Sony: Most gamers "don't want to buy online right now"

Sony SVP of PlayStation brand marketing talks about Sony's E3 press event, PS Vita, the One Sony strategy, and how retail is still critically important

[Lovable]

You know the majority of the people are NOT ready yet to go all digital. Don't push us to go into that digital era when most of us are happy with our very own disc copy of the game. If you want people to go digital, slowly introduce it, give us incentive and make sure to inform us the advantages of switching. Always give us options and trust me gamers will support your company and throw their money at you.

[jc48573]

xboxone really came in out of nowhere to be honest.

[GameCents]

At least they dodged that bullet before they released it. Unlike the psp go which was a fail in practice not just theoritically.
I suppose we can really trust sony when they digital only is a bad idea.

[thechosenone]

I guess you people don't game on PC because I love my steam library. I have over 250+ games and there's nothing quite like scrolling through that endless list of games and picking any game I feel like playing at the moment and just loading it up.

[infamousinfolite]

@thechosenone

Hopefully your PC is superfast if your scrolling through that many games.

[SniperControl]

How digital do MS expect us to go with a non-removable 500gb HDD?

"You can plug in an external drive" i hear you cry.
There is no way in hell, that MS will allow software to be installed on an external drive.

[ZodTheRipper]

Microsoft just took that step too early and with a too consumer unfriendly approach. I think that Sonys slower, more-thought out approach with Gaikai will be more user friendly in the long run, judging by their current strategy.

[Denethor_II]

"xboxone really came in out of nowhere to be honest"

Yes, and then they try to force it down our throats claiming it's innovation, the future. Microsft have never been a company to innovative. No more like wait and see what is leading then emulate.

[thechosenone]

@infamousinfolite

haha it is.

[Army_of_Darkness]

"I have over 250+ games and there's nothing quite like scrolling through that endless list of games"

And if your computer or HDD crashes, what then?? You have to re-download your entire library of games all over again?? most people including myself don't have Unlimited bandwidth you know, which is why I prefer a mix of both physical(for bigger games 6GB+) and digit(smaller games 1-3GB) copies of games.

Too be honest, the only reason I've been downloading games lately on PSN is because either it was a very good PS+ deal or the game was free, otherwise I normally would just buy the physical copy at the store.

[Darrius Cole]

The issue is bandwidth. We can just put more bandwidth between a local storage medium and out television screen, than we can put between the internet and our HDD. Also consider that Sony has a vested interest in the the success of storage mediums, like blu-ray. When you take the aforemention two facts into account, it becomes clear that video games will come primarily on store-bought medium for the forseeable future.

[Mikeyy]

@thechosenone

Yes, the vast majority of people do not game on PC. They don't know how to build their own, let alone even change out a Video Card.

All they are stuck with are store bought computers, and the hefty gaming ones are way over priced.

So it's either a $1900 Alienware or $400 PS4, for the normal consumer.

[4lc4pon3]

@thechosenone

Yes but there is a HUGE difference between all digital on console and Steam. I use steam daily as I gave on PC.

Digital games on Console are over priced and offer barely a discount at all. Steam is an amazing service especially steam sales which pretty much sell current games and old games DIRT cheap. I picked up Batman Arkham City a month or two after release and I only paid like $10.00

I would not mind all digital on consoles IF they dropped the prices but I dont see that coming what so ever.

[Rubberlegs]

@Army_of_Darkness

You can backup any game in your Steam library onto a disc or to another drive.

[GameSpawn]

To anyone using Steam to justify Microsoft's now defunct model, there is a MAJOR difference. Steam games are more aggressively priced. If you watch out for Steam sales you can sometimes get games and their accompanying DLC at up to 75% off.

This is actually a current issue with the digital content on the PSN, XBL, and was going to be an issue with the Xbox One (used game fees "could" have been as much as the full retail). Digital versions of games on these networks are still stuck at ridiculously high prices compared to the physical media. There are many games that are still $20-30 more digitally than what you could pickup in the local bargain bin.

I have no issue with the Digital/DRM-ridden model when the digital versions are VERY competitively priced compared to the physical versions (aka Steam) and digital only (indie, mini) games stay within the $5-10 range. It's just ludicrous to spend $60 on a digital game with DRM when you can run down to the local store or buy the game from online retailers at the same or cheaper price and also not be tied to it forever via the DRM that is inherent to digital.

[memots]

just like that.....

http://www.cad-comic.com/ca...

[thechosenone]

@Army_of_Darkness

"You have to re-download your entire library of games all over again??"

Yup. But the good thing with PS4 is that you'll be able to play after you've downloaded 1-2GB? So even less of a problem. :D

[user5575708]

@gamecents

yea psp go was really an experiment more than anything. the real issue with it though was the fact that not all psp games were available for download nor were UMD movies so it was essentially very inferior to the normal PSP and more expensive lol....

so buying a pspGO over a regular PSP would be like buying and xbox one over a ps4 it just makes no sense O_o

[slapedurmomsace]

Not really, PSPGO was doing it before Xbox One, difference was Sony still gave an option in the 3000 that wasn't pure digital.

[badz149]

because if they do, they will not offer Xbone games on bluray and only make them available on XBL but they didn't!

worst yet, they were planning to offer physical copies like what we have now, but force the physical copy buyers into digital DRM which was ridiculous!

PSP GO! was a failure but its legacy will forever remain in the Playstation business as it was the stepping stone for Sony to raise awareness among gamers about going digital! the downfall was NOT all games were available on PSN and the prices was the same or more than retail. however, without the Go!, there wouldn't be as many PSP games on PSN right now too.

with the Vita, Sony clearly shows that both physical and digital can coexist peacefully and they are truly making an effort to sway people into going digital by making digital copy a bit cheaper since launch and with some brilliant cross buy offers and the biggest push being PS+!

PS+ will only continue to become stronger once the PS4 is out of the gate as many more people will have to subscribe to play online and at the same time, we can expect better free games will be on offer as undoubtedly publishers are getting a cut from the PS+ fee when their games are offered as games in the instant game collection WHICH in itself is another HUGE push into going digital! Sony is doing all the right things and it's really hard to think otherwise!

forcing your way forward ala Xbone is not best the way to do it and M$ should learn a thing or 2 from Sony regarding this as it's already too late for them if they want to make themselves as the "pioneer" of going digital on consoles as Sony has been doing it since Warhawk (2007)!

[NumOnePS3FanBoy]

The problem with going into an all digital games console is that internet speeds, at least here in the U.S, are craptastic along with many other countries. When we are up to speeds that google is trying to push with google fiber I see an all digital console as an okay thing to have. But they have to lower the price to make it seem more of an incentive to switch

[R6ex]

Like "thechosenone", I enjoy scrolling through my 100+ games on Steam. All my games are in one place and there's no need to go searching for discs. Best of all, I bought all my games from Steam's 50-70% discounts. This more than justify the cost of building a gaming PC.

[aquamala]

you can backup your games from Steam, in fact you can just copy the folders on steamapps\common\ to another computer, once you start Steam on that computer it would take a while to verify a game but you won't need to re-download.

[ChrisW]

I buy most of my games online...

[Rhythmattic]

ChrisW

I do also by my games online.....

I especially Love getting the package and opening it up to insert the Bluray Goodness !!

[cleft5]

Sony really is saying all the right things and making all the right moves. PS4 is going to be amazing, I think this is going to be the golden age of gaming for Sony.

[JoGam]

Exactly... I think gamers want options. I personally don't mind buying digital games. I shop all the time on PSN. However I love the options of buying a hard copies of a game.

[infamousinfolite]

Nothing beats going to a store picking up a disc-based game. Coming home with the game unraveling the plastic that surrounds and encases it. To opening the game and the smell of "new disc smell" wakes your senses pulling out the manuals for a good read and then finally input the disc in said system for the system to recognize it and for you to play it.

[clrlite]

Yeah. Being able to buy a physical copy of any great(especially single player) game is very important to me.

[papashango]

for me. Nothing quite beats a seasonal steam sale.

[xxPillsxx]

The only reason I buy digital is because I'm afraid of losing my tiny card like I did once... a 50$ game, and I never bought physically ever, again... plus, I think being able to download it anytime is great, and it stays forever in your account so you don't have to worry.

[Mikeyy]

I too have a hefty steam collection but the truth is, it is at a way bigger risk then our physical media ever will be.

I can ensure my physical disc stays safe for years to come, unless there is a fire or something.

You can never ensure Valve stays in business forever. at any time, Valve could shut down steam, and the thousands we've spent on it, are just gone.

[aquamala]

^^^. Disagree, just what risks are there? You can run Steam in offline mode forever, and you can backup all your games. To me there's a better chance my physical copies of games would get stolen or destroyed

[Baba1906]

i love digital, the problem is the price. i pay double when i buy a new game on psn. so i guess its not really an option.

[3-4-5]

Digital games are good for those games you can play here and there and never get sick of them.

EX: Sports games with franchise mode where you can play it out over the course of months or somthing.

your getting your money's worth then.

A game you can beat in 15 hours isn't a game I want to buy digital....I may beat it and not want to play it again for a while, in which case, a physical copy would have been the smarter choice.

* I have Hotshots Golf 2 in my psp and it's perfect for a digital release. Any time I want I can continue my career, see all y saved stats and records, continue to earn more courses, at home or on the go whenever I want.

I'm never going to "beat" the game, so it is fun for an hour or so here and there, but it will always be fun like that and thus makes sense to have around, on the go, whenever I want it.

[SephirothX21]

To be honest, it has been slowly introduced this gen. I don't mind digital purchases once its not forced. I just don't like DRM and constant online connection. These should have no place in a console any time in the future.

[clrlite]

I don't mind an option to by a SP game digitally as long as it's available physically as well and I don't have to sign in every time i want to play MY game.

If i have to sign in to play MY (single player) game it better be 95% off retail price. Even then I like to buy physical copies of games i really like.

[Kurt Russell]

There is nothing wrong with a well priced Digital only copy... it's just a shame they are mostly not well priced.

[princejb134]

Most aren't ready for it because of many reasons
1) not everyone has a great internet provider or their internet connection isn't fast enough to download a game of let's say 25gb in a few seconds. When I purchase a disk I just pop it right in and it starts right away
2) hard drive size. 500gb fills up really quickly especially if your a gamer that purchases many games. I assume 3tb hard drive should be sufficient

[FragGen]

Agreed.

Also, for me personally, as a collector type person, the storage just IS NOT there, yet. My 500gb PS3 HDD is full thanks to PS+ and so is my 32gb Vita card. I literally have to delete stuff everytime a new large title comes up on PS+.

I know that there is a lot of research into streaming technology, but based on my experience with current technologies, I think streaming still has a fair way to go before it is viable as a primary method for content delivery and a lot of people, even with a constant internet connection do not consistently have the bandwidth to do it seamlessly (our cable internet provider can't).

[ajax17]

I know I don't want to go all digital!! 1mbps internet is just hell for downloading games!

[pixelsword]

@ Lovable;

I agree, we shouldn't be pushed one way or another; that being said most people don't want to pay to play online as a mandatory service, either.

I don't know why Sony doesn't realize that and package all of the things that they will have to pay for and put that into PS+ and only charge those who want the services.

I couldn't care less about finishing a part of a game for a friend myself.

[Coke-a-Cola]

Well said .

[FamilyGuy]

Sony learned its lesson from the PspGo, that's why Vita came out with both options. PspGo was a test for all digital and they weren't going to make hat mistake again.

[greenlantern2814]

sony offers a lot of digital options, and options is the key word let me buy what i want how i want

[schlanz]

GIVE US INCENTIVE!!! number 1 reason!

If digital were $10 cheaper, that ALONE would make many people switch. And honestly, it SHOULD be $10 cheaper.. we aren't stupid, we know it's cheaper to provide a download than it is to produce/ship/store a physical disc and mark it up for retail!

Number 2 reason.. backwards compatibility.. in my opinion once we go digital I want to be able to access any purchased content on every successive platform. If we can be promised we will carry our digital purchases with us for LIFE than that would be a very compelling argument for switching to digital.

[RedHawkX]

i will never buy online games only untill we get terabyte hardrives as standard in every console and pc or movie player. also online downloads must be 50 megabytes per minute. im basically saying untill downloading games or movies is as fast as mp3 then no way for me.

[yeahokchief]

COMMON SENSE ON WHY WE DON'T WANT TO GO DIGITAL FOR LARGE AAA GAMES:

1. You pay for your hard drive size. Buying digital only fills it up faster.

The PS4 only comes with 500gb. If I buy my games digitially that thing will be filled up in 2-3years instead of 5-6 years.

2. Games on PSN aren't always priced as well as retail.

Retail has deals on different games all the time whereas with PSN you may still be paying $10-15 for a dlc pack when the game itself has dropped to $5 NEW at retail!!!

3. DOwnload cap with most major Internet Service Providers.

If you exceed the 250GB or whatever per month you'll be charged extra by the ISP and thats ontop having less room on your hard drive and having to wait for everything to download instead of just picking it up at the store.

4. If your hard drive dies... have fun redownloading and installing everything... instead of just loading the disc in again...

COMMON SENSE PEOPLE. STOP PUSHING DIGITAL ON US BECAUSE IT SAVES YOU MONEY OR I'LL FIND A NEW HOBBY.

I WILL BUY SMALL INDIE GAMES DIGITALLY so good job bringing more small developers to your console Sony. Anything thats $1-$5 via PS+ sales hell yes i'll buy it digitally. Everything else I buy physical.

[plut0nash]

Timing is everything.

[Skizelli]

I don't see why physical and digital can't co-exist. It already does. Don't fix what isn't broken.

[iamnsuperman]

Thats because its just too expensive. Digital games have the advantage of not being damaged and can be accessed any where but the online prices just cant compete with retail. I would rather buy online (i see the advantages out weighing tbe disadvantages) but the prices are just not right

[givemeshelter]

If the prices were cheaper then retail such as in relation to Steam how many games on that system are cheaper then Retail PC games, more consumers would buy online

[KumquatGOATBEEF]

I agree. It doesn't make sense that you still pay full price online when there is no middle-man involved. I'd rather pay $60 for a retail game I can resell rather than a $60 digital game that I'm forever stuck with.

[Baba1906]

its even more than the price in a store. at least here in switzerland. i can buy it on amazon for half the price...

[Pro_TactX]

Not that I am defending the high price of digital releases, but there is still a middleman with digital distribution. Bandwidth isn't free.

[humbleopinion]

Prices are just not right? Pretty funny saying this just a week before the Steam summer sale... My digital PC game library has a ratio of about 10:1 to either of my console libraries because of the huge price advantage of digital.

But statements such as "customers don't want to buy it online right now" pretty much explain how Sony managed to let Minecraft slip run right past their noses. The fact that it's selling better than any PS3 exclusive to date pretty much proves that if the price is right and the content is good - people will snatch digital games faster than you can say pcretailisdead.

[kanetheking]

and my steam collection is 2 games compared to my ps3 which is over 100, i can get a bunch of cheap games online for ps3 maybe you just suck at looking.

[Skizelli]

I can't argue the price advantages of digital, but there's plenty of disadvantages too. I own about 75 games on Steam. The thing is, you don't actually "own" your Steam games. If my account was banned, I risk losing access to my games without any explanation given. There's no denying that digital releases are easier for most people to deal with, but it just doesn't beat a physical copy. Call it the collector in me. There's absolutely no reason why physical and digital can't co-exist. This digital-only future is a terrible idea.

[humbleopinion]

@Skizelli
Even if your account is banned, you only risk losing online gaming. This is clearly stated in steam EULA (and the same applies to digital games on the console. You are never banned from a game).
You like your physical copies for collection purposes? That's great but most people are not collecting plastic cases, and with a big library this could get really cumbersome. This is pretty much why phyiscal music CDs are now almost extinct: no point in collecting plastic cases for CDs when your average Iphone can hold up your entire music library from age 0 and physical simply can't compete with it because of the added costs.

@kanetheking
You are as clueless as it gets if you think cheap games online for the PS3 can compete with the open environment of steam: I can get steam games diretly from their sales (which sometimes go as high as 90% discount), from 1$+ HumbleBundles that sometimes offer 10 games and more (not to mention the extra BTA games), from any retail store running discounts on physical copies of steamworks games, from ridiculously low Amazon digital game sales with steam codes (check out their 5 games for 10$ June bundles), and from other competing outlets (almost every new game preorder in GreenMan Gaming you can get for around 35-45$ thanks to discount codes.

You have over 100 PS3 games? Well that's nice. My Steam games list is at around 600 games and counting compared to about 50-60 I won on each of my consoles.
And the kicker is that with an average spending of 3$ on a steam game, it probably cost me less to buy that entire catalog than it cost you to buy your 100 games. How much did you average did you pay?

[Skizelli]

@humbleopinion: You're wrong. Valve most certainly has suspended people's accounts for unknown reasons (they won't tell you), shutting them out of their games. Regardless, it doesn't change the fact that you don't own your games on Steam. You may be okay with that, but I'm not. I'd choose 100 physical games that I actually owned over 600 digital games that I didn't any day. Allow me to point out a few things from Steam's EULA since you brought it up:

"Valve hereby grants, and you accept, a limited, terminable, non-exclusive license and right to use the Software for your personal use in accordance with this Agreement, including the Subscription Terms. The Software is licensed, not sold. Your license confers no title or ownership in the Software.

"Valve may cancel your Account or any particular Subscription(s) at any time. In the event that your Account or a particular Subscription is terminated or cancelled by Valve for a violation of this Agreement or improper or illegal activity, no refund, including of any Subscription fees, will be granted."

Boxed games may suck up space, but if you're okay with not owning your games, then you shouldn't have a problem with selling them in order to make room, either. ;)

As for your comparison to digital music, they still put out audio CDs, people still buy vinyl, and most people buy single tracks over entire albums these days, so that point is mute. Do you collect anything at all? Books? Movies? Do you even understand the appeal? I'm not saying digital is a bad thing, but a digital-only future is. It shouldn't become the be all/end all of game distribution, and I highly doubt it will to be honest. HumbleBundle is great. XBLA is great. PSN is great. Even GOG is great. But I still want a choice, and I'm not alone.

[humbleopinion]

@Skizelli

Arguing won't change facts: People can get banned from online, but they can still play their games.

Account suspension is something else, and only serves as a temporary measurement in case of accounts suspicious in fraud and hijacking. But if you are the original owner of the account and can prove it (ie not someone who bought existing account from the russian market) you can have the suspension lifted. Assuming of course you didn't participate in the fraud attempt yourself.

Don't participate in fraud attempts is a generally a good policy. Police authorities can still confiscate your game CDs if you do that in real life. In today's world people should worry more about their CD shelf going on fire or their place robbed then they should worry about being banned from their Steam account.
Not to mention you can always buy DRM free game in the humble store, or GOG and some will provide you with dual-licensing so you get a steam copy as well as a backup game in case something happens to your steam account.

As for digital music: a small minority still buys vinyl, yes. But compared to the behemoth digital music sales this is a niche. Just like collector editions of games are a niche. That is why Apple is the richest company around while at the same time Tower Records went bankrupt. Most people today prefer digital exactly because of the price advantage and portability of the digital medium.

Please read the original delusional comment I replied to ("prices just cant compete with retail") and then my reply. We can agree that there is a minority that are collecting stuff (virtual or physical) but what does that have to do with the fact that most people don't?

[Skizelli]

@humbleopinion: In any case, you still don't own your 600 games on Steam. That's a fact.

You keep saying "most people," but according to the very article we're commenting about and Microsoft's reversal on their DRM policy for the Xbox One, that's just not the case right now. At least not for the video game industry. The mobile market is an entirely different breed of consumer.

[humbleopinion]

@Skizelli
But this is the case:
The only market where we have practically everything released on day one is the PC market, and digital sales surpassed physical sales.
You can always say that on consoles physical sales are still higher, but that's simply because people don't have a proper digital alternative. When people do have a good game offered in digital it sales tons: Minecraft already surpassed in sales most of the Xbox and PS games released since the first days of both consoles. Half Life 2 on the PC is practically a digital game tied to your account which you don't own, and it sold better than any console exclusive to date on either the PS3 or the 360.

And if we take into account the mobile market where things are already digital, you can quickly see. Angry Bird sold more copies than any console game to date, and it's part of the game industry whether we like it or not.

[Skizelli]

@humbleopinion:

"The only market where we have practically everything released on day one is the PC market, and digital sales surpassed physical sales."

When you consider the fact that Steam is practically the only thing keeping PC gaming alive these days, that doesn't really help your argument.

What is a "proper" digital alternative? I think the PS3 and 360 are doing just fine in the digital market. I buy a mixed amount of digital and physical games for those, and that's the way I like it. Steam may have better prices, but again, you don't own any of your games. That's a key point. I own the games I download digitally from either PSN or XBL, so I expect to pay more.

"Minecraft already surpassed in sales most of the Xbox and PS games released since the first days of both consoles."

I don't understand how sales figures translates to "most people" wanting digital. Minecraft sold and continues to sell because it's Minecraft; Half-Life 2 sold because it's Half-Life 2. Do you think sales would be different if they came exclusively in a box?

"And if we take into account the mobile market where things are already digital, you can quickly see. Angry Bird sold more copies than any console game to date, and it's part of the game industry whether we like it or not."

That's not even a fair comparison. The mobile market has always been digital, and not every consumer is the kind of gamer you would find on PC or console. You're talking about hundreds of millions of people who use these devices on a daily basis, for more than just games. Like I said before, the mobile market is an entirely different breed of consumer.

[humbleopinion]

"Steam is practically the only thing keeping PC gaming alive these days"
No, it's just beating the competition because of brand recognition and features. But the alternatives offered by Desura, Humble Store, GOG and more are counter offering are great nonetheless, and if Steam wasn't around anymore they would simply take it's place.

"I own the games I download digitally from either PSN or XBL, so I expect to pay more. "
No you don't. Ownership doesn't exist for digital games on these services. You can't sell your "owned" games for example.

"I don't understand how sales figures translates to "most people" wanting digital"
Well, do you have a better counter-argument showing that "most people" want physical?

"The mobile market has always been digital, and not every consumer is the kind of gamer you would find on PC or console."
No it hasn't. In fact, Nokia tried to pioneer gaming on mobile with the NGage which used SD cards and games were sold physically for the device. It was a miserable fail.

"Like I said before, the mobile market is an entirely different breed of consumer"
Good, then why not get these hundred of millions of consumers on board in the console space with a proper digital store and library offering?

[Skizelli]

@humbleopinion:

"No, it's just beating the competition because of brand recognition and features. But the alternatives offered by Desura, Humble Store, GOG and more are counter offering are great nonetheless, and if Steam wasn't around anymore they would simply take it's place."

The PC market as we know it is dying. If it weren't for Steam, who knows where PC gaming would be right now. You rarely see a PC exclusive AAA title these days as it is. And what competition exactly? You're comparing a service that's been around since 2003 with services that are targeting specific gamers. e.g., If I want old DRM-free games, I'll buy from GOG. If I want great deals on DRM-free indie games, I'll buy from Humble Bundle (most come with Steam keys). They aren't competing with Steam because they aren't trying to be like Steam. If Steam ceased to exist, I highly doubt GOG, Humble Bundle, Origin, etc., would rise up to the occasion.

"No you don't. Ownership doesn't exist for digital games on these services. You can't sell your 'owned' games for example."

Technically speaking, you're right. But I still own it more than I would a game on Steam.

"Well, do you have a better counter-argument showing that "most people" want physical?"

No. But I never claimed most people want physical, either. There's just not enough data to say one way or the other. You can't compare the mobile or PC market to the console market.

"No it hasn't. In fact, Nokia tried to pioneer gaming on mobile with the NGage which used SD cards and games were sold physically for the device. It was a miserable fail."

Yeah, but you're talking about a failed handheld game console. The digital-only Phantom failed to impress gamers around the same time period. If we're talking about Apple's grip on today's mobile market - a market they practically created - then you must recognize the fact that iOS was released in 2007, with the launch of the App Store the following year.

"Good, then why not get these hundred of millions of consumers on board in the console space with a proper digital store and library offering?"

I'm not against that! The entire point I've been trying to make here is that physical and digital media can and should co-exist. There's absolutely no harm in having choice as a consumer.

I noticed you ran out of bubbles. Seeing as civil debates on N4G are rare, feel free to message me if you want to continue. It's been fun. ;)

[MiloGarret]

You guys just love dat Gamestop, don't you?

[DragonKnight]

We love choice. Gamestop isn't the only place to buy and sell games.

[Persistantthug]

I had Borderlands 2 around the holidays, but once I was done, I traded my Borderlands 2 for XCOM Enemy Unknown. Apparently, the guy wasn't into strategy games. Borderlands 2 was cool, but I liked XCOM more, and still have it.

There are other places on the internet that do trades too.

Gamestop is obviously NOT the only recourse you know.

[EffectO]

Speak for yourself Sony.

Steam and Apple prove otherwise.

[cabbitwithscissors]

one of the reasons, people go on steam because most of the games there are cheaper than in retail. Do you think prices of games on consoles are going to be cheaper via digital compared to retail copy ? I don't think so, looking at the way things have been going...definitely not.

[Cmk0121]

Steam doesn't have relationship with retail stores to maintain, if the prices on downloadable games were cheaper they would be undercutting the same companies they want to put there products into there stores. Steam offers the low price benefit by not being available in physical form for the most part

[lnvisibleMan]

I don't see why games on psn and xbox live arent cheaper. With digital the cost of manufacturing disks is eliminated and there is no need to pay for distribution because they are selling directly to the consumer.

But I guess if you are controlling the system you have the power to abuse it.

[KillerPwned]

Personally I rather buy console games physical as compared to PC I prefer Steam based. Of course because steam has made such a revolutionary mark in PC gaming. They took the fears of digital and erased them. Now I would never go back to the old ways of stacks of PC disks scattered about. When it comes to the point you can play all your old DOS games through steam and other services now. Physical games on the PC platform is just not needed.

We need to take in the fact to PC is so much more than just something to play games on and with us advancing by the months in the digital age things are gonna get smaller and easier to obtain. Consoles on the other hand yet have nice hardware I think we still want a little old school to stay with them and that being physical copies of games.

I encourage such digital games as indie titles its cheap and easy for the group to start out.

Apple just to me has no say they are focused on the mobile market of Tablets and Smartphones. So of course they are digital based.

[cleft5]

When retail games start releasing for .99 cent to $9.99 then yes everyone will be ready to jump on that digital hype.

[nix]

i think they learnt it from PSP Go.

[greenlantern2814]

and yet pc games still sell in physical form go to best buy if you dont believe me, also some thing like 200 million cds sold last year so guess some people still like physical format

[tarbis]

That's why I don't have Steam or Apple products.

[-Gespenst-]

Going full digital = the end of ownership and a unshakable source of profit for these corporations via mandatory licence renewal.

Having to pay for online by purchasing a Plus account = Sony pulling a sneaky version of the X1. People who want to play online (and there will be many) will sign up for Plus, and many will start to use the service to get the most out of it. Digital downloads through Plus will soar. Actual tangible ownership will become a thing of the past. The corporations will win.

Boycott digital downloads, and boycott Sony charging for online.

[Software_Lover]

Its a double edged sword that many do not look at.

[Why o why]

you still have the choice. Just like you do this gen. Those ps+ games are extras but have eased people into licensing via a more palatable package. Despite this you can still go full retail. Licensing on hard copies was ms taking everybody for complete muppets. They overstepped the rubicon and the people revolted. I'm annoyed at the mandatory ps+ fee for online even though I've always had it but I still have the option of buying tangible copies on launch day that're mine to do whatever I want with.

[-Gespenst-]

You still have a choice, you're absolutely right. How long until physical copies become obsolete though?

Should we be buying into licencing because of the fact that its being presented in a more "palatable" manner? How long before enticing things like this override the "choice" that we think we have? Do you want short term entertainment or do you want consumer rights and consumer choice? (surrendering the latter has a lot of negative ramifications that go beyond consumerism) Are games that important?

Maybe you'll still buy your retail copies, but how many others will subscribe to Plus to play CoD etc. and find themselves wowed by all the massive discounts, ignorant to all the ts & cs? I think this is what Sony is banking on.

[rainslacker]

If people are starting to like DD because it's more palatable, then it's more palatable for a reason. The value behind the digital game changes for the customer.

For instance, it's cheaper, so people are more willing to spend money and forsake their right to ownership. In this case it's a choice based on experience and personal feelings on the value of the product.

This is why Steam works. This is why people don't worry about their ownership so much on Steam. It presents a version of digital which is both simple, and presents value.

If digital is to ever become "the future", then it has to be done in such a way that consumers see benefit to it, either through convenience, pricing, features, or all of the above. If those things which users find value in aren't present, then they reject it...as we've witnessed with the Xbox One.

[ginsunuva]

That's how every application on earth works these days except for games, which are still stuck on discs.

You don't "own" your pc or iOS apps, either.

[DragonKnight]

-Gespenst- it's not the same. PS+ is necessary for online but will allow for free to play games, asynchronous online for free, and online elements in single player games for free. Paying for PS+ for multiplayer is paying to play multiplayer campaigns in games that have both single and multiplayer. It's also likely that Sony will be loose with the rules for that considering they are putting developers first.

You also can't make the claim that having to pay for PS+ = Buying more digital games. You sound like you have apophenia.

[-Gespenst-]

You're right with that last point, and certainly if I got Plus to play online, I wouldn't bother with all those Plus deals, no matter how enticing they were. Of course one does not equal the other. However that won't be the same for lots of other people. Lots of people who want to play CoD won't be able to believe their luck when they what Plus has to offer, and before long, ignorant to the 'catch', they and millions of others will be making the most of that service.

I mean, it's basically buying something and having it taken off you a year later and being asked to pay for it again. That ain't right, that's profiteering. It's sort of different with certain frequently updating computer programs like anti-virus software, but with videogames it's patently extortionate.

Also, how many developers are going to embrace Sony's model? I can see a lot of the big players doing it.

I for one can do without online multiplayer, and I'm more than happy to continue buying retail copies, so I'm still inclined towards the Ps4. I'm not buying into their sneakiness though; not until I'm sure they're not being sneaky.

[Software_Lover]

Buuut, they know it is the future or they would not have invested heavily in Gaiki or added multiplayer under PS+ to get more customers. They are upgrading their digital/online infrastructure for the future.

Right now, it's good that its still an option.

[DragonKnight]

They have to be prepared or else they'll be left behind when the larger casual consumer base starts abandoning physical media in favour of digital. Right now Sony knows that the infrastructure for a complete digital only gaming experience is nowhere near good enough. They are also aware that the average gamer is actually an adult who may like to collect physical copies. So they can prepare, but they don't have to force the way some other companies do.

[from the beach]

It's not even the future, if you look at iTunes, Netflix, Steam, it's the present.

[rainslacker]

It's part of the present, but retail sales still make up a huge bulk of actual games sold. All numbers reported say that physical sales still outweigh digital by a margin of 3 to 1. The guy in this article even states, "It's clear that the vast majority of the people want to go down to GameStop or Best Buy, they don't want to buy it online right now"

He further goes on to say, "I think physical games will be around a lot longer than some people think".

And he's right. People saying physical is going away aren't looking at real world factors. So digital may play a bigger part in the future, but it isn't the only future. That's what most people claiming that digital is the future are failing to comprehend, or conveniently leaving out.

[Software_Lover]

I agree. I cant stand Apple, Have Netflix, and have an addiction to Steam. Consoles need to jump on board.

[buynit]

Well I'm ready but I guess I have to wait for the whole world to catch up..

All I hate is the prices and lack of sales like steam.. No reason why it should still be 60' he'll I would be happy with a 5 dollar discount.. Something anything..

[Ashby_JC]

$54.99 would entice me to go digital. but at $60...ill buy the disc.

[rainslacker]

I don't need to catch up at all. I will always prefer physical. If I wanted to go all digital I am more than capable of doing so. I just don't want to. In the end, what you want doesn't really matter any more than my preference will matter if digital becomes the only choice.

[Cmk0121]

most gamers dont want to buy online because their isnt enough incentive. they arent cheaper, takes forever to download, cant resell, the list goes on. if devs/publishers want to maximize profit they have to stop being so stingy and give incentive for people to buy digitally. by making online purchases more worth wild they cut costs on shipping, packing, used game sales etc...

[buynit]

That's the key.... Wtf is so hard about doing what steam does?! What? It's not billions on billions of money?

[Why o why]

The thing is there may be laws or guidelines in place similar to those in the book industry in many countries. Online book retailers were prohibited to sell the e books for cheaper than a certain price. This was to protect the ailing physical book stores. I know france had this mandate in place. I'm not sure about the rest of the world. Ive never understood why DD copies were initially so high with no rent, shipping or packaging costs. There must be a simply reason besides greed here.

Ps+ did offer discounts...Not on the scale of steam but for their first real attempt at game dd retailing, sony done fairly well in that regards

[buynit]

I don't know.. I undertsand it for books but not games for consoles.. Valve is doing it I don't see them having to go to court over it...

It's nothing more then greed.

[Confickercrash]

Also you have to factor in the cost of the connection/data plan, because not everybody can afford unlimited broadband. Looking at it from a present-day perspective, games in digital form, on consoles at least, is still a luxury, not an everyday standard.

[buynit]

So fuck me for having unl. Data.. And many others.. Guess we will see how things are in 2020 or later..

[slpknt6sic6]

@buynit: no one is stopping you from going all digital. Why would you care if anyone wants to buy physical copies of a game? Just because you want digital we should be f***ed? Why can't I have my physical copy and you have your Digital Download?

[WeAreLegion]

They are cheaper though. Sony sells their games for at least $5 cheaper on the PSN when they release, most of the time.

[DragonKnight]

Another thing is bandwidth caps. There are huge monopolies going on in the ISP industry and the biggest ISPs will fight having to lower prices to make a digital only solution viable. I live in Canada, and we are one of the worst countries in the world for ISP monopolies. 1GB of bandwidth costs less than 1 cent to make, but if I go over my pitiful 60GB cap in a month I get charged $2 for every GB I go over. A digital only model would be the end of new games for me.

[GusBricker]

It's funny, Sony rolls out the welcome wagon for indie devs and they're basically bought mostly online.

Oops.

[Hicken]

What about it is funny?

[tarbis]

Use your head sometimes. Ok. File size for indie games are small. Good enough for countries with terrible internet connection. Unlike AAA games that has double digits in the gigabyte area.

[SpinalRemains138]

At least all digital copies of Vita games are 10 dollars less.

At the very least, while not a huge discount, Sony at least understands the concept.

Most digital games are full price for some reason. I'm not going to pay 60 bucks for a download ever. That's madness.

[The Meerkat]

Agree

They should be available day 1 and be slightly cheaper.

DD is so much easier and I would accept DRM if there was a price advantage.

[GameCents]

Funny to hear SONY say this because when SONY's first party games come out and don't sell so well, the n4g sony followers claim the game is selling very well digitally instead.

[MakiSaad2]

Cough Cough The Last Of Us Cough Cough http://n4g.com/news/1289302...

[GameCents]

Lol, note how I said WHEN and not all?

[k2d]

You know what's funny? Pulling numbers out of your own ass. Wait, sorry, your not even backing up your own shit with that much even.

Let me show you how it's done: "Playstation 3 beating the 360 in games sold per unit." And that before the PS3s three years of dominating the 360

Source: www.joystiq.com/2009/04/15/son y-ps3-beating-xbox-360-in-per- t itle-attach-rate/

[plaZeHD]

But they sell well the good once. If you are confused I am not talking about Infamous or Killzone or any of those kinds, just the really good ones.

[HammadTheBeast]

I want to sell my games or trade them. Enough said.

[buynit]

Well it's time to move on from the, how you ppl call it? The draconian age..

[awesomeperson]

Please enlighten me on when selling things became "draconian".

[Dannehkins]

There is not enough incentive for gamers to buy online on consoles at the moment. It usually turns out that the digital version is more expensive than the full retail version.

I recall some games being priced at £55 on the PSN store.

[Grave]

While I still do get some games and trade them back at GameStop, I get most of my games from Steam cuz of their crazy ass sales.

[givemeshelter]

Make online DD cheaper then retail and this medium will soar...

[CaptainYesterday]

I don't really like to buy digital because I like to have the physical copy so I can put it on my shelf I will buy digital on occasion or if it's a digital only game.

[latincanuck]

comparing sony or microsoft online content to that of steam is kinda comparing apples to oranges. Both the Sony and Microsoft need distributors to sell their consoles, as well those distributors also sell games, you cannot undercut the distributor and at the same time need them to sell your console, it takes away their reason to sell the consoles if they are going to lose profits. Steam has no consoles, no computers to sell via distributors, they are a distributor and as such have no reason not to compete with physical stores.

[GameCents]

Why can't we have a digital marketplace for used games? I wanna be able to sell my downloaded games to other users or people on my friend list.
Sony or MS can even take a cut by charging per transaction. Anything is better than being stuck with a game I'm never gonna play again.

[ExCest]

Because you can make copies of your digital games. It's much harder to make sure one doesn't copy and spread a digital game than a physical disc.

It would also be a hassle since they (the publisher) has to revoke your cd-key/serial, deactivate your game on your system, then transfer them to the other.

[tarbis]

And why would they do a terribly stupid thing like that when they can charge full price for each game?

[OC_MurphysLaw]

I actually think the market is ready for it but it has to be handled subtly... MS's approach was too brute force "this is the way it will be" Needs to be presented more as its your choice and allow the consumer to realize the benefits themselves.

[N8]

I would go digital if there was a significant price decrease. But I wouldn't buy as many games because well, your basically just renting them until u delete it later.

[310dodo]

I bought a PSP Go knowing what I was getting into.

Frankly I love my little Pearl.
I put in another memory card, literally have 6 GBs of songs on it. Tons of pictures, and PowerStone on it.

Love it.

[CoTton_MoUtH]

I would be fine with downloading games but with the kinda shit Xbox be tryna pull when u buy a game with just single player like a elder scroll sky rim and you have to be connected online to play that shit is trash ill stick to PS and CDs

[despair]

Strange thing is that I gladly purchase online form steam and for my vita but unless I have no choice I will always get a physical disk for my PS3.

[GeisT]

Poor people need to have discs in their dirty hands.

[cunnilumpkin]

on console, there is ZERO incentive to buy digital, in fact it is all negative

your console dies, you need to buy a new one because no more are they backwards compatible, the download sizes are bloated, the price is usually much more than what you could get it for from amazon, best buy etc, the downloads take forever, the connections are spotty.....and it will still need patching and whatever other updates just like a physical

steam/amazon/origin/greenmang aming/gog/gamersgate all competing for my money = cheaper prices, game is auto updated, downloads are nicely compressed and their servers are excellent/fast, you can pre-load your games so they are ready to play at midnight on launch day, they are forums in the user interface if you have a question or are stuck and with an average of 5-7 million people online at any given time, you get an answer QUICK!

steam and many others gives you reasons to go digital, consoles give you reasons NOT to ever consider it.

I have NEVER bought a retail game digitally on console, probably never will unless they (ms and sony) get on the fu@%ing ball!!

[Tzuno]

because those people are smart enough to hold in hand what they buy and not paying for digital pixels.

[Rhezin]

Screw digital, I don't care if it's the future I still like my physical copies. Hell, I still buy cds.

[RGDubz]

PSN digital sales say otherwise, not to mention the benefits of 2 digital copies vs 1 physical disk & no sales tax when purchased digitally.

The real reason we won't go all digital next-gen is because the internet, especially in 3rd world countries just aren't ready for it.

But PS5 & X-Box One 2 will be all digital, no question in my mind.

I'm personally going all digital next-gen since all the physical copies just install all the games data on the HDD anyways, seems pointless to stay with a physical media in that situation to me.

[boldscot]

Lol, the Xbox One Two?

[slimsmcgee]

I don't like buying digital on Vita because then I have to pay more for the hideously overpriced flash cards..

[JohnS1313]

No you don't. You can store your games on a PC or a PS3. Or delete them after you finish and download them again later if you want them.

[MadMax]

God, what a hassle! Why would you even wanna deal with all that? The heck with digital, i want to own it! Theres no resale value either. Not to mention all those rare old games alot of us collectors like to buy here and there. It takes the whole fun out of it too! Digital is a mistake and is just bad all the way around!

Its just like music. An mp3 holds absolutely no value, its worthless not to mention the sound is condensed. Youre not getting the actual wav file, which is far superior. Vinyl, cds and even some cassettes can fetch hundreds and even thousands of dollars! Digital holds 0 value.Thats a whole other story though.

[HacSawJimThugin]

Sony: Most gamers "don't want to buy online right now"

And those gamers are slow...short bus status.

[thereapersson]

I prefer buying game discs that I physically own... unless the price of a digital download is such a good deal I absolutely cannot pass it up.

[Hicken]

And today, ladies and gentleman, became known as the day JimThugin got it AAAAAALLLLL wrong.

[tarbis]

Those gamers have slow or unreliable internet connections. While your way of thinking is slow, short bus status.

[Heavenly King]

If games were $30 digitally. I would buy all digitally :D

[sackboyhappy]

i'm all for digital only as long as they reduce the price and do sales like steam

[Hydralysk]

I'm all for buying digital as long as it gives me something better than being able to keep a physical copy.

Humble Bundles and Steam sales are great since I can get games extra cheap, and GoG's no-DRM policy gives you the ability to install as many versions of the game on as many computers as you want, which is even more convenient than needing to have a disk inside the drive.

Sony and Microsoft's problem is that they don't actually give you much benefit other than 'you don't need to drive to the store!'. There's a lot less variety on the console stores in terms of low budget/indie games, and digital downloads are still $60 even though they don't need to pay for manufacturing costs or give retail a cut, which is pretty greasy.

[Deadpool101]

People would be ready to go digital if they thought for one minute that there would be games sales as cheap as Steam, that would screw the retailers though so that wil never happen.

[ceed911]

Dear Sony,

Steam.

Love,
Valve

[P_Bomb]

Dear Valve,

I bought physical copies of Portal 2, L4D, L4D2, Orange Box. Always will given the option.

Love,
Me

[tarbis]

Dear Valve.

I borrowed a game from a friend and finished it.

Love,
Sony

[annus]

You know your friend can log into your steam account and have access to EVERY game you own without the need for coming around and picking the game up right?

[DarkBlood]

i prefer retail always, but for as long as our generation is still alive its going to stay there.

only way online future is viable is closer to after 2050 or near year 2100 you know when technology is actually viable and not in it infant stage

[darksky]

@thechosenone

"I guess you people don't game on PC because I love my steam library. I have over 250+ games and there's nothing quite like scrolling through that endless list of games and picking any game I feel like playing at the moment and just loading it up. "

I love my xbox physical disc library too. I have about 30 games but it would have been near enough 80+ games if I hadn't sold all the ones I finished or got bored of. I suppose you are stuck with your collection though since you can't sell them. What a shame..

[Theangrybogan]

Does anyone else think that dude looks like agent 47s dad?

[Krosis]

I love digital myself. Steam is the best thing to happen in gaming in the past ten years. When Skyrim launched at midnight on 11/11/11 I had it installed 3 days before and was playing literally as it just launched while my friends stood in the cold outside EB games lol you can also download your games anywhere from the Cloud. Only downside is you don't have the actual disk to look pretty on the shelf (or the swag that comes with it)

[Psychotica]

If Xbox One had come out and said they were going to sell their games through Steam only, I would of been bought one immediately. I love Steam for the PC, it works awesome. But since they didn't, I ordered a PS4 on day one.

[Many-hat5]

There seems to be a clear difference in vision between the industry and the consumer, as witnessed by the recent Xbox one DRM debacle. For me, it's not the technology, but the implementation that's the problem. Look, I don't have a problem with digital downloads as a method of delivery, but I do have a problem with it, as a method of control! If the industry said to me okay, if you download the games, the advantages are it will be more convenient AND cheaper for both parties,but you will have a copyright limitation on the product for say 5 years, after which you can play the game without restrictions ie when the servers are switched off, then I'd be wholeheartedly in favour of DD. What I don't want is a product that ceases to exist as soon as the provider decides to shut off their servers. Currently, the industry wants to dictate my consumer rights to the extent where I feel I'm being exploited. I know DD is the future, but that needn't be at the cost of my privacy or rights.MS is cited by it's defenders as being forward thinking, and technology wise, it may be. However, the company's mentally leaves a lot to be desired. For this generation at least, Sony and physical discs will be my choice.

[tigertron]

I'll always buy discs unless I get games off PS Plus.

[saimcheeda]

never bought anything online, I guess Im old fashioned but thats the way I like it!

[Jamaicangmr]

No we're not the last of us is 26 freaking gigs so hell no. That took me over 2 hours. I could've went to the store came back took a nap and still be up before it finished downloading.

Besides i like having my actual discs on hand.
Yeah i resell sometimes.

[Zeusprototype]

People live in the past, most people's tv's were forced to go digital (uk) we digitaly purchase are food, clothes , luxury's but god forbid are consoles embrace that future.

I forgot sony OWN the digital concept.....

[P_Bomb]

You're talking about digital purchases as in online retailers. That's a bit different though. Buy a game online from Amazon/BestBuy? They still send you a physical disc in the mail. It's about disc vs download.

There's no DRM on food and clothes either.

[Phoenix76]

The biggest problem I see with digital downloads only is if something should happen to the account that they are paired to.
Lose your account(hacked or otherwise).
Lose your games collection.
Got a disk?
Got a game.

[BLAKHOODe]

I've been a lot more open to buying digital since getting Playstation Plus.. I think it got me use to the idea of downloading (free) full length games and then offered a lot of other games at a huge discount, so I find myself downloading more and more of them. I've yet to download a game at FULL PRICE, but I'm thinking about doing that with some of the Fall releases, like GTA V and South Park: The Stick Of Truth in hopes I can transfer my digitals over to my PS4 at some point.

[_LarZen_]

Steam says "hello, and goodbye".

[BitbyDeath]

It doesn't really, Steam is a free app yet has less users than PS3.

[quenomamen]

What we want is choices, not being told what format we can buy games in, be it digital, cartridge or disc based.

[GirlyGamer]

I don't re-sell often, cause I like seeing all the boxes cluttering up my room. And that new game smell is the best ^_^ I only download the small stuff and demos and junk. The big games need space on my shelf. But I DO love Steam...I have to hold my wallet tight so that I don't grow broke. The sales are soooo worth it though.

[Godz Kastro]

Sony, don't tell me what I'm am and am not ready for... I've been ready for years...some nerve

[CaulkSlap]

People are more than willing if they actually gave you incentive. Steam is proof of that. Both PSN and XBL charge the same as MSRP retail discs and barely drop pricing. There's no reason to buy a digital download when the disc is the same price or cheaper in stores.

[Dfooster]

The key word near the end of the article was "choice" something Microsoft failed to deliver upon. Yeah those with fast broadband may choose to download, others just want to nip out to the shops and back and be playing in an hour. People's needs are different.

[NeoRatt]

Interesting, Sony spent over a half hour at their E3 press conference pushing two games that require always online to play...

Assassin's Creed and Destiny...

I guess they were trying to appeal to the minority of gamers during their press conference.

[P_Bomb]

Not exactly. From an Ubi' rep:

"This connectivity will be limited to the game's modern day section, where you play a version of yourself working for the Templar-fronted Abstergo."

So basically the Desmond type of sequences, probably less than 5% of the game judging by past titles.

Furthermore:
[QUOTE]But it is completely up to you if you want to take part, Ismael stressed. For those who want to play offline, that option is available too.
"It's not like the game is going to stop functioning or that you're not going to be able to experience Assassin's Creed because you're not connected," he reassured. "[This feature], the companion app - all of this stuff is extensions of the game. It's adding comfort or it's adding new layers that you can delve deeper if you choose to, if you want to. [/QUOTE]
http://forums.ubi.com/showt...

Destiny on the other hand is built around online gameplay, with persistant world MMO influences. Game can be played alone, but you'll still run into public events. http://techland.time.com/20... .

That's not the point of the article anyways. We're talking about buying discs.

[Sayai jin]

Sony is right. Most people do not want that right now. Eventually it will go all digital.

Keep in mind every game company has made bad decisions/comments. Sony and Nintendo said that online gaming was a niche/gimmick and would not go mainstream. MS now said/thought/initiated the DRM/download crap this gen. Learn from your mistakes and move on. Only time will tell.

[annus]

When did Sony say it was a gimmick? They had multiplayer in PS2 days, and prior to that it was a niche market. With the growth of the internet came the growth of the market as it improved and became available to more.

[Monkeyonfire13]

a

[Monkeyonfire13]

Dude, thats waay to simple. Do i wana buy online, not really its all the same price. Physical media is nostalgic. Cloud gaming is cool but no benefits that i care about.

[e-p-ayeaH]

but their charging for online multiplayer on PS4...

[whamlollypop7]

I for one agree, buying a disk or cartridge is substantive and tactile maybe I'm just being a fuddy duddy but that's my take.

[mochachino]

If I had to go digital I'd buy so few games because it would cost me $100 a game in bandwidth overage charges.

Although Canada is like a 3rd world country when it comes to ISP and Cell phone providers. We get charged so much for so little.

[Bolts]

I remember when Steam first came out. Everyone absolutely hated it. Many Counterstrike players vowed to boycott the platform and PC gamers just don't see the point on a digital PC gaming hub. But over time Valve won PC gamers hearts and minds with their with a brilliant business model, reliable service, and amazing value. Now PC gaming and Steam are inseparable.

But that's on the PC. Valve was force to innovate with Steam because of the competition with retail and other digital services. On the console I see no such pressure for sales and competitive pricing. Both Sony and Microsoft are dealing with a captive digital audience and they can enforce any pricing structure they see fit.

This is my main issue with console digital gaming. The value simply isn't there. Both Sony and Microsoft are so intent on ripping gamers off that many of us are wary of a digital library.

[Polysix]

True, I have no interest in buying console games online, not 50GB games! Mobile is different. Then there's the fact I want to be able to resell if it's crap/short/boring.

[strifeblade]

ok wait a minute "so most gamers dont want to buy online right now" but most gamers want to buy (ps+) to play online?"

damn sony you know what everyone wants!!

[Polysix]

I'm not seeing the connection there? Buying a non physical product that you can't see in your 'collection' nor able to trade/sell on, vs the desire to PLAY online multiplayer games as we've done for years?

did logic just straight up and leave you?

[strifeblade]

a little bit slow aren't you? look at the quote- "gamers dont want to buy online right now"

At face value the quote is saying we dont want to buy online- by buying ps+ for the ability to play online we are exactly doing what he's saying "buying online". Something that gamers dont want to do in the first place. That shows Hipocrasy between his statment and sony's policy lol.

I thought what i said was pretty clear so to answer your question logic did not leave my head but it seems intelligence may have left yours.

[greedybear88]

I have never bought a digital copy of a game in my life. I always either order it online e.g. Ebay, Amazon etc or go in store and buy it. And I'm in my mid twenties. Yes, I have itunes etc but it's different buying something that's a few quid or pence compared to something that costs £40/50. Plus actual copies of the game means if you get bored of it you can always trade it in or give it to a friend. I want to always have this option.

[Polysix]

the only non mobile game I bought online was Unreal Tournament 3 on steam (PC) because it was on offer (£8) and it's a multiplayer game that (I assumed) would have legs.

I also got BF3 through origin because it was free with my intel i72700k CPU - would never have bought it digitally though. It's just a pain for such large games, still is even with improving internet speeds/caps.

A game you know will last - ie BF, UT etc is slightly more tempting as it's very unlikely to be sold on, but linear games that are mostly reduced gameplay? I want the safety of physical so I can sell on ebay/amazon and get some money back for more games.

I will always buy physical copies especially while they are not only the same price but often cheaper to clear stock while digital often stays at full RRP! madness!

Games would have to be £15 or less for me to buy many digitally, but at £45? no way, I want a physical product I can sell on if I need to, which is why pre-drm-reversal XboxOne was a dead prospect to me and so many. Though I still don't want XB1!

[RAFhammer]

I would love to buy my games online. The only problem I have with it, is that most of the time it actually cost more on Playstation Store than it does at my local game dealer, or other online stores for that matter. That makes no sence to me, as it must cost alot less to produce. And not to forget the environment.
And another thing, after my PS3 suddenly wouldn't start up games from my discs, buying online seems alot safer

[jorellpogi]

Digital download is only for gamers with high speed unlimited internet connections. For me, any games higher than 10GB will be bought on physical discs.

[Lykon]

No I don't want digital download only. And In my dreams I'd like talented people with vision making decisions about software development and not greedy businessmen. That's why I'm getting a PS4 next gen as Sony would appear to be better like that.

[sak500]

This is what i hate about MS's digital distribution. I've been gold member for past 7+ years. They offered free fable III for gold members and i can't download it even though it's showing up on my dashboard. SO this means their fkn promised 2 games free for gold member every month will be useless for many countries. FU MS

[blackberty]

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[JeromeNtheHouse]

Of course no one WANTS to buy/pay for online. However me personally, I don't mind paying for it if the service is good. In this case, I would imagine that since sony will be charging for online much like xbox live, then I would imagine that downloads will be faster, and the servers will be maintained and kept running smoothly.