Will the next gen be digital only?

[Dreakon13]

After seeing a series of articles pop up on my Twitter feed about the next generation of consoles (after the PS4/Xbox One)... and the likelihood that it could spark a transition to something less physical and more cloud-based, I'm admittedly growing concerned that my way of gaming life (collecting) is going the way of the dodo.  So shortly after approaching a point in my life where I could start collecting more frivolously.

 

Sure, Microsoft basically lost the console war this generation the second they announced the Xbox One without a disc drive (and quickly backpedaled)... but these are different times we live in now. Digital has thoroughly carved its place into the console ecosystems and sales have been trending in favor of digital for years now.

 

What do you think?

 

 

EDIT: I'll tell you this, the second it's confirmed that physical copies of games are officially being phased out, if that happens... is the second I make my triumphant return to PC gaming. Between sales and bundles, DRM-free on GOG, among other things... digital just isn't worth it anywhere else.

Edited July 24, 2018 by Dreakon13

[Jelloycat]

I'd hope not. Even though I buy a mix of physical/digital games, I much prefer having the physical game. I know there are a lot of other people like that as well, so I don't see them completely discontinuing physical games anytime soon. At least not for the PS4/ eventual PS5. 

 

I was pretty sad when I heard they weren't making any more physical vita copies though, it's a real shame. 

[MidnightDragon]

They better not!

[Dangisuckatgamin]

I'm strictly digital now, so I wouldn't mind.

I have no space for the boxes, plus I don't have to pay tax on the PS store when buying games. Otherwise I'm paying almost $5-$7 in taxes here which is almost/is half a quarter of the cost of a game...

 

 

Edit: Opps forgot to say I voted things will stay the same I think. But who knows anymore.. companies do make stupid choices a lot these days it seems.

Edited July 24, 2018 by Dangisuckatgamin

[Nexuds121]

With the PS5 coming out not for awhile. PS4 games still has alot more love and AAA games to give. As for digital games, I think they still keep going on digital games regardless for whatever reason it maybe, but that's ONLY for easy platinums. My vote is number 3. Reason for that is it's remains the same thing.

 

Edit: I won't lie. I do buy digital games including the AAA games from PS Store.

Edited July 24, 2018 by Nexuds121

[Rally-Vincent---]

I mainly buy physical games, digital is the exception. If games will not be in retail, I'll find something else to spend my money on.

Edited July 24, 2018 by Rally-Vincent---

[ZachBoardyHD]

I don't think they will as physical copies of games sell a lot as digital copies do

[Guest]

I choose as it is now. It would be dumb to go full digital. They will miss out on a lot of sales.

 

Also for full digital to work both Sony and Microsoft have to do it. There's a population that may choose just physical only and pick one of the other systems.

Edited July 24, 2018 by ERGOPROXY-DECAY

[RadiantFlamberge]

I'm sure PS5 & the next Xbox will be no different.  There is room for both physical & digital copies.

Game publishers should consider bundling some of their licensed titles together on one disc.  Put 4 together for $30-40. One big weakness of digital is that some games with a license will be gone for good after a certain date.  They should try to negotiate non-expiring licenses.

 

I buy most of my games digital now, but I don't want to see disc releases stopped.

Edited July 24, 2018 by gameoverDude189

[HuntingFever]

6 minutes ago, Jelloycat said:

I'd hope not. Even though I buy a mix of physical/digital games, I much prefer having the physical game. I know there are a lot of other people like that as well, so I don't see them completely discontinuing physical games anytime soon. At least not for the PS4/ eventual PS5. 

 

I was pretty sad when I heard they weren't making any more physical vita copies though, it's a real shame. 

This^

 

The PS5 will maintain the status quo, because it would be comercial suicide to go digital only. Until download caps are abolished and everyone has access to decent internet that is reliable, digital only consoles aren't going to happen in any meaningful way.

[Avatar_Of_Battle]

I just don't see this happening. I actually wonder how bad this would affect most retail stores, or maybe it wouldn't at all.  

 

The 2 things that came up around the time the PS4 came out that would determine my future in gaming is whether pre-owned games could be stopped, or if they went full digital. Going full digital would ensure I stop buying from Sony. Shit if Microsoft kept physical while Sony went full digital I might even consider their next gen console. 

 

Honestly, I just see the move as alienating a lot of people. First and foremost, I think people might actually start understanding they don't own their games anymore. Not to mention, Sony would have to get rid of their no return policy because I'm sure return requests would start to happen much more and 1 mistake would ensure all your previous purchases were now locked from you because your account would be banned. How many parents out there aren't aware of how to do things on the PS Store and just find it easier to bother an employee about that "one game where you can shoot something and there's like a car in it?"  

 

I've never really looked into it, but how much worse would it be to have to constantly download something from the PS Store and delete it as opposed to having the disc set it up? Especially for those that have data caps and shitty speeds? They'd barely ever get to game I imagine.

[Siziolvec]

Economic reality would put that they'd maintain physical copies as long as there continues to be a profit margin for them. As much as the companies, both individual studio and console producer, would like that bigger slice of the digital pie without production middle-men - losing a significant amount of store-browser/retail type customers wouldn't help anyone. There's a major incentive for the Best Buys/Targets/and so on to keep pressure on the video game industry too. They want their bit.

 

Data caps might be an issue too. I've never hit mine, even downloading a few games a month - but still, games keep getting bigger and bigger.

Edited July 24, 2018 by Siziolvec
removed a comma

[PooPooBlast]

I can see them decreasing in numbers but certainly not being completely phased out. 

 

Also many retailers especially those who rely on selling second hand copies will suffer and may go out of business as a result. 

 

And those retailers tend to sell consoles so making them suffer heavy losses wouldn't be a smart move. 

 

Finally not to mention that they'll alienate many users with low speed internets or with data caps, especially that games will take up more size on the HDD with the advancement in technology

Edited July 24, 2018 by PooPooBlast

[Guest]

I want to see digital game rental. That is all.

[Wavergray]

No, not for ps5/xboxtwo.

Maybe for ps6/xboxthree.

 

[majob]

Bulk of all game sales are still physical and the physical retail market is still the major focus of the industry. Not to mention the issue of internet speed and connection and data caps still being an issue for many so digital only isn't happening any time soon unless companies want to lose money

[TJ_Solo]

32 minutes ago, ZachBoardyHD said:

I don't think they will as physical copies of games sell a lot as digital copies do

 

True.The sales charts for the UK and NPD are mostly composed of physical sales, in some cases only physical sales. How is all digital a reasonable question?

[supertrunksman]

Not a chance at all of removing disc slots.  Consoles have also become an entertainment system.  They will not remove the ability to play DVD/Blu-Rays from the consoles.

If they do, I'm buying stock in some major DVD player company.

[GravityQueeen]

Physical games wont die so soon. I dont think they will even decrease in numbers next gen. If you realize, even remasters like Mega Man X legacy collection and Dark Souls Remastered have full retails.

 

As many of you, I really, really love collecting physical games. I think that the gaming industry is aware of this passion of ours, the old school style. Dude, I think that the developers must love physical copies! Its their work. Its physical. 

 

 

Edited July 24, 2018 by GravityQueeen

[dzstrpc]

Things will probably stay the way they are the next ten years or so. I guess we will be forced into streaming eventually.

Who listens to music on CDs anymore?

Are they developing an updated disc media to replace blu-rays when games and movies get to big for blu-ray?

I think blu-ray is the last of the disc based medias.

I went digital as soon as games got released digital on PS3, rebuying games I had on disc.

I don't see the point in having a scratched disc in a cracked box. Having to put in a disc to play a game seems like 90's tech.

[Fing3rButt3r3]

Physical still going to stay. What might change is packaging. No more boxes. Just a recycled sleeve of some sort maybe with some printed image on it.

[Feral]

They'll likely start phrasing out physical games in the next gen but won't go completely digital until the one after. Which would suck because I prefer physical.

 

24 minutes ago, soultaker655 said:

No, not for ps5/xboxtwo.

Maybe for ps6/xboxthree.

 

The Xbox One is the third Xbox console so it would be 4 & 5.

[Stargazer2600]

59 minutes ago, Jelloycat said:

I'd hope not. Even though I buy a mix of physical/digital games, I much prefer having the physical game. I know there are a lot of other people like that as well, so I don't see them completely discontinuing physical games anytime soon. At least not for the PS4/ eventual PS5. 

 

I was pretty sad when I heard they weren't making any more physical vita copies though, it's a real shame. 

Idk, I mean microsoft originally tried but people were not to keen on the idea. Now that we have had time to warm up to digital games, they could try again

[Willreaper41]

I hope not because I prefer having physical copies of games. But my gamer friends all think I;m sucker for getting physical games and LRG and insist the next generation will come out in a couple of years and be entirely streaming.

[Chingon_Player]

Going 100% digital would be suicidal, i don't see myself downloading a 100 GB (Next Gen Size) game