Sony: 'Time Is Not Right' For Download-Only Console

[Wade_VC]

Remember the PSP Go, Sony’s download-only version of the PSP? The portable landed with a thud when it came to consumers who didn’t like the price compared to the classic PSP, which could play the UMDs on store shelves everywhere. Well Sony’s not forgetting the consoles and has apparently learned from its mistakes with the PlayStation Vita. SCE Worldwide president Shuhei Yoshida told Edge that the market isn’t ready for a download-only console at the moment.

“We believe, for some consumers, the time is

, but for other consumers, the time is still not

,” Yoshida said.

“So we believe the time is still not right to go download-only as a platform. Some PS Vita titles, like Uncharted: Golden Abyss, will be close to 4GB in size, which could be too large to download for consumers who do not have a fast broadband connection. Also, some consumers like shopping in retail stores, talking to knowledgeable store clerks, buying and playing games on the spot. We do not want to remove that capability from consumers.”

“There are consumers in parts of the world – this is a global device – where the digital model has not yet fully been embraced,” added SCEE CEO Jim Ryan.

While a download-only future is a nice idea, download caps are still a problem for a number of people, and at 3-4GB a pop, those caps could get maxxed out quickly. The Vita also has no built-in storage, and expensive proprietary memory cards.

But if you are a download-lover, Sony has already said that all games will be available on PSN as well as retail.

Source: PSU

[Parker]

It seems Sony has learned from their mistake. I'm a fan of physical copies so I never purchased the PSPGo and I rarely purchase full games off the PSN Store, I usually just get free games form PS+. I'm glad Sony is treating both markets equally though, so for the people who have blazingly fast internet can stay at home and purchase their Vita games and I can drive to GameStop and but mine.

Parker

[Death]

Fuck that! I'd rather have a physical copy of games instead of downloads that could be lost... only good thing I see in downloads is that they don't take space on the shelf, other than that, a download only console is a "Fuck no" from me.

[Wade_VC]

I'm with you guys...I prefer to have my physical disk (UMD) as well, and it was for this reason I never had any interest in the PSPgo. That is not to say I have never downloaded a game or two, but if given a choice, I'll take the physical media any day.

[DanielVT]

i agree i dont want a system that does not use physical games