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Are you going to miss being able to buy used games?

post #1 of 64
10/21/08 at 2:17pm
Thread Starter 
Let's face facts. It's pretty obvious that we are heading towards a digitially downloadable future. I'm guessing in the next 12 to 15 years, physical video game media will be a part of history. Gamestop, Game Crazy, and places like that could very well be a part of history. Buying used games (of recently released games) via Craigslist and Ebay will be history.

Are you going to miss it?


I sure as hell am. I listen to alot of gaming podcasts, and I can't convey how pissed off I get, when I hear the hosts of these gaming podcasts happily looking forward to this new downloadable world of "virtual" ownership. They are actually excited about a future without physical media. The problem is, they are completely missing the part of that future that includes the fact that you won't actually really "own" anything, more than the rights to play a certain game, for a certain time period, on a certain console, under certain conditions.

20 years from now, people will look back fondly on the times when they could actually take their Fallout 3 disk over to a friends house, and play it at his house, with no strings attatched. People will remember the good ole days, when they could find a used copy of GTA4 for 30 bucks on Craigslist. It's mind boggling to me how few people realize that by accepting this future of digital downloads, you are signing the death certificate for physical media, and along with that, you're killing a future in which you can borrow a game, rent a game, sell a game to somebody else, buy a game used, etc, etc.

Here are a list of things you WON'T be able to do 20 years from now:


1. Sell Call of Duty 4 on Craigslist to somebody for $30 cash.

2. Buy a used Madden 2009 on Ebay for $42

3. Let my friend borrow Uncharted: Drake's Fortune for a couple of weeks.

4. Give my cousin my used copy of DiRT for his birthday.

5. Use my rent 1, get another 1 coupon for Hollywood Video, to rent two Xbox 360 games for a week for like 6 bucks or whatever Hollywood Video charges for them.

6. Go to a flea market on Saturday morning and browse all the used 360 and PS3 games for sale. Get an awesome deal on a used PS3 game, like Motorstorm 1 for 10 bucks.

7. Go to GameStop or GameCrazy and pay ridiculously overpriced amounts for used games with tons of scratches on them.




Ok.... maybe I won't miss #7



But seriously dudes....We should be up in arms about this future that we are heading to, but it seems like everybody is completely ignoring it.



Note to moderators: Yes, I posted this exact same thread in the Xbox forums. I wish we had a General Gaming Discussions forum, cause I'd rather post it there once, then have to repost the same thing in the 3 major gaming forums. I think this is an important topic that everybody should see. I know some guys only visit one of the 3 forums, so they would miss it, if I didn't repost it.
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post #2 of 64
10/21/08 at 2:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony1 View Post

Let's face facts. It's pretty obvious that we are heading towards a digitially downloadable future. I'm guessing in the next 12 to 15 years, physical video game media will be a part of history. Gamestop, Game Crazy, and places like that could very well be a part of history. Buying used games (of recently released games) via Craigslist and Ebay will be history.

Are you going to miss it?


I sure as hell am. I listen to alot of gaming podcasts, and I can't convey how pissed off I get, when I hear the hosts of these gaming podcasts happily looking forward to this new downloadable world of "virtual" ownership. They are actually excited about a future without physical media. The problem is, they are completely missing the part of that future that includes the fact that you won't actually really "own" anything, more than the rights to play a certain game, for a certain time period, on a certain console, under certain conditions.

20 years from now, people will look back fondly on the times when they could actually take their Fallout 3 disk over to a friends house, and play it at his house, with no strings attatched. People will remember the good ole days, when they could find a used copy of GTA4 for 30 bucks on Craigslist. It's mind boggling to me how few people realize that by accepting this future of digital downloads, you are signing the death certificate for physical media, and along with that, you're killing a future in which you can borrow a game, rent a game, sell a game to somebody else, buy a game used, etc, etc.

Here are a list of things you WON'T be able to do 20 years from now:


1. Sell Call of Duty 4 on Craigslist to somebody for $30 cash.

2. Buy a used Madden 2009 on Ebay for $42

3. Let my friend borrow Uncharted: Drake's Fortune for a couple of weeks.

4. Give my cousin my used copy of DiRT for his birthday.

5. Use my rent 1, get another 1 coupon for Hollywood Video, to rent two Xbox 360 games for a week for like 6 bucks or whatever Hollywood Video charges for them.

6. Go to a flea market on Saturday morning and browse all the used 360 and PS3 games for sale. Get an awesome deal on a used PS3 game, like Motorstorm 1 for 10 bucks.

7. Go to GameStop or GameCrazy and pay ridiculously overpriced amounts for used games with tons of scratches on them.




Ok.... maybe I won't miss #7



But seriously dudes....We should be up in arms about this future that we are heading to, but it seems like everybody is completely ignoring it.



Note to moderators: Yes, I posted this exact same thread in the Xbox forums. I wish we had a General Gaming Discussions forum, cause I'd rather post it there once, then have to repost the same thing in the 3 major gaming forums. I think this is an important topic that everybody should see. I know some guys only visit one of the 3 forums, so they would miss it, if I didn't repost it.


In 20 years ill be looking forward to my first Social Security check. God Willing of course
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post #3 of 64
10/21/08 at 2:28pm
We don't know what's going to happen in 15 years. Games could be stored on remote servers and streamed to your PS5, if you have paid the appropriate licensing fees that is. Either way, physical media will be missed.

You missed an important one on your list!

#8. Even trade games with your buddies.
#9. Borrow a buddies game with the intention of never returning it. J/K
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post #4 of 64
10/21/08 at 2:33pm
In 15 years I hope I'll have bigger things to worry about than video games.
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post #5 of 64
10/21/08 at 2:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Degenerazn View Post

In 15 years I hope I'll have bigger things to worry about than video games.

In 15 years I hope I retire and have Nothing to worry about! Well, realistically maybe 30 years.
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post #6 of 64
10/21/08 at 2:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Degenerazn View Post

In 15 years I hope I'll have bigger things to worry about than video games.


Trust me you'll be better off with smaller things to worry about
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post #7 of 64
10/21/08 at 2:40pm
In 15 years I hope I'll be making enough money not to worry about how I buy my video games.
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post #8 of 64
10/21/08 at 2:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Degenerazn View Post

In 15 years I hope I'll have bigger things to worry about than video games.

Funny, in 15 years I am hoping to not have bigger things to worry about than games.

Though I do assume that since both of my kids will be late teen/early twenty at that time that I will have bigger things to worry about.
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post #9 of 64
10/21/08 at 2:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jiffylush View Post

Funny, in 15 years I am hoping to not have bigger things to worry about than games.

Though I do assume that since both of my kids will be late teen/early twenty at that time that I will have bigger things to worry about.


Yep im already starting to save money for bail
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post #10 of 64
10/21/08 at 3:09pm
Thread Starter 
You guys aren't taking this future reality very seriously. While the complete dissapearence of physical media in the gaming industry is still likely 2 console generations away (12 to 15 years imho), the first effects of this reality are already underway, and the changes are going to be increasing over the next several years. I expect with Xbox 720 and PS4, that both systems will still have physical media, and you'll be able to buy your physical games at places like Best Buy and GameStop, but at the same time, I think every single game released for both systems will also be available digitally, completely bypassing retail. Then, Xbox 4 and PS5 will ship without any physical media whatsoever.

But before that can happen, they will have to slowly pave the way for that eventual future, and they are going to start heading in that direction more and more. Just look at Wipeout HD. There is no reason why this game shouldn't be available on physical media. The only reason, is to slowly but surely get people used to the idea of downloading their games instead of going to the stores. Sony would have all their PS3 games downloadable, and Microsoft too, if they thought they could get away with it this generation. They know that they can't completely piss of the retailers at this juncture, with the number of homes that actually have fiber to their doors. So, they can't quite do what they want to. Yet. But slowly, but surely, they are going to head in that direction. It may have started with Wipeout HD, but it's going to continue exponentially. I'd guess that next year, Microsoft will have a few high profile games (ala Wipeout HD), that will ony be available via Xbox Live. The big platform holders are thinking of "baby" steps right now, but they are going to continue this more and more as the years go by, and we will have less and less freedom as consumers, to do what we want with the software that we "supposedly" own.
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post #11 of 64
10/21/08 at 3:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony1 View Post

You guys aren't taking this future reality very seriously.

You're taking it way too seriously. You make it sound like there should be a major revolt or something. They're just games.
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post #12 of 64
10/21/08 at 3:46pm
I still think that each will have physical media drives. Otherwise, they would lose out on the whole BC thing.
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post #13 of 64
10/21/08 at 3:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by pbicich View Post

In 20 years ill be looking forward to my first Social Security check. God Willing of course

Good luck with that
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post #14 of 64
10/21/08 at 3:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by _Avarice_ View Post

Good luck with that

with making it to 59 or SS making it till im 59
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post #15 of 64
10/21/08 at 3:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by _Avarice_ View Post

Good luck with that

In 20 years,I'll be in my 50's and certainly not playing games.But I got ya,I'm not keen on downloadable content either,both for games and movies.
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post #16 of 64
10/21/08 at 4:04pm
The most interesting thing is that they are already staring to do that, and people will get 'sucked' in for the sake of convienence. For example, Warhalk was available as download or disc, most of us would prefer the disc, but some would find it 'more convienient' to have it on the hard drive. MS is going to allow you to copy the games to the hard drive, and play off the hard drive, but you still need the disc in the tray. Very soon, when people are happy with the perfromance of playing off of the harddrive (less noise, less time to load screens, less pop ins etc), people are going to think 'why am I buying the game, then coping the game to the hard drive, why don't I just download the game directly to the hard drive'. In actual fact, people may be able to download the game weeks in advance, but the game will not unlock till 'launch' time, thus everyone could play immeidately without waiting 6 hours to download the game. Most people will not be thinking about resale.
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post #17 of 64
10/21/08 at 4:07pm
Production and distribution costs get severely cut as well, which allows them to pass it on to us (like Wipeout or Warhawk).
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post #18 of 64
10/21/08 at 4:10pm
The lazy side of me likes having games stored on my hard drive, but the collector in me likes having a physical box and disc. I will certainly miss being able to buy/sell/trade used games, so I would much rather always have the option to buy a disc.

The best I can hope for is to help slow the move to 100% digital distribution by purchasing the disc version instead of the downloadable version.
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post #19 of 64
10/21/08 at 4:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jiffylush View Post

Funny, in 15 years I am hoping to not have bigger things to worry about than games.

Though I do assume that since both of my kids will be late teen/early twenty at that time that I will have bigger things to worry about.

Yeah, I don't know what kind of person would hope they would have a lot of big things to worry about. Seems kind of nuts to me.
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post #20 of 64
10/21/08 at 4:21pm
yes. wait..no. what?
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post #21 of 64
10/21/08 at 4:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by pbicich View Post

with making it to 59 or SS making it till im 59

Well.....both, but I was referring to the latter
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post #22 of 64
10/21/08 at 5:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Martez View Post

Production and distribution costs get severely cut as well, which allows them to pass it on to us (like Wipeout or Warhawk).

I don't think that's the case with those games. Those are games that would not be more expensive if they were on discs. One good thing digital distribution is doing is allowing games that couldn't be sold for $60 to be made available. For example, Gran Turismo 5:P and the expansion pack to Oblivion cost the same on disc or download.

I think what I'll mainly miss is not so much used games, but the lack of price reductions. With the game companies in control of pricing, we won't get those great deals when retailers mark games down.
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post #23 of 64
10/21/08 at 5:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by imdjenk View Post


#8. Even trade games with your buddies.
#9. Borrow a buddies game with the intention of never returning it. J/K

This reminds me that I still have my friend's copy of Dragon Warrior for NES which I traded him, temporarily, for my Mega Man 2. Then SNES came out and we never got around to swapping back...and now nearly two decades have elapsed.
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post #24 of 64
10/21/08 at 5:22pm
Yes and the same goes for movies. I want physical media. Thats why I was happy when the HD format war ended...
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post #25 of 64
10/21/08 at 5:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony1 View Post

Let's face facts...

Long time listener, first time caller here:

Very good post. I was actually thinking about this last week when going to Gamestop. I was thinking about how if I didn't like Warhawk, my only options are to delete it from my HDD or never play it again. Luckily for me, I love it and have logged in some insane amount of hours with it.

It made me realize, though, that once purchased it really has nearly zero value left in it. And it hit me when I purchased Jeopardy off the PSN and completely hated it that I'd have to be selective about downloadable purchases. There's no going back. For $5 or smaller I can live with it, but when purchasing a game for $15+ it's a risky proposition, even if you wait for (unreliable) reviews.

You definitely hit the nail on the head with your other points, and I am going to miss many of those things. I truly believe that digital downloads of video games will take off must faster than will that of HD movies for several reasons, most of which aren't really necessary to discuss. However, I'm going to be purchasing all of my titles on disc for the foreseeable future for many of the reasons you mention along with many others.

I'll hang up and listen now,

Brandon
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post #26 of 64
10/21/08 at 5:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dragonyeuw View Post

In 20 years,I'll be in my 50's and certainly not playing games.

I'd like to make a small-time, long-term wager with you on that.

Brandon
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post #27 of 64
10/21/08 at 5:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bplewis24 View Post

Quote:
Originally Posted by dragonyeuw View Post

In 20 years,I'll be in my 50's and certainly not playing games.

I'd like to make a small-time, long-term wager with you on that.

+1 My father-in-law is in his 50's and loves his ps2 (and soon to be ps3).
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post #28 of 64
10/21/08 at 6:58pm
Give up video games?

NEVER!!!!

My friends grandma who is like 72 plays ps2 religiously, it keeps her mentally sharp IMO.

My girlfriends grandfather who is pushing 70 places pc games all year.

It's good for the mind, besides that its a great way to bond with your kids if you have them. Video games rock, they are a staple of our society and a serious form of entertainment. Just as much as watching a movie is.
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post #29 of 64
10/21/08 at 7:23pm
So one day i won't want to play any games? Weird never thought it would come to this. I've been playing games since pong came out. I think I was about 7. I'm 37 now so I've been a gamer for 30 years and hope to be a gamer for about 50 more. As long as I don't break my hip playing sitar hero I'll be fine. I do believe that this media will all be downloaded in the future but it will be able to trade, someone will sell you a copy then you will be able to download then you will be able to relinquish the code, kind of like when I rebuild a computer and reinstall Photoshop, I have to transfer the e-license, or if I sell photoshop i have to relinquish the e-license so that the new user can install it. That's how i see it playing out anyway. It's all in the technicalities.
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post #30 of 64
10/21/08 at 9:27pm
In terms of physical media vs. DLC, I don't think one is going to win out over the other for quite some time, if ever. Games are a consumer based market and if the consumer still wants physical media than the game companies will continue to provide. Add to that that the network pipes simply aren't big enough yet (and don't appear to be getting any bigger anytime soon since companies like Comcast are more concerned about setting caps than improving their network) to make it worth my time to download a 20GB game vs. going to the store and grabbing a physical copy.

Will there be more downloadable options? Sure, but I don't think physical media is ever going to completely disappear. The format it comes in may go through some changes but I don't think it will vanish. I guess the music industry will really set the precedent here since you're dealing with smaller files that the networks can handle. Digital downloads are certainly popular (and I couldn't tell you the last time I personally bought a real CD), but I'm not going to get too worried until CDs disappear from brick and mortar stores and set the precedent that digital distribution has prevailed.

My $.02.
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