The $299 one actually seems like a good deal at face value:
Over 2 years it would be $299 plus $240 ($10/mo for 24mo) = 539
Where as the full price one would be
$499 + 2 years of live @ $60/yr = $619 or if you wait for sales and you could get live for $40/yr it would be $580.
So either way, the subscription one ends up being cheaper over 2 years. I guess what happens once year 3 rolls around, can you convert it over to $60/year (or $40/yr on sale) subscription cards or are you stuck paying $10/mo.
I agree Tank - I'm surprised they come out so close. However, we have no information on the price of Xbox Live yet. If that is the only difference, and the prices are as you say, it'd probably be a better choice in every way unless people do not want Xbox Live at all.
With the $99 Xbox 360, the price gap was wider at the end of the contract. Still a good thing to offer though.
Always on-DRM but not mandatory to be used, each publisher can decide on their own
i personally consider this shady as hell, unless ms does something with the 720 that really impress the hell out of me like picture box 3d using kinect this is most likely a deal breaker. been nice gaming with all of you..
The FL over 100 may be an indicator of no back-compat. The whole reason we were stuck at 100 was because of Halo2, and by the time they got rid of that hurdle, it was already fully embedded into 360. So if we make a clean start of it with 720, no back compat, it'll make it easier to transition into a larger friends list.
I'm hoping that Xbox 360 gamerscore carries over into the next Xbox at MOST as a "Legacy" number. I would love to see a blank slate for the next Xbox's achievement system.
I mean if it's fun in itself to get achievements, then there's no problem right? People wouldn't be mad about their gamerscore disappearing because it never had much meaning at all, right?
Can't wait for the tears. Then again, I never saw the point in farming achievements.
Also, the friends list is rumored to not require acceptance. In other words, more akin to a twitter style of friends where one person friends the other, and the other doesn't have to know or accept it.
I'm hoping that Xbox 360 gamerscore carries over into the next Xbox at MOST as a "Legacy" number. I would love to see a blank slate for the next Xbox's achievement system.
I agree with you. I hope the achievements start anew with the next gen console. At one point (a long time ago.....) I used to play bad games just get achievements. Now I just play games I like and get as many achievements as I want in those games. Its something that keeps the fun in certain games long after I beat the game.
I would love to see a blank slate for the next Xbox's achievement system.
uh, why would you want this? I want mine to carry over completely, I earned it.
I don't see the budget xbox to be useful at all. Anyone who already has a 360 doesn't need one, and it immediately makes your current 360 worthless. The only people buying them would be new users who don't care about backwards compat on the Nextbox anyway since they didn't have any games to begin with. It's a lose-lose for the gamer.
I would love to see a blank slate for the next Xbox's achievement system.
uh, why would you want this? I want mine to carry over completely, I earned it.
I don't see the budget xbox to be useful at all. Anyone who already has a 360 doesn't need one, and it immediately makes your current 360 worthless. The only people buying them would be new users who don't care about backwards compat on the Nextbox anyway since they didn't have any games to begin with. It's a lose-lose for the gamer.
I could care less if my achievements all got wiped out today. Now if my game saves were to get wiped out, thats another fuckin' story! I just don't put too much value in the score itself anymore. I stopped caring when I was buying Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles just to get the stupid 1000 gs.
I would love to see a blank slate for the next Xbox's achievement system.
uh, why would you want this? I want mine to carry over completely, I earned it.
I don't see the budget xbox to be useful at all. Anyone who already has a 360 doesn't need one, and it immediately makes your current 360 worthless. The only people buying them would be new users who don't care about backwards compat on the Nextbox anyway since they didn't have any games to begin with. It's a lose-lose for the gamer.
I could care less if my achievements all got wiped out today. Now if my game saves were to get wiped out, thats another fuckin' story! I just don't put too much value in the score itself anymore. I stopped caring when I was buying Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles just to get the stupid 1000 gs.
to each their own. I don't buy shitty games to get cheap GS. I play good games and I'm proud to show the actual achievement of finishing them.
I think it's kind of genious on Microsofts part, they can claim that they're not enforcing it and direct the nerdrage off on the publishers who chose to use the feature.
Also i assume that Gamerscore will carry over onto the new platform. Since you get achievements now on phones, tablets, PC games as well, it's more a generic game tracking thing and not specific to Xbox anymore.
It sounds like the achievements changes would encourage new and fresh ways to play. I like achievements that are a challenge to do something out of the ordinary. I would much rather try something interesting that a developer lays out for me than rent terrible games I have no interest in to raise a meaningless number. That's just me though.
I think the Always-On stuff needs to be carefully seperated when talking from the Always-Online stuff. People all over the internet are getting them confused. A DVR would be something always-on so that it can record shows. I expect that functionality with the next Xbox, and even the PS4 announcement mentioned Sony was doing that. Requiring an Always-Online connection to even play video games is very, very different. I don't know if that will be real or how draconian it will be.
I don't mind if used games are blocked through publisher specific DRM. Used game recycling hurts game developers much in the same was as game piracy. Besides, without DRM we'll just see more pseudo-DRM such as online passes that make the used game cost more than buying a new copy if you want to use all its features!
I don't mind if used games are blocked through publisher specific DRM. Used game recycling hurts game developers much in the same was as game piracy. Besides, without DRM we'll just see more pseudo-DRM such as online passes that make the used game cost more than buying a new copy if you want to use all its features!
Used games have a place. They aren't the option between ways to buy - most of the time it's either buy used or not buy at all. At least buying used, the publisher gets a possible new customer on the next game, or maybe some DLC purchased that wouldn't have been bought otherwise. Some people can't afford games full price, and until they drop their ridiculous $60 a pop 8 hour game BS (mobile $1 games usually last longer than that) people aren't going to buy everything new.
I don't mind if used games are blocked through publisher specific DRM. Used game recycling hurts game developers much in the same was as game piracy. Besides, without DRM we'll just see more pseudo-DRM such as online passes that make the used game cost more than buying a new copy if you want to use all its features!
Used games have a place. They aren't the option between ways to buy - most of the time it's either buy used or not buy at all. At least buying used, the publisher gets a possible new customer on the next game, or maybe some DLC purchased that wouldn't have been bought otherwise. Some people can't afford games full price, and until they drop their ridiculous $60 a pop 8 hour game BS (mobile $1 games usually last longer than that) people aren't going to buy everything new.
With what we've heard from Microsoft rumors and PS4 announcements its clear how it can work.
Digital downloads! Why drive to a gamestop and pay to give the game developer nothing, when the same game can be had for the same price and played in less time by downloading?
With this huge push for downloads from both sides, clearly they could do sales, pre order sales and incentives, and deals for entire publishers similar to what Steam does with its download service. So would people prefer to pre-order at gamestop for fewer bonuses and at a higher cost than to have the game available sooner by pre-ordering through their console? I doubt it.
As far as achievements, sure you earned them you keep them. I don't think for a second Xbox 360 achievements would be wiped clean, but I do think that the next Xbox will start with a blank slate for its own achievements. I don't think next Xbox achievements add to your existing gamerscore and I don't think Xbox 360 achievements affect things on the new Xbox beyond something like a Legacy number.
I think the download services both Sony and Microsoft have to offer will address all the no-used games concerns you mentioned, while offering a greater incentive to not buy used and a greater incentive to buy directly from your console rather than a store.
I don't think you'll lose any achievements, rather they won't carry over.
I am also certain that the min-Xbox which is rumored to have been cancelled would have been more akin to AppleTV rather than a next Xbox's alternative.
I don't mind if used games are blocked through publisher specific DRM. Used game recycling hurts game developers much in the same was as game piracy. Besides, without DRM we'll just see more pseudo-DRM such as online passes that make the used game cost more than buying a new copy if you want to use all its features!
Used video games are the reason console's took off. If you couldn't just go and pick up a used game for cheap, everyone would of stuck with PC's for gaming.
I don't mind if used games are blocked through publisher specific DRM. Used game recycling hurts game developers much in the same was as game piracy. Besides, without DRM we'll just see more pseudo-DRM such as online passes that make the used game cost more than buying a new copy if you want to use all its features!
Used video games are the reason console's took off. If you couldn't just go and pick up a used game for cheap, everyone would of stuck with PC's for gaming.
I thought it was because of arcade's at home thing? Did they even have PC games in the 80s?
Maybe the main issue is we are getting old. The kids buy these now days more than likely have never seen a Sega Mega drive (genesis) 2 nevermind a ZX Spectrum. So all this online crap ect won't matter to them as they we see it as normal.
Although isn't the 360 always net ready? How many times have you been on your 360 with out signing in to XBL
Fuck Orth and fuck Microsoft and their stupid "always online" bullshit. Excuse my french. I'm a ten year Gold member from a rural place where internet connectivity is certainly not a guarantee. I'll take my money elsewhere. Which is a shame... as a person who owned the XBox and the 360, this new console should be an absolute no-brainer. I should be an easy sale. I'm vowing right now that without a total reversal of this "always on" stance, I will never buy another M$ product.
Digital downloads! Why drive to a gamestop and pay to give the game developer nothing, when the same game can be had for the same price and played in less time by downloading?
Have you seen the prices on Live Games on Demand? They're a joke. IF the prices became reasonable, i'd certainly prefer to buy a download copy from microsoft and give the devs some cash over buying used and the devs not getting anything. But when Gamestop sells the game for 19.99 used and GoD stil wants 39 or 49 dollars, they can suck it, i'll shop at gamestop.
Digital downloads! Why drive to a gamestop and pay to give the game developer nothing, when the same game can be had for the same price and played in less time by downloading?
Have you seen the prices on Live Games on Demand? They're a joke. IF the prices became reasonable, i'd certainly prefer to buy a download copy from microsoft and give the devs some cash over buying used and the devs not getting anything. But when Gamestop sells the game for 19.99 used and GoD stil wants 39 or 49 dollars, they can suck it, i'll shop at gamestop.
Oh, absolutely. Who wants to pay double the price or more for something especially when Gamestop has a return policy on used game sales? Microsoft would definitely have to be more agile with pricing.
Also, ever scratched a disc? Had one become unusable? Lost a game's disc entirely? Throughout PC gaming and Gamecube/Xbox 360 games I've had that happen quite a bit. It's only natural to lose or have damaged discs, when I've been buying optical media games since Myst became CD-ROM's killer app. So consider this: gamestop or best buy will sell you at a cost a protection plan for the disc. If you buy a digital game you can redownload it over and over again. Your new Xbox catches fire before sinking to the bottom of the ocean? No problem, all your downloaded games can be recovered on your new console, no protection plan fees required.
Ideally, Microsoft would offer this:
Pre-order discounts
Pre-order bonuses
Pre-loading games before release date
Playing games while they download
Agile pricing with frequent sales or bundles
Prices that decrease over time
Unlimited redownloads
Cloud saving for saved games and user content
Microsoft would have the ability to remove Gamestop from the equation for anyone with Internet. It would be worse to go to a Gamestop in terms of time, money, bonuses, and disc losses.
As more people download digitally, there would be fewer discs to trade in to gamestop. Fewer used games to pick from compared to the console's wide selection.
As more people download digitally, there would be fewer discs to trade in to gamestop. Fewer used games to pick from compared to the console's wide selection.
[/quote] I have enjoyed your posts here because you use both sides of your brain effectively and avoid drama traps for flamewars. Anyway, as I browse the new game section in stores, I often see a kid browsing the used section looking for a $2-$5 bargain they have saved their lunch money to purchase. They are future fans, gamers and will become brand loyalists. Kids do not often control the online purchases at home. As a kid I often browsed the local library because I lacked the buy-power at the book stores. I like the used game market to be an option. I go to garage sales and never seem to hear that reselling products no longer wanted to another who does as taking down the American market-place. Ethan Allen doesn't seem to feel cheated because someone sells their furniture in an estate sale. I see the used game market as opening up titles to a wider audience that simply would not be available otherwise. The ability to own, buy & sell property is an important freedom. Pirating is not. Yes, I will most probably get the new Xbox...wanna keep stimulating our economy doncha know. lol
As more people download digitally, there would be fewer discs to trade in to gamestop. Fewer used games to pick from compared to the console's wide selection.
I have enjoyed your posts here because you use both sides of your brain effectively and avoid drama traps for flamewars. Anyway, as I browse the new game section in stores, I often see a kid browsing the used section looking for a $2-$5 bargain they have saved their lunch money to purchase. They are future fans, gamers and will become brand loyalists. Kids do not often control the online purchases at home. As a kid I often browsed the local library because I lacked the buy-power at the book stores. I like the used game market to be an option. I go to garage sales and never seem to hear that reselling products no longer wanted to another who does as taking down the American market-place. Ethan Allen doesn't seem to feel cheated because someone sells their furniture in an estate sale. I see the used game market as opening up titles to a wider audience that simply would not be available otherwise. The ability to own, buy & sell property is an important freedom. Pirating is not. Yes, I will most probably get the new Xbox...wanna keep stimulating our economy doncha know. lol
[/quote]
Thanks.
You bring up a good point though here. Children too young to have a credit card or employment wouldn't be buying digitally all on their own. They would need their parents permission. However, a drive to a gamestop would likely also require parents permission. I can see your point about it though. There's something to be said for preferring physical media, whether its movies, games, or in my case books. While it may not come with the advantages I've already discussed, a kid could easily prefer to look at a huge wall of games to pick from. It's also something they can literally take home with them. Of course, preferring physical media spans across all ages.
Overall there shouldn't come a point now where a game is simply no longer available. Completely eliminating stores like Gamestop is a bad idea - because those also drive console and new game sales through their used game trade ins.
I'd like to see piracy reduced a bit through demos and free trials, nimble price changes and special offers, and online features that encourage the game to be a legit purchase, rather than online requirements that punish those without stellar internet access.
Truthfully there is no easy answer. Game developers want to earn for what they created, and players want games available to them.
So while I can easily see myself going fully digital download, I can also completely understand someone with very fast internet preferring a physical game still as well.
f you buy a digital game you can redownload it over and over again. Your new Xbox catches fire before sinking to the bottom of the ocean? No problem, all your downloaded games can be recovered on your new console, no protection plan fees required.
Word. Really now with cloud saves, and re-downloads - you don't ever need to worry about your games/saves. You can download everything again to any box.
Digital downloads! Why drive to a gamestop and pay to give the game developer nothing, when the same game can be had for the same price and played in less time by downloading?
Have you seen the prices on Live Games on Demand? They're a joke. IF the prices became reasonable, i'd certainly prefer to buy a download copy from microsoft and give the devs some cash over buying used and the devs not getting anything. But when Gamestop sells the game for 19.99 used and GoD stil wants 39 or 49 dollars, they can suck it, i'll shop at gamestop.
This, for sure. They need to wake up and be realistic. They're saving money on factories putting out these cases and discs and shipping them, and deals with stores to carry them. Pass that on the the consumer, who will see $40 games as a huge deal and will buy more of them for no extra overhead cost for you.
Digital downloads! Why drive to a gamestop and pay to give the game developer nothing, when the same game can be had for the same price and played in less time by downloading?
Have you seen the prices on Live Games on Demand? They're a joke. IF the prices became reasonable, i'd certainly prefer to buy a download copy from microsoft and give the devs some cash over buying used and the devs not getting anything. But when Gamestop sells the game for 19.99 used and GoD stil wants 39 or 49 dollars, they can suck it, i'll shop at gamestop.
This, for sure. They need to wake up and be realistic. They're saving money on factories putting out these cases and discs and shipping them, and deals with stores to carry them. Pass that on the the consumer, who will see $40 games as a huge deal and will buy more of them for no extra overhead cost for you.
That's my biggest gripe about digital distribution, the savings AREN'T being passed on to the consumers. Since i actively re-sell my games when i'm done with them, i'm paying 35-40 bucks out of pocket for each new title. You can't do that with downloaded games so i'm not willin gto pay any more than 40 bucks. But the current trend is to offer the downloaded version for the same price as the boxed retail and they get away with it because gamers in general are kinda stupid with their money and that stupidity is changing the industry for the worst for people who ARE sensible with their money.
More leaks/rumors, in summary:
-Rumors of two next gen xboxes are no longer accurate. The slimmed down streaming media/xbla only one is not launching this year
-However there are rumors of a very cheap (possibly $99) xbox360 launching about the same time as the next xbox
-Another always on confirmation but still zero details on what it's going to be used for
-Will launch at $499 and $299, the $299 one will require a 2 year $10/month subscription to Live
-No back compat, instead launching a cheap 360.
-The OS is based on Windows 8 so could share some common apps with windows systems
-BluRay instead of dvd9
http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/04/25/next-xbox-functionality-pricing-r...
That'd be good news at least. A smart move they seem to have tested with the Xbox 360 as well.
Glad I didn't see comments on that claiming it was a terrible deal for the $299 version and nobody should buy it lol
The $299 one actually seems like a good deal at face value:
Over 2 years it would be $299 plus $240 ($10/mo for 24mo) = 539
Where as the full price one would be
$499 + 2 years of live @ $60/yr = $619 or if you wait for sales and you could get live for $40/yr it would be $580.
So either way, the subscription one ends up being cheaper over 2 years. I guess what happens once year 3 rolls around, can you convert it over to $60/year (or $40/yr on sale) subscription cards or are you stuck paying $10/mo.
I agree Tank - I'm surprised they come out so close. However, we have no information on the price of Xbox Live yet. If that is the only difference, and the prices are as you say, it'd probably be a better choice in every way unless people do not want Xbox Live at all.
With the $99 Xbox 360, the price gap was wider at the end of the contract. Still a good thing to offer though.
More rumor news:
Achievements can be added without needing DLC, may go cross platform and trigger on more complex requirements
Friends lists to go beyond 100
Gameplay video recording/sharing
Always on-DRM but not mandatory to be used, each publisher can decide on their own
http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/04/26/next-xbox-rumored-to-change-frien...
http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/04/26/rumor-the-next-xbox-will-retool-a...
i personally consider this shady as hell, unless ms does something with the 720 that really impress the hell out of me like picture box 3d using kinect this is most likely a deal breaker. been nice gaming with all of you..
The friends list things way over due. Seems like I need double that minimum, always shuffling for Forza.
The FL over 100 may be an indicator of no back-compat. The whole reason we were stuck at 100 was because of Halo2, and by the time they got rid of that hurdle, it was already fully embedded into 360. So if we make a clean start of it with 720, no back compat, it'll make it easier to transition into a larger friends list.
I'm hoping that Xbox 360 gamerscore carries over into the next Xbox at MOST as a "Legacy" number. I would love to see a blank slate for the next Xbox's achievement system.
I mean if it's fun in itself to get achievements, then there's no problem right? People wouldn't be mad about their gamerscore disappearing because it never had much meaning at all, right?
Can't wait for the tears. Then again, I never saw the point in farming achievements.
Also, the friends list is rumored to not require acceptance. In other words, more akin to a twitter style of friends where one person friends the other, and the other doesn't have to know or accept it.
I agree with you. I hope the achievements start anew with the next gen console. At one point (a long time ago.....) I used to play bad games just get achievements. Now I just play games I like and get as many achievements as I want in those games. Its something that keeps the fun in certain games long after I beat the game.
uh, why would you want this? I want mine to carry over completely, I earned it.
I don't see the budget xbox to be useful at all. Anyone who already has a 360 doesn't need one, and it immediately makes your current 360 worthless. The only people buying them would be new users who don't care about backwards compat on the Nextbox anyway since they didn't have any games to begin with. It's a lose-lose for the gamer.
I could care less if my achievements all got wiped out today. Now if my game saves were to get wiped out, thats another fuckin' story! I just don't put too much value in the score itself anymore. I stopped caring when I was buying Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles just to get the stupid 1000 gs.
.
to each their own. I don't buy shitty games to get cheap GS. I play good games and I'm proud to show the actual achievement of finishing them.
I think it's kind of genious on Microsofts part, they can claim that they're not enforcing it and direct the nerdrage off on the publishers who chose to use the feature.
Also i assume that Gamerscore will carry over onto the new platform. Since you get achievements now on phones, tablets, PC games as well, it's more a generic game tracking thing and not specific to Xbox anymore.
It sounds like the achievements changes would encourage new and fresh ways to play. I like achievements that are a challenge to do something out of the ordinary. I would much rather try something interesting that a developer lays out for me than rent terrible games I have no interest in to raise a meaningless number. That's just me though.
I think the Always-On stuff needs to be carefully seperated when talking from the Always-Online stuff. People all over the internet are getting them confused. A DVR would be something always-on so that it can record shows. I expect that functionality with the next Xbox, and even the PS4 announcement mentioned Sony was doing that. Requiring an Always-Online connection to even play video games is very, very different. I don't know if that will be real or how draconian it will be.
I don't mind if used games are blocked through publisher specific DRM. Used game recycling hurts game developers much in the same was as game piracy. Besides, without DRM we'll just see more pseudo-DRM such as online passes that make the used game cost more than buying a new copy if you want to use all its features!
Used games have a place. They aren't the option between ways to buy - most of the time it's either buy used or not buy at all. At least buying used, the publisher gets a possible new customer on the next game, or maybe some DLC purchased that wouldn't have been bought otherwise. Some people can't afford games full price, and until they drop their ridiculous $60 a pop 8 hour game BS (mobile $1 games usually last longer than that) people aren't going to buy everything new.
With what we've heard from Microsoft rumors and PS4 announcements its clear how it can work.
Digital downloads! Why drive to a gamestop and pay to give the game developer nothing, when the same game can be had for the same price and played in less time by downloading?
With this huge push for downloads from both sides, clearly they could do sales, pre order sales and incentives, and deals for entire publishers similar to what Steam does with its download service. So would people prefer to pre-order at gamestop for fewer bonuses and at a higher cost than to have the game available sooner by pre-ordering through their console? I doubt it.
As far as achievements, sure you earned them you keep them. I don't think for a second Xbox 360 achievements would be wiped clean, but I do think that the next Xbox will start with a blank slate for its own achievements. I don't think next Xbox achievements add to your existing gamerscore and I don't think Xbox 360 achievements affect things on the new Xbox beyond something like a Legacy number.
I think the download services both Sony and Microsoft have to offer will address all the no-used games concerns you mentioned, while offering a greater incentive to not buy used and a greater incentive to buy directly from your console rather than a store.
I don't think you'll lose any achievements, rather they won't carry over.
I am also certain that the min-Xbox which is rumored to have been cancelled would have been more akin to AppleTV rather than a next Xbox's alternative.
Just my thoughts! My lovely, delicious thoughts.
Used video games are the reason console's took off. If you couldn't just go and pick up a used game for cheap, everyone would of stuck with PC's for gaming.
I thought it was because of arcade's at home thing? Did they even have PC games in the 80s?
Maybe the main issue is we are getting old. The kids buy these now days more than likely have never seen a Sega Mega drive (genesis) 2 nevermind a ZX Spectrum. So all this online crap ect won't matter to them as they we see it as normal.
Although isn't the 360 always net ready? How many times have you been on your 360 with out signing in to XBL
Fuck Orth and fuck Microsoft and their stupid "always online" bullshit. Excuse my french. I'm a ten year Gold member from a rural place where internet connectivity is certainly not a guarantee. I'll take my money elsewhere. Which is a shame... as a person who owned the XBox and the 360, this new console should be an absolute no-brainer. I should be an easy sale. I'm vowing right now that without a total reversal of this "always on" stance, I will never buy another M$ product.
Have you seen the prices on Live Games on Demand? They're a joke. IF the prices became reasonable, i'd certainly prefer to buy a download copy from microsoft and give the devs some cash over buying used and the devs not getting anything. But when Gamestop sells the game for 19.99 used and GoD stil wants 39 or 49 dollars, they can suck it, i'll shop at gamestop.
Oh, absolutely. Who wants to pay double the price or more for something especially when Gamestop has a return policy on used game sales? Microsoft would definitely have to be more agile with pricing.
Also, ever scratched a disc? Had one become unusable? Lost a game's disc entirely? Throughout PC gaming and Gamecube/Xbox 360 games I've had that happen quite a bit. It's only natural to lose or have damaged discs, when I've been buying optical media games since Myst became CD-ROM's killer app. So consider this: gamestop or best buy will sell you at a cost a protection plan for the disc. If you buy a digital game you can redownload it over and over again. Your new Xbox catches fire before sinking to the bottom of the ocean? No problem, all your downloaded games can be recovered on your new console, no protection plan fees required.
Ideally, Microsoft would offer this:
Microsoft would have the ability to remove Gamestop from the equation for anyone with Internet. It would be worse to go to a Gamestop in terms of time, money, bonuses, and disc losses.
As more people download digitally, there would be fewer discs to trade in to gamestop. Fewer used games to pick from compared to the console's wide selection.
As more people download digitally, there would be fewer discs to trade in to gamestop. Fewer used games to pick from compared to the console's wide selection.
[/quote] I have enjoyed your posts here because you use both sides of your brain effectively and avoid drama traps for flamewars. Anyway, as I browse the new game section in stores, I often see a kid browsing the used section looking for a $2-$5 bargain they have saved their lunch money to purchase. They are future fans, gamers and will become brand loyalists. Kids do not often control the online purchases at home. As a kid I often browsed the local library because I lacked the buy-power at the book stores. I like the used game market to be an option. I go to garage sales and never seem to hear that reselling products no longer wanted to another who does as taking down the American market-place. Ethan Allen doesn't seem to feel cheated because someone sells their furniture in an estate sale. I see the used game market as opening up titles to a wider audience that simply would not be available otherwise. The ability to own, buy & sell property is an important freedom. Pirating is not. Yes, I will most probably get the new Xbox...wanna keep stimulating our economy doncha know. lol
[/quote]
Thanks.
You bring up a good point though here. Children too young to have a credit card or employment wouldn't be buying digitally all on their own. They would need their parents permission. However, a drive to a gamestop would likely also require parents permission. I can see your point about it though. There's something to be said for preferring physical media, whether its movies, games, or in my case books. While it may not come with the advantages I've already discussed, a kid could easily prefer to look at a huge wall of games to pick from. It's also something they can literally take home with them. Of course, preferring physical media spans across all ages.
Overall there shouldn't come a point now where a game is simply no longer available. Completely eliminating stores like Gamestop is a bad idea - because those also drive console and new game sales through their used game trade ins.
I'd like to see piracy reduced a bit through demos and free trials, nimble price changes and special offers, and online features that encourage the game to be a legit purchase, rather than online requirements that punish those without stellar internet access.
Truthfully there is no easy answer. Game developers want to earn for what they created, and players want games available to them.
So while I can easily see myself going fully digital download, I can also completely understand someone with very fast internet preferring a physical game still as well.
Word. Really now with cloud saves, and re-downloads - you don't ever need to worry about your games/saves. You can download everything again to any box.
This, for sure. They need to wake up and be realistic. They're saving money on factories putting out these cases and discs and shipping them, and deals with stores to carry them. Pass that on the the consumer, who will see $40 games as a huge deal and will buy more of them for no extra overhead cost for you.
That's my biggest gripe about digital distribution, the savings AREN'T being passed on to the consumers. Since i actively re-sell my games when i'm done with them, i'm paying 35-40 bucks out of pocket for each new title. You can't do that with downloaded games so i'm not willin gto pay any more than 40 bucks. But the current trend is to offer the downloaded version for the same price as the boxed retail and they get away with it because gamers in general are kinda stupid with their money and that stupidity is changing the industry for the worst for people who ARE sensible with their money.
word. people aren't speaking with their wallets when they should be.