Why the World Is Not Ready to Go Download Only

**JoMaMaz** · 01-31-2009, 08:43 PM

Re: Why the World Is Not Ready to Go Download Only

The only thing is, when I pay my $50 for a game, I want the shiny goodness in my hands. I have the massive collection of game boxes in my room, my 'trophies' if you will.

And yes, I like the physical copy also, AND, the reinstall would be a pain without it.

NOW, I'm willing to go digital IF, I get a price cut for it. I think it's hilarious that all of these people pay for music, and they pay the same price to download as to buy it in the store. Do you realize that company is making more by not having to print the booklet and cd? You're paying the same price for something that is cheaper for them to make.

I believe if they want to switch people completely over, more easily, give a cheaper price for the downloaded version. The Game is $50 in the store, I want it for $40 digitally. Plain and simple. If I'm sacrificing my physical copy, I want them to sacrifice a bit on their end also.

Thank you. :salute:

**TheEn|gma** · 01-31-2009, 09:00 PM

Re: Why the World Is Not Ready to Go Download Only

Personally what advantage is their us as a consumer if we go download only? We'd all want price cuts right? Other than that there isn't any serious advantage apart from convience.

I support steam, and having just formatted. My steam games were so effortlessly installed, patched and ready to play. Throw in the orange box disc, get L4D downloading; then leave steam to fish out all the patches, download them and install them. Awesome. So much easier than re-downloaded the patches for other games especially if you have to go for incremental patches.

If there this many issues in the USA just think what problems there are possibly in less developed nations? Though I suspect the US's issue are more geographical than economic.

**MrKLM** · 01-31-2009, 09:07 PM

Re: Why the World Is Not Ready to Go Download Only

Originally posted by TheEn|gma

If there this many issues in the USA just think what problems there are possibly in less developed nations? Though I suspect the US's issue are more geographical than economic.

That is entirely true and my point. While many residents of the larger more upscale modern tech areas are fine and could handle the download/upload rates of digital only most the rest of us cannot in this current state and probably wont be able to for many more years.

And this goes even more into other nations as En|gma said.

**Delta1** · 02-05-2009, 08:24 PM

Re: Why the World Is Not Ready to Go Download Only

Manzi you can fight it all you want, but you will not have a choice. Just like all cell phones and broadcast TV, games are going digital only (books will also within the next 10 years). The world may not be ready, but they better get ready because it is coming.

" Do you hear that Mr. Anderson? That is the sound of inevitability." :yay:

**Webs961** · 02-05-2009, 08:46 PM

Re: Why the World Is Not Ready to Go Download Only

Originally posted by TGN|Delta1

" Do you hear that Mr. Anderson? That is the sound of inevitability." :yay:

You do realize that the Matrix was ultimately forced into a compromise, right?

**Delta1** · 02-05-2009, 09:20 PM

Re: Why the World Is Not Ready to Go Download Only

Originally posted by Webs961

You do realize that the Matrix was ultimately forced into a compromise, right?

Yes, you guys stay in the cold dark world with little food or water and we will stay in our digital world and not bother you.

At least you will have your freedom. :thumbsup:

**imported_Whiskey** · 02-05-2009, 09:22 PM

Re: Why the World Is Not Ready to Go Download Only

Implementation of fully digital TV signals in the US just got delayed, even after a long lead-up and PR campaign. Although games may be more on the forward edge of being offered up digitally, I wouldn't bet the farm on other types of media completely going that way any time soon.

IMO, there's lots of infrastructure and culture change that will need to happen first. I think those of us who are already more "plugged in" (ie. most of us here) can often over-estimate the pace of change. You don't have to travel very far, in most cases, to be reminded that the majority of people aren't as up-to-date. I think we're in the minority, and will be for some time yet.

**jesus** · 02-05-2009, 09:39 PM

Re: Why the World Is Not Ready to Go Download Only

Can't prices be cheaper if it's digital only? In order for them to get 500 copies at a store, they need to reproduce 500 copies of the disc, the box, the book, and pay for shelf space. In order to get 500 copies to people via digital download, it's simply just copy + paste. There would be no such thing as "out of stock", so they don't need to price for a limited amount of supplies.

Like others said, speed is still an issue. I've got a 10mbps download speed and when I download things from Steam I get like 100kb/s - 600kb/s but when I download from nvidia or EA, I get 1mb/s - 3mb/s...

**Webs961** · 02-05-2009, 10:26 PM

Re: Why the World Is Not Ready to Go Download Only

Originally posted by Tomeis

Can't prices be cheaper if it's digital only? In order for them to get 500 copies at a store, they need to reproduce 500 copies of the disc, the box, the book, and pay for shelf space. In order to get 500 copies to people via digital download, it's simply just copy + paste. There would be no such thing as "out of stock", so they don't need to price for a limited amount of supplies.

Go listen to the commentary on this editorial in the TGN Podcast, episode 34. They provide some discussion on whether it really is "copy + paste." While I would agree with you on the point that the price should be lower, it probably won't be as lower as most would expect.

**MrKLM** · 02-05-2009, 10:26 PM

Re: Why the World Is Not Ready to Go Download Only

Originally posted by TGN|Delta1

Yes, you guys stay in the cold dark world with little food or water and we will stay in our digital world and not bother you.

At least you will have your freedom. :thumbsup:

The simple fact is Dre if you had your way everyone would be forced to do Digital Download only starting tomorrow. If that was to happen there would be an immense outrage from the general public.

Sure a few won't mind who already do it because they have the capabilities too, but as it stands right now most of us cannot do it in a timely manner.

Just now tonight I am digitally downloading a game. NHL 3on3 Arcade on the Playstation Network, the game is only 180 MB and it will probably be an hour or so to download all of that. This I do not really mind because it is such a small file but for me that is still a long time. (Im sure some of you with the benefit of a faster connection could download it in 10 minutes.)

**Delta1** · 02-05-2009, 10:59 PM

Re: Why the World Is Not Ready to Go Download Only

Originally posted by Manzi

The simple fact is Dre if you had your way everyone would be forced to do Digital Download only starting tomorrow.

Not tomorrow, next week. I would give people a few days.

Look guys, things change. I am much older than a lot of you so I remember the days of B&W TVs, big a$$ antenna on the roof of your home just to get HBO, having to go to an arcade to play a video game, LPs, 8 tracks, cassettes, Betamax, VHS, Laser Disc, going to a library and having to use card catalogs and the dewey decimal system, yellow pages, paper maps. Everything changes and with technology it is usually for the better. Look at what is happening with magazines and newspapers; they are dying. Why should people wait a month for a game review in a magazine when they can get the review on the net instantly? Why should people wait for a newspaper when they can read news from all over the world instantly on their phone, laptop, or desktop? Look how quickly digital distribution of music surpassed physical CDs. It took less than 10 years for digital distribution of music to become the norm. The RIAA tried to fight it, but they learned the same lesson you all will soon learn, you cannot fight progress.

Bandwidth may be an issue for a lot of people in remote areas, but years ago getting running water and electrical power was also and issue for them. With the advances in broadband over power lines and WiMAX, broadband access will be as easy as plugging an appliance into a wall socket or receiving TV over the air.

The train is leaving the station. You guys better hop on.

Originally posted by Manzi

Just now tonight I am digitally downloading a game.

Manzi, is it possible to download something that is not digital? Just checking

.

I would love to see you analog download, or organically download something.

**MrKLM** · 02-05-2009, 11:07 PM

Re: Why the World Is Not Ready to Go Download Only

The advances in broadband wont reach these areas for probably years 4-8.

Look guys, things change. I am much older than a lot of you so I remember the days of B&W TVs, big a$$ antenna on the roof of your home just to get HBO, having to go to an arcade to play a video game, LPs, 8 tracks, cassettes, Betamax, VHS, Laser Disc, going to a library and having to use card catalogs and the dewey decimal system, yellow pages, paper maps.

I had a big a$$ antenna for years, we got PrimeStar satellite TV in i'd say 1996 or somewhere close then DirecTV bought them out. I use to goto the Arcades all the time but at the same time I had a gaming PC. I have a very large record collection, a few cassettes too, can't say that i ever experience betamax. We have I'd say over 400 VHS tapes, all the DVD players are VHS/DVD players. I have around 30 DVD's and one BluRay(watch it on the PS3), never had laser disc. I used the card catalouge system and the decimal system.

Since when has the Yellow Pages become obsolete? I use them all the time, most of the time the online yellow pages are very out of date more so then the actual book.

I just got a new paper map of the area yesterday actually it's sitting next to my keys so I can put it in my car the next time I drive.

I am a very technological person compared to a lot and compared to alot I am not.

Right now digital download only benefits those who have the capabilities (you Dre).

**imported_Whiskey** · 02-05-2009, 11:10 PM

Re: Why the World Is Not Ready to Go Download Only

I've actually made the quantum leap straight to osmosis, and just absorb everything directly.

All your base are belong to me.

**MrKLM** · 02-05-2009, 11:28 PM

Re: Why the World Is Not Ready to Go Download Only

right now the nhl 3on3 game is at 79% downloaded!

**Delta1** · 02-06-2009, 09:28 AM

Re: Why the World Is Not Ready to Go Download Only

Originally posted by Manzi

Right now digital download only benefits those who have the capabilities (you Dre).

Manzi, the majority of the US population lives in or around large cities. Check out the stats from the 2000 Census (79% Urban vs 20% Rural).

404 - File or directory not found. | Federal Highway Administration

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/census/cps2k.htm

http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=01000US&-_box_head_nbr=GCT-P1&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&-format=US-1

Just because some people living in rural areas (You Manzi) do not have access to high speed data does not mean the gaming industry will delay any plans to move to digital distribution. Business favors the many not the few. I prefer PC gaming, but the masses prefer console gaming so that is what business favors. The shift is coming and there is nothing anyone can do about it. You can continue to hold one to your culture of ownership and physical media, but it is going away no matter how loud the 20% of you scream. The majority of people in the US live like me not you Manzi.

I look forward to our next debate:

Less Filling! Tastes Great! Less Filling! Tastes Great! :dead:

Why the World Is Not Ready to Go Download Only

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