Discless Consoles May Be Coming After Next-Gen, Says Smoke And Sacrifice Developer

They believe an all streaming future for console gaming may be an inevitability.

[naruga]

An all streaming future doesnt fit me well ......i ll stop gaming for sure ...not ever i ll pay fro smthing that i dont own,

[gameseveryday]

With the way digital adoption is increasing, discless consoles will happen one day. I am not saying it will happen in the next 5 years or so but next to next gen we may see a major if not a complete shift.

[-T9X-69-]

@kalkano

Not sure about Xbox (Don't own one), but PS4 allows you to play your digital titles offline on the accounts primary PS4. I have (according to PSN) around 170 digital titles. Only game I own on disc is Diablo 3. I've had a few internet outages and was able to enjoy all my downloaded titles no problem.

[Kingthrash360]

Were you able to let a friend borrow it?
Resale it?
If Sony sony bans your account will you be able to play it?
If no...then you dont own it...and that should be a problem.

[Gaming101]

They've been saying this for years now. YEARS. The free market will decide. If Sony or MSoft want to go 100% digital, their competition will differentiate themselves the way Sony did with the PS4 against MSoft's DRM X-Bone policies. Show yourself holding a physical game and say "This is how you lend games to your friends" and "This game you own forever, with no licensing fee, no subscription wall, and you can play them offline whenever you want"
If it turns out there is a market for the physical medium, the market will follow. Even if both Sony and MSoft go digital at the same time, another competitor will capitalize and take over the physical market.

[Skull521]

Those who want to stop gaming as we go all digital are welcome to do so, there are plenty of other hobbies out there for you besides video games. It'll probably be healthier for you as well and we wish you luck in your new adventures.

[zeee]

Nopes. No. Never. I will not but any console that's discless. Never. I need to be able to share my games and sell them if/ when needed.

[-T9X-69-]

@Kingthrash360

Well for one, I never used the word "own". I said I have. However you want to look at it, doesn't really matter to me. I paid for X game, downloaded it, beat it and moved on. I can redownload and play it again whenever I like. I've been gaming over 20 years, never once had any of my account banned. Least of my worries. My job can require me to stay somewhere else for a few days up to a week. Having a pure digital PS4 with a 2TB HDD allows me to take all of those games I don't "own" and play them wherever I'm at. With or without internet.

All digital is going to be the future anyway. That could be 5 years or 10 years from now. Best Buy is no longer selling CD's as of July 1st. Next will be DVDs followed by Blu-Ray which is what those games are made on. You either adapt or stop participating. That's up to you.

[JackBNimble]

Using the ban excuse to be against digital is lame. You never hear of people getting there psn banned especially if they "own" games unless it's an extreme situation and still I haven't heard of a single case.

And you guys are already digital and don't even realize it. That disc you claim to own has to download its contents to your hard drive. All games are run off the hard drive not from the disc, you just need that disc as a key to prove you are entitled to the license.

I prefer to be 100% digital, I absolutely am not against people wanting the physical copy.

Both digital and physical are downloaded to the hard drive, the only difference is that I don't physically have to prove that I "own" or that I am aloud access to my games, I just have to press the button.

[Rippcity]

Haven't put a disc into my PC to install a new game in over a decade. Not sure why people make a big fuss about owning some arbitrary piece of plastic. As long as I can play the game and download it whenever I want in the future, I say to hell with discs.

[indyman7777]

Screw this developer he is merely saying what he wants to come true. He knows what he is doing. Forget him!
He wants people to not be able to get a refund for a game that is crap and not be able to sell it. So his other stock will not become worthless.

[CaptainOmega]

i wont stop gaming... There will be thousands of PS1-PS5 games to play.

Right now there is a market for digital... in the future there will be a market for discs. I don’t see disc drives going away anytime soon.

[Shiken]

Not to mention Nintendo and Sega. Retro gaming would reign supreme in my house as well.

[Ju]

They should release a version without disk drive. I have a couple of hundred downloads...and 2 disks. I can do without. Shave 50 to 100 off the price for a diskless model for people like me. Could be much smaller, too.

[Cobra951]

Well, there's a huge difference between digital and streaming. I'm with you about the latter. No streaming future for me in gaming. I don't mind downloading my games, as long as I can always play them offline, without ever having to log in anywhere, or even update them if I don't want to.

[Hardiman]

That's it as long as they are downloaded and I can play offline I'm good!

[joab777]

Yes you will. And probably already do.

[indyman7777]

Same here. RENT to own.ops scratch that Here is my correction RENT TO NEVER OWN. I just got a update on my xbox, it says. To ACCEPT to continue. But the problem is you agree to allow Microsoft to share your information with third parties. I'm not having it. When I contacted Microsoft they said NO REFUNDS on digital games its our policy on digital games. I informed them I said MONEY I have 80$ on my wallet to spend I want it back. They said NO you can try billing when they open.

Why would I trust a service that will not even allow me a refund even when I have a choice of physical? What are they going to do when there is no choice. I'm sticking to my physical choice. GAAS, Games as a service? A lot of people cant see long term..

[Cyb3r]

As for nextgen PS5 and XB2 I hope that they have backwards compatibility PS4 and XB1 digital games it would suck if all the games bought digitally the previous gen wouldnt work

[CloudStrife900]

With you 110% on that.

[blackblades]

With next gen you won't even be able to have all ps4 games with ps5 games know how big they will be. They better enable 2 external hdd one for ps4 the other for ps5.

[Cyb3r]

I have a 4TB external hdd

[Hardiman]

I'm pretty sure with the PS4's internals we'll have BC with the PS5! It'll be great because in the early years I'll be able to get through some of my backlog I haven't finished at that point.

[CBaoth]

I'm expecting full BC next gen with the PS5. Even physical, UHD players read regular BR discs. That's why jumping to x86 architecture was exciting news last gen at the reveals. If either company, moving forward, doesn't allow full BC, it's greed pure and simple. I'm hoping Sony follows MS' lead next gen, and offers 4k updates on select PS3 titles.

[isarai]

not going to happen unless there's a breakthrough in internet accessibility and price that's quickly implemented. But with the way net neutrality keeps getting attacked it doesn't look like that's the future we're getting towards.
although, even as soon a next gen i can definitely see a discless/cheaper option for xb/ps, even in low income neighborhoods like i live in i know plenty of people who only buy digital games, wouldn't be a terrible idea to produce a smaller amount of them to experiment.

[isarai]

what is there to disagree with? lol seriously you guys really can't picture there being a audience for a discless based system if it were like $100 cheaper?

[RosweeSon]

Surely if they low income they buy their games second hand physical (can sell em on again) and don’t have the internet 🤔✌🏻

[isarai]

That would be the smart thing to do, but not many people are that smart. From my experience

[Hardiman]

I don't live in a low income neighborhood but I get lots of my games used.

[AgeInTheCage]

XBOTS at it again. I forget the kids are on summer break so get ready for the site to be getting spammed with useless articles till late august.

Xboxone is the one that openly admitted they are very hard at work for the X successor at e3.

[meka2611]

What in the hell does that have to do with discless systems?? Plus of course sony is working on the ps5 as well right now. Like seriously WTH?!?!

[AgeInTheCage]

Xbox use it as an excuse to not show any new games from the 5 studios they bought.

[slavish0]

any here comes the blind fangirls that turn this into some console war smh

[PhantomS42]

Yeah, sure because big retail chains like Gamestop, Walmart, Target, Best Buy will let that happen...

Not to mention the demand for physical is still there so what company would be sane enough to just like a flow of revenue drop?

[gangsta_red]

They've already let it happen with music and throughout the years we have seen other tech specialty stores close. Circuit City, Good Guys just to name a couple all went the way of the dodo bird. And GameStop is already looking at buyouts and other options to sell like comics.

The stores you also mentioned don't just specialize in games either as they are mega markets that offer a lot more than their oneor two ailse of videogame retail.

[LandoCalrissiano]

Except music was easily implemented and requires no user input after you start it. Digital file sizes are vastly smaller than games making them ideal for streaming even with slower internet. Also, the idea of streaming music has been around since the invention of radio. There has never been a system of playing games as easy as it is to use radio for music. That's why mobile games are so popular, that's the easiest system we have so far.

[gangsta_red]

"There has never been a system of playing games as easy as it is to use radio for music."

It may not be easy but it is possible and it has been done before.

And we are already seeing the foundation laid out for the eventual coming of all streaming games. PSnow, MS has announced they'll be streaming games and the rumored Google console as well as other services that do this.

These companies wouldn't be investing this heavily if they knew it wasn't a huge possibility for the near future.

[Sgt_Slaughter]

Physical music just overtook digital music in total sales last year so I would rethink that.

[conanlifts]

But you can still buy music on cd after all these years. It will be the same with games as the demand will continue to exist.

[gangsta_red]

Any links to back that up? ..... Not that it matters, because streaming music is still more popular than ever before, not to mention these media giants are still more actively pursuing game streaming.

[RosweeSon]

I still buy my music physical

[gangsta_red]

I can still buy viniyl records and VHS tapes too.

I never said buying physical music was impossible.

[conanlifts]

Just for interest.

https://www.theguardian.com...

https://www.engadget.com/20...

https://www.slashgear.com/c...

[DialgaMarine]

I can see that happening. An all digital future does seem kindof inevitable. I doubt it will be anytime soon. Physical sales still far exceed digital, even though the gap is shrinking.

[conanlifts]

It will not be all digital though. You can still buy DVDs despite Netflix etc. You can still buy cds despite mp3's. So why would gaming be different to these.

[DialgaMarine]

Because physical media going away in favor of digital isn’t going to be a one-by-one process, where different versions of physical format will disappear years before another; it’s basically all going to happen within a close timeframe. Plus, keep in mind that CD’s, DVD’s, Blu Rays, etc., are not nearly as popular as they used to be, due to the services and formats you mentioned. Slowly, but surely, these formats will go away. I’m not saying I agree with it or want it to happen; I’m just facing the reality that eventually the costs will outweigh the yield, and the majority of people will eventually be all digital due to its convenience and typically better pricing. I’m still very optimistic that the next gen consoles, or at least PS5, will have a disc drive and support second hand games in the same way that PS4 does.

[conanlifts]

But as you say physical might become the minority, but it doesn't mean all digital. Also it was only recently that MS tried to tie DRM to it's console. This was effectively an attempt to move to a digital future and would have been the first step. There is a potential huge backlash for the first company that attempts to go all digital, Xbox one launch outrage will (should) be repeated.
Until they allow a digital market for us to sell our digital games or dramatically lower digital prices I do not support it. That doesn't mean I do not buy digital games, but I buy the majority at retail. Digital games in Australia for example are often priced at $99.95au. I can often buy the same item in store for $69.95-79.95au. The store makes a profit from this and I can then resell them when finished. So to me all digital would only have a future if the prices start at almost half of what they currently are, with the ability to resell my digital key, and I hope the majority feel the same.

Also food for thought.
https://www.theguardian.com...

[yomfweeee]

The comparisons to Netflix or Spotify are ignoring the obvious that those things don't require user interaction. The technology isn't here yet to get rid of latency.

[P_Bomb]

That’s the thing, there are so many more processes going on with interactive videogames and so many more things that can (and do) go wrong (lag, frames, res, latency etc).

Spotify is just music. But even they’re still working things out, trying to be profitable
http://fortune.com/2018/05/...
http://www.abc.net.au/news/...
https://www.usatoday.com/st...

We’ve all had lag in an online game at some point, seen broken games at launch, fallen through a map. Never fell through a song, or had the bass go out of sync from the guitars. It’s a different animal. Even PS Now and Shareplay make concessions to work.

For streaming to become the default way to play, you have to be equal to or better than. Then there’s the spectre surrounding Net neutrality. Where does that end? Exclusivity with service providers? Vita’s 3G AT&T didn’t go over well. PSP Go flopped.

People like digital, but they like cheap things even more. You can buy one song instead of an album. That revolutionized digital music. You can’t just buy the Baldur fights. Yet, lol. Uh oh.

[InKnight7s]

Streaming 50GB+ games in steady 4k with pure graphics and without shitty slow connecrion pixels? !!! yeah goodluck .

[Cobra951]

You don't stream 50GB games. You never have possession of those in this scenario. You send your controller inputs to a server, which get fed to a running game at their end, and the resulting video frames are compressed and streamed to whatever box you're using for this at home. Basically, you get a let's-play movie of your own gameplay a short time later.

[conanlifts]

MS are working on a predictive algorithm for streaming. They stated that the majority of gamers play games in the same way. By predicting the way we play they will attempt to pre-stream sections of the game before you get there, effectively loading assets into memory ( I assume) to anticipate your actions. This in theory is going to reduce latency and make streaming better.

I am yet to be convinced by this. As it stands I can't even game with people in Europe from Australia without lag and other issues. So streaming online multiplayer games certainly seems unlikely.

[Skuletor]

Lol, I could tell this was a gamingbolt article before I clicked on it.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

People keep saying discless like not having one will significantly lower costs. Disk drives are among the cheapest components.

[DivineAssault]

PS6 sounds the most likely to ditch the disc drives unless they make 2 SKU's with PS5. One with & one without for a little less money. All the digital services like gifts, trading, etc might be more accepted by then. In places that dont have very good internet anyway. It will take time to adjust

[FallenAngel1984]

God no. You do know why this video will always remain relevant right?

https://m.youtube.com/watch...

[nismo370]

Useless article.
Gamingbolt = lol

[gangsta_red]

There is definitely a lot more chatter from a lot of places about this than ever before.

[gangsta_red]

Streaming or all digital downloads for consoles is definitely going to be a reality down the line and maybe sooner than people expect.

[neutralgamer1992]

2025-2030 or after once internet around the world is up to speed we will see bigger digital boom. But to say digital only console that won't happen anytime soon. Physical media is actually making a comeback and right now only 28% gaming revenue comes from digital

Now not all of that 28% is digital gaming vast majority of the revenue is from micro transactions, Loot boxes, ultimate teams, dlc etc,

Do you really think retailers will give hardware it's own displays and sections if the only revenue they see is when they sell the systems? Did you all miss the fact gamestop sent out emails informing millions of their customers that Xbox one isn't right system for them. Do you not see the damage stuff like that did to Xbox brand in general

Digital and physical will Co exist no matter what anyone says. Vast majority of gaming income for retailers come from software sales because that's constant while hardware sales are pretty much one for each customer(just using that as an example)

There is a reason digital and physical prices are the same. Retailers know if digital is cheaper they will lose customers

Biggest thing I don't get is gamers who like digital only want to force their preference on to other gamers who prefer physical. Why can't everyone buy how they like

I see at the end digital making up for 70% and physical 30% give or take few numbers or either side

[KnightNumber86]

Sun may explode by then too

[bigmalky]

There is one fact that these stories miss and developers that spout this guff forget...

Music and movies are finished products when customers purchase, making buyers happy. Games are rarely perfect out of the box, need multiple patches and are often a gamble when it comes to quality and post purchase support. Streaming games is a whole new kettle of fish than services like Netflix or Spotify.

We also like to know if we spend £40+ on something, that we get to keep it, for future use or resale value.

Now bugger off and stop pushing this agenda. You'd have to be lacking braincells if you support this business model in an industry that is constantly trying to find ways to make gamers pay as much as possible, for as little work they can put in.

[rainslacker]

Maybe it's time we just ignore these types of articles and wait until these companies try to implement such things, then we can tell them to F* off like we did to MS at the start of this generation.

[bigmalky]

Couldn't agree more, fella.

[Knightofelemia]

If discless hits the console I am done with console and I'll just go pc

[slavish0]

lmao someone has been saying this for the last 20 years. Every years apparently is the year.

[masterfox]

this move would kill by alot the appeal to own a next gen console and by this I mean to be discless, if they go all Streaming that would kill the current game industry, the feeling of ownership will be lost and this is a very important part of the industry.

[rainslacker]

It would have to be a gradual change. It'll probably get there one day, but it's a ways away. Certainly not for next gen. I doubt it'll be the only option the gen after. Too much has to change in the market for that to happen.

[Minute Man 721]

Well well looks like next gen will be my last console purchases

[LandoCalrissiano]

Console makers need retailers to sell their consoles but they won't if they can't sell their games too. Disc trays aren't going anywhere.

[ajax17]

Didn't people speculate the same thing about this generation?

There's no reason to have disc-less consoles. There's always improvements being made to disc storage. Holographic versatile discs have a 6tb capacity, so there's no excuse.

[Tross]

There's more than one thing wrong with that statement. First, console gamers will have to abandon physical media for the most part, and while some have, most haven't. Statistics indicating the prevalence of digital sales are inevitably influenced by mobile being all-digital and the popularity of digital-only services on PC such as Steam, GoG, etc. Even console-only statistics are influenced by some games being digital only, and by Limited Run physical copies often being limited in quantity and being released quietly. It may be true that digital is slowly but surely taking up more and more of game sales, and may eventually be the sole means of acquiring games, but I don't see it happening in the next five years or however long the next gen goes for.

Secondly, even if digital takes over entirely, that does not mean streaming will. In fact, I don't see that ever being the norm, or if it does, that future's way far off. There will be a riot if people don't even have the option of having a game saved to their HDD so it can at least be enjoyed offline, and indefinitely. Digital vs physical isn't the real issue here. It seems more than a few vile corporations want a degree of control over our entertainment that they should never have. I'm not saying streaming shouldn't exist as an option, but it can't be the only one we have. We as consumers shouldn't let them get their wish, and they need to learn that it is we, the people who will decide whether to invest in their games and services, who get to decide how we want the future of gaming to look.

[Skankinruby]

Lmao @ all these 'If this happens I'm done with gaming' comments. You won't quit gaming and you know it. Everything is going digital, everything. You see the aisles at retail stores for cds/dvds/blu rays getting smaller and smaller by the month and games are definitely next. All they need to do is work out the kinks and physical media will be dinosaur tech. Drm has to go, play games from an external drive with no red tape and physical media is dead.

[joab777]

Offer both to ppl. Some may pay less for a non-disc version. I’m 95% digital now, but would most likely buy a disc version for now. That said, many may live the option to pay $50-$100 less for a digital only version. Or the same price for one with 3x the HDD.

[ziggurcat]

As long as there's a SKU option for disc-based games...

[ZombieKiller]

I really hope not because I'd would like some backward compatibility in my PS5 to play games in native 4k or higher. I would go all digital if they made me, but I would like to have an all in one console. That's just me I guess. I buy all digital if the game is appealing enough aka if I don't trade it in at gameflop

[Good-Smurf]

If this will be the case then,my old trusties like PC Engine and Mark III will be my main consoles instead,I would just give up whatever current gen gaming at the time.

[RosweeSon]

After next Gen so another 10 years 🙄

[Zjet]

As long as games and consoles don't require a constant online check in.

I love physical media, however with so many patches and content through updates it almost makes physical media useless nowadays.

Digital future is enivitable. However it needs to be done right.

Online only gaming or streaming isn't the answer.

Downloafs and offline compatibility is

[Grown Folks Talk]

Seeing as you have to install the disc as if it were downloaded anyways, makes sense. Streaming is less desirable than simply downloading to many i'd assume. I'm almost completely digital as it is now. If games are forward compatible from this point on, & they finally adopt the digital trade/credit option Microsoft mentioned pre X1 release, it won't bother me at all to have a disc free console.

[PhoenixUp]

Did the PSP Go teach you nothing?

[BlaqMagiq1]

If we start having gens with discless consoles I would never buy them regardless of who they're from. By submitting to all digital you're allowing companies to control how you game and how you own your games. This is why physical is necessary for gaming.

[Harkins1721]

"May"

[ClanPsi1]

I don't understand the point. Sure it would lead to cheaper consoles, but only marginally. I don't think it would be financially worth it to designate an entire assembly line for.