Orbis/PS4 Rumor Mill and News

[dsheinem]

Kotaku posted a few other pieces about used games yesterday following the Orbis announcement article. Have at it!

http://kotaku.com/5897180/five-reasons- ... -be-so-bad

http://kotaku.com/5897199/denis-dyack-c ... roy-gaming

http://kotaku.com/5897333/theres-hopefu ... owed-games

[BoneSnapDeez]

It's not always a matter of DRM though. Diablo III seems more like an online game you can solo than some of the past PC titles that required a connection, such as Assassin's Creed. They have logical reasons to do it beyond just making sure you're using a legit copy.

While there are people who lack internet in their homes, it is 2012, and hundreds of millions of devices have been sold whose primary function(s) rely on internet access. It's not that unrealistic an expectation.

I wouldn't have a problem with this if the marketing changed. If a game like this requires internet it should bill itself as an MMO or at least an "online RPG" or something. Requiring a connection for "single-player mode" is just bullshit.

Getting back on topic, I predictably have very little interest in these upcoming Sony and Microsoft consoles. The Wii U/Vita/3DS will keep me plenty busy, thankfully.

[env963]

I would love to see Microsoft/Sony do the used sales lock. I can predict it now... Sales will be shit. Yeah they will probably get the "hardcore" to buy. But they wont get the casual fans at all. Go ahead, and live and die by your own sword.

[ZenErik]

I would love to see Microsoft/Sony do the used sales lock. I can predict it now... Sales will be shit. Yeah they will probably get the "hardcore" to buy. But they wont get the casual fans at all. Go ahead, and live and die by your own sword.

I would think the "casual" sales would not slow down much at all. They probably won't care much about this used game issue. They probably do not care about each systems specs. Just give them something fun to play.

You know, I would get up in arms about this, but I guess my mindset has changed a bit. I don't care. I'm still going to get the next generation of consoles, and I am going to like it. Maybe not every aspect of it, but some of my favorite developers will still be putting out great games. I will play those games.

[o.pwuaioc]

Replying here from the Random thoughts thread, since it's more relevant here than there.

BOO!!!

Do not want.

I was just reading about that. I'll be really curious to see how the next Xbox and Playstation fare if the rumors are true and they somehow disable used games. If it's true, I won't be buying either system.

Likewise. I was still considering current gen stuff for the few and rare quality titles, but if these rumors are true, I won't even pause to look at the new "Orbis". Not a single fuck will be given.

[isiolia]

I would love to see Microsoft/Sony do the used sales lock. I can predict it now... Sales will be shit. Yeah they will probably get the "hardcore" to buy. But they wont get the casual fans at all. Go ahead, and live and die by your own sword.

The iPad has only been out since 2010 and has a larger install base than the 360 or the PS3. If sales predictions ring true, it'll have something like 176 million units out there by 2015 or so, which would dwarf even the current total sales of the PS2 in roughly half the time.

I mention that mostly because it's a device that relies fairly heavily on internet connectivity, and ties any and all purchases directly to an iTunes account. Given the rampant popularity of even that one product lineup, I'd have to say that the masses don't balk at those things as much as we might think.

Granted though, the average price of an iOS or Android game is a lot lower, but most XBLA games are too.

[o.pwuaioc]

I mention that mostly because it's a device that relies fairly heavily on internet connectivity, and ties any and all purchases directly to an iTunes account.

1. 3G/4G access means they don't need a router in the home.
2. There's no physical media, and games are a fraction of the price of a PS3/360/Wii game.

Granted though, the average price of an iOS or Android game is a lot lower, but most XBLA games are too.

But XBLA games are already tied to only one account, but physical disks that cost $60 new aren't and shouldn't be.

[Opa Opa]

What about streaming services like OnLive? What do you guys think about that form of gaming distribution?

[corn619]

Let them lock all the games on the next consoles, I don't care. I've pretty much stopped buying new games anyways with this whole online pass bullshit. To be honest I 'own' a crap load of backlogged games I need to finish anyways. Not to mention all those games I never bought, but have always wanted to play. I'll have enough games to keep me busy for years to come. Not to mention saving a boatload of $ in the process, I win.

[isiolia]

I mention that mostly because it's a device that relies fairly heavily on internet connectivity, and ties any and all purchases directly to an iTunes account.

1. 3G/4G access means they don't need a router in the home.
2. There's no physical media, and games are a fraction of the price of a PS3/360/Wii game.

Granted though, the average price of an iOS or Android game is a lot lower, but most XBLA games are too.

But XBLA games are already tied to only one account, but physical disks that cost $60 new aren't and shouldn't be.

That there are 3G iPads/etc is fairly moot. If someone doesn't have internet at home, it'd likely come down to one of two reasons: no service is available, or they can't afford it (or just don't want to pay for it). If the latter, well, the iPad plans aren't free either. If the former...there are cases where the local ISP options just suck, and tethering to a data plan is more attractive, but if you're talking about living out in the middle of nowhere, there's no guarantee of solid 3G coverage either.

Main benefit with an iPad, in terms of connectivity, is that you could just use it on public WiFi while not at home.


While I do agree that price is a factor, I also think prices may go down if publishers get revenue from all sales, and that iOS/etc game prices will peak higher as more robust games get made for it.
The general point is that evidence points strongly towards the general consumer being quite willing to accept not being able to resell software (or music/video for that matter), and internet access being something they either have access to and/or are willing to pay for. Maybe not everyone, but enough to move tens of millions of devices a year.

What about streaming services like OnLive? What do you guys think about that form of gaming distribution?

From a collecting point of view, I'm not keen on it. I do like my physical media for a variety of reasons, and don't really want to see it go away.

That said, I think it could potentially be great for discovering/playing games. If libraries of titles are made available in a similar fashion to Netflix, then I think people will wind up giving a whole lot of games a shot that they never would have even considered buying. It'd remove the platform requirements - no more needing a decent gaming GPU, or a 15 year old console, or whatever to play some titles, opening them up to new audiences. There's quite a lot of potential, I think.