Could the PS4 ever go "Disc-less"?

[Oberon]

Digital only sucks in so many ways.

1.Cant trade or resell
2.People with bandwidth limits and speed will be too handicapped,not all countries or cities,towns etc anywhere have decent speeds or cheap enough plans for larger bandwidth caps.
3. If you delete it off your HDD its gone,you can only download again a few times before you need to buy again (depending on Sony's terms at any time)
4.Prob with your HDD and you lose all data,need to download again,see number 3 above for probs with that.People may say you may have probs with discs but Ive only ever had that once with PS3. And with so people putting in larger aftermarket HDD's I think the issue with that could be more common.
5.So far all 'new' releases Ive seen are always more expensive than buying hard copy,at least with hard copies you can search for cheaper prices at online shops,ebay,amazon etc.
Unless they incorporate something like that in future PS5 where anyone can sell digital on PSN.

 

[hellsing006]

I would prefer that disc always remain an option, but as I think has been discussed in other threads it's a distinct possibility that the next console cycle, we could see the Big Three, and you know what I'll include the Steambox, going disc-less. Most games are already available digitally upon release, DLC is mostly just digital, and Indie titles are digital. I feel like we're being slowly herded in that direction so it isn't an impossibility. I doubt that the PS4 will be but as we get closer to the end of it's life we might see things differently.

 

[JackDannox]

I would also prefer that disks remain an option. For some countries, the internet speed and caps aren't up to the standard that would be needed for full digital, and plus, for them to go digital, they would have to have some decent prices like Steam for example and not overcharge.

 

[Ghost_of_Crash]

Discs should stay a primary option. The main reason being what Oberon said about price. Digital games will stay the same price for a long time and only drop slightly. You can find disc games for much less used. I'm sure there will be a time when you can sell digital, but by that time it would defeat the purpose.

 

[dragoonblade]

Like I said earlier, discs will always be around in some way. I mean we still sell CDS, DVDS, and Bluerays so why should game discs go away. If anything digital will probably become more dominant with a limited amount of discs being shipped out for those who want that option. I don't think the PS4 will be disc-less but I could see us going that way in 10 years.

 

[SpaceTiger]

I would love for discs to remain and I really hope they stick around like dragoonblade said. I just have a feeling that one of the companies would try to move toward digital only. Personally I see it as Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo--in that order. While I did say I could see Sony doing it in the end of PS4's run, I've been thinking it would really depend on if PlayStation is still a game console that has other entertainment features or like Xbox, an entertainment system that just so happens to play games as well in the future.

If it becomes an entertain system primarily--which I really don't see--I could see digital being the sole method of getting games since by that point it really wouldn't matter if you want discs or not as gaming wouldn't be the main focus of the console anymore.

 

[orz]

I don't think that's a reality anytime soon, in some countries where the internet is really slow digital downloads just aren't much of an option. As mentioned before a lot of people really enjoy receiving a physical product too, not just the disc but the box and booklets which come along too.

 

[trueblue]

I dont see why it couldn't be like when I get a footie manager game,, you install it from the disk and then you never need the disk again other than if you needed to re-install.

 

[dragoonblade]

That's what is holding it back right now, the fact that not every country can handle digital downloads. But I still think their pushing us towards that, I mean our technology is pushing us towards that. When's the last time you bought a CD? I can't remember, since I've had an mp3 player for years. I imagine there is a chance that in the US we might go completely digital first.