The "Sony Games" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
Interesting article on Gamesindustry.biz
Basically the author is suggesting that Microsoft are using the long drawn out battle between HD-DVD and Blu-ray to ensure that consumers get so fed up that they switch to electronic distribution instead of blowing money on a physical format that might not be around very long. And Microsoft just happen to be geard up for electronic distribution (XBox Live Marketplace).
The only flaw in this argument is that I suspect Sony are pretty much geared up for electronic distribution as well, so even should consumers turn to electronic downloads Sony are still in business.
Even should Blu-ray win (which is looking more and more likely - it only really needs Universal, the only Hollywood studio still supporting HD-DVD to join them) Microsoft are quite capable of popping a Blu-ray player into the next generation of XBox so it's no skin off their nose.
But if electronic distribution of movies and games takes off as big as music has, where does that leave the likes of Virgin Megastores, Blockbuster and our local indies? It's surprising that CDs have lasted as long as they have, but thinking about it I don't think my 14 year old niece has ever bought a CD in her life and she's really into music (via her i-pod).
Interesting times.
Basically the author is suggesting that Microsoft are using the long drawn out battle between HD-DVD and Blu-ray to ensure that consumers get so fed up that they switch to electronic distribution instead of blowing money on a physical format that might not be around very long. And Microsoft just happen to be geard up for electronic distribution (XBox Live Marketplace).
The only flaw in this argument is that I suspect Sony are pretty much geared up for electronic distribution as well, so even should consumers turn to electronic downloads Sony are still in business.
Even should Blu-ray win (which is looking more and more likely - it only really needs Universal, the only Hollywood studio still supporting HD-DVD to join them) Microsoft are quite capable of popping a Blu-ray player into the next generation of XBox so it's no skin off their nose.
But if electronic distribution of movies and games takes off as big as music has, where does that leave the likes of Virgin Megastores, Blockbuster and our local indies? It's surprising that CDs have lasted as long as they have, but thinking about it I don't think my 14 year old niece has ever bought a CD in her life and she's really into music (via her i-pod).
Interesting times.
Page:
Have they? Maybe they did make a mistake in the model they launched with then. :)
sorry, couldnt resist. :P
sorry, couldnt resist. :P
Yes it has, they've been pushing downloadable media since before the 360 launched.
No, you're trying to place your own context on a statement you're taking in isolation. I've never said Microsoft have made a mistake or even implied it. In fact whether their actions were right or wrong is simply irrelevant.
All I have said is that given what they actually did (ie models they released + HD-DVD support), I do not believe it was always Microsoft's intention to favour digital distribution over the physical HD formats as the article tries to make out. Its quite possible that is now their focus, yes. Has always been their focus? Dont believe it.
All I have said is that given what they actually did (ie models they released + HD-DVD support), I do not believe it was always Microsoft's intention to favour digital distribution over the physical HD formats as the article tries to make out. Its quite possible that is now their focus, yes. Has always been their focus? Dont believe it.
Garin wrote:
> And 11.5
> million Xbox 360s split between 2 models, one that has no HD
> and the other a miserly 20 gig. Not the model choices of a company that was going to favour digital distribution in my opinion.
It's clearly implied here. Not exactly hard to notice.
> And 11.5
> million Xbox 360s split between 2 models, one that has no HD
> and the other a miserly 20 gig. Not the model choices of a company that was going to favour digital distribution in my opinion.
It's clearly implied here. Not exactly hard to notice.
Hedfix wrote:
> Here you're implying they made a mistake with the HD size at
> launch. I've proven they haven't as launching with a bigger HD
> that 85% of your users don't need is a stupid thing to do.
You're refuting a point I never made. And 85% of me thinks theres little point in a discussion where that happens.
> Here you're implying they made a mistake with the HD size at
> launch. I've proven they haven't as launching with a bigger HD
> that 85% of your users don't need is a stupid thing to do.
You're refuting a point I never made. And 85% of me thinks theres little point in a discussion where that happens.
Going from what Your Honour said a couple of days ago, most people won't see the point in spending that long downloading a HD film, but that's not to say they won't offer a couple of SD films first to build on customer satisfaction then proceed, when the time of internet is right, to hit on Blu-Ray and/or HD-DVD.
A general 100 minute movie, is usually easily compressed to 700Mb on the internet at the moment. This means with a constant download rate of 200Kb/s, it would take just under an hour. Not bad.
A general 100 minute movie, is usually easily compressed to 700Mb on the internet at the moment. This means with a constant download rate of 200Kb/s, it would take just under an hour. Not bad.
Garin wrote:
> And 11.5
> million Xbox 360s split between 2 models, one that has no HD
> and
> the other a miserly 20 gig. Not the model choices of a company
> that was going to favour digital distribution in my opinion.
Here you're implying they made a mistake with the HD size at launch. I've proven they haven't as launching with a bigger HD that 85% of your users don't need is a stupid thing to do.
What they are doing is catering for the 15% who do want it and building upon that. That's the smart thing to do and that's why HD's have been removable from the very beginning of the console's life.
> And 11.5
> million Xbox 360s split between 2 models, one that has no HD
> and
> the other a miserly 20 gig. Not the model choices of a company
> that was going to favour digital distribution in my opinion.
Here you're implying they made a mistake with the HD size at launch. I've proven they haven't as launching with a bigger HD that 85% of your users don't need is a stupid thing to do.
What they are doing is catering for the 15% who do want it and building upon that. That's the smart thing to do and that's why HD's have been removable from the very beginning of the console's life.
Your own words, they've adapted.
But well its not important, I said what I did, agree with it or not as you like.
But well its not important, I said what I did, agree with it or not as you like.
Well given the fact they did their research in the first place and that only around 15% of 360 owners actually bother downloading media and films it would have been rather stupid for them to release models with 120GB HD's to start with given that it's rather hard to fill up the 20GB for around 85% of the console's ownership, not only that but I tihnk they hadn't tied up their media content at launch as companies were taking a 'wait and see' approach to see how well early media offerings did.
They've adapted and are pushing downloadable media but only 15% make use of it at the moment so launching with 120GB drives and pushing the price-up without any actual media sales or much concrete support to speak of would have been a rather stupid move... wouldn't it Sony*?
*Still atleast there's Spider-man 4,5 & 6...
They've adapted and are pushing downloadable media but only 15% make use of it at the moment so launching with 120GB drives and pushing the price-up without any actual media sales or much concrete support to speak of would have been a rather stupid move... wouldn't it Sony*?
*Still atleast there's Spider-man 4,5 & 6...
Hedfix wrote:
> Hence the 120GB HD that's been out in America for a few months
> now.
>
> It hasn't exactly been launched in secret.
And? That they've reacted to the market and released an updated model changes nothing about what I said.
> Hence the 120GB HD that's been out in America for a few months
> now.
>
> It hasn't exactly been launched in secret.
And? That they've reacted to the market and released an updated model changes nothing about what I said.
Page: