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

[Burns11]

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.

You are an aberration, about 1/4 of their audience hasn't ever taken their consoles online and who knows how many of the 3/4 that do take their consoles online have the bandwidth to reliably download 10+ GB games. Then you also have considerations for other markets that have ISP caps if they have broadband at all.

[CM Hooe]

Quote: Originally Posted by Burns11

Easier said than done, at least within budgetary constraints.

It'll be interesting to see how fast the price of solid state hard discs drops over the next few years. If they become very affordable for reasonable capacities (128GB / 250GB / 320GB), then I would not be surprised to see them implemented into the next-gen consoles and ergo next-gen games' load times will take a significant dip.

[Burns11]

Doubt they will drop anywhere even close to what they could get a regular HDD for anytime soon.

[DaveDQ]

Quote: Originally Posted by EnigmaNemesis

I say 2012 you may hear an announcement for them to launch 2013 the soonest. That is if the Mayan's are incorrect.

LOL

I actually think the next consoles won't have a disc drive. Look at how small media cards are now and all they hold. Internet speeds are not very far off from being a lot faster than what we have now. Microsoft is gradually introducing downloadable games and I think it works. It would be a sudden shift, and major retailers would take a huge hit, but it's a strong possibility.

As far as the PS4, Sony needs to find a way to appeal. Microsoft and Xbox Live has really hurt Sony's once strong position in gaming.

[EnigmaNemesis]

Quote: Originally Posted by DaveDQ

LOL I actually think the next consoles won't have a disc drive. Look at how small media cards are now and all they hold. Internet speeds are not very far off from being a lot faster than what we have now. Microsoft is gradually introducing downloadable games and I think it works. It would be a sudden shift, and major retailers would take a huge hit, but it's a strong possibility. As far as the PS4, Sony needs to find a way to appeal. Microsoft and Xbox Live has really hurt Sony's once strong position in gaming.

I can see that point to an extent, but the only thing is, they sell themselves as an "all in one box" too. So HD movie support, via disc based mediums (which Hollywood will never abandon), is a selling point.

But I do know there will offer more ways to get games, like a SteamWorks they do now, and plus the cash in on the smaller quick games like the cell phones have, as well as what they offer on PSN/Live Arcade exclusives.

And discs will still be cheaper to produce, than any other storage medium they requires more "material" to build.

[randombrother]

PS4 anytime before 2013 would sell badly. A PS4 anytime after 2013 would sell badly. They're pretty much damned if they do and damned if they don't. The PS3 hasn't had "that game" yet that would be something almost everyone would want to follow to a PS4. Uncharted 2 didn't do it for me and the people I know, GT5 was a complete flop among my circle of PS3 friends. Even guys I know who are HARDCORE GT5 , no 360 owning, fanboys, are not on GT5 nearly as hard as I've seen them on even GT5P and that's saying something.

The PS3 needs a Gears of Wars or Halo. They got games that may sell like Gears or Halo but it's more like buying to see what the PS3 can do versus buying because the games are **** on their own right.

I for one will not be buying a PS4 until I have hardened proof from the most cynical that there are some games that I'll be interested ON THE SHELF IN STORES. GT6 will not be a system "persuader" as was GT5 was for the PS3 for me. I'm glad I got a PS3 for streaming and bluray but I also bought it in anticipation of GT5. Had GT5 been my only reason I'd be pissed right now. I can't speak for everyone in the world but when everyone I know who owns a PS3 basically feels the same way it's a pretty bad sign. Right now I just don't feel I've got my money's worth from the PS3 and to ask me to buy a PS4 at some , we all know will be, outrageous price is nuts.

Microsoft on the other hand could come out with a system tomorrow and it'll sell like hotcakes. I think , on a whole, the majority of system owners feel they got their money's worth and then some out of the 360. And I HATE microsoft.

[Bellsprout]

I think the next gen will be a bridge as far as discless games go.

I could see games being simultaneously released to stores and available as a download. Or I could even see downloading a game allowing you to get it a few days to maybe a week early. But I don't think they'll just up and abandon discs right away. Gotta gradually push the public into it, not cut it off all at once.

[bkfount]

Quote: Originally Posted by DaveDQ

LOL I actually think the next consoles won't have a disc drive. Look at how small media cards are now and all they hold. Internet speeds are not very far off from being a lot faster than what we have now. Microsoft is gradually introducing downloadable games and I think it works. It would be a sudden shift, and major retailers would take a huge hit, but it's a strong possibility.

0% chance

sure, the DD options are growing, but look at it currently on XBL. MS just added MLB 2K9 for $30..like a week ago. Maybe they'll actually get day and date next gen, but even that would just make it a nice alternative to retail. It's a completely different thing to only go with DD.

As for the actual media formats, bluray is cheaper to produce than flash will ever be. By the time new consoles come out, they'll be able to use something like a 16x BD XL drive for cheap. It's a backwards compatible format, will allow over 100GB's on one disc, and the read times would be as fast as a HDD.