Ubisoft to switch game manuals to digital only

[s1mplehumar]

This is BS. I expect a price cut in launch games if this is the case.

[MrPopo]

This is BS. I expect a price cut in launch games if this is the case.

Just like I expected a price cut when they started removing plastic from game cases to be "more green" and consequently made them fragile. I'll let you know when I get my refund.

[Pulsar_t]

Not a matter to get so worked up over, but DLC is the future whether you like it or not.
1. No middleman
2. No retail markup (see Point 1)
3. No pre-owned market
4. Server-side DRM to ensure you effectively "rent" the content as long as the publisher wishes you to

Publishers are pushing aggressively for download-only gaming. Will the recent defeat for net neutrality affect the speed of such a transition?

[dlmvii]

Not a matter to get so worked up over, but DLC is the future whether you like it or not.
1. No middleman
2. No retail markup (see Point 1)

As much as I would love these to be the case, it seems (almost) every digital download of a game is priced at the same point as the physical copy in a retail store.

[Pulsar_t]

Not a matter to get so worked up over, but DLC is the future whether you like it or not.
1. No middleman
2. No retail markup (see Point 1)

As much as I would love these to be the case, it seems (almost) every digital download of a game is priced at the same point as the physical copy in a retail store.

Exactly. Said markup is pocketed by publishers.

But my earlier point about bandwidth. Anyone in the ISP business? It would sound unreasonable for publishers to expect the infrastructures to be upgraded without paying their dues, since it is their content that will be clogging the "tubes"

[s1mplehumar]

Downloadable content is acceptable as a supplement to the core, tangible game. I'm also cool with reasonably priced digital downloads of indie games, XBLA originals, and remastered old school titles. It's the inevitable future of EVERYTHING digital that upsets me. Why anyone would pay the same amount for the retail version of a game, and one released via Steam or any other digital distribution site completely baffles me.

[Inazuma]

Between DRM, download only games, DLC, system updates that make things worse, no manuals, etc, video games just keep getting worse. It's truly a shame that I am unable to buy most new games outside of Nintendo, but there are enough classic games on physical media to keep me busy for the rest of my life. In a way I am kinda happy because honestly I buy way more games than I can possibly play.

Once Nintendo decides to start adding DLC to their games and releasing a lot more download games, I will have to stop buying new games altogether.

*edit*
Just to clarify, I'm not against a game simply for being a download. It's the DRM/inability to copy, move & backup/inability to resell that I refuse to support. A game that is online only, such as World of Warcraft, would be fine as a limited download game since it's useless after the servers go down but something like Rockman 9 & 10 is a different story.

[the7k]

Yeah, just because the publisher is saving money does not mean they will pass the savings on to us. Remember, we're a bunch of banks that they like to rob.

[CRTGAMER]

I think there will still be a market for Gamestops though, most consumers prefer having a new or used physical copy. I guess this is the one advantage of the plague of YLODs and RRODs. A reminder how important a hard copy is years later when older console RENTAL downloads are no longer supported.

[CRTGAMER]

Remember the standard color 2 page inserts that came with every DVD movie? Had liner notes, chapter list and features list. Sometimes an extra bonus read about the movie.