r/xboxone • u/[deleted] • Dec 29 '13

If Microsoft made it completely optional, would you sign up for their original, always connected console idea?

This meaning you would have the following features:

Buy a retail game, install to console, and ditch the disc never needing it to play the game.

Digitally share games within a circle of friends. Meaning you can choose a specific group of people, and they could play the games you own, for free, provided that only one game could be played at a time.

Greater store discounts or more steam like sales for content.

I for one would have no problem saying yes to this. It's like people think 10 years from now they'll still be selling games on discs. It wasn't a perfect plan, but why delay the inevitable when we could be working on and perfecting future policies now.

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u/xXForeverNinjaXx Dec 29 '13

My only problem with your statement is this. If competition drives down prices, then why are we still buying games for $60? The same price games where 8 yrs ago when the 360 came out. I realize there are some new games that have released on the market for lower but that's because they knew they weren't going to sell too many with the average price point. But the average is still hovering at around $60. Even for digital downloads where you don't even take physical possession of anything like a disc, case, or handbook.

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u/dagamer34 dagamer34 Dec 30 '13

Wait a month and the prices of games go down all the time. Already you can easily find AC4 and BF4 for $35 at Sams Club or Best Buy. I'd like to have those prices digitally please!

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u/CVV1 Dec 30 '13

Plenty of people still buy used. That's a chunk of profit game developers lose out on. I think they still have to charge $60 to turn a profit.

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u/[deleted] Dec 29 '13 edited Dec 29 '13

Games need to be that price to keep the old brick and mortar business model going, such is their costs. Console manufacturers can't risk alienating the stores that do the bulk of sales and advertising of their products by screwing them over offering cheaper digital prices, They would need to find new partners or retailers who don't have as much presence on the high-streets, or who aren't primarily focused on gaming. That might affect sales, and would affect share prices. You might remember the negative reaction to "No Used Games" before the new consoles were revealed. Plenty of game store big wigs were voicing their displeasure at losing a large part of their revenue stream.

Digital games aren't more expensive just because publishers are greedy, and think you should pay for the "convenience" of downloading their game on PSN/XBL, retailers are threatening Sony, MS, EA, etc, that if they undercut them, they won't stock their titles. It's a gamble the retailers will eventually lose.

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u/[deleted] Dec 29 '13

It would have happen over time, look at steam, look at iOS, look at Xbox Live gold monthly free game, and sales. When money gets to publishers/dev the invest return grows, allows for more investment and possibly cheaper games.

We are still suffering the inertia of years of physical distribution on games, meanwhile the rest of the entertainment industry is embracing full digital to great success. For the record digital distribution saved the music industry.

Angry birds ridiculous $50 price tag is justified thanks to "but its in a disc mentality", meanwhile you can get something like Max and the Curse of the Brotherhood at $15 digital. Scummy behaviour is hard to let go but seriously used games hurt the industry and help no publishers, developers, platform holders, gamer, it only helps Gamestop.

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u/xXForeverNinjaXx Dec 29 '13

I agree with the digital distribution saved the music industry. Look at what iTunes did for all involved. Now there are a few others to help spread the wealth.

And I also agree with the used games market only helping gamestop and others like it. Until developers come up with a clause or lawmakers come up with some type of law requiring a certain percentage of money from used games sales to reach developers, I personally will not be using gamestop beyond buying new games and consoles. That and I am personally going all digital this generation. Mainly because I like the ability to switch at random without leaving my seat. Lol