Sony Considered Digital-Only PS4

According to the Wall Street Journal, Sony considered making a download only next-gen console but stuck to optical drives.

This is great news to me because I understand that everyone in the world who owns a console does not have amazing internet, and im glad that they stuck with their Blu-Ray drive which has still not been filled up by a game.

Also featured in the article is that a 2013 release date is targeted by Sony for the successor to the PS3.

"Sony decided against a download-only model for other reasons, largely because Internet connectivity is too inconsistent around the world, a person familiar with Sony's thinking said. Because game files are large, customers in countries where Internet connections are relatively slow would be hobbled by a requirement to download games"

Also according to the article, Microsoft is including an optical disc in their next-gen console.

Found this on GameStatic's website.

Well here's hoping it will cost $299.

im sure the PS4 will be something

I'm completely ready to embrace an all digital lifestyle, but it's too soon for that to be the only way to do things. Physical media still has to be a thing for at least the next decade. I could see them doing a cheaper version of the PS4 that doesn't have a disc drive, but there's no way that'll be the only version of this system.

The day gaming goes all digital is the day I quit.

I think Sony will go both ways similar to the Vita = all retail games will be released on PSN. That's IMO the best way to do it.danish-death

[QUOTE="danish-death"]I think Sony will go both ways similar to the Vita = all retail games will be released on PSN. That's IMO the best way to do it.ShadowDeathX

Sony actually considered this?

[QUOTE="ShadowDeathX"][QUOTE="danish-death"]I think Sony will go both ways similar to the Vita = all retail games will be released on PSN. That's IMO the best way to do it.Giancar

[QUOTE="Giancar"][QUOTE="ShadowDeathX"] It is pretty much a given that Sony and Microsoft will go Physical + Digital. Nintendo has already confirmed it for their Wii U and now the 3DS.ShadowDeathX

doubt it really made some kind of waves.

I've throughly enjoyed the all digital pspgo, but dont think im ready for all dd consoles.ispeakfact

I've throughly enjoyed the all digital pspgo, but dont think im ready for all dd consoles.ispeakfact

I'm betting they'll launch a digital-only PS4 SKU eventually, same with a digital only XBox SKU next gen.

Makes logical sense. There are enough stable/fast internet connections out there to sustain that model on a smaller scale. There are elso enough people willing to purchase through that method.

[QUOTE="ispeakfact"]I've throughly enjoyed the all digital pspgo, but dont think im ready for all dd consoles.GamingGod999

Good.

I want the PS4 to use Blu-ray. I'm expecting Blu-ray to go in the Xbox 720 and Wii-U as well. 3rd party games in next generation are not going to work well if my expectation fails.

Sony actually considered this?

PillyChickle

Sony put malware on people's computers through CD's. More stupid ideas from them were bound to happen.

[QUOTE="GamingGod999"]

[QUOTE="ispeakfact"]I've throughly enjoyed the all digital pspgo, but dont think im ready for all dd consoles.ShadowDeathX

Not yet Sony. Most people don't have the perks to adopt such feature.\

As long as they DON'T forget the importance of DD but display more focus on it next gen on whatever new Cloud service they're working on while giving us a plethora of high quality exclussive retail releases, Im fine.

Now only if they would challenge the big Telephone/ Cable companies who install Internet services/packages in houses (such as AT&T/Brighthouse/Bellsouth) for an extremely competitive low price package for PS4 adopters...the situation would be quite different and they would most definitely see success from it to top it off.

I wouldn't even consider buying an all-DD console, so this is good news.

I could see Sony starting that with the Vita... Towards the biggining of the PS4 i could see them stopping support of the flash drive games (or whatever those cards are called).

[QUOTE="ispeakfact"]I've throughly enjoyed the all digital pspgo, but dont think im ready for all dd consoles.JohnnyCageMK

I would like this.

Now what I want to actually know is if Sony and Microsoft will have game licenses attached to an account similar to Steam. Buy digital? Good for you. Digital copy attached to account. Buy Physical? Good for you. Physical copy (code) attached to account. Will end used game sells and people who buy physical will get a digital copy with their game.ShadowDeathX

The only way I'd play along with having my physical goods attached to my account is if that code allowed me to download every version of the game across all my platforms. Even then, I wouldn't like it, but at least it would seem more like a fair trade.

Otherwise, they can eat my ass.

[QUOTE="ispeakfact"]I've throughly enjoyed the all digital pspgo, but dont think im ready for all dd consoles.JohnnyCageMK

I think Sony will go both ways similar to the Vita = all retail games will be released on PSN. That's IMO the best way to do it.danish-death

Well, looks like I'll be buying the next gen consoles. I'm gonna stop buying games once it goes fully digital. Looks like I have at least 1 generation left in me.

The world isn't ready for a DD only gaming console maybe next generation...-Renegade

I'm not a fan of the idea of digital-only consoles. Internet speeds/connectivity aside, this strategy is very anti-consumer. If it weren't for me having the freedom to play a game and trade it in towards a new game then I wouldn't have played well over 100 titles on my PS3. I do own a fair number of digital-only titles and I don't really have anything against them other than the fact that once the game is done and over I rarely go back to the title so it just sits there. Essentially, a digital game is worth $0.00 on my hard drive whereas a physical game is always worth something (unless it's a 5 year old Madden title).

Plus, if anyone has noticed, the PSN store doesn't discount their digital copies very often. Except at the launch of a game, the digital game on the PSN store is well above the price of the physical copy you can find at Wal-Mart, Best Buy, or other retail locations. Sony also said that they would discount VITA games on the PSN store compared to their physical copy and not only is this not the case for all titles but the discount is MAYBE $5.00! When you add how much memory cards cost that $5.00 is not worth it when you could easily trade in the game for more than that amount and keep that card free of space.

Bottom line is consoles aren't portable devices like a vita or iphone so I think the idea of expensive, worthless digital files would be a very damaging strategy for any console maker for the forseeable future.

[QUOTE="ispeakfact"]I've throughly enjoyed the all digital pspgo, but dont think im ready for all dd consoles.JohnnyCageMK

Sadly internet is just not there except in parts of Asia, for most of the world the intertnet is just not fast enough and still many people are dial up or don't connect there console to the internet

The day gaming goes all digital is the day I quit.

jdc6305

Hmm. Didn't they learn their lesson with the PSPGo?

Hmm. Didn't they learn their lesson with the PSPGo?

verbtex

I would think that would be one of the reasons why they scrapped the plan.

That would suck... I love my physical copies and I will always be buying retail games. HDD capacity is not the problem...

Well that is one of the things they got right.

The world isn't ready for a DD only gaming console maybe next generation...-Renegade

[QUOTE="-Renegade"]The world isn't ready for a DD only gaming console maybe next generation...always_explicit

PS: I'm glad that you're the minority..

[QUOTE="always_explicit"][QUOTE="-Renegade"]The world isn't ready for a DD only gaming console maybe next generation...V3rciS

PS: I'm glad that you're the minority..