Well, this is what PS3 has been doing since it came out, and PC gamers have always had to put up with this. If it means better game performance and a quieter console and they ship with enough space to start with, I see no problem with this... aside from a lack of patience.
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The Durango is said to rely exclusively on the downloaded title, not the BluRay retail disc required for said download. It seems pretty cost-ineffecive to manufacture a disc and branded packaging that will likely see only one use in its lifetime. Compared to the PS3, Sony's console still requires the use of the disc, thereby attributing value to the physical media. It's all likely a heavy-handed approach to killing second-hand game sales. I'm personally an original purchaser, so the second-hand market doesn't really affect me, but I know there are tons of gamers (friends included) that rely on less expensive trade-in titles to build their libraries. Combine that with some truly asinine approaches to returns most retailers have with new games, and gamers are caught in the middle of two sides of an industry that shout nonsense at each other hoping the other side gives up. A download-centric console is an exciting proposition, potentially erasing the need for physical retailers (and perhaps in some cases, harmful publisher-developer relationships). The console will have to maximize download speed and will almost certainly need the ability to download titles in the background while users go about their business -- either playing their new game, watching a movie, or booting up another title. It will be interesting to see what Microsoft pins down for Hard Drive sizes, as that's going to really determine the viability of the business strategy.
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Edited by LOLdragon89: 3/27/2013 3:16:49 PMDespite many people's fears, I'm still not convinced either console or either maker will adopt a completely download-centric model and will still rely on physical media and the use of used games and here's why: If you kill used games, you kill GameStop. Love it or hate it, GameStop and other physical retailers have provided a very mutually beneficial relationship for console makers. Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, and others make the games, and GameStop promotes them, even sometimes providing consumers with retailer-specific exclusive content in games. Removing reusable media from the market would significantly harm the industry in more ways than it would benefit it, and I don't think console makers have much of an incentive to take that route. ...not to mention you can be sure GameStop and GameFly and all the rest would lobby like hell to ensure their existence! xD