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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.
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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.
Yes it has, they've been pushing downloadable media since before the 360 launched.
Have they? Maybe they did make a mistake in the model they launched with then. :)
sorry, couldnt resist. :P
sorry, couldnt resist. :P
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