How Much Longer Will Physical Game Distribution Survive? [Slashdot]

[Cobra Commander]

The number 1 console going today has a storage capacity less than that of a CD-ROM with no possible way (right now) to upgrade. I think it'll be a while. When it does happen though, I'll be primarily a classic gamer.

[Gameguy]

We are fully capable of phasing out paper money tomorrow. The cyberpunk idea of "creds" is not out of the question from a technical standpoint. But I doubt it'll happen anytime soon because 1) it's not necessary and 2) people are comfortable with the status quo.

I've been to a few stores where the computers weren't working right(temporarily) and they couldn't accept credit/debit/gift cards. I can remember it happened in a coffee shop, a shoe store, and EB Games. The employees basically told people that they could only accept cash until it was fixed, and they'd have to come back some other time unless they had the cash to pay for it. Those times were a great inconvenience, I was there to buy things then, I didn't want to have to come back when it was better for them(I pay with cash so it's not really a problem for me, but I laugh at those who buy reloadable gift cards so it's "easier" to buy things). Though not electronic, I know some people who traded in a bunch of games to a small game store for credit, only the store went out of business before they could redeem the credit(they got a gift certificate for the value of the trades). Cash is good everywhere and doesn't expire.

There's no way I'd be comfortable with eliminating cash completely, plus how else would you buy used stuff off craigslist or garage sales? Most people like that accept cash, but aren't able to accept anything else.

[The 1 2 P]

This thread does come up every month or so. As usual, I feel that this is a long ways off(atleast a decade) because some people don't have the internet yet. And then you have many more people who do have the internet and don't download anything. Me personally, gaming content from Xbox live marketplace is the only stuff I download from the internet. I don't download music because I don't have an mp3 player and I don't download movies because I buy the ones I want.

Usually the people who claim that this transition will be happening soon are the ones who stand to be making a good amount of money from it. But there are many other companies who would be losing tons of money if this transition happened. Eventually it will happen but as others have already said, the ability to buy physical copies of games will pretty much always be around. Unless of course theres a government mandate where they decree that no more physical copies are allowed by law. I don't see that happening either.

[Push Upstairs]

Digital distribution is not going to go anywhere if broadband providers are implementing small download caps.

And if you have to *PAY* to get a higher download cap then that will eat into game income.

[TonyTheTiger]

I've been to a few stores where the computers weren't working right(temporarily) and they couldn't accept credit/debit/gift cards. I can remember it happened in a coffee shop, a shoe store, and EB Games. The employees basically told people that they could only accept cash until it was fixed, and they'd have to come back some other time unless they had the cash to pay for it. Those times were a great inconvenience, I was there to buy things then, I didn't want to have to come back when it was better for them(I pay with cash so it's not really a problem for me, but I laugh at those who buy reloadable gift cards so it's "easier" to buy things). Though not electronic, I know some people who traded in a bunch of games to a small game store for credit, only the store went out of business before they could redeem the credit(they got a gift certificate for the value of the trades). Cash is good everywhere and doesn't expire.

There's no way I'd be comfortable with eliminating cash completely, plus how else would you buy used stuff off craigslist or garage sales? Most people like that accept cash, but aren't able to accept anything else.

That's exactly my point. I'm saying it's technically feasible even though it's probably not a great idea.

[Bojay1997]

I've been to a few stores where the computers weren't working right(temporarily) and they couldn't accept credit/debit/gift cards. I can remember it happened in a coffee shop, a shoe store, and EB Games. The employees basically told people that they could only accept cash until it was fixed, and they'd have to come back some other time unless they had the cash to pay for it. Those times were a great inconvenience, I was there to buy things then, I didn't want to have to come back when it was better for them(I pay with cash so it's not really a problem for me, but I laugh at those who buy reloadable gift cards so it's "easier" to buy things). Though not electronic, I know some people who traded in a bunch of games to a small game store for credit, only the store went out of business before they could redeem the credit(they got a gift certificate for the value of the trades). Cash is good everywhere and doesn't expire.

There's no way I'd be comfortable with eliminating cash completely, plus how else would you buy used stuff off craigslist or garage sales? Most people like that accept cash, but aren't able to accept anything else.

There was an interesting documentary on BBC America a few weeks ago about the economy and they had an expert talking about why currency still exists despite the fact that it could have been phased out as early as the 1970s in most countries. Essentially, his position was that some transactions have to be anonymous and that is why there will always be currency. Things like toll booth fees, purchases at garage sales, buying small items from vending machines, buying porn or making donations into a collection basket or into a can at the 7-11 for some charity are places where it's not practical for someone to use a credit card. Chances are, if credit cards were the only options in those places it would not only kill the business model because of the added time and cost of processing transactions, but people just wouldn't spend the money or would do anything they could to avoid making the purchase.

[TonyTheTiger]

It's the little things that stifle major changes. Society is generally very conservative and not open to widespread changes unless it a really really good idea. We'd still be hitching up horses if cars weren't infinitely more useful and economical. If there has to be a "give and take" then the new methods won't fully replace the old ones. And, hell, people STILL use horses. Cops patrol on them in places where cars and motorcycles aren't the best.

[Greg2600]

I want the physical copy. I don't trust servers to know which games I have.

[ToddofDoom]

I want the physical copy. I don't trust servers to know which games I have.

Hell, I want the physical copy so I have something to break if I hate it.

[badinsults]

Average size of an MP3: 4 MB
Average size of a typical game: > 1 GB

No, I do not foresee the death of the physical medium, especially considering that it still takes quite a while to download full length games. There are many people who do not have high speed internet, and it is not an option in most rural areas as of yet. Until that happens, the physical medium is here to stay. Not to mention that most downloadable games do not sell all that great yet.

[FxMercenary]

I want the physical copy so I can resell it down the road if/when i get sick of it.

The internet wont be free across the US, you still pay for cable tv and telephone service. It makes money, and has become a necessity. wont happen.

The removal of physical cash would be our nation's ultimate demise. You would no longer be in direct control of your money, someone else would. (just like all the broke people who invested in risky hedge funds, they gave their money to someone else to control. ) 90% of the money in the US doesnt even exist in cash form, its digital, it moves from bank to bank, and it is what is not being so widely distributed to the people to borrow anymore, causing it to disappear altogether causing the problems our economy is in today. It never really existed in physical form, therefore the balloon has lost some air.

( the us dollar is gaining value however, since there is less of it digitally, but the same amount remains in paper form. )

[Iron Draggon]

if gaming ever goes 100% digital, I hope most people will do what I'll be doing and stop buying games completely... no exceptions... I collect physical ROMS

I do own a couple of PC games that are only distributed digitally, but that's only because they're both the best roller coaster simulators that money can buy... and I like roller coaster simulators more than any other type of game

but even if just PC games went 100% digital, I'd be forced to start collecting for at least one modern console of my choice in order to keep on gaming... so right now that would mean that I'd be doing all my modern gaming on the Wii

so I have to agree, going 100% digital for all gaming would be suicide for the industry, at least until all the old gamers like me who grew up with physical ROMS die off... hopefully there's still alot more of us than there are the digikids who've never known anything other than downloads to do all their gaming, and hopefully it will stay that way for many more generations

[c0ldb33r]

I want physical distribution to survive so that I can still get clearance games. Electronic content rarely goes on sale and even when it does it's usually not a great deal.

I absolutely love buying last gen games for just a few bucks.

[Ed Oscuro]

Aside from handhelds, and the fact that buying stuff at a store is more convenient for me, physical distribution is a thing of the past from me. Buy game at store with cash, plug the key into Steam, wait for game to download. Bake and serve. I haven't put a Steam game in my drive since I first had trouble with Dark Messiah of Might & Magic (the game now works fine for me as download-only, thankfully), and I'm not even sure I installed HL2 via disc. It's been years and years since I installed Half-Life via disc, as well, probably not since I joined Steam (back in 2003, before HL2 hit).

[TheDomesticInstitution]

they're both the best roller coaster simulators that money can buy

Quoted.