Digital Distribution discussion on IGN

[Dylan]

The way it works is that you pay to have access to a download and you cannot use that downloaded game without the Steam client and your account, which requires periodic online activation. You can even make DVD backups if you want, you just can't play the games without an active Steam account. If they go out of business, they will provide a key that will allow you to play the games you have downloaded or backed up without using the Steam account. So theoretically, yeah, you should still be able to play your Steam games 20 years from now.

Now that sounds like digital media distribution done right. That actually sways my opinion on the matter somewhat. Too bad consoles don't operate like this, I would have no gripes about the system at all if that were the case.

[RadarScope1]

I'm with JT and fast. I actually like it, and this is coming from a longtime VG collector. I love the original digital titles that are coming out these days like PMCE or Pixeljunk Eden, and I love that I can now get games like Rez and MvC2 for 10 or 15 bucks. It's so easy, it doesn't take up space (I'm de-cluttering my life in some areas) and it's cheap.

It comes down to a judgment on the consumer's part about whether or not the system is well supported and will continue to be down the line. I am a console-only gamer, and I have confidence that MS and Sony (and if I had a Wii, certainly Nintendo) are established enough that they will support their customers going forward. As others have said the PC side is a little more weird right now with DRM and whatnot.

Like it or not, it's the way things are going. I agree with Shiggy that retail will always be a component but definitely look for more digital distro, more digital only titles and even greater support of the networks by Sony, MS and Nintendo.

Which leads me to...

I do not think Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo will keep their online services up when the next generation comes. It's expensive and they don't care anyways. Even if they do 4 years later the next next generation appears and they will surely remove it.

That's just insane. Xbox Live and PSN will outlive any hardware those companies put out (no RROD innuendo intended). When MS puts out another box in a few years, players will carry over their tags, achievements, digital downloads, etc. The dashboard will carry over. The box you hook up to your TV is becoming far less important than the network that box jacks into.

[Jrecee]

So this key will grant you access to drm free versions of the games you've paid for? If it did that would solve a lot of issues, or at least make feel customers feel somewhat more comfortable.

But is that just a concept the guy who runs it came up with or an actual stipulation in the contract?

It sounds like publishers wouldn't like that since that makes the games easily copied. I'm also not completely convinced that plan would be followed through with. Look at GM getting split into "new gm" and "bad gm" and suddenly not being responsible for old lawsuits against the company.

Anyway. . . I'm not against digital content, I just think it's rediculous to think that it will 100% replace boxed products, and I think the guy who posted on ign has a rediculous point of view. He doesn't seem to grasp any of the negative aspects or problems that come with such a massive change. . . and is obviously an idiot based on the fact that he thinks anyone who would want a physical product is a moron (or an "achievement whore packrat")

[corn619]

I for one hate digital distribution. They have NO resale value, if you preorder you get no cool swag or limited edition packaging like seen by companies such as Atlus countless times. Downloads are worthless when you are sick of the game. If you want to pay good money for a product thats nonexistent be my guess. I'll stick with a disc thanks. Also I hate waiting for shit to download, I just want to play. I like going down the street to my local game store and shootin the shit. If the games were half the price of disc games, DRM free, and the console came with a storage meduim that was free, then......maybe but I think I would still lean towards a physical medium. But right now, I'm seeing most games available for DL cheaper in the stores than online to tell you the truth. And sometimes the store version comes with something the downloadable doesn't. "I'm looking at you Grand Turismo Prologue and Warhawk." But the fact that console companies are charging YOU big money for storage devices to store there games that you buy for the same price as a disc game is crazy. Simply put, downloads don't offer a complete product and I refuse to settle for the medicore. I love games, be it playing them, collecting them or looking forward to getting that limited edition figure or plushies or other cool shit. Also, I love taking my games over to my brothers house for parties and just playing and downloads don't offer me that option. You have to be logged in or online to play a game you paided for? Are you people listening to yourselves?! I live by this little rule and it works for me and I see it pertaining to this download crap. "Simplicity is the key to true freedom and happiness." Having to log into something you paided for and own so someone higher than you can see if it belongs to you is complete bullshit. Sorry for the rant, but I feel very strongly about this wool game companies are putting over peoples eyes .

[HellHammer]

I'll just mention the two things I bring up every time I have this discussion:

Sega Channel

Nintendo SNES Satellaview

This has already happened. A really neat idea, terribly easy to use, but you eventually lose your ability to have access to what you already owned, even when it's coming from a company as large as Nintendo or Sega. Sega and Nintendo have both released games for 'download only' in the past and they're now unavailible. Want to play the import versions of Mega Man: The Wily Wars and Pulseman that you bought on your Genesis? Well, now ya can't. Missed out on BS Zelda no Densetsu, like the rest of us? Then you'll never get to play it either.

I could list the reasons why DD is more convenient, but my bottom line is this:

I can't possibly afford all the games I want to play in a given gen. I absolutely love looking around for retro games that I skipped out on, I think that's part of being a retro collector... But in the future, when you're reminiscing about "all those classic DD games you missed out on", you won't have an option to go back and search flea markets or eBay to locate them, like you could if they were available in a physical form. You'll just have missed out and the game will be lost because of it's digital release.

And as today, we already have Nintendo taking down games from Wiiware...

[Jrecee]

Another thing that a lot of people don't bring up is coupons, discounts, and sales. If the only place I can buy an xbox game from is. . . microsoft, where's the incentive for sales? How often do live arcade games go on sale or get a price drop? What about buy one get one free sales.

What good is my bestbuy giftcard if I can only download games/music/movies? Hell, what good is bestbuy? What happens to their business if digital distribution takes over? It's not like they'll just cease to exist, you can't buy a game system or a videocamera by downloading it so their store will have to remain but their profits drop like hell.

[RadarScope1]

I'll just mention the two things I bring up every time I have this discussion:

Sega Channel

Nintendo SNES Satellaview

This has already happened.

Oh come on. There's absolutely no comparison here to 1994. Plenty of good arguments against digital distribution on this thread - this isn't one of them.

[HellHammer]

I'll just mention the two things I bring up every time I have this discussion:

Sega Channel

Nintendo SNES Satellaview

This has already happened.

Oh come on. There's absolutely no comparison here to 1994. Plenty of good arguments against digital distribution on this thread - this isn't one of them.

Read the rest of my post, because the year is irrelevant.

Buying digitally distributed games from the leaders of the video game industry eventually led to people losing the ability to access, own, or play those games, even with both those companies still in the business today.

Nintendo sold cartridge based Zelda games, and anyone can still play them right this very second. However, Nintendo also sold new, unique, first party games like B.S. Zelda through digital distribution and now, years later, they are completely unavailable. Even if you paid money to Nintendo for this specific game, you can no longer play it. This isn't the case for ANY other Zelda game released in physical form.

Saying that the loss of these games 'isn't a good argument against DD games' is something I'm baffled by. Might I point out, yet again, Nintendo has already taken games off of the Wiiware service? That's here...in 2009, my friend.

[RadarScope1]

I'll just mention the two things I bring up every time I have this discussion:

Sega Channel

Nintendo SNES Satellaview

This has already happened.

Oh come on. There's absolutely no comparison here to 1994. Plenty of good arguments against digital distribution on this thread - this isn't one of them.

Read the rest of my post, because the year is irrelevant.

Buying digitally distributed games from the leaders of the video game industry eventually led to people losing the ability to access, own, or play those games, even with both those companies still in the business today.

Nintendo sold cartridge based Zelda games, and anyone can still play them right this very second. However, Nintendo also sold new, unique, first party games like B.S. Zelda through digital distribution and now, years later, they are completely unavailable. Even if you paid money to Nintendo for this specific game, you can no longer play it. This isn't the case for ANY other Zelda game released in physical form.

Saying that the loss of these games 'isn't a good argument against DD games' is something I'm baffled by. Might I point out, yet again, Nintendo has already taken games off of the Wiiware service? That's here...in 2009, my friend.

I did read it. And the part about WiiWare is a pretty valid point ... which is why I didn't quote it.

Stellaview and the like just aren't valid comparisons to what's happening today. The digital world was almost non-existent in 1994. It's a completely different world today.

[Ack]

I suppose I should note that even the Satellaview games can be found online as ROMs. But they are incomplete due to the lack of streaming audio, hence why some are unplayable(since they required auditory clues).