Next gen console hardware

[Brian]

First topic of discussion:

http://games.slashdot.org/story/13/02/07/0216222/xbox-720-could-require-always-on-connection-lock-out-used-games

Well, I won't be buying one of those until they change their gameplan.  Admittedly, part of this is the fact that we never use the XBox 360 we have, but....

[Dracos]

We have a 360?

Is it like a paperweight accessory for the paperweight controller mock up? :)

[Brian]

Well, if we actually bought console games, and didn't each have a backlog of over 10 games to play through (in addition to nakama-based timesinks) it might get use.  In theory the XBox 360 is supposed to be better than the PS3 if a game is available for both.  But....

...most of our games that we're interested in are PS3 exclusive or PC, and if it can be done on PC, well....

But that's kind of derailing the discussion that the main motive not to get the next-gen system is a lack of utilization.  Just pointing out that I'm not rabidly hating on the decision to lock-in content.  Though, I might.  I dunno.

gotta think about it a bit

[Dracos]

I seem to be really cool with steam.

Steam also totally locks everything that touches it to my account FOREVERMORE.  They even have a spiffy raven that sings it when I hook a new game in.

[Brian]

Yeah, but steamsales mitigate the burn of console game producers trying to gouge for 60 dollars _before_ DLC enters the picture.

Steam does indeed do those things ... but I can get 8+ games in a bundle with all DLC included for less than the cost of two triple A titles.  They frequently even have good deals and sales on very recent titles.  I got Dishonored, which was supposed to demand 60$ in a bundle with 6+ other games I'd never looked at before for 80$.

That's really hard to beat.

[Grahf]

If this next generation is going to actually turn out the way it's shaping up, what with the 720 maybe forcing always on DRM and then the PS4 maybe using that anti-used games tech that Sony is attempting to patent then honestly you can count me right out.

Although granted that's not going to be very different from how I stand currently. I certainly have a PS3. It makes a fine dust collector.

[VySaika]

I'll eventually pick something up, esp if it has backwards compat. What will eventually sell me, as it always does, is a game from one of my "must have" series coming out on something. Konami bringing back suikoden would sell me a PS4 even if there was literally no other game on the system I'd play. -_-;

[Dracos]

Yeah, but steamsales mitigate the burn of console game producers trying to gouge for 60 dollars _before_ DLC enters the picture.

Steam does indeed do those things ... but I can get 8+ games in a bundle with all DLC included for less than the cost of two triple A titles.  They frequently even have good deals and sales on very recent titles.  I got Dishonored, which was supposed to demand 60$ in a bundle with 6+ other games I'd never looked at before for 80$.

That's really hard to beat.

Steam sales are a direct result of digital sales platforms.  Only obtuseness would keep them from appearing on consoles once they go primarily digital.  When cost of product delivery is effectively negligible, providing a product backlog alongside a new release only requires adding a few bucks to the price to make it profitable.

Steam has it easiest because the available PC library for doing that with is enormous, but there's really no reason that if consoles go with digital sale mechanisms we won't start seeing things like that going on.  They do produce a lot of money, and last I checked, game companies do try to make that.  Heck, the uber-boss was just giving a talk on the big thing about digital being the ability to make a billion price points and let people choose what they'd like to pay.

I think he oversimplifies, but it still bears note that removing the manufacturing and physical distribution chains dramatically affect the ability for these products to be put on sales or bundles.

[Brian]

Still combing the drek that Slashdot is for interesting links:

http://www.geek.com/articles/games/nvidia-walked-away-from-ps4-hardware-negotiations-20130315/

Uh ... ouch?

[Dracos]

Well, not surprising in a sense.