PS4 - Could it be digital only console?

[SonOfVoorhees]

While talking to friends about the PS4, we come to the idea that the reason they didnt show the PS4 console was because it will be a digital only device. Because if they showed the console off we would see there is no disk drawer. Now this could be untrue, but looking at the conference vid it seems a viable guess. Its more directed at streaming and online gameplay and interaction. Streams PS3 games so why not PS4 games? It also has cloud gaming, or whatever it was that Sony bought. It would also save Sony a load of money as well and also would kill the used game market for the PS4. Although this wouldn't be to bad if the games you download digitally would be comparable to the pricing on Steam. The used game issue is an negative point to a download only console, and Sony is aware of this and wouldnt want to annoy fans by stating this.

So what do you think? Digital downloading is the future, Steam are soon releasing there console. So do you think Sony is jumping in first? Or do you think its something as simple as they are just waiting till E3 to show off their new console?

EDIT - First comment stated it has Blue ray in its specs, i feel stupid, but didnt bother reading specs as i find that uninteresting an irrelevant. More interested in the games. So, in relation to that, could it be partly digital, have the ability to download PS4 games and buy on disc as a combi console before we get a true digital only PS5?

 

[Korten12]

Don't think so... In the offical specs it mentions a blu-ray drive.

 

[tippy2k2]

If Sony is going digital only, they will be the first console to lose the race before it has even begun.

The only countries (to my admittedly little knowledge) that could possibly support the bandwidth needs for a digital-only console would be a few Asian countries. The loss of customers who just plain CAN'T go digital-only alone would severely damage Sony and the ones who COULD but wouldn't out of principle would just plain cripple the PS4.

 

[ohnoitsabear]

I highly doubt it. However, I do think that most, if not all PS4 games will be able to be downloaded day one, and fewer and fewer people will be buying physical media simply out of convenience. But there will definitely still be enough people buying physical games to justify releasing them.

The bigger question is, will the PS5 be download only? Only time will tell, but I'm somewhat inclined to say yes, just looking at where things are likely to be headed.

 

[J Tyran]

If given a choice I would always personally choose digital distribution over physical copies, any console going all digital would be tantamount to suicide. Some people have crap internet connections, whether by choice, circumstance or because services in their area are rubbish. Downloading 25GB+ games would be impractical or impossible. The download as you play concept might help but its still potentially unreliable.

Other people are Luddites and feel the need to be comforted by having a box with a disk in, even when they install the game. Either group of potential players would be turned away by an all digital console.

There was another issue they didn't mention at all, they didn't cover the anti used game speculation. Neither to confirm or deny it, not sure what that means though. Surely though it they had no plans to block used games they would have reassured people that it wasn't going to happen?