180°

No, Video Game Revenue Won't Be 100% Digital by 2022

Ty Muddle from Aussie Gamer writes: "Analyst firm Piper Jaffray has predicted that video game revenue will be "100% digital by 2022", making it another lunatic idea put forward by analysts."

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PhoenixUp2148d ago

Of course it won’t. The entirety of the gaming market isn’t going to abandon physical media altogether anytime soon

Eonjay2147d ago

Especially when we already have games in the hundreds of gigabytes. I would however like to know how physical media is going to adapt to the growing file sizes for the sake of retail distribution.

darthv722147d ago (Edited 2147d ago )

Like it's been doing now. Release what fits on disc and then you get the rest via dlc. Or they start using quad layer discs.

MuddyWaters2147d ago

"I would however like to know how physical media is going to adapt to the growing file sizes for the sake of retail distribution."

Seems to not be a huge issue on the PC. Plus as streaming becomes better there's that option as well. I do admit 2022 seems rather bold.

One thing to remind yourself is how much digital has been adopted over the years. Plus with services like Game Pass and Electronic Arts getting involved more into it's online services I can only see it growing. Plus look at the Nintendo Switch and how its medium is impacting digital sales because of the size limitations.

n1kki62147d ago

They won't. @darthv72 "Like it's been doing now. Release what fits on disc and then you get the rest via dlc. Or they start using quad layer discs." That is certainly an option, but the content on disc is still useless without an internet connection in that case. The only thing in the way is wuality internet access

indysurfn2147d ago

In a way it already has. When a publisher is presented with the cost of a second or more disc because of game size they simple have a day one update. This saves them from paying for a second disc! But it means we have to buy larger and larger Hard disk drives. So they are passing the cost of the second disc off to the customer. And he is not even aware of it. 9 out of 10 times.

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n1kki62147d ago

At some point within the next 5 years it will be. Especially when huge 4k assets are the standard. Optical media isn't getting bigger than 50gb, and flash memory is noy cost effective, look at the switch. When games are eventually 150 to 200gb, which isn't out of the question considering todays sizes, then streaming and digital downloads will be the only options.

That said there is still a lot of work to do from an internet access and infrastructure stand point.

n1kki62147d ago (Edited 2147d ago )

It's also a much bigger pain in the ass for companies to have to manage the supply chain associated with physical media. IE, manufacturing partners, distribution, warehouse space, returns, etc.... It makes sense for everyone including ISPs to get on board that the internet infrastructure needs to be imporved world wide, but the benefits will be great for everyone, including the consumers.

SierraGuy2147d ago

A good selling point for streaming is the absence of updates or downloading of dlc.

kneon2147d ago

No, digital downloads won't be the only option. BluRay discs that can store over a terrabyte were shown years ago. But we don't need that much, probably the 200GB version would be more than enough

n1kki62146d ago

@kneon, dude, the companies do not want to maintain that physicial supply chain. They dont'. They also don't want to continue to manufacture boxes with optical drives. Hell, there isn't much money in hardware sales anyway. They want to get to a hardware agnostic ecosystem where they are push games to all connected devices.

n1kki62146d ago

Also the largest commercial blueray is 300gb not a terabyte.

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SierraGuy2147d ago

Thank God for Amazon and Walmart the physical media experts. Also the real reason GameStop / EB Games are packing it up.

n1kki62147d ago

So what is the solution for 200gb games with 4k assets in 5 years? New optical media? Flash Drives? Mutlipe Discs? At this point the disc is just a drm check after it installs to the hard drive and downloads patches and updates.

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DeadSilence2148d ago

They might be 99.9999% but I'm still gonna buy Physical Lmao

UCForce2148d ago

It won’t happen for sure.

shinoff21832148d ago

Not this article but the articles just pushing and pushing for digital only get so old and irritating. I remeber when this all first started some would argue atleast I don't have to get up and swap discs, are people that lazy.

Eonjay2147d ago

I saw that too. Like who is that lazy or out of shape that they can't even move? How do they manage to use a controller without getting tired?

n1kki62147d ago

In a lot of ways physical is getting less cost effective even for the consumer. For example, Yoku's Island Express is twice as much for the physical copy on switch.

Relientk772147d ago

I'll continue to buy physical just like I always have

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100°

Former Dragon Age lead writer David Gaider pours scorn on EA's AI dreams.

"They want you to believe the devs under them are super stoked to work generative AI into their processes," continued Gaider, "but I assure you what they took as excitement was really a veiled wail of despair not unlike the time that team was informed of their new 'really cool' live service mandate.".

LordoftheCritics2d ago

Publishers see gaming as another stock market.

isarai2d ago

I think anyone with some common sense knew this, im glad i don't support their games anymore, what a sh!t company.

Psychonaut851d 17h ago

Friends don’t let friends buy EA or Ubisoft.

Chocoburger1d 17h ago

I said this yesterday. AI isn't what we want when it comes to crafting artistry. Alas, these soulless corporate morons don't care about their work, only about cutting corners as much as possible.

120°

Phil Spencer and the Battle for Xbox’s Soul

Has the rapid growth of Xbox made the ship too heavy? Following the closures of Tango Gameworks, Arkane Austin, and Roundhouse, we explore what the future of Xbox could look like.

LG_Fox_Brazil2d ago

This ship was never meant to sail, this ship was made from the get go to sink as fast as possible. It almost feels that they want to lower the standards of quality in the industry so that they can fit in

rlow11d 20h ago

I disagree, Xbox from the get go innovated and changed the industry. They did a lot of firsts and standardized a lot of others. It wasn’t till the beginning of the Xbox1 era that things started to go south.

Stevonidas1d 16h ago

Yep, although I’d argue it started going to shit when they tried to hock Kinect on their audience instead of continuing to invest in their studios and IPs. 2001-2010 Xbox was peak gaming, though.

rlow11d 14h ago

@Stevonidas
I agree they never should have focused on it after the 360 era. But you do have to remember they were faked out by the huge volumes of Kinects sold. To quote info on Wikipedia, “Project Natal, It was first released on November 4, 2010, and would go on to sell eight million units in its first 60 days of availability.” So if your Xbox and see these huge sales on a peripheral where are you going to put some money? Criticism in hindsight is worthless…..if only we could all see our future. In other wards they had no way of knowing. Plus they had engagement numbers and a lot of signs pointed to people wanting it.

Their biggest mistake wasn’t the Kinect, but unlike Sony after the PS3 debacle. They didn’t double on down on exclusive good games. The other huge mistake was letting Call of Duty go to Sony.

Hedstrom1d 23h ago

Phil wants Xbox to be as soulless as him!

Tacoboto1d 22h ago (Edited 1d 22h ago )

Xbox has no soul and Phil has no confidence, and it's impossible to say either do when they killed Tango and Arkane Austin.

Everything they've said since has only made them look worse to a point that they're actually less competent than Embracer.

Markdn1d 22h ago (Edited 1d 22h ago )

Whe you release something like the series S and expect it not to hurt your business model, and developers have to have parity with games. Then you know Microsoft don't care. Series s is the final nail that broke developers,

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360°

Sarah Bond dodges questions on Xbox studio closures

While on stage with Dina Bass at The Bloomberg Technology Summit the President of Xbox, Sarah Bond, was asked about the Xbox studio closures of Arkane Austin, Tango Gameworks, Alpha Dog, and Roundhouse Studios

3d ago
ApocalypseShadow3d ago

Of course she did. She's part of the problem and will just tow the company line.

VenomUK3d ago (Edited 3d ago )

Bloomberg’s Dina Bass could barely read her scripted question without looking at her notes, whilst Sarah Bond who WAS expecting the question spoke without saying anything of substance or answering the question in any meaningful way. Clearly she’s had the same expert PR training as Phil, but this avoidance was disrespectful. In time the short-sighted decision to shut down Tango Gameworks will be seen as of the most notorious examples why Phil Spencer messed up his tenure in charge of Xbox. That’s a fully built out talented team that could’ve been put to work on any project.

Additionally, Phil Spencer should not be using Sarah Bond as a patsy for his mistakes- he should be answering that question.

gleepot3d ago

I think you are all really overselling Tangos value. Hi-Fi rush was a lot of fun. Ghostwire was incredibly dull. Evil within 1 and 2 were just okay.

lucasnooker3d ago

Evil within 2 was incredibly under rated. I thought that game was surprisingly good

NotoriousWhiz2d ago

Someone else said it best. I don't think it was a Phil decision. It was most likely a Satya decision. I think Microsoft is done giving out free money to Xbox.

Cacabunga2d ago

people please boycott Activision Bethesda next release and support Hellblade.
these people mus understand that they cannot treat their fans and employees that way.
scumbags.

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XiNatsuDragnel3d ago

Yikes you don't help Sarah 😬 making a problem worse

Christopher3d ago

She's playing her role. There's absolutely nothing any of them can say other than the truth, this is about profit margins and not quality, so they just don't answer anything and wait for gamers to forget.

shinoff21832d ago

I think news is coming of more ps5 release but they gotta be careful cause Xbox is still sitting on store shelves. They can't get left holding all that stock

Lightning772d ago

Come next month they'll flash nice looking games in our faces and expecting us to forget.

The only thing that'll be going through my mind at their showcase is how many of those studios will get shut down after release.

I'm not joking around either. MS probably expects every game to be like COD and do COD numbers. What a way to destroy gaming for the entire industry because they're dumb af at being realistic in what success means for each game.

-Foxtrot2d ago

Always feels she was brought in / promoted for this. Happened just before things started to be out in motion.

Phil and co have someone to throw under the bus and share the blame with

zaanan2d ago

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss

darthv722d ago

....won't get fooled again

Hofstaderman3d ago

Like a deer caught in the headlights.....

notachance3d ago

I always wondered why xbox had multiple leaders with similar titles like Phil Spencer, Matt Booty, and Sarah Bond, like, how many heads do you actually need?

Seems to me it would be more cost efficient to cut 2 of them instead of all those studios.

DarXyde3d ago

Frankly, I suspect she is the most competent of them. I don't mean that I like her more, I mean that she's the best at articulating herself and giving the talking points MS wants to give. The others are starting to sound more like her than her sounding like any of them.

Are any of these people "responsible" for what's happening? No. This reeks of Nadella. But that being said, I don't see any of the Xbox heads stepping down in protest.

"Don't shoot the messenger", sure, but at the same time, the messengers don't seem to take umbrage with the message. Not enough to remove themselves from it, anyway.

CS72d ago

I disagree. Nadella is looking for profit as a CEO should in my opinion.

The problem is Dr. Phil & Co. had 10 years to bring Xbox back on track and have been failing woefully.

Phil needs to sell to Nadella that if we are to make a profit, we need to make great games. And to do that we need employees here for the long haul and the freedom to work on creative projects.

But as Phil said himself he doesn’t believe great games sell consoles.

RpgSama2d ago

Dude, 100%, forgot Major Nelson and Aaron Greenberg, like what is the point for all these suits? They have more C-level executives than games released in a generation.

This is just so they can all pass along the hot potato one at a time and in between all of them can say a lot without actually saying anything, misinformation at its finest.

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