I won't lie. I love the aggravation of scratching at shrink wrap over a new game. I love popping a disc or a cart into a system for the first time, and anticipating the game as everything begins to hum and come to life. I love letting the introduction cutscene of a game roll infinitely while I pour over the full color glossy pages of a manual. I love all of these things so much, I'm afraid to see it disappear. I might not be happy with the future of gaming.
A cadre of big names in the industry, namely SCEA's Phil Harrison, have said many times that the future of gaming lies in digital distribution. Discs, boxes, manuals, brick and mortar stores; all of these things may be a thing of the past sooner than we think. Many of us imagined that it would at least be another 10 years before we had to say good bye to a physical collection.
We've had PC distribution services like Steam on our doorsteps since the Source engine was announced by Valve, and Half Life 2 was revealed to be in development. Since then, we've been seeing countless PC games available for download from Steam, including Ragdoll Kung Fu, Sin Episodes, Darwinia, and the recently released Defcon.
Digital distribution had already become a reality, but it was more an exception, rather than the rule. That is, until now. With Sony revealing their plans for Gran Turismo HD, we are moving closer and closer towards the future that many collectors fear. Gran Turismo HD will offer a barebones "classic" package that will include no tracks or cars. Players will be able to purchase the cars and tracks that they want for small nominal fees, and possibly trade those cars with other players.
How does that connect to digital distribution? Other than the tenuous link to microtransactions, common sense would dictate that selling a boxed version of GT HD without tracks or cars included would not only be fairly discouraging to consumers who didn't know about its features before buying it, but it would be completely useless to those without an internet connection. On the other hand, if you offered the classic package only to those with an internet connection, you would already be serving purely to those with the means to purchase more content for the game.
As we all see Sony changing their tune on movie distribution on PSP after the failed UMD movie format, many journalists are theorizing that the PS3's distribution tie to bluray discs may not be as certain as once expected. Harrison himself was quoted as saying that he wouldn't be surprised if the PS4 didn't have a drive for physical media. It's entirely possible to assume that the PS3 may be the bridge between physical media and an entirely digital distribution method. Closer to the end of the system's life cycle, we might find less and less disc releases, and more digital releases, heralding the beginning of an entirely digitally distributed gaming future.
I have my concerns about digital distribution, past the simple and irrational need to collect. Many of my fellow gamers seem to share the same worries:
1) What happens when a game developer or publisher goes under? If my storage medium for the downloaded product corrupts, how will I download the game again? Will I have to repurchase the title?
2) What happens if I get a new unit that the game is released for? (this worry was alleviated when I purchased a Japanese 360, and moved all my downloads and achievements over to it by simply retrieving my gamertag from Microsoft's databases)
3) What happens if I want to purchase an old title? Without physical distribution, there's no way for me to scour small game shops for hard to find games. (then again, with digital distribution, no game would be rare or hard to find, I suppose)
4) Doesn't digital distribution open the flood gates for the use and abuse of microtransactions, seen in the likes of Lumines 2 for Xbox Live, and Gran Turismo HD?
These are just a few legitimate concerns lifted from a much longer list. It's not to say that the future is nothing but bleak. What's more important is that companies take a long hard look at the new pitfalls and issues that are created by entirely changing the way games and media are distributed to consumers.
I just hope the option to acquire a physical copy remains.
posted by Nayan at 7:53 AM
3 Comments:
Just to discuss a few of your concerns
1) As long as the distribution service is unified, a publisher or developer going under shouldn't mattered. Of course, the graver concern is what happens when the digital distributor goes under? The ability to authenticate the software can no longer occur... what then? Would they simply unlock all software for the life time of the software? If you lose the copy can you recover it?
With the backing of a digital distributor like Microsoft or Sony, it's likely that these digital licenses will last longer then a physical disc ever could (losing it, having it succumb to disc rot, etc). But it's not a definite; although those companies are solid, they're not invincible.. a couple decades out, nothing can really be taken for granted... including the continued existence of those companies.
2) Transaction details are located server side; with the only details you require been your account details... so be mindful of your account details; keep them in a safe place... it's the combination to your virtual gamebank afterall.
3) Once digital distribution takes hold... any title that have been distributed through the service in the past will continue to be distributed through it... server space is much cheaper than it once was, and will continue getting cheaper; there's no justification for removing old paid for downloads... especially when they can still be a source of continued revenue.
4) Doesn't digital distribution open the flood gates for the use and abuse of microtransactions, seen in the likes of Lumines 2 for Xbox Live, and Gran Turismo HD?
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This is probably the most questionable aspect of DD... but my feeling is that, the market will decide what it wants... obvious thing to say yes, but when there are more options in the digital marketspace; when you have a lumines clone sitting next to lumines pay per song game... and the clone does far better business... well that's the market speaking out.
Of course, probably the most preferable stance is one that provides additional choice; Giving users the option to choose alacarte, or to pick up the full package. If at a later date, more items are released, these can be released in packs or again in ala carte form.
In the case of GT, a possibility is to allow the cars to be earnable via traditional gameplay methods, or buyable... so for Classic... provide all the cars acquirable in offline form as per normal... while keeping the online garage seperate; where you have to participate in multiplayer races to earn credits, so that you can buy cars.
The online GT market can then accept either real cash payment for their virtual cars, or game credit payment.
In this way, as the publisher, you maximize the number of potential customers, by drawing people in, by not gimping the game... but making it so that exchanging time for money becomes an attractive proposition.
It's almost like as if Blizzard were to gain from all the gold farming activities in World of Warcraft, except in a manner that wouldn't piss people off, or wrecking the integrity of their own game.
Your blog's new look totally rocks. The black background is great for showing off pics and such. Was it hard to change from your old template?
Zap, I totally agree with you. I am the biggest advocate of physical media in the world. Just thought it was an interesting idea. :)
To anonymous: Nah, it was a snap. Took less than an hour to get it all done.
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