PlayStation Meeting 2013

[EWB's Best Poster.]

Ugh yeah ive got a backlog too. Of about 4-5 games. I should schedule myself a weekend of just playing, rather than pretending I'll get around to it.

[jase12881]

It just doesn't feel like the big leap forward that the last couple consoles have. Maybe part of that is that they're not really changing mediums like in the past. Or maybe it's because hardware hasn't changed that much in the past few years. Honestly though, I think that being connected to the internet has allowed this generation of consoles to adapt like no generation prior, making the need for a new generation of consoles to be lessened.

That being said, it seems like game developers have been afraid to take risks late in the consoles life cycle, so maybe new consoles will help to re-spark the creativity of some of the game developers. Also I don't think we know enough about the PS4 to completely dismiss the console as not being a big enough leap forward.

[Herr Matzat]

3d not hip anymore.

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/02/21/playstation-4-wont-support-4k-games-3d-not-a-focus

[apsham]

Thank. Fuck.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

This must be about the third time now in the last 30 years (and fourth in the last 50) that 3D hasn't quite broken through properly.

[Vamp]

If there's one thing I really couldn't give a toss about its a combination of gaming and social networking. I already have someone on my Facebook who has status updates about the trophies they're winning, that's boring enough and I already ignore it, I'm not really against having more things to ignore (videos or whatever) but it doesn't tend to result in me buying a console. I sometimes watch tutorial things on Youtube if I'm really stuck or I think something has bugged out but then that's an easier way of doing it, having the game on and being able to watch the vidoes on my laptop. Perfect. I don't need anything else. So yeah, bugger most of that stuff. And the online game streaming, but that's more because I predict it won't really work properly on most of the internet connections that people have in this country and will only really work well on high speed internet connections.

The main thing that itnerests me is how easy it will be to port games onto it. That's about it. Oh, and that they're not doing the EVIL! "no second hand" thing.

Edited February 22, 2013 by Vamp

[EWB's Best Poster.]

That second hand thing is a killer.

I think though the way they are stressing the download power of it they are phasing it out. In a different way that let's the consumer decide.

[The Mask of Norro]

It's smart. I don't entirely like the direction Sony's going in right now (as I mentioned in my last post), but I'll hand it to them on that: slowly leading customers into going digital is far better than throwing them in or adding one-use download codes for their games. Going an anti-pre-owned route would have killed them pretty much instantly, but the more they offer a digital alternative and give benefits to those who choose it, the more likely it'll be that it catches on.

[Your Mom]

I would buy every single one of my games digitally if they weren't full on $60. If I am losing the option to ever resell or trade them I want a discount

[thatshortguy]

I would buy every single one of my games digitally if they weren't full on $60. If I am losing the option to ever resell or trade them I want a discount

This is exactly why Amazon, Steam, Green Man, & GOG are dominating in PC sales over companies like EA and others. Discounts and sales will negate any feeling people have towards reselling. Yes, you get those people who just like to wheel and deal, but there are pawn shops for those guys. Give me enough of a discount and I will throw the whole used game argument right out of the window.

[zero]

Until hard drive space, cloud storage, better internet connections and pricing are worked out, I stick with physical media. Given Netflix's penchant for just letting movies disappear from the service, I don't trust digital distribution at all.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Digital copies SHOULD be cheaper, if only because they don't have to go through a store to get the game to you.

[TKz]

I'm pretty happy to say fuck physical media lately. GAME has dicked me over way too much and they're now charging £50 for physical copies. Fuck that when I can get the same price without leaving my house. It'd be different if there were other options for me, but personally, I don't seem to have any outside of online. And they're great, usually £10 cheaper, but I'd rather pay the £10 to have it that day.

[Cactus Drags]

Which games are being sold at £50?

[TKz]

Ni no Kuni got shot up £10 pretty much the second they realized people wanted it. Along with most big releases it seems, varying between 45-50 at least.

[Cactus Drags]

Ni No Kuni was a special case, due to the limited supply. Also, I know a lot of stores were told to price it at £50 (I think the original price was £40-42) when they were out of stock to reflect the digital price (i.e. instead of turning people away and saying there's none in stock, giving them the option of paying for PSN credit to download it). Otherwise, there hasn't been a new release at £50 (which, by the way, is the RRP of virtually every new game) for months, I think FIFA was the last, and that was probably just the Ultimate Team edition. DmC, MGS:RR, Crysis have all been £40-45.

[Bobfoc]

On the other hand, some PSN digital downloads are sold for £49.99. Dead Space 3 is available for £59.99 through the Playstation Store, putting it a full £10 over standard recommended retail price (which hardly any high street shops and online retailers charge anyway).

If Sony really wants to push digital media to the forefront of its marketing strategy, it will need to take a leaf out of Valve's book, either through the regulation of lower launch prices or substantial discount sales.

[Vamp]

I'm pretty happy to say fuck physical media lately. GAME has dicked me over way too much and they're now charging £50 for physical copies. Fuck that when I can get the same price without leaving my house. It'd be different if there were other options for me, but personally, I don't seem to have any outside of online. And they're great, usually £10 cheaper, but I'd rather pay the £10 to have it that day.

Bugger that, I'm pretty sure it'd be quicker to go to the shop and pick up a copy then to download it. For me anyway. Even with this "you can play as you stream it" stuff.

Edited February 23, 2013 by Vamp

[Dan]

I love getting games from Steam, my internet isn't great (takes about an hour for 2gb) but it generally makes life much simpler. Leave a game on download when I'm out and it's done when I get home, plus the sales are awesome. Ordering physical games online is my preferred method for console games, walking into town and getting it from an actual shop is a distant third, the prices are higher and town is shit (we have 2 game shops).

[EWB's Best Poster.]

Personally, I agree with the major sentiment here. Offering a $5 discount for digital really cost them nothing. They arent paying for packaging, they arent payng to ship and they aren't paying for some kid to sell it in a store. None of that adds to the cost, so that cost shouldn't really be there.

And in the end, the consumer is thinking "Why pay five bucks more to resell for 5 bucks later? I'll just download it."

Which would be the smartest way to do that.

On the flip side, it may make selling the system itself harder. I can't imagine if Xbox really has its always on DRM being thrown in the front window when the PS4 is saying "you can still resell" as well. If I was running that store, I'd be pushing the system that kept me in business later down the road, that's for sure. That could be why they don't lower the price by 5 bucks, because they know they have to sell the system first.