@ninjalegend:
I'm trying to understand how one links DRM to the digital future.
DRM = Digital Rights Management...
1.(A dev can no longer assume an internet connection is available and with it the ability to offload compute cycles to the cloud.) Yes it can. Just because you have the choice to Play single player games offline with no DRM, what is to stop them? Put online required on the back of the box. The internet is not like some stupid add on like the connect or the move. NO DRM check in just let's developers make games for people who don't always have access. Most people have a way to connect to the internet, but the split only occurs if you exclude people like the PS3 not including a headset. Most people already have internet. Hell, developers already think that as they release games that are broken and need a patch to play right.
Which is good, let's them take the time to make sure a game isn't buggy instead of just assuming everyone has internet to patch it.
2.(There is no chance that you will be able to install a game now and be able to play it without the disc present.) I already do that. I bought Pacman DX and Street Fighter:third strike on my PS3 and leave it at my girlfreinds house. I have not connected that thing in months, but I play those games every so often. No crap DRM that makes me check in. Once you downloaded from your profile to your console, why do I have to check in? Why can't you do the same thing right now? How does crasy DRM make what I do now better?
Well ofcourse not, then you could just hire games from the store and install them. But you still have the advantage of day 1 digital releases next generation so you can download to your hard drive and never have to worry about a disc again and the offline players can still play their games as well, everyones happy. Would you rather have you disc be worthless after it has been redeemed to the console, or have to swap out discs and still have them have value?
3.(Brick & mortar retailers cannot be as flexible in pricing as online outlets, because their margins are too low on new games. Insanely low. Under 10%. That means prices will remain up, keeping even the download-version prices high along with them.)This would be a good point if change was not going to happen, but you can not stop progress. If once you bought it from a secure site like Live or PSN and it authenticated, why do you need to check in? Why can disks still not go away for the most part. Let the single player AAA games come out on disk, or any other that a publisher thinks they should. For the gamestops or what have you, there will most likely be exclusive gamestop digital dlc, unfortunately. You can't stop progress, but you can make sure people don't take advantage of you just because they can.
What is a brick and mortar game shop in 2013 anyway? I'm pretty sure Xbox One will still let you play offline with games you have downloaded online to your console, I can do that with all my Games on Demand games like Dark Souls now, but if I move that content to another console than what I downloaded to I have to re-authenticate it again on the new console which is fair.
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