might even surprise yourself.

OR simply put why not do what blurays do have a digital Ultra Violet version.

You own the physical or you can choose to use your digital. Or use both.

Personally for next gen as by then 128gb should be cheap enough (atm $50USD). I would rather see the return of carts but with modern technology with X amount of free space on there which lets you write the game saves to as well as patches. That way if your console dies you can just install it on another without having to download it again.

uh huh

I feel like more ownership over a physical copy. No one can ever take it from me, while servers that hold digital copies can be shut down and then the game is gone.

Don't believe me, whatever. You'll see when there's almost no loss of consumers when the digital-only era begins.