Microsoft Next-Gen Without Disk Drive?

[Jubby]

According to an unnamed source, the next XBox will not have a disk drive. This is not confirmed by Microsoft, but I think the idea is worth sharing.
MCV Exclusive

While the console will not contain a disc drive, according to the source, the report suggests it will contain "some sort of interchangeable solid-state card storage, although it is not known whether this will be proprietary or a more standard format such as SD.

I see the potential, but the drawbacks. I don't know if I like the idea given the potential drawbacks (backwards compatibility, etc.).
What do you folks think about this potential idea?
What if the PS4 console followed suit?

 

[Caz]

Bad idea methinks.

I doubt Sony would abandon blu ray for its next Gen console. Atleast completely. Ps4 releases may be on a card type device, but the system would surely include a blue ray drive. Sony is to invested in it.

Although I highly doubt even that would happen.

If this turns out to be a true rumor about the next Gen Microsoft consoles I believe it is a major setback. Reminds me of the rumor's awhile back about the possibility of one of the major players dropping out of the game console race....... it might just be MS with this move.



After typing all that I realize Sony is experimenting with card formats with the vita but don't see it being brought to the console market.

 

[David]

It would make sense for Microsoft since they don't have their own disk format to support like Sony does. It would also force you to use the markletplace for old games and movies with is again a plus for them. I think for at least the next generation or so they will still have some form of card storage to deliver content like with the Vita because they still have to rely a great deal on physical retailers.

 

[Patrick]

I hope they don't go through with this. It'll suck for everyone, including me, who have bad Internet.

 

[David]

I hope they don't go through with this. It'll suck for everyone, including me, who have bad Internet.

Like I said, I seriously doubt that they would risk going digital distribution only with the upcoming generation, and aside from that they would have major issues with their physical retailers if they tried.

 

[tribolik]

Well they could do two versions... one with and one without... I would buy the one without.
1st - the console would be cheaper
2nd- the digital games would cheaper
3rd- the console would take less space
4th- the games would take up less space

 

[David]

1st - the console would be cheaper

Maybe.

2nd- the digital games would cheaper

Nope. As long as physical versions are still being sold at retail outlets this will not change. Just look at the current games. Even on PC with something like Steam, new games aren't any cheaper than their physical counterparts. Gotta keep the retailers happy.

3rd- the console would take less space

Maybe, but I doubt there would be a radical size difference if they did create two version.

 

[tribolik]

Nope. As long as physical versions are still being sold at retail outlets this will not change. Just look at the current games. Even on PC with something like Steam, new games aren't any cheaper than their physical counterparts. Gotta keep the retailers happy.

To me that doesnt make any sence... if you cut on production and distribuition cost that should cut also the final price, but even if that was true it would still be a plus to get the games when ever I want, without leaving my house and without any hassle.

 

[Crispy]

Do you think that they might be using this for something other than Digital form of gaming? Say the game is put on to the SSD, and then shipped in a box just like the CD and Blu-Ray games are. This would mean faster loading times.

 

[David]

To me that doesnt make any sence... if you cut on production and distribuition cost that should cut also the final price, but even if that was true it would still be a plus to get the games when ever I want, without leaving my house and without any hassle.

You're right, it doesn't make sense, but thats the way it works because of the distribution deals with physical retailers. The publishers aren't able to lower the prices for digital distribution. As I said, just look at any of the current platforms. Thats why games on Steam, Origin, downloads from Game Stop or anywhere else aren't any cheaper than their physical alternatives.

 

[Jello18]

If next-gen consoles don't have disks then I will not be buying them. I doubt the story is true and even if Microsoft does it, I don't think that Sony would take that big of a risk.

 

[tribolik]

If next-gen consoles don't have disks then I will not be buying them. I doubt the story is true and even if Microsoft does it, I don't think that Sony would take that big of a risk.

I said that same thing when the DVD players came out... if that thing doesnt play a tape I wont be buying...

 

[lemansfanatic]

Yes but the way they were going to market this thing as a "complete home entertainment system" means they should include a system for people to watch movies on it in the most current state of the art, which not only includes streaming movies but blu ray discs. i am with you, i dont want to have a seperate blu ray player if sony's comes with one, i'll switch. sounds like microsoft just never figured out how to rebound from the whole HD DVD rights fiasco. @ Microsoft - if you dont kiss sonys a** and get the rights to include a player for all my Blu ray library you are a failure, just like you failed with HD dvds... ya, that'll show em, right?!

 

[Robin]

I very much doubt the next Xbox (which now codenamed Durango) won't have a disk drive because its still the cheapest physical format to produce around. It's still too early in my opinion to go totally digital as things like the PSP Go did terribly.

MS will never put a Blu Ray drive in it because it would have to pay royalties to use it, most of which would go to Sony! The way I see it is that they will likely resurrect HD-DVD as a proprietary game format (like the Wii optical disk) to get the storage sizes without paying any licence.

Sony is likely to go with the next incarnation of Blu Ray (probably the XL format) because after all the effort to get BR established they are hardly going to throw it away for the next generation.

What more worrying is the rumours the next Xbox won't play used games at all. What has happened to the world!

Robin.

 

[CMvan46]

I think Microsoft would be nuts not to include a Blu ray drive. They need to swallow some pride and put that in because they will take a huge hit in sales if they don't. Blu ray seems to be gaining some real traction and it would be a tough sell to tell people but this is HD DVD.

Doesn't HD DVD format have far less storage than Blu ray to begin with, let alone the new XL format? I think your setting yourself up for disaster by the end of the generation of you don't go with the best available format right now.

 

[bevo]

Yes but the way they were going to market this thing as a "complete home entertainment system" means they should include a system for people to watch movies on it in the most current state of the art, which not only includes streaming movies but blu ray discs. i am with you, i dont want to have a seperate blu ray player if sony's comes with one, i'll switch. sounds like microsoft just never figured out how to rebound from the whole HD DVD rights fiasco. @ Microsoft - if you dont kiss sonys a** and get the rights to include a player for all my Blu ray library you are a failure, just like you failed with HD dvds... ya, that'll show em, right?!

The most current format for movies is online. It sounds like you have blu ray player now, and it sounds like you still have an xbox, so why would you switch to just sony, what would be the difference?

People will buy games regardless of if they are on a disk or not. Even if they do lose some console sales, imagine the money they will gain off of the game sells. All digital download content would mean no used games. I'm sure that every game developer there is would love for there to be download only games. They will make a killing.

 

[Terronium-12]

I think Microsoft would be nuts not to include a Blu ray drive. They need to swallow some pride and put that in because they will take a huge hit in sales if they don't. Blu ray seems to be gaining some real traction and it would be a tough sell to tell people but this is HD DVD.

Doesn't HD DVD format have far less storage than Blu ray to begin with, let alone the new XL format? I think your setting yourself up for disaster by the end of the generation of you don't go with the best available format right now.

Or, they could just invest in or create their own proprietary format.

 

[Robin]

I think Microsoft would be nuts not to include a Blu ray drive. They need to swallow some pride and put that in because they will take a huge hit in sales if they don't. Blu ray seems to be gaining some real traction and it would be a tough sell to tell people but this is HD DVD.

Doesn't HD DVD format have far less storage than Blu ray to begin with, let alone the new XL format? I think your setting yourself up for disaster by the end of the generation of you don't go with the best available format right now.

I don't think they would ever pay a few percent of every Xbox sold to Sony! Also by that time stand alone BR players are likely to be so cheap no one is going to care it doesn't have it, most people will have got one by then anyway. Is all about creating a large capacity game format.

HD-DVD in its original guise was 30GB maximum compared to BR's 50GB however a 51GB spec was developed and approved just before the format died and they could easily dust that off. Anything would be a step up from DVD capacity anyway and there would be nothing stopping them developing even higher capacity disks themselves.

Robin.

 

[lemansfanatic]

Nobody wants to re-buy all their blu rays if there would be no difference in pic quality. THE HD DVD IS DEAD- GOOD RIDDANCE. lets keep one industry standard for media disks-blu ray.

 

[RTSolvalou]

Nintendo got burned because they chose to put games on cartridge (apparently for profit-related reasons), which were way more expensive to make than discs, and I'm sure discs are still cheaper than solid state drives.

 

[Robin]

That's why Nintendo created the Wii optical disk format.... all the storage size and cheap production of a standard DVD without having to pay royalties to the DVD consortium. I bet Xbox will do the same with a proprietary format and the system will just not play any disk based movie media whatsoever.

 

[David]

Here'd a good read on the subject http://penny-arcade.com/report/editorial-article/the-all-digital-console-is-a-myth-despite-steam-box-and-discless-xbox-rumor