THQ: Future consoles won't use discs

THQ: Future consoles won't use discs
THQ CEO talks benefits of eliminating physical media from games industry.

Chief Executive Brian Farrel predicted that the industry will soon abandon physical media entirely for games consoles, favouring cloud computing solutions instead. He made his comments at the Cloud Gaming USA Conference while making a presentation.



He argued that the lack of physical media could save money for hardware makers, since they would not have to include an optical drive in their consoles. For developers and publishers, it would cut costs associated with producing, storing and shipping inventory.

"The box, ship, and done model is transitioning to observe, measure, and modify," Farrell said, adding that the industry is moving to "a games-as-a-service model where direct consumer feedback allows the ability to operate in this always on, always connected environment."

Farell acknowledged that the content of the game matters more to consumers than the way in which it is delivered to them.

Written by: James Delahunty @ 12 Sep 2011 21:29
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THQ
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  • 22 comments
  • Mr_Bill06

    I can't see this happening for a while, a long while. For one net speeds in most places are just not fast enough, and what about people wanting to play that can't get net or don't need/want net. No optical drive could mean for some people a buy or pass, who wants multiple gadgets if you could have a box do it all. The big reason Sony sold a lot of PS3's was because a- it was cheaper then most blu players and b- it was able to do much more then play movies. Also lot's of people like to physically own the game on a disc and be able to sell there games, when you digitally download you own it for life. Not to mention you would be forced to carry your box or HDD if you went somewhere to be able to play your games.

    12.9.2011 21:58 #1

  • HxCMANIAC

    This is the reason the PSP Go failed. I want physical copies of media I buy.

    12.9.2011 22:29 #2

  • solamf30

    Quote:Farell acknowledged that the content of the game matters more to consumers than the way in which it is delivered to them. They most of polled other publisher execs to get those results

    12.9.2011 22:38 #3

  • KillerBug

    They probably polled WoW users.


    12.9.2011 22:46 #4

  • SomeBozo

    What was the game i just saw recently that might require 1 50Gb blew-ray disks and one more 25Gb disk? I heard the game come in around 60Gb, happy day long downloads, oops internet just hiccuped not sure will it be smart enough to restart from the spot and still work or will one need to start over...

    As a side note, we have a solution like this around today Steam, I for one don't care for them and would refuse to get anything through it. Main thing seems you need a always on connection to Steam in order to play on-line, if it goes down so does you game...

    Sounds like yet another lame solution...


    12.9.2011 23:16 #5

  • lamain

    I could see this working if it was more like steam. buy a digital copy and then download it. They keep a record of all games you purchased and you can re-download them at any time. To work they would also need a offline play ability as well as a way to get the game by Memory stick for people that do not have good enough internet to download the games.

    12.9.2011 23:33 #6

  • Hopium

    Originally posted by SomeBozo: What was the game i just saw recently that might require 1 50Gb blew-ray disks and one more 25Gb disk? I heard the game come in around 60Gb, happy day long downloads, oops internet just hiccuped not sure will it be smart enough to restart from the spot and still work or will one need to start over...

    As a side note, we have a solution like this around today Steam, I for one don't care for them and would refuse to get anything through it. Main thing seems you need a always on connection to Steam in order to play on-line, if it goes down so does you game...

    Sounds like yet another lame solution...

    obviously you don't read about anything and assume what you think is correct is correct, you are correct however that in order to play online you need a connection to the internet. and yes if your always-on internet connection goes down in the middle of an online game you will be disconnected, WOAH who would have thought. you however are not correct in that you need to be online to play games. you only need to sign into steam once from a pc to install the game and verify. with that being said good luck finding a physical copy of console or pc games in 2 years.

    13.9.2011 00:46 #7

  • Morreale

    Originally posted by HxCMANIAC: This is the reason the PSP Go failed. I want physical copies of media I buy. Exactly. I'll stop gaming altogether when I can't own/play off of a physical copy of whatever game I want to play.

    *\\\****//\\\***//\\\*****
    **\\\**//**\\\*//**\\\*******
    ***\\\//****\\\ ****\\\****

    13.9.2011 00:59 #8

  • Dragon3000

    Personally, I can't see this happening. Yes we have the PS3/Xbox/Wii/PSP and DSi all having the option to buy games online and download them instantly which is the only indication that this could go to cloud gaming. However there are just too many issues with internet connections to guarantee a trouble free gaming experience.

    My view is to keep things the way they are. I don't know about you but I look forward to the next gen console and to check out it's capabalities. It builds excitement and 'need' in the market. If everything is done online then I truely believe that there will not be any appreciation for what you get. It will simply be a file only, a file in a cloud that perhaps one day will also get hacked and shut down, but if we had our trusty discs there would not be any issues (well unless you're careless and scratch your discs that is).


    13.9.2011 02:55 #9

  • KillerBug

    I just re-read the article, and it looks like people were actually asking for quality content, saying that they would put up with almost anything to get it. Seems logical given the crappy games that THQ makes.


    13.9.2011 04:18 #10

  • emugamer

    It's called OnLive, and it's actually quite good. Out for a little over a year and a half already.

    13.9.2011 05:51 #11

  • xboxdvl2

    if it requires a credit card or online purchase i wont be buying any games.

    R.I.P. mr 1990 ford falcon.got myself a 1993 toyota corolla seems to run good.computers still going good.

    13.9.2011 08:18 #12

  • brockie

    10 years away imo.

    13.9.2011 10:11 #13

  • ZippyDSM

    Next 2 generations will use flash or blu ray as it will be the cheapest thing going.

    Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy!
    Ah modern gaming its like modern film only the watering down of fiction and characters is replaced with shallow and watered down mechanics, gimmicks and shiny-er "people".
    http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/

    13.9.2011 10:29 #14

  • Mysttic

    Yea I really can't see media just up and going because companies believe that's the way of the future. Once upon a moon LaserDiscs were the way of the future, but they were just too damn big to bother appealing to the masses. And it has already been stated, not everywhere on a global scale *or every one* have a reliable internet connection that is readily affordable to start downloading Gigabytes for games; so why limit your market?

    And at the rate my country *Canada* is going, they are doing nothing to up the bandwidth capacities allowed on plans, but instead making them lower the opposite way of necessity for the digital age. How many other countries are following suit? So yea, this idiot at THQ obviously has not done his homework.

    13.9.2011 17:13 #15

  • Bozobub

    This is simply an ovious attempt to push "cloud computing" on yet another market, to ensure continuing "revenue streams". Sony or M$ doesn't get any further $$ from someone who just buys a game, goes home, plays it, and never goes online, and they can NOT stand that. The same is true for PCs and games/applications there.

    This isn't even conjecture; M$ has clearly stated their goals for cloud computing, and the reasons. I just didn't "prettify" it like they did =p .

    You're sure as hell gonna keep paying your XBL or PSN Online membership, if that's the only way you can play your games, now won't you? And {Deity of your choice here} help you if they ever decide to stop supporting a given game. And if you'd like to resell it? NOT going to happen under a "cloud computing" model. Ever.

    The ideal model for these suit-bedecked turds is for everyone to have a GeForce/AMD-graphics-enhanced VT101 dumb terminal, with 8.1 sound >.<' ...

    14.9.2011 14:25 #16

  • Bozobub

    Originally posted by SomeBozo: What was the game i just saw recently that might require 1 50Gb blew-ray disks and one more 25Gb disk? I heard the game come in around 60Gb, happy day long downloads, oops internet just hiccuped not sure will it be smart enough to restart from the spot and still work or will one need to start over...

    As a side note, we have a solution like this around today Steam, I for one don't care for them and would refuse to get anything through it. Main thing seems you need a always on connection to Steam in order to play on-line, if it goes down so does you game...

    Sounds like yet another lame solution...

    Um, Stream at least lets you play *most* games in "Offline mode". Scores/settings don't save to their "cloud", sure, but at least the option is there; if it isn't for a given game, that's not Steam's fault, it's the game devs'.

    14.9.2011 14:27 #17

  • VGenscher

    If this is true then i would quit gaming, all my friends had this discussion already when the psp drop'd the disc.
    Me and my friends all agreed not to buy a psp go, why would some one buy digtal copies with all the risk it comes with!.

    1) your account is live on system, yes the system can be hacked just look at what happened to the ps3.

    2) your pc can catch virus etc, did you know not many people know how to fix this. I have to repair all my friends pc's every year some times more then once a year. So if the data is store there then you lose!.

    3) You dont feel like you own anything, theres something about having the case in your hand that makes you feel good, i still rather have a book instead off a ebook on a tablet.

    4) not everyone has a fast connection or plays live!.
    I still network play with my friends as we all have a screen each and under 1 roof so no lag etc. Plus after you can all chill out and have a chat.

    5) Lag, tested onlive anyone ? its basicly no media and games are stream to you, well if i go on to http://speedtest.net/ it reports 17mb on my wirless and when i play onlive software it lags. Its not the pc after all online plays on mostly any pc plus im using a amd 955 at 3.2ghz quad core.
    Lots of people lag on xbox live etc what chance is there that the game will will smooth when steaming it.

    There is more reasons aswell, however why not just switch the games from disk to memory cards ? it would be better and faster!.

    15.9.2011 06:08 #18

  • Thoatih12

    another idea would be putting games on a usb drive? this could allow as much space they want and youd also own the media yourself..just curious is that an option in the gaming world? or has this already been ruled out?


    16.9.2011 00:04 #19

  • ZippyDSM

    Originally posted by Thoatih12: another idea would be putting games on a usb drive? this could allow as much space they want and youd also own the media yourself..just curious is that an option in the gaming world? or has this already been ruled out? Thats what flash chip is, USB is just a plug type that has its own format for sped and power.

    Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy!
    Ah modern gaming its like modern film only the watering down of fiction and characters is replaced with shallow and watered down mechanics, gimmicks and shiny-er "people".
    http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/

    16.9.2011 04:33 #20

  • Thoatih12

    got it! id see something like that being a better idea then going to just downloading the media. Id much rather own a pysical copy of the game i have boughten


    16.9.2011 14:53 #21

  • xboxdvl2

    Originally posted by Thoatih12: got it! id see something like that being a better idea then going to just downloading the media. Id much rather own a pysical copy of the game i have boughten i agree.if i buy something i like to have a physcial item that i have spent my money on.I also prefer to pay for everything with cash.hitting a few buttons on a computer screen and watching numbers change and downloading something is boring.walking in a store buying something with cash (that you want) and walking out owning it feels good.

    R.I.P. mr 1990 ford falcon.got myself a 1993 toyota corolla seems to run good.computers still going good.

    17.9.2011 05:51 #22

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