GAME (as in the shop GAME): Retailer Of The Year 2019

Do we reckon the generation of consoles after this one will still have disc drives?

Winckle wrote:Do we reckon the generation of consoles after this one will still have disc drives?

I think it's unlikely, Winckle. As I've mentioned before, I've generally bought discs on my PS5 after being digital on PS4 and the key factor is pricing. Discs today aren't great, though, as often games are launched in a poor state and require downloads and patches which renders the disc version to effectively be a download key.

At one time I was keen on a digital future but I now fear that the platform holders and publishers will exert a grip with expensive pricing; and that access to "purchased" (licensed) products could be potentially be halted at any moment.

That's where piracy as a preservation technique comes in.

Winckle wrote:Do we reckon the generation of consoles after this one will still have disc drives?

Probably not. Specialist retailers are dead and even supermarkets are pulling out of the sector. Tesco have been clearing out PS5s and Switches and games this week. There's not really any money to be made from it.

It looks like Sony are phasing out PS5 disc model into a single no disc product with the option of buying a disc drive addon.

I can't remember the last time I bought an optical disc.

Winckle wrote:Do we reckon the generation of consoles after this one will still have disc drives?

If Microsoft continue to push backwards compatibility in a big way then I can see them keeping it or having a SKU with one built in but I dont think Playstation 6 will have a disc drive built in.

I will miss game boxes, tbh . Digital is convenient but I love looking over the cases on my gaming shelves (never actually playing them, obvs).

I really don't miss that, but I also have only bought a handful of physical games since about 2006. I just don't like physical media taking up space in general.

If you were to judge me on my bookshelves you'd think I only read comic books, but that's because I get all my written works digitally and read them on an e-reader.

If you could be guaranteed that a digital game you bought today, would still be allowed to be re-downloaded and played in 20 years on that manufacturer’s console I’d be fine going digital, I still buy the odd physical game for Xbox (don’t think I have this year) but it’s quite rare in comparison to the Switch, where Nintendo have a habit of shutting off digital stores and thus locking the purchases to that generation of machines so I feel more compelled to go physical for some reason, the poor storage is probably slightly to blame as well.

Robbo-92 wrote:If you could be guaranteed that a digital game you bought today, would still be allowed to be re-downloaded and played in 20 years on that manufacturer’s console I’d be fine going digital, I still buy the odd physical game for Xbox (don’t think I have this year) but it’s quite rare in comparison to the Switch, where Nintendo have a habit of shutting off digital stores and thus locking the purchases to that generation of machines so I feel more compelled to go physical for some reason, the poor storage is probably slightly to blame as well.

It's not quite 20 years, but I bought Braid in 2008 and it runs on my current xbox. I bought Half Life 2 in December 2004 and it runs on my current PC.

And as I said above, piracy will preserve games for the future.

Winckle wrote:

Robbo-92 wrote:If you could be guaranteed that a digital game you bought today, would still be allowed to be re-downloaded and played in 20 years on that manufacturer’s console I’d be fine going digital, I still buy the odd physical game for Xbox (don’t think I have this year) but it’s quite rare in comparison to the Switch, where Nintendo have a habit of shutting off digital stores and thus locking the purchases to that generation of machines so I feel more compelled to go physical for some reason, the poor storage is probably slightly to blame as well.

It's not quite 20 years, but I bought Braid in 2008 and it runs on my current xbox. I bought Half Life 2 in December 2004 and it runs on my current PC.

And as I said above, piracy will preserve games for the future.

Yeah it seems like a mainly Nintendo and in some cases Sony issue, Microsoft seem fine with supporting older games on their newer consoles which is why I’m fine going to a more digital library on the Series X rather than my Switch. If Nintendo said they were only going to make Switch consoles and any purchases made on the digital store today would be playable on the newest Switch years down the line I’d be much more willing to go digital on it too. I like having game cases but they take up a fair amount of space really.

Cost is the main one for me. It's greet being able to play a new title on disc, sell it on, and realise it only cost you a couple of quid to play (occasionally you're actually up!). COD is always a favourite of mine every year. I'd never purchase it digitally for £50 in a million years.

I know it’ll never happen, but it’d be a nice incentive if digital games were cheaper too, even if just by £5 or £10 depending on the game.

I was in a GAME just before Christmas and found this weird 'gaming table'. It was essentially a table but the entire surface was a touch screen. It cost around £600 (reduced from around 900!), had online connectivity for multiplayer and a store to buy games for it. It did however have 15 built-in games, including AAA gaming classics such as Connect 4 and Battleships. Throw that PS5 in the trash, the real console is here

Jezo wrote:I was in a GAME just before Christmas and found this weird 'gaming table'. It was essentially a table but the entire surface was a touch screen. It cost around £600 (reduced from around 900!), had online connectivity for multiplayer and a store to buy games for it. It did however have 15 built-in games, including AAA gaming classics such as Connect 4 and Battleships. Throw that PS5 in the trash, the real console is here

Jawa comes running in.

Robbo-92 wrote:I know it’ll never happen, but it’d be a nice incentive if digital games were cheaper too, even if just by £5 or £10 depending on the game.

I don't understand why digital games are more expensive than physical.

poshrule_uk wrote:Jawa comes running in.

. Funnily enough I watched a YouTube vid on the system (or something that was similar) just a while ago! I won't be getting one .

Drumstick wrote:I don't understand why digital games are more expensive than physical.

Logically, digital distribution of console games should be fantastic for both the publisher and the consumer.

+ Reduced costs of manufacture and distribution!
+ Instant access!
+ Easier to update!
+ Your purchase lasts forever!

But, in reality...

- Zero cost savings reach the consumer
- "Test play our new release please; we'll patch it as you go"
- Downloads and updates constantly
- Your purchase license lasts until that console is no longer supported. Yeah, soz, we're closing the eShop down

Drumstick wrote:

Robbo-92 wrote:I know it’ll never happen, but it’d be a nice incentive if digital games were cheaper too, even if just by £5 or £10 depending on the game.

I don't understand why digital games are more expensive than physical.

I can’t think of an actual reason why they’re the same price, other than because they can.

There should be multiple retailers allowed on consoles- with their own store fronts or ‘apps’ if desired - that would hopefully bring about some much needed competition. You could also argue this for the Apple App Store for iPad and iPhone.

Even if all prices remained roughly the same, there would inevitably be incentives from retailers to get you to purchase from them over somebody else.

KK wrote:There should be multiple retailers allowed on consoles- with their own store fronts or ‘apps’ if desired - that would hopefully bring about some much needed competition. You could also argue this for the Apple App Store for iPad and iPhone.

Even if all prices remained roughly the same, there would inevitably be incentives from retailers to get you to purchase from them over somebody else.

This.

KK wrote:There should be multiple retailers allowed on consoles- with their own store fronts or ‘apps’ if desired - that would hopefully bring about some much needed competition. You could also argue this for the Apple App Store for iPad and iPhone.

Even if all prices remained roughly the same, there would inevitably be incentives from retailers to get you to purchase from them over somebody else.

You've just described modern PC gaming.