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Are You Embracing The Digital Revolution?

Ben-Dutka 52 Comments

The revolution is inevitable, so whether or not you embrace it is probably irrelevant.

Obviously, there will be more than enough consumers who do embrace it, even if you don't. That younger crowd that has its nose planted in any electronic device it can find? The generation who may have grandchildren who have never heard of a newspaper or a CD or DVD? They're all about digital; for most of them, it's what they know, it's the most convenient, and it represents cutting-edge technology rather than "old-fashioned stuff."

I know. I remember being that age. At 20, I probably would've eagerly jumped aboard the digital bandwagon without a second thought. The benefits are clear on all sides. Besides, who really cares about having the physical manifestation of our entertainment? Who cares about a silly box? Isn't it just so much easier to have the collection on a screen, where it doesn't take up any actual space, and I can access it all much faster? I'd be asking those very questions, scoffing at the possible importance of physical, tangible products. "Embrace the future," I'd probably say.

Right now, however, I have difficulty fully embracing digital, and I'm not sure I'll ever be able to manage it. Still, as time goes on, I'm always happy to see evidence of industry progression within the digital space; after all, that's often where we find the most original, innovative stuff these days. It's simply because publishers don't want to take huge financial risks with big-budget titles, while smaller budgets and smaller expectations aren't anywhere near as risky. Hence, the bite-size creativity we're seeing everywhere right now. I definitely acknowledge and appreciate that.

As for a full embrace, though…not really. How about you?

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Sony: Moving Towards Digital Distribution Is A “Natural Progression”

Ben-Dutka 44 Comments

Hope you're ready for a future where digital distribution is the primary model of video game delivery. It's a-comin'.

SCEA Senior Vice President Scott Rohde considers this a "natural progression" and although he does say that traditional retail products won't disappear entirely, the trend is obvious and clear.

In speaking to The Interactive , Rohde said in regards to moving towards a digital distribution model- "It's something we want to do, and it's inevitable."

"I think this is a natural progression. You’ll start to see more and more digital offerings across the board. And this is not just a Sony thing, you’re obviously going to see it across the board. It’s the way the world is progressing, not just Sony."

Rohde talked about a new initiative for PlayStation Plus subscribers, multiple top-quality free downloads, and the fact that games are shifting towards online services. As examples, he mentioned Call of Duty Elite, Diablo III (the game has an "always-on" Internet requirement), and MMOs like Free Realms . He added that Sony is experimenting with new stuff for the future, and finished:

"There is no definitive answer about where we will go or where the whole industry will go… the whole industry is in an experimental phase to understand what consumers want and what makes them happy."

It probably is "inevitable." But it'll be interesting to see how the long-time hardcore gamers respond.

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So, What Do You Think About Digital Distribution Now?

Ben-Dutka 54 Comments

There's no crying in baseball. There should be no crying in gaming, albeit for entirely different reasons.

Analysts have predicted that the video game industry – as well as movies, music, etc. – will eventually go all digital at some point in the future; i.e., no more physical media like discs. Of course, this is probably a ways off but we've already seen the massive strides taken in this direction; we've seen full (and very large) titles hit the digital world ( inFamous , Mass Effect 2 , Burnout Paradise , etc.) and it's not entirely inconceivable that digital will rule our hobby within the next decade or so. The benefits are clear but with the recent PSN crisis, what do you think now , all-digital supporters?

If our industry was entirely digital right now and all games had to be bought through the Network, nobody would be allowed to buy anything. And imagine what that would mean for Sony. Yeah, total disaster. Those of us who actually have game collections and multiple systems and haven't yet succumbed to the all multiplayer, all the time temptation…well, we're surviving somehow. Thing is, something "physical" exists in the physical plane; it's right here in front of us. Pulling a plug or the pathetic I-have-to-compensate-for-something hacking criminal just doesn't matter. So if the direction really is all-digital, isn't anyone the slightest bit concerned?

I guess the bottom line is this: I can't see the logic in placing all our eggs in one basket; in having our entire hobby hinge on an Internet connection. Far too much is out of our control, damnit.

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