Could the PS4 ever go "Disc-less"?

[dieselfit]

This might be a silly question but honestly we barely use discs anymore. Look how Netflix took out video rental stores by offering streaming/downloadable content. For books, they are less popular than e-books. And slowly games are becoming more available via download but they would be giant downloads that would suck up a lot of bandwidth. Maybe this is the reason why it's taking so long for consoles to go without discs. It might be possible and this is just a guess, what do you guys think about gaming consoles going without discs?

 

[Ghost_of_Crash]

The PS4? I don't see it going disc-less. I can see the next PS getting rid of discs.

 

[SpaceTiger]

The PS4 could go disc-less towards the end of its run in that transitional period into the next PS, but not in the middle of its run.

 

[DrRipley]

I agree with SpaceTiger. I'm not entirely sure why they are still using discs, probably because Sony owns Bluray technology or some similar reason to it. I think for everything to go digital, internet speeds would have to go way up first, and as of now the standards don't seem to be high up enough for everyone to migrate to it yet.

 

[dieselfit]

I agree with you guys, but it is quite possible that it might go through the disc-less phase fairly soon. Maybe not this year or the next, but as soon as more people have access to higher internet speeds and bandwidth, then it's probably going to happen. I can see games being less expensive because as of now, they charge ridiculous high prices. I don't know if it would make that much of a difference but hopefully getting rid of the cases and paper costs would lower the costs of video games.

 

[daimashin]

I don't think so. Maybe more games will be digital only like those budget games. I don't see blockbuster games going digital only this generation. Let's face it, how many people actually have internet that can download tens of gigabytes without taking days and some even weeks. Not to mention, a lot of ISPs impose monthly download quota. Unless everyone has free and limitless internet, it's not going to happen anytime soon, definitely not this generation.

 

[SpaceTiger]

Price would be the number one factor for going disc-less, not convenience. If you have to buy another HDD to support the bigger games--and guaranteed even bigger games in the future, then that's not particularly convenient. With lower prices consumers would jump on digital only. If digital games are still $60 and not significantly lower it's not going to fly...or not fly very far.

 

[Legendoflore]

Probably towards the end of it's life cycle. We're slowly transitioning to a disc-less age right now. People barely watch dvds/blue-rays anymore, mostly listen to mp3s instead of buying CDS, and DLC are downloads with more and more publishers trying to encourage people to buy downloads with services like Steam and releasing downloads before discs.

 

[Derri]

Price is the biggest factor, on average a game on PSN store costs £40.99 now that's all nice and well but when I can get them for £39.99 in a shop then that's a plus. Price would have to come down and be very very competitive and go along with stores like Asda or Wal-Mart for Americans.

Plus HDD space is a big factor as well.

 

[dragoonblade]

I think a lot of people agree that there will be a time that we go discless. I agree that slowly but surely more and more people are turning to the convenience of digital products. The real question is when that's going to happen. The prices between disc and digital are pretty negligible so I don't see that being an issue. It might also make the prices more even across the world.

 

[Stuck_X_Button]

It would take great prices and regular, significant discounts for digital to really take off. You can get disc games used and in working condition with all the box art and stuff for less than the game at retail/depreciated retail and definitely less than digital over time.

I can see digital being the only thing with the next PS console. That would definitely mark the end of game collecting on Sony consoles since there's nothing impressive about saying "Look at my game collection...on my HDD...it's cover art and text."

"Can I borrow Again With Another Killzone?"

"No. Because it's digital."

 

[kushage]

You guys are retarded....I dont think they will be going disc-less anytime because they already said "Sony" that people like having a disc collection than a digital one....plus sony and phillips just teamed up to make a new disc that holds more information than a blu-ray disc....I think 300gb disc going to be released 2015.....so come on guys be smart.....why would ANYBODY want digital games? I sure as hell wont....if they do that...im out of sony's gaming shit because who just wants a collection thats digital? dumb idea....close thread

 

[mauricioq]

The PS4 could go disc-less towards the end of its run in that transitional period into the next PS, but not in the middle of its run.

I agree, this generation will still use discs but the next one I doubt it will. I have nothing against discs, I actually like them, but I'm sure they will be gone.

 

[kushage]

I agree, this generation will still use discs but the next one I doubt it will. I have nothing against discs, I actually like them, but I'm sure they will be gone.

LOL please be smart guys....how can they have all digital content when not EVERYBODY has fast internet speeds to hold that much bandwith? Have you thought about that? And also why would sony parter up with phillips to develope a new type of DISC to hold up to 300g/b of information? Come on guys be smart now

 

[sidd230]

As a PC gamer, discs disgust me now. Its the digital era. Catch up consoles. Optical media was 5 years ago.

 

[kushage]

As a PC gamer, discs disgust me now. Its the digital era. Catch up consoles. Optical media was 5 years ago.

You guys are sad...what if your friend wanted to borrow your game? Or if you wanted to have a collection of your game? What happens if all your digital games go away? Think about that?

 

[kushage]

If all your digital downloads got erased and some how and you couldn't get them back...what would you do? I'm just saying...at least with physical games if something happens to your game...you ALWAYS have a physical disc to put in....be smart...

 

[onison]

If all your digital downloads got erased and some how and you couldn't get them back...what would you do? I'm just saying...at least with physical games if something happens to your game...you ALWAYS have a physical disc to put in....be smart...

Be smart..... and download them again.

 

[Kosh]

LOL please be smart guys....how can they have all digital content when not EVERYBODY has fast internet speeds to hold that much bandwith? Have you thought about that? And also why would sony parter up with phillips to develope a new type of DISC to hold up to 300g/b of information? Come on guys be smart now

I think this needs to be said since you seem to enjoy trolling..

A disc that size is not meant for gaming. It is meant for data storage. Why? Because the current disc readers are not fast enough to process that size of discs fast. I recall reading an article awhile ago there they have developed a technique to create a 1,000 TB disc (there were several technology sites that picked up the story)... Sorry, that is actually to put 1,000 TB onto a DVD. It has to do with the method of burning the disc.

Large discs, at least for the forseeable future, are not meant for gaming. The time to burn onto these discs are quite extensive. And when you put a disc that size into a disc reader, the unit has to essentially read the entire disc and determine what is on it, and piece the bits together. While the 1,000 TB is, without a doubt, for data storage.. Even a 300 GB disc isn't meant for gaming. It's meant to put movies, files, etc... on.

I, myself, prefer to have an actual disc. That being said, your analogy of the 300 GB disc is way out to lunch I also enjoy having some things digitally too. As games get bigger, console makers need to increase the hard drive space.. 500 gb isn't much now when you think about it.. An avid gamer in a 5 year period could have 50+ games... At 10-25gb a game, chances are that 500 gb hard drive won't be enough. I have CoD and BF4 on discs, but I have Lego Marvel digitally.


See this link for the 1,000 TB disc information:

http://gizmodo.com/researchers-have-found-a-way-to-cram-1-000-terabytes-on-531549229

 

[onison]

You guys are sad...what if your friend wanted to borrow your game? Or if you wanted to have a collection of your game? What happens if all your digital games go away? Think about that?

You are just oozing intelligence. Please tell me, old wise one, if these answers would suffice in solving your conundrum.
1. Tell him to get his own game
2. You CAN always download the collection
3. Redownload although I'm curious as to where my digital games would just go away to. Perhaps the friend took them since I didn't have one for him to borrow.
Just a thought, TRY to think about it.