I would love to purchase games on release day on the Xbox 360. I like having discs but at the same time the ability to have a disc in the tray and be able to launch a separate game instantly without having to worry about a disc would be a nice option as well. I don't understand why Microsoft doesn't have day one releases on games on demand. I am really interested in Gear of War: Judgement and having the ability to use ms points to purchase it would be great. I think the Games on Demand is broken because a game will release 2 to 3 months later at full price. I think Microsoft has some rethinking to do.

Thoughts?

Probably not on this system. Almost certainly on the next system. I imagine they are done doing anything new for the 360 at this point. It would be nice though, it works great on Steam, and even though it isn't great on PSN (they take so damn long to update the store) at least it exists.

Sure next console probably, no real point in adding it now.

@S0mewh4tD4m4ged said:

I don't understand why Microsoft doesn't have day one releases on games on demand.

Blah blah piracy blah?

@Video_Game_King said:

@S0mewh4tD4m4ged said:

I don't understand why Microsoft doesn't have day one releases on games on demand.

Blah blah piracy blah?

Is it even possible to download something from Games on Demand and pirate it?

@Cameron: Dead Space is on PSN right now for preorder. I have the option of getting it from Amazon on release day, wait until late that evening of release day to download on PSN, and be able to play the next day not ever having to worry about a disc. Like you said, at least it exists...

Ive noticed a very few amount games put up the same week they are released. Some the same month or two.

It looks like they are trying to wind down into that direction.

@Akyho: I hope so, just having the option would be great. I only have 2 more games that I want to purchase directly for the xbox 360 and those are Gears of War: Judgement and possibly GTAV.

I think with media distribution becoming ever more digitally-focused it's inevitable. How soon though, I find much harder to say.

They still need the retailers, Xbox sells a ton of games at retail 1st and 3rd party

They need to stop being so fucking stingy with storage space, first. My Steam install is primarily on a 3tb drive that was about $120 and I have an entire terabyte consumed with Steam games that I have downloaded. Presumably, they're going to get with it and look at making games that are as large as many PS3 games (meaning between 50gb and 100gb, I think -- for the size of a double sided/density/whatever bluray). So sticking users with anything under a terabyte for storage is going to be bullshit and undermine any digital plans. Even a terabyte might be too little.

They definitely seem to be moving in that direction, as games seem to be showing up there quicker & quicker. As others have said, I doubt they get there this generation, but next generation, for sure.

The problem is, they can't piss off the retailers, because they still need the retailers to sell their hardware. That's a big part of why the pricing on Games on Demand is so shitty.

Personally, I'm on a monthly bandwidth cap, so I won't be touching digital distribution with a 10 foot pole for any game I can get on a disc, unless it's a SUPER good deal.

@Branthog said:

They need to stop being so fucking stingy with storage space, first. My Steam install is primarily on a 3tb drive that was about $120 and I have an entire terabyte consumed with Steam games that I have downloaded. Presumably, they're going to get with it and look at making games that are as large as many PS3 games (meaning between 50gb and 100gb, I think -- for the size of a double sided/density/whatever bluray). So sticking users with anything under a terabyte for storage is going to be bullshit and undermine any digital plans. Even a terabyte might be too little.

A thousand times this. The storage space issues are what have really kept me from embracing Games On Demand. The pricing structure is annoying, too, but we can all hope sooner or later they take a leaf from Steam. But even budget PCs come packed with at least a 1TB drive minimum these days. I daresay the larger issue (though this might well be what you're referring to) is the idea of having to purchase a useful amount of storage space as an aftermarket addition.

And I hate the interface for going back to redownload previously purchased games, too. That's something else they could really stand to take a leaf from Steam for. It's certainly not a feature that should be buried in a murky menu somewhere that people less than technically literate are probably going to have to get help to find. Accept that people will need to install and uninstall games on a regular basis and give them a clean, organized interface to do it with, not a haphazard list of every tiny thing you've ever downloaded on the system.

@S0mewh4tD4m4ged: I think they are doing it with JUDGEMENT . . . maybe?

We all need GOOGLE FIBER

@S0mewh4tD4m4ged said:

Is it even possible to download something from Games on Demand and pirate it?

Microsoft has had files stored on their servers downloaded before the game's release before (I believe it was Halo: Reach?). Probably why they feel so burned by it. I'm sure that the next consoles will go further down this path, though. It's kind of inevitable.

@molomunky: i hope they put judgement on there, at this point its about the only way im going to get it.