Terrified of a Digital Future

General and high profile video game topics.
User avatar
VideoGameCritic
Site Admin
Posts: 18102
Joined: April 1st, 2015, 7:23 pm

Terrified of a Digital Future

Postby VideoGameCritic » May 6th, 2018, 9:43 pm

As many of you know, I am a physical media guy who activity resists the move to digital downloads.
I discovered an article that explains why in a more eloquent way that I could come up with.

http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2018/0 ... ing_future

Thoughts??

User avatar
Retro STrife
Posts: 2530
Joined: August 3rd, 2015, 7:40 pm

Re: Terrified of a Digital Future

Postby Retro STrife » May 6th, 2018, 10:13 pm

Well, my first thought was, "Are some gamers really so dense that they don't realize these glaring weaknesses about a digital-only future?" He says it took him like 10 years to finally figure it out. Is it not instantly obvious that digital downloads means we will lose games forever? I hope he was just playing dumb for dramatic effect... But that's my biggest fear -- more so than digitial itself, it's that gamers won't even realize all the consequences of all-digital until it's too late to prevent it.

As for the article itself, he made some good points, really well articulated. I'm on board with it, as I've shared some of these same fears on the forums:

"The Sad State of Future Retro Gaming"
viewtopic.php?f=5084&t=16809

"The value of downloadable games?"
viewtopic.php?f=5084&t=16390


Looking at the poll at the bottom of the article you posted, it makes me glad to see that most people support physical media (50% strongly favor it). Unfortunately, the comments section there paints the opposite picture. It baffles me how some people think.

CaptainCruch
Posts: 662
Joined: July 17th, 2015, 11:26 am

Re: Terrified of a Digital Future

Postby CaptainCruch » May 9th, 2018, 4:14 pm

I think the 'future' is already here - just look at the most used gaming devices: mobile phones.
Anyway, I prefer my games on physical media too and I don't like them digital-only. However, I feel kind like a hypocrite, because I watch most movies digital-only (Netflix) and listen too many music digital-only and I don't have problems with that...

User avatar
scotland
Posts: 2561
Joined: April 7th, 2015, 7:33 pm

Re: Terrified of a Digital Future

Postby scotland » May 9th, 2018, 4:53 pm

I have had a similar conversation about other media too - from books, music, comics, and movies.

Digital really has a place. I travel with a kindle, for instance. You can buy digital media at any time, anywhere, and enjoy it right then and there. There are no worries about having the space, or moving or safeguarding a collection. Emulation really is a great safety net to save even obscure games and even arcade games (but I don't know how well), although its roots have always been tied to the ROM piracy, and I could see legal hurdles go up some day. Yet even emulation can't save all of those lost or everchanging mobile games, and there were once games on University mainframes pretty much gone too.

Another loss is privacy. Yeah, who cares about that anymore, right? If I buy a copy of Custers Revenge (for the gameplay), no one knows. But my online library contains a record that I bought a definitely NSFW or worse video game, that is a potential problem. That might be totally paranoid, but its a thought.

User avatar
VideoGameCritic
Site Admin
Posts: 18102
Joined: April 1st, 2015, 7:23 pm

Re: Terrified of a Digital Future

Postby VideoGameCritic » May 9th, 2018, 5:44 pm

For the record, I wouldn't characterize Netflix as taking away your ability to own movies on physical media. It's just a streaming service more comparable to television networks. Likewise the most popular medium for music is streaming, which is more akin to listening to the radio.

Digital downloads of movies and music would definitely take a bite out of the physical market, but frankly these don't seem to be taking off as the "experts" had projected.

Scotland - you make an excellent point about the privacy aspect. Say you innocently buy a game like The Guy game that was later found to have illegal content. Or say you buy a copy of a game like Custer's Revenge which comes to be considered racist.
Could something like that be held against you?

bluenote
Posts: 290
Joined: August 14th, 2015, 5:16 pm

Re: Terrified of a Digital Future

Postby bluenote » May 10th, 2018, 9:25 am

VideoGameCritic wrote:For the record, I wouldn't characterize Netflix as taking away your ability to own movies on physical media. It's just a streaming service more comparable to television networks. Likewise the most popular medium for music is streaming, which is more akin to listening to the radio.

Digital downloads of movies and music would definitely take a bite out of the physical market, but frankly these don't seem to be taking off as the "experts" had projected.


Scotland - you make an excellent point about the privacy aspect. Say you innocently buy a game like The Guy game that was later found to have illegal content. Or say you buy a copy of a game like Custer's Revenge which comes to be considered racist.
Could something like that be held against you?


I would disagree though, streaming is much different than listening to the radio. You have access to virtually any album or song you can possibly want, for $10 a month. This is absolutely killing physical media. CDs are no longer in Best Buy, record stores are basically just mom and pop shops now. All the big music chains are gone. Even car manufacturers are no longer including cd players in their cars.

Streaming has made the idea of buying a cd seem silly. Why buy a cd for $12 when you can listen to the album (and any other album) on Spotify for $10/month. And sound quality wise, it's virtually the same as cd quality. (I think only the hardcore audiophile can hear the difference. Average music fan probably cannot).

I think the same will apply to movies. The average consumer (not all, but most) will not see the value in buying a movie for $15 when they can just stream whatever they want.

Having said that, I am a diehard cd/record collector and I love having my physical collection. But, unfortunately, people like us are not the average.

I really think this is going to affect video games as well. Heck, the majority (or at least half) of the games available on the PS4/xBox and Switch are digital only.

User avatar
scotland
Posts: 2561
Joined: April 7th, 2015, 7:33 pm

Re: Terrified of a Digital Future

Postby scotland » May 10th, 2018, 3:33 pm

i don't know about music and spotify, but streaming movies and tv has several issues. First, they are being parceled out among many providers - Netflix, Amazon, HBO, Hulu, etc. So its not a single subscription, its many. Second, content may only be there a limited time. A hit movie is on Netflix for a year or two, then its gone. Third, a lot of material is still only available via disc and mail. The streaming library is not nearly as deep.

Spotify also decided to not promote a controversial artist today. The music is still there, but you can see that what is available is still up to the discretion of the service provider - because thats all this is, a service. I rebooted my PC today and Microsoft reminded me Windows is a service. Any service is provided or not provided at the whims of the service provider.

bluenote
Posts: 290
Joined: August 14th, 2015, 5:16 pm

Re: Terrified of a Digital Future

Postby bluenote » May 10th, 2018, 3:56 pm

scotland wrote:i don't know about music and spotify, but streaming movies and tv has several issues. First, they are being parceled out among many providers - Netflix, Amazon, HBO, Hulu, etc. So its not a single subscription, its many. Second, content may only be there a limited time. A hit movie is on Netflix for a year or two, then its gone. Third, a lot of material is still only available via disc and mail. The streaming library is not nearly as deep.

Spotify also decided to not promote a controversial artist today. The music is still there, but you can see that what is available is still up to the discretion of the service provider - because thats all this is, a service. I rebooted my PC today and Microsoft reminded me Windows is a service. Any service is provided or not provided at the whims of the service provider.


I don't disagree with you at all. The problem though is, does the majority of the buying public care about the above points?

My kids have been raised with Netflix as their main movie provider. We buy them movies (usually xmas specials), but the majority of their movie viewing is through Netflix or Ondemand. When they get to their teenage years, they most likely will continue using streaming rather than buying, because to them, what's the point of buying it? Sure, there may be the odd movie that they won't find, and have to resort buying it on dvd, but for the most part, Netflix has more than they'll ever want.

All of my friends always joke with me, because I'll buy cds/records and dvds. To them its a waste of money because you can see/listen to MOST of it through streaming. I would think most people have this type of view. (except for us weirdo video game collectors!)

User avatar
pacman000
Posts: 1141
Joined: December 30th, 2015, 9:04 am

Re: Terrified of a Digital Future

Postby pacman000 » May 10th, 2018, 8:39 pm

Tried to use Netflix at someone's house once. They said it had every movie I could want, so I typed in "Gwanhi," because I wanted to see the "Valley of Gwanhi." It wasn't there. I looked up "The Lost World," & only found one B-movie, even tho there have been at least 4 filmed versions of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's book.

Needless to say, I wasn't impressed.

My main fear with Netflix & other streaming services is that some smaller films may disappear. Some films still haven't gotten a DVD release; they're only avaliable on VHS.

User avatar
scotland
Posts: 2561
Joined: April 7th, 2015, 7:33 pm

Re: Terrified of a Digital Future

Postby scotland » May 10th, 2018, 8:47 pm

Its one of those dichotomies. There are people who only care about modern stuff, especially movies and tv. I often see a 'Whats leaving Netflix this month' article, and it shows the awareness of here today - gone tomorrow. Others want a deeper inventory of shows than streaming will,provide due to the costs of licensing.

Even for people raised on streaming will discover its failings - someone wants to binge on every MCU film, but its not all available streaming. Or they want all Spiderman or Star Wars live action and animated shows, or every Jennifer Lawrence film...

Certainly buying content is pricey by comparison - DVDs are twice the price they should be - and thats a huge deal. Yet, we see Netflix and Amazon slowly raising prices, and content moving to other services. They fight this by making content, but that is driving up their costs. Also, a DVD is not a forever purchase, as tech keeps improving.

I think they both have a place, but I think streaming is going to win out - in part because its in content creators best interest to have day to day control and revenue.


Return to “Video Games General”