So I just learned that Sony is going to release Patapon 2 as a case with no disc in it, just a download code, as a "one time test case".

http://pspupdates.qj.net/Sony-confirms-UMD...g/49/aid/130327

WTF? Couldn't they do their test case with a game I don't want? There's plenty of those on the PSP. And this, moreso than Random PSP FPS With Frustrating Controls #117, would be something that unsuspecting parents might buy for their unsuspecting kids. I could see a lot of angry phone calls to Sony and returns to the retail stores.

As if I didn't hate digital distribution enough... Now they're fucking selling an empty case? Why not just limit it to the PSN store? Why sell the case at all? I bet this is a sinister plot to sell more memory sticks.

Well I could see a reason for the empty case, in response to the argument that people want something tangible. It's still awfully stupid though.

Though this isn't the first game the US has gotten exclusively as a download when other regions got it on a disc (Echochrome), the fact that they're teasing us with the empty cases is just insulting.

Yeah, fuck Sony.

I know, damn Sony and all, but....why is this a huge problem again? Just for storage reasons?

You can still buy it, and you can still play it. It's not like the download costs extra on top of the case, and it's not like you don't have internet access. And you even get a case to take up the obligatory space in your room. It sucks, but it's not like it's going to catch on.

Just to get this part of out the way since it's been sitting in my head...
Benefit of buying in a store:
You can play it as soon as you have it in your hands, don't have to wait for it to download.
Benefit of downloading:
You don't have to go to the store.
This:
Neither of those.



Well in all honestly I do like this better than it being a regular download-only release since at least there's the option of buying it in person and possibly finding it on clearance. Having the manual and case is nice as well.

The real problem is that we were led to believe that this would be a normal release with an actual disc, and now it's not - because of a marketing strategy. I've already detailed most of my objections to digital-only releases in other topics, but this brings up a new one: Having an entire game hogging up space on my memory card isn't very appealing.

Is this not enough reason for me to bitch about it on my nerdy internet forum? :)

But wait, does this cost extra to offset the manufacturing of the cases and printing of the manual?

It does. $5 extra.

$5 extra on top of what?

Just downloading it without buying it in a store ($15).

Just out of curiosity, do you people still buy your music strictly on Compact Disc?

I don't really see this as a problem, maybe it's because I have a 360 filled with Live Arcade titles that I really enjoy. All of which were procured in a purely digital fashion.

This is not a gimick or marketing strategy, it's prototyping and analysis for the viability of a UMD-less PSP deuce. They're looking to see if putting empty cases in retail stores will help their online sales and to raise awareness of PSN, and to prepare consumers for the inevitable future. Wholly digital means of distribution.

I don't mind. But then again, I haven't played my PSP for nearly a year.

Yes, actually. (Though I have gotten a few songs out of free promotions, a couple I can't listen to anymore because of DRM.) Of course I don't exactly buy a lot of music anyway.

I don't exactly have a problem with digital music distribution though, since it provides a great alternative to CDs. Don't want to buy an entire album when you just want one song? You can do that. And they've finally started getting rid of DRM on music. Put your downloaded song on your PC, your Mac, your phone, your iPod, your camera, your TV with an MP3 player built in, Xbox, PSP, etc. after only buying it once. If I'm buying the entire album though, I'm always going to buy the CD, even if I'd save a couple of dollars buying it as MP3s.

Games just don't offer these same advantages.

Still, I am interested in a few downloadable titles despite the problems I have with it. I plan to get Megaman 9 (and that FF4 sequel) as soon as I have a console to play it on. It's just too bad I can't buy it right now to play on my sister's Wii, and then be able to bring it to mine whenever I get one. (Somebody correct me if I'm wrong about that.)

That... sounds like a marketing strategy.

Yeah, digital distribution might work just fine for music, but i'll never get how people can extrapolate that out to replacing all other forms of media. Downloading music works because 99% of people only care about what they hear on the radio or tv, and would never be bothered to buy an entire album anyway. They'll just buy the one song they can dance to, or the one song they know most of the words to.

But you're not going to find a very big subset of people who wish they could just pay $10 to just have level five of the new Mario game, or $5 to get a handful of their favorite scenes from a movie. It's just not even close to the same thing.

*cough*DLC*cough*

That's not even close to the same thing. That's extra content on top of the game you already paid for, it is completely optional 100% of the time. Sure it sucks sometimes what gets withheld for DLC, but it doesn't mean there's a market for partial games like their is CDs.

I dunno, man. I could see it happening.

So could i, but not on a level that makes eradication of discs a viable reality.

Maybe, maybe not, but I still think that eradication of discs isn't that far fetched. Just look at how succesful Steam is.

Except that everyone hates it and seems to use it kind of grudgingly.

Meh.

I don't need discs. I'll buy them if they're there... but if not, I'll still buy the stuff I like.

I can't blame them for wanting to cut out manufacturing costs. All those useless "apps" on the iPhone would never even get made if they had to go through traditional channels... and people are out there getting rich off of their fucking Bic Simulators and shit.

It's madness! Luckily, there's an app for that.

I like Xbox Live Arcade... and that's my main exposure to the "gaming" equivalent of digi-distro. I also have a bunch of old PC games on Steam, because my "new" (actually very old, and very shitty) computer, won't run them (DOS games) or... because I lost the original floppys or discs.

I'm okay with digi-dist. Even if I DLC pisses me off.

Aren't the DOS games on Steam still DOS games, just running on DOSbox? Or have some of them been ported to be Windows native?

Yeah, it's some form of DOS emulation. I'm not sure what it is.

Which is why I bought them. I don't have to worry about it. It works, I'm happy, money well spent. Some of them even include network support, which kinda boggles my mind with my limited knowledge of virtualization of legacy OSs.

Considering how iffy DOS emulation is, that's actually quite reasonable. With most games you have to patch the program in some way just to get it running on DOSBox. Although the wikipedia article says Steam DOES use DOSBox...

Double-post from out of nowhere for no good reason:

Hey, Scumdogg, remember how you said there isn't a market for partial games? Siren: Blood Curse was released in that exact manner. You download one of the "episodes", beat it, then grab the next one. You can also buy the whole thing at once if you like, just like music on iTunes. Yahtzee wasn't thrilled about this.

Of course he wasn't, it's a stupid idea that sucks. It's exactly why i haven't bought the Penny Arcade game even though i know i'll like it. $15-$20 at a time for bits of a game? Yeah no thanks.

That doesn't mean there's a market for it though. Lots of things exist that aren't marketable.

...So, PSP Go?

I don't have a problem with downloadable services for old games such as Final Fantasy VII (PlayStation Network) or Banjo-Kazooie (Xbox Live Arcade) or Majora's Mask (Virtual Console).

But yeah, this is really silly.

GameStop's going to love that thing. I can picture the display now, down behind the counter, underneath the register, with a blanket over it.

OMG you made me laugh despite having a mild hangover.