After This Generation dies...

[slowslow325]

After the Wii, DSi, PS3, and 360 are dead, will we still be able to purchase games that are digital (virtual console, wii ware, dsiware, etc) over the internet?

I'm wondering because I almost always wait for the system to be dead to purchase it, but some games are on there that I want to have and play. Such as Mega Man 9. Virtual Console games aren't as important since I can get the originals, but new releases are. What will happen?

If they don't allow you to purchase these on the Wii/PS3/DSi/360 will all the games carry over to the next systems so you can still purchase Mega Man 9 for like the Wii 2? (Did that make any sense?)

[Ack]

Chief, you just asked the million dollar question of this generation.

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

This is why the cartridge is king.

[superlarz]

Just about everyone with the foresight has been asking this question. Will my VC games move up to the next nintendo? Will I still be able to play Xbox live on 360? No one knows yet. I would imagine a game like Mega Man 9 and most other original titles will be ported over to the new systems, but if you already bought them are you going to have to pay again?

[gradualmeltdown]

I think one company will create a standard about how longterm user accounts will work with gaming machines. The optimist in me see's a system where you simply plug your Xbox Live id into the new Xbox, connect an ethernet or USB cable between the two and transfer all of the data. The Xbox marketplace should just be an ever expanding store, and content should be available for download until demand is very small. Maybe very old material could be re-downloaded by request after it is no longer live on marketplace.


Just a bunch of idea's. If they want this business to be long term they will have to figure something out. Everyone isn't thinking about this yet, but next-generation this could be a major buying point for the company that gets it right.

[RyaNtheSlayA]

Either way I don't really care. As Mod Man said.

Cartridge is king

[opticledilusi0n]

bit gamer ?

[Curlypaul]

I agree, it wont matter because someone will have figured out how to make any downloaded game work on any console regardless of the serial number.

Hopefully though the bigwigs will see fit to make them transferable and reward the people who paid cash for them rather than pirating them. We will see though

[MrEco]

I'm still wondering what will happen to all my save game files when my Wii eventually breaks. All of them are saved to the hard-drive and I'm worried that I'll lose em' all when my Wii kick's the bucket.

[Dylan]

I don't think that the technology has a lot of room for improvement. If companies start cranking out super high tech $1000 machines with games at $100, the system will no longer be cost-effective. I think that things are going to slow down a little bit from here on out.