DRM is the problem. Get rid of DRM, and the world is your oyster.
I always buy games and films on physical media. I had a brief flirtation with digital distribution for a couple of years, but it proved to be such a nightmare and such a poor value proposition that I went back to buying PC games on disc, now only buying indie bundles and the odd old or indie game from GOG digitally.
With physical discs, I can do anything I want. I can install a game on both my gaming PC and laptop and use SaveGame Manager and Dropbox to sync the save seamlessly (assuming Steam Cloud isn't supported), meaning that I can switch between my gaming PC and my laptop at will. I can use my DVD to create a digital copy of a film and watch it on the road on my phone or tablet. I could theoretically create an image of my PSP UMDs and play them on the PC (which I don't actually do, as I have a slim with a TV cable, but the option is there).
DRM stands in the way of this, at least without resorting to technically illegal measures (illegal in some countries, anyway, but not here in Germany), and the only way to ensure that the versatility of media can blossom is to get rid of DRM. I don't want to be limited to means sanctioned by the studio or publisher on how I can watch my film or play my game where I want.
Carolyn, your outstanding editorials of late have really brought a breath of fresh air to GameSpot, which until recently had been getting very stale, reliant on flamebaiting and dodgy reviews.
I'm glad I'm not the only one that noticed an unusual degree of integrity in Niko, and he's a character who, in spite of his disdain for law and order, strives to do the right thing by his friends and family and maintain the natural balance of things, an 'anarchist with a heart' if you like. He never really warms up to self-centred people like Brucie and Manny, but is brutally loyal to those who are loyal to him, including Roman, Mallorie and Jacob, even though they aren't really into organised crime per se, but rather just people trying to eke out an existence for themselves and get involved with crime out of misfortune. This makes him one of the most interesting characters for me, not only in the GTA series, but in gaming in general.
I'd easily pay a little more for a hard copy of a game over a download that you don't know if you'll be able to access 2, 3, 4 years down the line. And yet, I rarely have to. Retail is almost always cheaper than digital, even on PC, because the pricing is dictated by actual market forces as opposed to publishers deluding themselves about how much the game really is worth.
I've picked up the odd game off PSN in the past, but with the download speeds of some of them, it would be quicker to jump in the car and go and pick the damn thing up on disc.
And I really fail to see how not having to leave the house is a bad thing. I work at home, I play games at home, and have little opportunity to leave the house. Actually getting fresh air is A Good Thing(TM), but some people seem to be allergic to it.
Good report from Carolyn there - I heard a bit of a sarcastic tone there when it came to the "first-person browsing". At the end of the day though, I personally couldn't really find much use for Big Picture mode, because when it actually came to actually using Steam for what you need it for - playing games - the vast majority of titles require some kind of keyboard and mouse intervention.
jamyskis' comments