Rockstar Founder: More Will Play Gay Tony On A Disc

[John Funk]

Rockstar Founder: More Will Play Gay Tony On A Disc

Digitally distributed DLC is all well and good, but Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser doesn't think everybody's ready for it quite yet - which is why the second GTA4 episode, Ballad of Gay Tony, will have a boxed retail version.

Speaking with USA Today [http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2009-08-31-gta-iv_N.htm] about the upcoming second episode in the expanding world of GTA IV, Dan Houser said that while he felt people had grown used to the idea of buying music online as downloads, that hadn't yet crossed over into other media quite yet:

"I know, as a consumer, I'm more comfortable buying songs, which are almost like playing a jukebox, than I am buying movies as purely digital items," he said. "We all feel that way, so we can surely get more people to experience it if we put it on a disc."

This would explain the $40 GTA: Episodes From Liberty City box set due to hit stores on October 29th that will contain both The Ballad of Gay Tony as well as the game's first expansion, The Lost and the Damned. Houser's point is a fair one - ignoring whether or not people are ready for the digitally distributed world, there are some people that simply don't have the bandwidth and connection (even in this day and age) to operate digitally.

So in that sense, he's completely right: More people will play Gay Tony if it's on a disc. I find it hard to believe that making a retail copy is that much more expensive than offering the same game over digital channels, too. So is there any reason not to at least give people the option of owning a physical copy of the game?

(Via CVG [http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=222413?cid=OTC-RSS&attr=CVG-General-RSS])

Permalink

 

[Macar]

I'm glad that there's at least one developer out there who isn't trying to strongarm everyone into buying content there way.

Frankly, I bet the distributers do save a chunk of change not having to box, ship and store the things, so I can easily see why everyone is pushing the DLC envelope. However, between occasionaly long download times, and the potential to lose your game if your computer crahses: I can still see quite a few benifits to the "old fashioned way". Plus, sometimes you just want a preteh boxx!

 

[Takoto]

I have too say, I really prefer to by games in a box in the real world rather than online digitally. Call me old fashioned, but I feel so much happier owning the disc of a game.

 

[Xan Krieger]

so glad the lost and the damned is avaiable seperately. I think more companies should offer DLC on discs as not everyone has xbox live (or a puppy that won't chew the cable up that is used for xbox live.)

 

[GonzoGamer]

This is also going to be a big rental.
I only know one person who downloaded L&D: everyone bought gta4 and by the time they were done with it, they were pretty much done with the city. Not too many people are willing to pay $20 for some new missions and little extras for a game they already played to death.
At least gay tony looks like it could be worth $20.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

i won't play it unless it comes to the ps3

 

[Kiutu]

Digital Distribution is the anti-social way of getting games. If you dont plan on going over a friends house, its fine, but I go to other's houses and play games with them and I often bring games. If I want to bring downloads, I have to redownload them (full games take a long time) or take my HD, which means they cant use their profiles unless they have it on a seperate memory card. Some do, I do, but not everyone does.

 

[Simalacrum]

I still think digital distribution is the way of the future, but I also see why their releasing Gay Tony as a solid disk as well. The path to DD is a slow one... but eventually, I think it will overtake DVD/Blu Ray as the mainstream media distributor.

 

[Generic_Dave]

When I get a games console with a 3 - 4 terabyte drive, then I'll think about digital downloads for games. I've already got an external HD hanging out of my PS3, and that's nearly full of install data too. And that's just with games I play regularly...still if it'd be cheaper to download I'd be there. With bells on. Many bells.

 

[Pimppeter2]

That's pretty true

 

[SenseOfTumour]

Yeah, I've gotta say, maybe the next console generation will be good for DD, if Sony and MS can understand that a 20gb hard drive shouldn't cost over $100.

If the next generation doesn't come with at least a 500gb storage, well, I dunno what to say.

I mean, it'll be a couple of years yet before we see a new console, and I'd say you're looking at maybe $40 cost for a 500gb drive, so its patently ridiculous what they charge, and they need to realise that its prohibitive to buying downloadable content.

Hell, maybe include a DVD writer in the next console, so you can burn off what you download and pay for.