Video games will be digital only within 5 years, says report

[HEXUS]

The move will boost profits for publishers. Furthermore, game streaming is set to grow.

Read more.

[ik9000]

It's because people like me are still playing out-of-date and can't buy anymore games using the discs I bought years ago. If they made games affordable like they used to be I'd buy modern ones, but at £60+ and with bags of additional purchases required I just say no. The sheep will continue to be fleeced, but this won't make me pay more, quite the opposite.

IMO it shuold be law to provide a physical media option, but it will never happen. Politicians are too spineless.

[Friesiansam]

Great news for all those people who still have slow and/or unreliable internet connections.

[afiretruck]

That's just not going to work for a lot of console owners.

Sigh... Looks like, if this report is correct, M$ will get their way after all, and remove any possibility of lending games to others, or even selling them, as they're tied to your account.

[Ttaskmaster]

That's just not going to work for a lot of console owners.
Sigh... Looks like, if this report is correct, M$ will get their way after all

I imagine consoleers like Nintendo might still be able to hold some kind of sway in certain markets, no?

As I understand it, you can crack PC and digital console games quite readily, while physical discs and game cartridges are a bit more involved? I briefly skim-read something about Nintendo offering some downloadable Classic games for the New DS series, to counter piracy of the originals...


But I don't see the physical Collectors Edition of games dying out any time soon... and I only know of one such "Collectors Edition" of a game, where the package had all manner of dreamed-up merchandising tat but did not actually include a copy of the game itself!!

[atemporal]

Great news for all those people who still have slow and/or unreliable internet connections.

exactly. And why I haven't gamed online for ages. But now I've got to an area with fibre so I'm looking to get back in with both feet so to speak.

[Platinum]

Sigh... Looks like, if this report is correct, M$ will get their way after all, and remove any possibility of lending games to others, or even selling them, as they're tied to your account.

Steam family sharing effectively allows you to share games, add your friend as a family member and they can play your games as long as you are not at the time.

[Wozza63]

There's far too many places even in first world countries stuck with bad internet for this to be possible. Would take a couple days to download a modern game on my parents' internet due to being in a rural area. There would be no fun in buying a game and then having to wait. Bad enough now for many people with massive day one patches.

[Ozaron]

Took me two weeks to download GTA V in reasonable fashion (as in, without depriving myself and family of internet every evening, so only while at work / sleeping) just this month.

On the flip side, stuff like this should slowly snowball the pressure on ISPs to provide a service which actually works, even for rural potato farmer types.

I think I'll always prefer having a physical copy of a game, but storage space does eventually become a luxury and retailers who pass on savings get a tip of the hat from me, so I'm not sure where to stand on it really.

[cheesemp]

Personally not too bothered by digital only games on PC as typically I only pay <£5 for most of my PC games (EA/Activison, preordering and DLC can get stuffed) so not worried about reselling and convenience is great. As for console gaming I only got a switch as I was able to trade in old consoles and games and get it for free (along with several games). If consoles go digital only I won't bother as the advantages of being able trade in are the only reason to go console over PC. (I'm also playing a load of old PS3 games I picked up for <£2 each )

[outwar6010]

People don't actually own their digital games and they are all priced the same as physical games. If this was to happen I hope better consumer rights to be implemented.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Wait,wut there are analogue PC games?? Those which don't use binary??

[atemporal]

Wait,wut there are analogue PC games?? Those which don't use binary??

yep. I mean I've still got my old cassette tapes. (yes yes I know, I know)

[Ttaskmaster]

On the flip side, stuff like this should slowly snowball the pressure on ISPs to provide a service which actually works, even for rural potato farmer types.

"A-hahahahahahahaha, that's cute....."
Internet Service Providers
2018

[Ferral]

Even the older systems like Spectrum & C64 are heading digital, SD readers are a great thing to preserve the life of 30+ year old tapes and makes loading so much quicker.

[Iota]

"A-hahahahahahahaha, that's cute....."
Internet Service Providers
2018

At this rate, they'll be surpassed soon by mobile providers for data speeds, who seem to be far more nimble in upgrading. The problem is pretty poor planning from the offset with how the country's infrastructure has been designed in a mish mash fashion over the years, add into having to dig up roads to lay fibre cabling, crappy old copper cabling, a protectionist BT / Openreach who had to be forced to change and it is one hell of a slow process.