Sony Not Interested In Digital Distribution For PS3 Games

[bue519]

I don't care about retail games released online (I like my AAA titles in a freshly-sealed case), but it WOULD be nice if they tried to catch up to XBL just a little in terms of downloadable "arcade" type stuff. There's truly some great stuff out there for the XBox crowd to enjoy, and I feel a little left out.

I think your really under estimating the PSN library. I have Warhawk, Burnout Paradise, Street Fighter 2, Ratchet and Klank, and a few others. Also I just got FF7 (sorry I can't remember the roman numerals) and thats sucked me in pretty hardcore. Really the only thing I played on x-box was Castle Crashers and a demo of Geometry Wars. Plus I am looking forward to the new Ratchet and Klank game and Fat Princess.

 

[capnjack]

All I have to say to that is, 40 gigs? Ouch.

That's a lot, but with modern technology, that number isn't so big anymore. With a 1 terabyte HDD (which you can get for just over $100), and Verizon's highest FiOS package, you could download a 40 GB game in just under 2 hours, and you could store nearly 25 full-length games on that hard drive - that's assuming the average PS3 game is 40 GB. And if you can afford 25 PS3 games ($1500), you can afford the hard drive and internet connection.

All we need is more competition from ISPs. If FiOS were to replace cable, digital distribution would have much larger potential.

 

[mikecoulter]

I don't like digital distribution anyway. It's like paying for thin air... Thin air that then has no re-sale value.

 

[xpacerx]

um, warhawk, burnout, SOCOM, wipeoutHD? they are all digitally distributed. seems like sony IS already in the market. personally I would rather have all my games on a HDD.

 

[Rect Pola]

I'm not a fan of direct download anyway. I want a hard copy to announce "I have it, and can play it whenever I want because it's right here." This also ties to DRM solutions that require the company to check on you regularly or each time you load it on something.

 

[bridgerbot]

On old games which I plan on never getting rid of that are only a few dollars, I like to be able to download. I like being able to play a quick game of bomberman without screwing around with discs. I know I'll never get rid of that game.

But on new games, I like owning the Physical Disc. One reason being that I can eventually sell off my games. I made a couple hundred dollars a few years ago selling all my old NES/SNES games. You can't do that with a digital download.

 

[Megacherv]

This is news...why?

 

[aRno]

[...] PSN struggles in America and is completely neglected to the point of being nearly useless in Europe as I can testify from experience.

Totally agreed...
I need an made up american Adress to sign in into the American-PSN, because European PSN sucks big hairy balls...
Demos not categorized, and 4 months later (!), lesser themes, downloads, everything.
So for my needs, I have to get into the american PSN just to get that bloody wallpaper (or whatever).

I for my part also love new opened Cases and HDDs are always dying at my hands, don't ask me why, maybe it's Karma (no, it's not the treatment, I treat them well)...
So, I'm in for the cases.

But as already stated, it would be great to have some old school stuff (arcade) for download in the PSN...
THAT would finally satisfy all of my needs...
Nearly...

 

[Treblaine]

[...] PSN struggles in America and is completely neglected to the point of being nearly useless in Europe as I can testify from experience.

Totally agreed...
I need an made up american Adress to sign in into the American-PSN, because European PSN sucks big hairy balls...
Demos not categorized, and 4 months later (!), lesser themes, downloads, everything.
So for my needs, I have to get into the american PSN just to get that bloody wallpaper (or whatever).

I for my part also love new opened Cases and HDDs are always dying at my hands, don't ask me why, maybe it's Karma (no, it's not the treatment, I treat them well)...
So, I'm in for the cases.

But as already stated, it would be great to have some old school stuff (arcade) for download in the PSN...
THAT would finally satisfy all of my needs...
Nearly...

Yeah, but apparently PSN North America has gotten much better in recent months where they have now got the classic Tomb Raider and Resident Evil series release and to boot those PSN downloads can be downloaded to and played on any PSP with (need a Pro Duo memory card though). Yay, Tomb Raider on my daily commute with no need for hacks or emulators!

Apparently these games are "on their way" to Europe and should be available for us Europeans by some time in 2010.

Don't care about wallpapers (oohh, pretty sparkles) but dammit I'm having a hard time waiting for all those games!

Though we have just gotten Metal Gear Solid! Downloadable for PSN AND PSP! If I wasn't completely skint I'd get it but boy this is the kind of stuff I have been waiting for.

 

[Wilbot666]

Eh, there's already Warhawk and Burnout: Paradise on PSN, but when it comes to full retail games I prefer to own a hardcopy.

Mmmmmm, I love the smell of a freshly opened video game case in the morning!

I know what you mean. I download the occasional game like Trine etc, but I also prefer to own a tangible copy of my games. Nothing like getting home after buying a new game, tearing off the cellophane and loading it up.

Plus my download limit would disappear VERY quickly if I had to buy them online.

 

[AceDiamond]

Ha most ps3 games are 9 gig anyway due to multi console

As far as I'm concerned, both the audio and video files on the PS3 are not compressed, which is why they are much bigger than 9 gig. In that case it would make sense what Sony stated. Otherwise they'd just lose some potential customers on purpose, which they probably won't do.

So their major selling point is "You don't have to optimize?" I don't think that's the best use of that space, really.

 

[SmugFrog]

As far as I'm concerned, both the audio and video files on the PS3 are not compressed, which is why they are much bigger than 9 gig.

It seems like as technology advances and we have more storage space, software developers in general are less concerned about storage space and compression. Several file types and programming techniqures were created because of space limitations - but now no one seems to care.

 

[Sheinen]

Am I the only one who thinks that Digital Distribution would be better suited to Game Rentals?

I'd download a game for £5 a week, If it was awesome I'd buy it, if it sucked I wouldn't and frankly I'd be £40 better off. If you want to just complete the game on a Digital Download then you can pay for another week or 100. That'd probably eradicate a lot of the used game market that they keep whining about too.

I know the only reason I never rent games is because I can't be bothered with all the going somewhere to pick it up, going back again to re-rent it if I haven't finished, disk is scratched to buggery, online DLC won't work, etc...long!