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I think that this coming gen is gonna be the last gen with physical games on Xbox and PlayStation
- Thread starter Adrifi
- Start date
Now that Sony is onboard with online only drm in the PS5AD like Microsoft's consoles it's pretty clear that discs will be obsolete for consoles going forward. There may be some sort of hybrid drive storage system that involves retailers filling up drives with games for customers (paid service?) and there's still Nintendo with the Switch physical games.
I think the more interesting question is "When will the first successful console come out that is entirely subscription-based?"
No, movies still made on Bluray discs.
Also I think if they went this direction they won't abandoned it completely. Dropping standard edition or small quantities, or maybe as an option when pre ordering are more logical options.
Also I think if they went this direction they won't abandoned it completely. Dropping standard edition or small quantities, or maybe as an option when pre ordering are more logical options.
God I hope not. What a depressing prospect it would be to not have that choice anymore and to be a slave to digital-only prices instead.
It won't be.
As long as the largest market in the world (the USA) still has limited competition and data caps in their consumer broadband markets there's going to be a large section of people in the world that will still need discs.
What this thread should be is: 'I think this is the last gen where a disc based console will be the primary SKU'
As long as the largest market in the world (the USA) still has limited competition and data caps in their consumer broadband markets there's going to be a large section of people in the world that will still need discs.
What this thread should be is: 'I think this is the last gen where a disc based console will be the primary SKU'
I sure hope not. Part of the buzz of getting a new game for me is having the physical copy on my shelf. It would take away part of the gaming experience for me.
Dunno but I wouldn't be surprised, can't remember the last time anyone I know has bought a physical game.
Digital music didn't eliminate CDs or vinyl, and streaming services haven't eliminated blurays and dvds.
Physical games aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Maybe in the 2030s they'll be gone, but not until the overwhelming majority of game sales are digital to the point where physical is completely irrelevant.
Physical games aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Maybe in the 2030s they'll be gone, but not until the overwhelming majority of game sales are digital to the point where physical is completely irrelevant.
OP
OP
If physical games will be gone in 2030 then what sense does it make for Xbox and PS to launch consoles with disk drives in 2027?
What is this, 2013? I kid, but really it was the same question then too. Only even still strong enough connections to support the games doesn't always exist for all markets. When that is a reality, maybe the non-physical gaming scenario will be 100% adapted. Until then, there is a market (thankfully) for those who enjoy the physical discs, steelbooks and collectors editions. I don't always trade in, but I did enjoy handing off God of War and Spiderman to a friend to try at home. Can't do that with digital.
OP
OP
I wasn't asking this in 2013, and I'm talking about 2027 here.
I answered "no" for the poll, but there's a huge asterisk beside that, as I could see a scenario in which discs go away and don't need to be replaced by alternative installation media.
For physical games to completely go away, I think there'd need to be a robust enough Internet solution for people who don't currently have the means of getting decent Internet service. That probably involves satellites, but I think it also involves companies like Microsoft and Sony partnering with companies with such satellites and paying for the distribution of game content for people who don't have Internet access. It'd be kind of like purchasing a Kindle with built-in 3G or something.
That said, I think there's an alternative scenario in which discs go away and are replaced with the ability to purchase games and have them transferred to a USB drive. You'd need to provide your own USB drive (or maybe use something like the expandable storage on the Xbox Series S|X), and the game would somehow be tied to your account.
For physical games to completely go away, I think there'd need to be a robust enough Internet solution for people who don't currently have the means of getting decent Internet service. That probably involves satellites, but I think it also involves companies like Microsoft and Sony partnering with companies with such satellites and paying for the distribution of game content for people who don't have Internet access. It'd be kind of like purchasing a Kindle with built-in 3G or something.
That said, I think there's an alternative scenario in which discs go away and are replaced with the ability to purchase games and have them transferred to a USB drive. You'd need to provide your own USB drive (or maybe use something like the expandable storage on the Xbox Series S|X), and the game would somehow be tied to your account.
It's not. Until Asia gets better internet, that continent will still go physical over digital. They're not gonna take a hit on physical sales just for North America and Europe.
I think more people will get into digital only trends as economies and technologies become easier and cheaper to develop/own next, next gen, but a physical copy of game will always be traditional practice.
There has never been a successful console or period of gaming history that was "digital only" and I don't think major corporations are willing to bet on a next, next gen console that doesn't at least offer the alternative physical option. Playstation and Xbox would miss out on a HUGE profit if they went digital only across the board. Sure, a slim version or "pro" version of their console can be digital for form and factor reasons, but there will always be the disc friendly machine next, next gen.
People still collect games, and fast/high speed internet access is another thing that many gamers don't have. I certainly wouldn't like it if physical games disappeared even though like 80% of my PS4 games are digital lol. A major part of the gaming experience is actually holding the thing in your hands, keeping it on your shelf, flipping through the covers and artwork.
There has never been a successful console or period of gaming history that was "digital only" and I don't think major corporations are willing to bet on a next, next gen console that doesn't at least offer the alternative physical option. Playstation and Xbox would miss out on a HUGE profit if they went digital only across the board. Sure, a slim version or "pro" version of their console can be digital for form and factor reasons, but there will always be the disc friendly machine next, next gen.
People still collect games, and fast/high speed internet access is another thing that many gamers don't have. I certainly wouldn't like it if physical games disappeared even though like 80% of my PS4 games are digital lol. A major part of the gaming experience is actually holding the thing in your hands, keeping it on your shelf, flipping through the covers and artwork.
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Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore all have noticeably better internet on average than the US.
With the pro consoles being the only option for physical, I could definitely see it becoming a premium option.
They're effectively a niche/enthusiast thing at this point, and offer a very clear advantage over streaming. Whereas, the 1s and 0s on an optical disc are the same as the ones you'd download from the console.
I think it would be at least one more gen after this one to have discs. Also, there are countries with poor internet so maybe not even then.
I hope not. Digtal prices in my region are still way too high on PSN compared to physical. So they would at least need to lower their prices before I would be onboard with that idea.
It's honestly too soon to say. If we get more people decent internet access & data caps stop being a thing, then maybe. But even then, we still get physical CDs. But if I had to make a yes/no call right now, I'd have to lean towards no.
once Best Buy Gamer club unlocked died.....me buying physical games died. There is no reason to buy physical if they are not discounted.
9 times out of 10 when u are looking to buy a used game, the physical price and digital are the same anyway. Its only on the games that are a decade old that u need to buy physical because they will be dirt cheap on ebay, but still stupid expensive digitally
9 times out of 10 when u are looking to buy a used game, the physical price and digital are the same anyway. Its only on the games that are a decade old that u need to buy physical because they will be dirt cheap on ebay, but still stupid expensive digitally
I still don't know why it matters. The disc drives don't jack up costs too much anyway and if you wanted to be digital only you could have for a while now
Yup. It's completely arrogant and selfish to think "My internet connection is fine where I am, what's the problem?"
Sorry, friendly sarcasm. I understand the time leap for 2027. My statement holds true for then as well. If there is one hope from the 2020 learning from home situation, its the glaring inadequacies of high-speed internet access. But until that's a global issue in the past (or further advent of national wireless/5G), I simply don't think physical discs are going anywhere.
Lol, enthusiasts predicting what the direction a company, primarily concerned with the general public, will go.
This take is as likely as people who said the Xbox One's original vision meant the PS4 would also be always online. Not grounded in the reality most people experience.
At the very most, if the diskless versions somehow dwarf the sales of the physical version, you'll see MS and Sony lead the Next Xbox & PS6 with diskless SKU, while providing a Legacy physical device.
Under zero circumstances will there be no option to play next-next gen games on physical.
This take is as likely as people who said the Xbox One's original vision meant the PS4 would also be always online. Not grounded in the reality most people experience.
At the very most, if the diskless versions somehow dwarf the sales of the physical version, you'll see MS and Sony lead the Next Xbox & PS6 with diskless SKU, while providing a Legacy physical device.
Under zero circumstances will there be no option to play next-next gen games on physical.
It's never going to happen. Physical media has too many benefits and there will always be a significant audience for it.
It may be emphasized less. We'll see more smaller games go digital only, we'll see it be more of a 50/50 split. But it will never go away.
It may be emphasized less. We'll see more smaller games go digital only, we'll see it be more of a 50/50 split. But it will never go away.
I don't think we can say yet. Things are definitely trending digital, but physical is still big and a decent amount of the audience can't rely so easily on downloads. I think a lot of it will come down to what the future of the world's broadband infrastructure looks like (Starlink etc). I do think at the very least we'll see it pushed aside more when next NEXT gen comes. Like the default console will be digital only and then either the one with a physical drive is more limited, or you'll have to get a disc drive attachment.
No but I expect next next gen to be digital console + external drive for those still buying physical games.
They won't render everyone's games catalogues completely useless like that with just one generation (the PS3 is an exception because of it's hard to emulate nature). I think we'll have two options for a long while, still. I certainly don't want them to go away.
Could we start seeing less games with print runs or more games with limited print runs? Yes.
Absolutely no physical? Not going to happen.
Absolutely no physical? Not going to happen.
The problem is that giving games as gifts and parents buying games for their kids are still traditionally done through physical means. I suppose you could just go to the digital card method of games, but I'm not sure how much stores are going to appreciate that since IIRC they actually make money off of physical game sales, not so with digital ones.
And there's still a huge portion of that continent (I'll take a guess at saying the majority) that's an untapped market in many ways and don't have the luxury of buying games only digitally.
Edit: there are plenty of other places too, but I'm using Asia as an example since it's the one I'm more experienced with.
You'll never know what will happen in 5 to 7 years of this upcoming generation. Most of you say no, but it wouldn't be surprising if digital is the main medium by then.
Physical PC games and CDs are still out there but people rarely buy them over digital counterparts.
It is too soon right now but maybe it is a discussion for 2025.
It is too soon right now but maybe it is a discussion for 2025.