Xbox 360's Games on Demand service gets demoed on video
By Darren Murph 
posted June 7th 2009 12:32PM
posted June 7th 2009 12:32PM
posted June 7th 2009 12:32PM
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Crosspost from Joystiq:
Game publishers have been struggling for years to figure out how to break GameStop and Wal-mart's stranglehold on game retail in the US. My guess is this the first step on a path that will lead to a "window" system akin to that employed by the movie industry:
The initial release of a game will be at game retailers on disc, with the brick-and-mortar retailers enjoying a 1-2 month "window" of exclusivity.
After that, it'll appear on Games On Demand for a slightly discounted price for a "window" of maybe a year (this will be to offset used-game sales--instead of paying GameStop $50 to purchase a used copy of a month-old game, you might be able to buy it on Games On Demand for $45.)
The final window would open after 1 year, where the game would be made available on a yet-to-be-announced game subscription service like GameFly, but for console games, where you can download as many games as you like for one flat monthly rate. Call it "Xbox Live Platinum" or whatever.
It's just my speculation, and the details may change, but I believe the basic model is sound: it marginalizes the brick and mortar retailers and provides a model for long-term sustained sales of a title. Those are things the game publishing industry have wanted for a very long time, and it's good for us because it reduces the hit-driven nature of this business.
The games sell for the same prices as the DVD versions (minus the usual steep drop in street prices) and you have to buy the needed disk space by yourself for ridiculously high prices from Microsoft. Even if you could use standard HDDs this would be tough to justify. Considering Microsoft’s HDD prices, it almost seems insulting!
I like downloads, but in order for this to work, the downloads would have to be constantly lower than the DVD versions and you should be able to use standard HDDs!
If Microsoft sold them digitally cheaper...they would be undercutting themselves on titles they publish.
You are looking at it like "I don't get a physical copy and I can't resell it so it should be cheaper." While myself and Microsoft are looking at it like "Microsoft is using their bandwidth to provide you with the ability to make your life more convenient by being able to prevent yourself from having to go to the score to purchase a game. And the excess bandwidth that it is going to take up is not free."
They wouldn't be undercutting themselves - they would be swimming in increased profits from additional sales from the used game market. It's also not necessarily "more convenient" as I can drive to my local game retailer and be back home before a game download would have finished - giving me the added benefit of 1. being able to sell my used game 2. use my game on more than one xbox360 in my home 3. not tie up valuable HD space on my 360 4. etc
Finally- now we wont have to drive all over town to find the newest releases and hope they dont sell out! No more putting our names on hold lists. Halleulia! Another brilliant move from Microsoft- elliminate the middle man! Of course, there will be those that prefer having a hard copy of their game, so there will still be Gamestops. But I, for one, am glad that I wont have to drive to one anymore.
I'm trying to understand why this is such an amazing feature, hell Sony have been able to do get this to work across both the PS3 and PSP for the last couple of years.
Ok list all the full retail PS3 game's that is up on the PSN right now, considering they have been doing this for year's. They should have a good size list, along with all the latest new releases such as Infamous which is a PS3 only title. Denial is a heavy thing i understand, just cause sony has just a few full retail games on PSN which i actually think it is 3 total. Doesn't put them in the same category as this or quote "Doing this for years".
Engadget needs to read up. This Games On Demand won't feature any NEW releases, it will only feature games that the retailers don't sell anymore.
Wheres the PS3 update with this feature...?
Lol when did you last update your system? This has been available on the PS3 for quite a long time now. I have quit a few full games i have purchase through the PS Store. Still rather drive the 5 mins it takes to goto walmart than to sit and wait for a 10gb+ game to download then hopefully have no missing data on the install.
These is no way that anyone is going share the games they download... it's not as easy as changing your gamertag, or anything like that. The games are tied to your ACCOUNT, not your gamertag. And if you access your account on a friend's 360, then when you sign out, your friend CAN NOT access that game any longer... unless you're willing to leave your account on his 360, and let him sign in whenever he wants, and I've never dont it, but I'm sure Microsoft isn't crazy about an account logging in at 2 locations at the same time.
This would also have to catch on BIG TIME, for it to have an impact on used game retail stores, not to mention the fact that there are way too many people out there who simply don't like the idea of not having a physical disc to hold in their hands, as well as no high speed internet connection, and a lot of people who just don't conduct online business.
And as far as re-downloading the titles, I didn't have a 360 for over a year, got a new one, signed in with my account, and everything I had previously downloaded the year before, I could re-download again for free. You're only going to lose what you paid for if you lose your account... so don't forget your email and password! Oh, and yes, for core gamers, a 320gb hdd would be a must. If i want to play something I've deleted, the last thing I want to do is sit and re-download a 5gb file. Installing a 5gb game on PS3 is enough of a pain, I can't imagine waiting to download it. I have a 15mb connection, and an HD movie takes a LONG time.
I have heard that Sony has been working on tech that etches an encryption onto your disc that only allows it to be played in that specific console. If that is ever implemented, then that is what will hurt used game retail stores.
Retail games cannot be downloaded still on the ps3. If I wanted to buy Madden 10 when it comes out, I would have to go to the store and buy it. I cant just download Madden 10 right to my hd...
And from what that 'demo' showed, you won't be downloading Madden10 the same day it comes out in the stores either...unless there was somewhere else that said that these downloadable games will come out the same date as the physical disc, your point is moot.
it really comes down to the HDD space for a LOT of people and right now it's not in our favor unless M$ changes how they price the 360 HDD (which anyone that has wanted to upgrade theirs knows it's beyond rediculous) or allow an easy upgrade path like the ps3 (and I kinda doubt it) they are going to lose on this feature, just look at the video posted here 5.71gb for Lego Star Wars. It is a good idea in general but until they make the HDD upgrade path cheaper/easier I can't see it being that great
it looks like ms may of listened to id words of wisdom on storage after all? in regard to rage and doom 4?
Holy Crap, Did everyone else miss the memo that downloading the full game probably will take hours? How about a multi dvd game? Or the fact that you will have crap bandwidth for you or anyone else in your household while you are downloading + not being able to play any games on your xbox.
Oh yeah... bandwidth caps..... less used games out there to buy / not being able to trade sell....
I noticed they had the price for lego star wars at $19.99....how does this compare with boxed copies sold in the US?
That's about a half to 2/3rd what I'd need to buy it for if I tried to get it used in Canada from GameStop etc.
And I'm supposed to believe something like Mass Effect 2 is going to release online time and date with retailers?
They really should have released another HDD with this along with a lower price to it. The pricing on their accessories is borderline insane.
i was wondering.. if say you have played a game previously and it is in your played games history for your gamertag if you could then download that game for free? though microsoft would most likely make you pay for thatas thats what microsoft has in common with governments they get money out of you... however it would make sense if you got say 50% or more of the acheivements for the game you could download it for free..though there is a whole lot of problems there as we all know there will be. just a thought though id love it. though ill have to wait a few more years.. Broadband in NZ is terrible.. SLOW,EXPENSIVE,SLOW we pay around $50.00 for a monthly bandwith usage of 10 gigabytes!!! i hate it. i can play hardcore for about a week then for three weeks strictly offline gaming. lol