How the PS4 is shaping up to be the next must-own console

[dickey1331]

I think the economy plays a role too. How many people can drop $600+ for a console right now?

[Herky]

I don't think that the Kinect and PS Move would have been released if both companies didn't play on staying with the current consoles for awhile.

[bukktown]

I would guess 2014 or 2015. It's really amazing how this generation still feels fresh after 5+ years! What MLB the show can do with it's graphical improvements annually blows me away!

[CM Hooe]

On digital distribution, I would not be surprised if we see companies start going this route more in the future, and further I would not be surprised if it is made a major point of emphasis for the next generation of consoles.

Foremost, digital distribution would mandate hard drives in consoles, which would ease developers' jobs in coding for more consistent environments. Developers for the XBOX360 in particular still have to account for SKUs that lack a hard drive (I'm not sure if this problem exists for the PS3, I would not be surprised if it did however). Second, any optical drive (BD-ROM and DVD-ROM both) is going to be orders of magnitude slower than hard-disk drives with regard to loading time; eliminating this bottleneck would be of significant benefit from a technical standpoint. Optical drives are on their way to obsolescence anyway, but that's another story. Third, there's the simple cost of manufacturing a bunch of DVD-ROMs / BD-ROMs; eliminating that would save publishers and developers money, and they likely could still get away with charging $50+ for AAA titles. Fourth, it COMPLETELY eliminates the concern of players buying games used, which is a huge point of concern in today's video game world as evidenced by concepts such as online passes and new-copy-only free DLC.

Digital distribution of games is already happening on PCs via Steam, and already happening on mobile devices via the Apple App Store. It already happens to an extent on the XBOX360 and PS3 with select titles. Taking that concept wholesale on consoles is the next logical step, IMO.

[oneamongthefence]

If they did only 1 thing and 1 thing only for next gen it would have to be no load times.

[Burns11]

Easier said than done, at least within budgetary constraints.

[NEOPARADIGM]

Quote: Originally Posted by DickDalewood

No way discs are ever dropped ...

Ever? lol ...

Personally I'm rather surprised at the extent to which I've already moved away from physical media. I watch Netflix way more than I pop in DVDs or blu-rays, and my last four movie purchases were from the PSN. I buy all my music digitally. Gaming is really the only part of my life that still involves discs, and it is obviously trending away from them too. Firing up full-sized games like Mass Effect 2 and Borderlands straight from the XMB is pure gold.

[luv_mist]

Quote: Originally Posted by NEOPARADIGM

Ever? lol ... Personally I'm rather surprised at the extent to which I've already moved away from physical media. I watch Netflix way more than I pop in DVDs or blu-rays, and my last four movie purchases were from the PSN. I buy all my music digitally. Gaming is really the only part of my life that still involves discs, and it is obviously trending away from them too. Firing up full-sized games like Mass Effect 2 and Borderlands straight from the XMB is pure gold.

The only problem I have with the digital only is their justification for raising the price of games. This $60 is still ridiculous honestly. I know that they have the cost of everything that goes with it. There's a reason why the used section of gaming is so strong.