By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close

Forums - Gaming Discussion - No Physical Media for Next Gen?

 

Will game consoles stop using physical media next gen?

Yes 9 8.11%
 
No 102 91.89%
 
Total:111
S.Peelman on 12 November 2018
OdinHades said:
S.Peelman said:
As a side-note, what would the incentive be for stores to still carry a company’s consoles if they can’t sell the games? Stores don’t make much off the systems themselves (unless used).

They will still sell the games. They just won't sell discs anymore. Instead they will offer codes that you can use to download a game. It's already happening, especially for Xbox One I'm seeing more and more code cards in the stores while the shelf-space for discs has decreased considerably.

 

I think it's possible that Next-Gen ditches optimal media. Blu-Rays are just too dann slow. By the time games get to sizes of 200 GB+, which will happen rather sooner than later thanks to 4K, you would be messing around with 4 discs for 8 hours just for a game to install on your hard drive.

 

Download speeds will only increase. Sure, there are still some special cases where it's not an option. But I can See Sony and MS offering some Kind of workaround for that.

I do agree there is a problem, at least. Discs are getting too small, and too slow.

Personally I don’t really see the point of buying download codes, I mean why not just download right away? Obviously they can be gifted, but is that a big enough market for stores to be viable?



Around the Network
Sixteenvolt420 on 12 November 2018

There had better be physical media for next gen. I buy very few digital games, unless they're $5 or less. I'm also one of the few that refuses to buy digital music as well.

Last edited by Sixteenvolt420 - on 12 November 2018

bigtakilla on 12 November 2018
S.Peelman said:
OdinHades said:

They will still sell the games. They just won't sell discs anymore. Instead they will offer codes that you can use to download a game. It's already happening, especially for Xbox One I'm seeing more and more code cards in the stores while the shelf-space for discs has decreased considerably.

 

I think it's possible that Next-Gen ditches optimal media. Blu-Rays are just too dann slow. By the time games get to sizes of 200 GB+, which will happen rather sooner than later thanks to 4K, you would be messing around with 4 discs for 8 hours just for a game to install on your hard drive.

 

Download speeds will only increase. Sure, there are still some special cases where it's not an option. But I can See Sony and MS offering some Kind of workaround for that.

I do agree there is a problem, at least. Discs are getting too small, and too slow.

Personally I don’t really see the point of buying download codes, I mean why not just download right away? Obviously they can be gifted, but is that a big enough market for stores to be viable?

I think there will be certain things that make it still a viable choice for markets, such as extra controllers or pro controllers, headsets, special edition pickups (which would still have figurines/special edition controlers ect just no physical game), physical things such as Amiibo, Star Link, or Skylander toys, systems obviously, other peripherals.  



bigtakilla on 12 November 2018
Sixteenvolt420 said:

There had better be physical media for next gen. I buy very few digital games, unless they're $5 or less. I'm also one of the few that refuses to buy digital music as well.

Why, when physical media is a hindrance to the future of gaming? 



Sixteenvolt420 on 12 November 2018
bigtakilla said:
Sixteenvolt420 said:

There had better be physical media for next gen. I buy very few digital games, unless they're $5 or less. I'm also one of the few that refuses to buy digital music as well.

Why, when physical media is a hindrance to the future of gaming? 

Because digital isn't of the same value as something physical, imo. Plus, i can trade or sell a physical format, when i'm finished with it. 



Around the Network
V-r0cK on 12 November 2018

Hopefully not. Digital-only games will be a pain in the ass for me.



Errorist76 on 12 November 2018
bigtakilla said:
Errorist76 said:

No chance, but it’s possible there will be different versions of consoles...with and a cheaper one without a disk drive.

Game sizes will regularly be over 100GB, so it’s highly unlikely they’ll drop discs completely, since there are way too many cases where people would have problems because of that, be it data caps or download speeds.

But haven't they already addressed that as you can download most of the game before it launches? I know they do that with some games, but it'd be easy to have all publishers do that.

That’s only a solution for people pre-ordering...what about the people buying the games normally? Would you like to wait a few days before you’re able to play your new game?



Barkley on 12 November 2018
Errorist76 said:
bigtakilla said:

But haven't they already addressed that as you can download most of the game before it launches? I know they do that with some games, but it'd be easy to have all publishers do that.

That’s only a solution for people pre-ordering...what about the people buying the games normally? Would you like to wait a few days before you’re able to play your new game?

Even with just 10mbit broadband you'll download a 100gb game in under 30 hours.

I imagine most people who purchase physical copies order them online too from Amazon or another online retailer, so unless you have next-day (e.g. prime) it'll take longer to get the physical game delivered then it will to download it even on a slow internet connection.

The wait is only longer compared to buying in-store.

Datacaps are an issue for countries that have them, UK doesn't really.



Wman1996 on 12 November 2018

Doubtful. Maybe by the end of next-gen, physical media will be largely niche. Nintendo, at any rate, is very much keeping physical media alive. Most of the game data is right on the Switch card. You can't say the same about the PS4 and XBONE discs.



Lifetime Sales Predictions 

Switch: 151 million (was 73, then 96, then 113 million, then 125 million, then 144 million)

PS5: 115 million (was 105 million) Xbox Series S/X: 57 million (was 60 million, then 67 million)

PS4: 120 mil (was 100 then 130 million, then 122 million) Xbox One: 51 mil (was 50 then 55 mil)

3DS: 75.5 mil (was 73, then 77 million)

"Let go your earthly tether, enter the void, empty and become wind." - Guru Laghima

Barozi on 12 November 2018

Well they would pretty much give up on emerging markets, so I don't think it will happen