Imagining The PS4

[dsheinem]

You may all scoff now, but the lack of physical media is going to happen. It is not a matter of why or how, but only when. The music industry is already disc-less, and the only reason movies, games and TV haven't followed suit yet is bandwith and storage concerns.

Funny, I buy CDs of new releases all the time. Hell, most bands I like still put out vinyl.

Games will stay disc/cart based as long as they want kids to open them up under the Christmas Tree. "Here, Timmy, here's your download code for the new Mario game!" just doesn't hold a candle to seeing someone open up a physical case with a game inside. We'll probably see digital distribution as an option for more games, smaller titles, etc. - but most games (and especially big titles) will be sold on physical media in the store.

[BlackDS]

I hope that Sony and Microsoft end up making some sort of all-in-one PC/Cablebox/Blueray player/ game machine, with no physical medium and download games. I want nintendo and Sega to make Cartridge consoles, which would support classic systems, but also have new 1st party titles developed for it.

Iphone is going to take over the gaming world, unfortunately

[J T]

Wasn't there a videogame TV channel back in the 90s that failed? I think it had F-Zero 2.

[MrPopo]

Wasn't there a videogame TV channel back in the 90s that failed? I think it had F-Zero 2.

Sure you're not thinking of the Sega Channel?

[J T]

I guess that would count to, but I was thinking of this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satellaview

[ZeroAX]

I have still yet to be shown any real data that Onlive is a failure. Actually I got a free year and a free game by signing up early, and can't wait to try it out in a couple weeks.

The possibility of having little user-end hardware and having most of the processing done server-side is awesome to hear. If done right, gaming and game networking could be the future of games. VR in gaming could become a bigger and more viable possibility in the near future.

Just because you heard some people saying "LOL this idea sucks" doesn't mean it will fail. From what I've heard, those people beta testing Online who experienced most problems had moved to different locations and varied internet connections after the confines of the testing had already been set. I don't know how it will work until I myself try it, and the system actually goes live. Beta testing is exactly that; testing.

the onlive fails just because it's a 15$ monthly subscription plus the cost of buying the games. What is the point? So instead of buying a new console every 5 years, we pay way more money in order to rent one. WTF

[CRTGAMER]

I agree 100%. Unless download games give us complete freedom like many of today's mp3s do, I will also become a "retro only" gamer.

Hell, I've almost become one already. I don't own an XBOX 360 and my PS3 is unable to go online or play new games. That leaves me with Nintendo's Wii for my "current gen" gaming. Funny that the only thing I have current gen is actually using last gen's technology. I guess becoming a retro only gamer won't be all that different from how I am today.

DRM only PS4? GO away, just another reason for staying Retro.

Games will stay disc/cart based as long as they want kids to open them up under the Christmas Tree. "Here, Timmy, here's your download code for the new Mario game!" just doesn't hold a candle to seeing someone open up a physical case with a game inside. We'll probably see digital distribution as an option for more games, smaller titles, etc. - but most games (and especially big titles) will be sold on physical media in the store.

Little Timmy doesn't know any better, but very happy to get this DRM rental card under the tree.
Knows how to purchase download, but maybe not realizing disadvantage over hard copy disc?