Topic: Do you think NX will accept physical media?

Also what about cartridges or game cards could happen.It could be a micro console with a handheld console too.likr ps vita and ps tv idea but can link together and play the same games.

What a BS argument. Don't get me wrong, both media have their advantages, but this absurd hyperbole situation could just as well happen to digital games in theory.

I'd be okay with it as long as the console doesn't have pitiful hard drive space like the Wii U(1 TB minimum). And being a new console it avoids some of the issues something like the PSP Go did(which was missing major releases on the digital store). On top of that digital has been doing well for PC gamers with Steam, GOG and such

But with that said it'd still be a huge risk that people is not ready for a digital-only console. As many people have said, when it comes to consoles, people are still buying physical games in droves(which already avoids one issue from Digital content:Being delisted from an online store). On top of that, many countries internet, including the US(which is a huge market for Nintendo) still sucks for most people

I just read an IGN article about how GameStop in the US is going to stop selling console bundles with digital codes. The reason behind it being, and I quote, "we sell things at full price and provide great value through our trade program". You'd have to assume that they would have also been against things like the free game download Nintendo offered with Mario Kart 8. Or the Digital Deluxe promo.

I think it's clear we're moving away from physical media. If we weren't we wouldn't be seeing all of the players moving themselves to protect their own interests. I think ultimately the digital platform model will win out. And although I know that a lot of people disagree I still think that for consumers that will be a positive step. So IMO the real question should instead be about how fast we're moving. And I don't think it'll be with the NX.

Not so absurd, the disc drive in my wii died last summer. So if everything had been downloaded it could still be used.

@Therad: Sure, that's a valid argument, but that doesn't apply to andrew20's argument. What reason does a company have to release an update that would make all physical media worthless? Besides, the same applies to digital, they could also, hypothetically, release an update that would make all digital games unusable. That's why his argument was, and still is, completely and utter BS.

@skywake: I definitely agree. It's not if, but when.

NX could be too soon. However, people buy into mobile ecosystems like crazy and no physical media ever touched those. I think there's far more acceptance in the marketplace than people give it credit for.

I personally hope NX has no physical media at all. Ever. Bye bye, retailers.

No not exactly. I wanted to give an example when dl games were better. Not that it would be hard to flash the wii and copy all my games to a big usb stick. It is not even illegal in my country with format shifting.

I personally think a console with no disc drive is viable today. Sure, you will lose some customers, but would probably earn more on saved transports and manufacturing. Even with a crappy connection it takes less time to dl a game than driving to the nearest store and hoping they have stocked the games. And preloading is a thing now.

Also, we won't see cheaper prices, but we will see more sales if it happens.

And nintendos next home console will probably have a disc drive. They can't afford to upset retailers nor their fanbase. And any other physical medium is more expensive, so it seems unlikely they would choose that over discs.

@Therad: I don't get your point. I'm not trying to argue for or against physical/digital media. I was only pointing out that andrew20's argument could easily apply to digital as well. Despite the fact that a situation like that is completely ridiculous anyway, and would never happen to begin with.

To be fair digital being "faster" really depends on how big the game is and how fast your connection is. It's definitely a more efficient way to do things and it is more convenient. But faster? Yes, probably.... but not always.

Unless we as a human race experience some kind of drastic regression in technology, get used to digital being not only the preferred delivery method, but quite soon, the only delivery method.

@Octane: so you have to buy a new console to play your games digital or physical.The technology is there they can do a update on Wii u to disable the disk drive and then shut the digital games off and then the online and then you are forced to get and new console. In the NX they can put a console cut off swich in it and do not say anything about it. That could happen the Xbox one had something like that with 24/7 online.

It can happen with digital it could be for all games.

@andrew20: Yeah, I get your point, but don't you see that it is completely ridiculous to think that will actually happen?

Music has been digital for much longer than videogames and CD's are still being sold and vinyl LP's even made a comeback, so don't expect that anytime soon.

Except that games have always been digital. Before music was digital (i.e. CDs) games were already digital. You could argue that the distribution for games lagged behind music and there's something to be said for that. But a fair amount of that has to do with the size of the files more than anything else.

Also unlike music the argument for the physical media for games has never been about maintaining quality. Mostly because there is no quality advantage. In terms of the end user experience you could easily argue that games on a disk are worse than games on a HDD. If that wasn't the case then why would installing games be a thing? Lets face it, the only major argument against digital distribution for games is the used market.

The major argument against digital distribution is the lack of ownership and control over your purchase. If Nintendo closes an online store on a particular console eventually you won't be able to redownload your purchased games. And digital games with licenses are often only sold for a limited amount of time before the contract runs out and you won't even be able to get them anymore. You're also stuck to 1 market for getting your digital games, so prices for new games are often a lot higher than retail.

Because I still think NX is going to be a hybrid concept with bundles including either a handheld, a home console or both, I believe NX is going to be digital (download) only. Since the Wii, Nintendo always includes backwards compatibility with their previous console. However, Wii U is going to be their biggest hardware failure (excluding VB which was not even released here) and 3DS already includes digital (download) for its retail games with great reception.

And the same is the case with the purchase of any content from any media on any format. You don't own the content you own a licence. What you're doing here is talking about hypothetical ontop of a hypothetical. If Nintendo closed down the store and if they also decided to be pretty rude about how they went about that transition.

Also you're ignoring the potential durability of a digital purchase beyond just the platform your purchased it on. If you brought a DS game there's no recognition of that purchase on the Wii U eShop. There can't be. How are they to know? If it was a digital purchase they could potentially recognise that purchase.

There are hundreds of games that have been removed from the Steam Store. Literally hundreds. From what I know all except one can still be downloaded by people who paid for them. The one that was removed? I can't find an article but I believe it was an online-only game that wasn't very popular. So as I've said in other threads.... why is the concern about digital purchases? Surely the bigger concern is what happens to games like Splatoon, Destiny, Mario Maker and so on.

It doesn't have to be 1 market. There's nothing stopping codes from being sold at retail in one form or another. Even if that wasn't the case, and it is the case, the idea that there's only 1 market is still a bit of a joke. It's still Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, Valve, Ubisoft, EA etc, etc.....

Oh yeah, there will be physical media for sure.