Consoles with no Disc drives?

Sony, SEGA, and Microsoft, Nintendo. All these have one thing in common they all used disc drives. Now, since it's 2011 and everyone is thinking about the next gen of consoles. Makes you wonder when they will ditch the discs and profit from online downloads. Will the next consoles have exclusive online services that will cut out the use of discs by making you purchase games online and online only? Or will we still have the old disc drive?

There's no reason to change formats at this time. Discs it is.

Next gen will no doubt have DD options for quite a few games, but nothing like full DD. Unfortunately, it's just too limiting with ISPs issuing bandwidth caps (fortunately, mine just got raised 20gbs :P).

Physical formats aren't going away anytime soon. They are superior to DD in a lot of ways. Less convenient, but resellable and they don't take a year to download.

Physical formats aren't going away anytime soon. They are superior to DD in a lot of ways. Less convenient, but resellable and they don't take a year to download.

Pug-Nasty

I think physical formats are going to be done with. Because, companies could profit more by cutting the middle man out like used sales and online websites.

Sony has already said they will be using discs next-gen... so yeah, every console will still be using them.

Disc drives are here to stay. No way these companies would have enough bandwidth to keep the servers up with all the consistent downloads going on 24/7. Plus, it's always a better feeling to walk into a store on release day at midnight and walk out holding the copy of the game. XDmaaatter

I think they'll use Digital Next gen except maybe for Nintendo. I think Sony has already made hints with the VITA not having cartridges and the latest psp using only digital services.

[QUOTE="Pug-Nasty"]

Physical formats aren't going away anytime soon. They are superior to DD in a lot of ways. Less convenient, but resellable and they don't take a year to download.

achilles614

I said resellability is a positiive, not a positive for everyone, and whether cutting out the used games industry is a good thing is unknown. The games industry has steadily grown while the used game trade exists. Skyrim is a small game.

Disc drives are here to stay. No way these companies would have enough bandwidth to keep the servers up with all the consistent downloads going on 24/7. Plus, it's always a better feeling to walk into a store on release day at midnight and walk out holding the copy of the game. XDmaaatter

Well then how do all the DD sites I buy from that are smaller than MS, Sony and Nintendo manage to do it?

Hmmm, while I fully support Digital Distribution (Steam) and it is indeed a better method then discs, I dont know how I would feel about not getting my beautiful physical copy of the next Zelda and such. Something about it is just very pleasing.

There's a few things that you have to consider tho:Not everyone with a console has high speed internet. Games are only going to get larger in file size and unless everyone who wants a console has high speed internet then it won't work. Are there going to be options from where you can buy those digital downloads? I mean are you going to be stuck with that consoles specific store (psn store/xbox marketplace), because then you won't ever be getting a good deal.

There are many good reasons for consoles to lose disc drives though. Like with less moving parts then the consoles should be more reliable and less prone to breaking. Especially if instead of hdd they have ssd's so with both that and no disc drive there'll be a lot less heat also greatly improving reliability. Digital downloads are also much more convenient.

Still, for the foreseeable future consoles will most likely stick with both discs and digital distribution options.

[QUOTE="Pug-Nasty"]

Physical formats aren't going away anytime soon. They are superior to DD in a lot of ways. Less convenient, but resellable and they don't take a year to download.

achilles614

problem is not everyone in the world has access to good internet.

PC games have this problem sorted. With many games you can buy the retail version, tie the key to your account, and then have your choice of installing from the disc (and then never needing it again) or downloading the whole thing through the service. This makes a lot more sense than going pure digital as it makes everybody happy and doesn't lose out on sales from those with slow internet and/or tiny bandwidth caps.

Alot of the more naive gamers wouldn't put full trust on just DD. I mean, even I was iffy at first when buying games on Steam. I do it all the time now

I can see consoles using disks for a while. Yes, HDDs have become cheaper, but as you go up in RPMs they can still be a little pricey. Also, on PCs, it is a lot easier to upgrade the HDD if you need to or add extra HDDs.

So are how are big game launch parties going to play out;) People are going to go out and get their exclusive redeemable game code :P jk.... But yeah I hope we still have an actual physical copy as an option. I like DD on the PC as most of the time its actually cheaper, but on consoles at least on the 360 games on demand actually cost more than retail :? So I wont support a console if it tries to force DD on me. If you do offer both options at least make the DD option worthwhile and competitive in its pricing.

Why is a disc drive old? Downloading all your games would take up HD space. Lots of it. Games will take up way more than the lousy 8 gigs they do now. Besides, if you purchase a game online and your account gets F$#ed, you lose everything. Discs 4 ever.LustForSoul

[QUOTE="LustForSoul"]Why is a disc drive old? Downloading all your games would take up HD space. Lots of it. Games will take up way more than the lousy 8 gigs they do now. Besides, if you purchase a game online and your account gets F$#ed, you lose everything. Discs 4 ever.maaatter

To date, I have not downloaded a single thing to my Wii, 360, or PS3. I don't download demos, DLC, full games... nothing. I hate downloading stuff. I'll stick with physical hard copies forever & if they stop offering physical copies then my days of video gaming will be over.

Next gen will no doubt have DD options for quite a few games, but nothing like full DD. Unfortunately, it's just too limiting with ISPs issuing bandwidth caps (fortunately, mine just got raised 20gbs :P).

lundy86_4

yeah but I wouldn't be surprised if next gen was the last time consoles would read physical media

i would not get one.

i have been looking at property out in the middle of nowhere and the only internet available is crappy satellite internet.

i don't think it would be possible to even dl games since there is always a limit on how much you can dl each month.

To date, I have not downloaded a single thing to my Wii, 360, or PS3. I don't download demos, DLC, full games... nothing. I hate downloading stuff. I'll stick with physical hard copies forever & if they stop offering physical copies then my days of video gaming will be over.

JakeMeltzer

Physical formats aren't going away anytime soon. They are superior to DD in a lot of ways. Less convenient, but resellable and they don't take a year to download.

Pug-Nasty

[QUOTE="Pug-Nasty"]

Physical formats aren't going away anytime soon. They are superior to DD in a lot of ways. Less convenient, but resellable and they don't take a year to download.

DarkGamer007

[QUOTE="Pug-Nasty"]

Physical formats aren't going away anytime soon. They are superior to DD in a lot of ways. Less convenient, but resellable and they don't take a year to download.

achilles614

Ridiculous.

Do you actually think people have the bandwidth to wait for 50GB games to finish downloading?

Blu-ray will be standard.

Not to mention, Actually having a physical copy >>>>>> something that can't be re-sold or be taken with you to someone else's place.

[QUOTE="Pug-Nasty"]

Physical formats aren't going away anytime soon. They are superior to DD in a lot of ways. Less convenient, but resellable and they don't take a year to download.

DarkGamer007

25GB takes 8,5 hours with 800kb/s (a mediocre speed for european standards), and it is a lot more convenient doing nothing(downloading = nothing, no effort), instead of driving to the store, or having a game delivered.

Disc drives are here to stay. No way these companies would have enough bandwidth to keep the servers up with all the consistent downloads going on 24/7. Plus, it's always a better feeling to walk into a store on release day at midnight and walk out holding the copy of the game. XDmaaatter

Then Steam is some kind of miricle? If servers can't handle that then why DD even exist?

Despite how populare DD (digital-Download) is, there are still plenty of people who prefer getting a hard copy of the game (me included). Also lets not forget that Sony did try a DD only handheld device before. It didn't work out too well for them. Unless I'm mistaken/ mislead to beleive that the PSP Go is a DD only device.

Although, I'm certain atleast one of the big 3 will try out a DD only console, along with there regular console.

Discs are not out of date digital is a different system all together. i will not buy a no disc drive console unless all the games are like 5$. i only get 60gbs a month for 50$ i dont feel like spending 70$ a month just to get my games.