Before we talk about Scarlett and its possible two consoles, let’s talk about everything that led up to the release of this generation.
Once upon a time back in 2013, Microsoft chose to shoot them in the foot. Under the “wonderful guidance” of then Microsoft President of Interactive Entertainment Don Mattrick, they wanted players to always be connected online and to have access to your entire library without requiring disks. It was a nice thought, right up until we got more details and gamers worldwide said something along the lines of, “Are you serious?”
And when he was later pressed on the issue about what Digital Rights Management (DRM) could do to hurt the gaming experience, Mr. Mattrick would say the one thing that would lead the Xbox One to stumble out of the gate and allow Sony and the PlayStation 4 (PS4) to flourish this generation before the consoles actually launched:
From Pew Research, only 73% of US adults are home broadband users. That’s rather significant (although no numbers on how many gamers are also broadband users)…
But now, let’s consider the latter option. How would a disk-less console be of any benefit to your average gamer? Much like PC players, you can pre-order a game you want to own and when it comes out at midnight EST, you can start playing right away. Maybe the weekly deals can cut the cost of the game you want to get by a significant margin. If you jump between multiple titles, you can just select the game rather than going through the hassle of getting the disk out and replacing it with another. Maybe not the best examples, but a few of the simpler benefits of going diskless.
We can make an argument either way about why either can be the better choice over the other. But what about for those who might have a “primary console” and wants a secondary to perhaps play the exclusives on? Or someone who wants to own the cheaper console of the two?
Two Versions of Project Scarlett Coming?
With Microsoft announcing and building upon their big plans for the next generation with Scarlett since last year, they could be looking into allowing players to make this exact choice. Disk? Or Diskless?
At this time, we don’t have a good idea of what the full price of Project Scarlett will be. If we are getting two next-generation consoles though, there may be one that could be $50-$100 cheaper if you take out the Blu-Ray player. Some disk readers might not cost much, but if the cost itself would be a cut of $20-30, most consumers might just go for the more expensive console anyway.
A method that Microsoft already is testing with the Xbox One S. Must be successful enough if they could consider another “All-Digital Edition”
At this time, we don’t really know if the PlayStation 5 will offer the same kind of choice, nor does anyone think they will. If their focus is more on virtual reality and other various experiences, the option of a diskless PS5 will likely not happen. Meanwhile, for Microsoft, they are banking rather highly on online gaming experiences.
With the Game Pass showcasing the closet, will we ever get to a “Netflix for gamers”? The idea of a diskless Scarlett would seem all the more enchanting for the more casual players. Really, what could possibly go wrong with an all-digital front?
I‘m sure I don’t have to state the negatives upfront, but for the sake of finality, let’s cover the biggest and most glaring issue.
When You Stop “Owning” a Game
If the gaming world has shown us anything, it is the idea of how some games only live for the moment rather than wanting to preserve itself for generations to come.
It might sound harsh, but there are plenty of examples out there that show us why we should have our worries had the DRM did happen and suddenly became the norm. What happens to the games you want to download if the store itself suddenly vanishes into thin air? Who knows, but the Wii Shop owners can answer that question for you. Why were so many people hesitant to support Google Stadia? Besides its lackluster library, charging full price for games that are years old at this point, and how that is even more dependent on the internet speeds you have, it is that you don’t really buy a game to own it.
There maybe no downloading, but if your internet is poor, so will your experience.
Even now, there are games that you could play online, but if anything were to happen to that game in the future, then that is something you’ll have to deal with.
If Marvel has a fallout with Capcom again, say goodbye to the Marvel vs Capcom titles. What about games with online servers that decide to close up shop? That will be Battleborn at the start of 2021. And what about a game that with outdated DRM which will not allow you to play the game you bought online? That’s what we see right now with TRON: Evolution–a game we got nine years ago.
Source: Tron Evolution
It is because of these and many other reasons that players should have worries about an “All-Digital” future.
Conclusion
With the evidence out in the open: would you consider a console that has a disk drive in it? Or a simple console that you can download all your games on? It seems funny to think about how many people could find their opinion changing on this question. There is no right or wrong response to this since it all comes down to personal preference. For some people, they might not have enough room for physical copies and can clutter up a room. And for the indie developers, they can certainly benefit more when going on a digital front than a physical one.
For Microsoft though, they certainly are in a rather special situation. If we break down the “Big Three” right now, we can summarize as the Switch is a portable home console with Nintendo goodness; Sony with the most unique gaming experiences, titles and VR; and Microsoft showcasing what can be done with hardware and a strong online presence with (what some would argue) better online experiences and the Xbox Game Pass that lets players experience a wide collection of games. If Microsoft plays their cards just right with Project Scarlett, they could find itself in a position to go toe to toe with Sony on a more even playing field.
The main things we need to know will be what those exclusive game experiences will be and how much the systems are. If one console goes cheaper than the other, that will certainly give them an edge (such as PS4’s $400 to Xbox One’s $500 at launch). Let’s just hope though that in the future home consoles don’t go 100% digital, or we will definitely be in for a bad time… But having a choice between the two would still be nice.
Thank you for reading.
Be sure to follow us here at Culture of Gaming for more articles in and around the gaming world.
