Digital Distribution vs Physical Distribution (2017 and forward)

Prophecy2k

Veteran
This is probably the wrong thread for it, but based on the EEDAR data presented at GDC this year, It's pretty clear that it would be complete lunacy to release a next-gen (or updated current-gen) console without a physical media drive:

digitalretailrevenuemasbz.png
 
This is probably the wrong thread for it, but based on the EEDAR data presented at GDC this year, It's pretty clear that it would be complete lunacy to release a next-gen (or updated current-gen) console without a physical media drive:
You don't know how many of those buying disks would be comfortable transitioning to download only if that was the only option. Plus the current situation has elevated download prices, so again, the situation could comfortably change in a DD only machine. In short, no conclusions can be drawn. ;)
 
I will never buy a disc again and would welcome a drive-less sku, but money talks, so disc drives aren't going away.
 
Dual sku is an obvious solution, but market research probably shows it's a niche demand. Otherwise it would have already happened. Those who want it are less cost conscious, and the saving would be only 20 bucks. It's a questionable market to go through the production hassle of a second physical product.
 
You don't know how many of those buying disks would be comfortable transitioning to download only if that was the only option. Plus the current situation has elevated download prices, so again, the situation could comfortably change in a DD only machine. In short, no conclusions can be drawn. ;)

That's true Shifty, but business decision like this need to be based on hard data, and I wouldn't like to be the engineer at Sony pointing to this graph and trying to explain to executive management that a diskless next-gen console is a viable strategy, when close to 75% of all AAA console gaming revenue still comes from physical media.
 
Dual sku is an obvious solution, but market research probably shows it's a niche demand. Otherwise it would have already happened. Those who want it are less cost conscious, and the saving would be only 20 bucks. It's a questionable market to go through the production hassle of a second physical product.

Obvious solution is to allow for a bring your own device style for USB3 UHD Blu-Ray drives. That way people who need physical media can, while keeping the SKU count to 1.
 
Obvious solution is to allow for a bring your own device style for USB3 UHD Blu-Ray drives. That way people who need physical media can, while keeping the SKU count to 1.
Vast majority of people would have to buy an additional drive in an unwieldy setup, at a much higher price than the actual bom price. Portable drives reliability is questionable for daily use, and none are slot loading at a reasonable price.
 
Obvious solution is to allow for a bring your own device style for USB3 UHD Blu-Ray drives. That way people who need physical media can, while keeping the SKU count to 1.
Hopefully enough people care about owning their purchases for some time. That's a tacky awkward set up. I'll probably not buy a console without physical media and just stick to PC at that point.

Nintendo will stay physical longer than the other 2.
 
Vast majority of people would have to buy an additional drive in an unwieldy setup, at a much higher price than the actual bom price. Portable drives reliability is questionable for daily use, and none are slot loading at a reasonable price.

How much use does the optical drive get anyways on a console? It's only used for installing games and for physical media check. Are people continually doing nothing except installing games instead of playing games? Or do you figure they would be put to use for playback of UHD movies?
 
How much use does the optical drive get anyways on a console? It's only used for installing games and for physical media check. Are people continually doing nothing except installing games instead of playing games? Or do you figure they would be put to use for playback of UHD movies?

I always buy more games than I have time to play so I don’t even use the drive as much as I should. :(
 
How much use does the optical drive get anyways on a console? It's only used for installing games and for physical media check. Are people continually doing nothing except installing games instead of playing games? Or do you figure they would be put to use for playback of UHD movies?
You got me :LOL:

Well honestly the shitty part in a laptop-style drive is the tray and flex cable that moves with it, flimsy frame that end up misaligning, not the motor and pickup. Gamecube probably had the most robust optical drive in history.
 
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