Sony Chooses Not to Go Download-Only for New PlayStation - The UpStream

Sony Chooses Not to Go Download-Only for New PlayStation

posted Sunday Jun 3, 2012 by Nicholas DiMeo

Sony Chooses Not to Go Download-Only for New PlayStation

Sony's new PlayStation, codenamed Orbis, may not be releasing until next year, however the company has been very vocal about some of the things we may or may not see on the new console.

Sony continued that effort just days before their annual gaming press event and said that while it considered a download-only option for the upcoming next-gen platform, the company will stick with the disc drive that stays true to the customary industry standard. This is opposite of both previous reports of the new hardware and of Microsoft's new potential plan with the Xbox 3.

Sony said that they really thought long and hard about making the switch, but ultimately felt they would alienate customers if they opted for download-only. However, this move is very different from the way the gaming industry is shifting as of late. More and more games are available almost instantly after launch date on a digital medium and users are downloading more and more things like movies and music before choosing to head to the store to pick up a CD or DVD (or buy a CD from the Sony Music Store Online).

Obviously there are a lot of other factors that go into deciding if a console will be download-only. Stores like GameStop and WalMart, who rely heavily on brick-and-mortar physical copy sales, may be in jeopardy if the hardware manufacturers go completely digital with their downloads.

Sony also added that variables like Internet connections being too inconsistent on a global scale led to a finalization of Orbis getting an optical drive. Games can sometimes be 8GB in size and having a DSL or slower connection may not be the best option for those customers. Adversely, it may have caused people to upgrade their Internet connection had Sony chose to stray from disc.

Sony has had some financial trouble as of late and new CEO Kaz Hirai is looking to right the ship. Is an optical disc the way to go? Will it help or hurt Sony? This next year leading to the new PlayStation is going to be crucial for the company, as failure here could lead to Microsoft running laps around them in gaming victory.

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