I think CHYUII meant physical retail stores (and my reply was based on that), so let's not make the thread more confusing.

On your other point, I think such big games will be the exception rather than the norm due to development costs. BTW Steam has a great solution to that, you can download games before they're released, and when the release date arrives the game gets decrypted and unlocked.

But let's take a 50 GB game anyway... to download 50 GB in less than 10 hours you just need a 11 Mbps connection, which you'll be able to get even in the form of mobile broadband by the time the next generation arrives. Of course this is mostly for developed countries and most importantly places with good broadband, which is where a lot of gamers are anyway.

True, but I don't think that will be a big problem.

I think we all agree that in order for this to happen there will have to be some advancements in technology.

Download speeds is another thing that would have increase.

But if all games are 50GBs that would be the suck.

As to Retailers some retailers handle online MP3's and they have physical CD inventory too.

I speak of in store download systems in a physical retail spot because everyone will not have high speed internet capabilities unless it is provided for free by local government programs.

True, but I don't think that will be a big problem.

I think you are under-estimating the problem that this causes. If retailers are getting pinched by digital downloads, they will do a whole host of things to react. For example, Floor space will almost definitely be drastically reduced if the margins. (Think Best Buy in USA) .

As Squil mentioned, prices will more than likely grow or stay higher than need be because of the demand for larger margins.

Additionally, I'm still not so sure download speeds will match the desired quality of next-gen games. Given the linear progression of games in general, does anyone not think that they won't be using large storage discs (Similar to, or Blu-Ray like)? I don't know about you but the fastest connection I can get is 6 MBPS.

Plenty of areas around the US still lack broadband access. There wasn't broadband access where I used to live until about 3 1/2 years ago . (And I lived within 10 minutes of Malls, Best Buys, Targets Wal-Marts, Car Dealers, Lowes, etc,etc. So it's not like I'm in the middle of nowhere.

In short, I think it will be supported further (and even better than currently, by all competitors from day one) but I don't think it will be fully supported for current games. There is just too much politics involved, IMO.

What did retailers do to react to online distribution of music and movies? Not much as far as I've seen (not most retailers, just some that got into the DD bandwagon such as Amazon).

 Have movies/music  moved into a complete online/retail distribution yet?  As far as I know they haven't.  There is always plenty of movies I can get in a store that I can't find online to purchase.  Kinda hard to see how retailers reacted to something that hasn't happened yet right? 

Regarding game sizes, I think they won't increase fast given that developers are spending too much money already. Most next-gen games will not be fantastically more detailed or bigger than current games unless more publishers want to go bankrupt (beyond the ones that will anyway during this gen). It's not "business as usual" any longer.

I'm not suggesting game sizes will increase faster necessarily.  I'm just suggesting that 50 GB will be the standard size (Even on a low ball estimate) IMHO.   50 GBs on a  6 Mbps connection sucks.  Even expecting obvious speed increases,  as you stated above 50 GBs on an 11 MBPS sucks as well.

Regarding download speeds, note that I'm not saying everyone will have to download games. The games industry won't jump into DD-only distribution that soon. It's just an option for those who do have access to good broadband connections (a number which will surely be bigger in the next generation).

Oh I understand what you were saying.  I'm just suggesting that for Downloadable games to be 'fully' supported?  The market has to be there for it.   Like I said,  I see more support.   I just see some games not making digital distribution debuts.

@Rpruett:

Isn't virtually all new music and movies available online as well as in stores? I'm pretty sure it's the case at least for music.

I think you might be correct about music.  Although, I'm not too sure about movies.  I don't believe you can get all new movies digitally.  Something to consider with music though,  is 'CD stores'  all across the country (US at least) many of which are going out of business.

I don't agree 50 GB will be the standard size in the next generation. I think we'll see the PS4 being two PS3s duct-taped together, the Xbox 720 being two 360s duct-taped together and the Wii 2 will be four or five Wiis (i.e. 8-10 Gamecubes) duct-taped together. Where's the business feasibility of continuing to improve graphics and/or adding content for most games to be that big?

I'm sure some games will be larger, some will be smaller.  But I expect all games next generation to be in HD and in general larger than this generations games.

Another thing that needs clarified, is when are you counting a new generation starting? I personally don't view a new gen as officially starting until all the players have entered the field. Some people view next gen starting as soon as the next new console is released though.

Another thing that needs clarified,  is when are you counting a new generation starting?  I personally don't view a new gen as officially starting until all the players have entered the field.  Some people view next gen starting as soon as the next new console is released though.