There is little to discuss: the digital future is inevitable and the market has actually been ready for this eventuality for a long time, except that there would still be something to fix first.
Mat Piscatella’s prediction that the next Xbox will be digital only has revived the usual discussions, but it now seems rather obvious. Indeed, one could say that it is almost a conservative vision, considering that it only sees the Microsoft console as destined to take this step with the next generation, while it is possible that other companies could soon also adopt a similar solution at this point. In truth, the market is now more than that ready to welcome digital-only consolesindeed one could say that it awaits them with open arms, at least as regards the part of the industry that deals with development and publishing.
Obviously, the same cannot be said of all those who work in the retail sales sector, but on this front we are already witnessing various initiatives and transformations which demonstrate how in this sector too we are preparing for an inevitable transition towards the digital for video games. For developers and producers, the transition to digital should represent a certain cost cutting, eliminating the entire part that concerns the production and distribution of physical products. In an industry in considerable economic crisis, such a step could still bring benefits, although we doubt that this could be reflected in a reduction in prices for users.
Even from the point of view of software management, an exclusively digital distribution could allow more direct and faster control by developers, considering the possible transformation of the certification processes, but there could also be progress in terms of the hardware functionality of the consoles . On Xbox Series become a more established standard with a more widespread digital basis.
There is something important to fix, before digital only
Having said this, however, there are some problems to take into consideration: it is not so much the lack of plastic to collect on the shelves, which is losing more and more sense with the decrease in the care that publishers place in physical editions, but rather some issues relating to consumer rightswhich still seem far behind the progress made elsewhere.
Unfortunately, the digital game managementat the moment, is too unbalanced in favor of the producers, leaving players at the mercy of any possible variation in the conditions of use or in the situation of the service providers, with the risk of being left at any moment without anything in their hands to face of the money spent.
This applies both in the immediate future, with policies to be updated – especially with regards to console manufacturers – in terms of withdrawal and possible refunds for digital purchases, and in the long term, for issues that fall within the general topic of preservation of the medium. In addition to introducing fairer refund policies, perhaps close to those already adopted by Steam, it would also be necessary to discuss the rights on purchased digital goods, which are too often equated with the use of a more or less temporary service. In the face of the real race towards digital, consumer rights in this area seem to be moving at a snail’s pace and a balance on both fronts would be necessary, before thinking about completely eliminating the possibility of purchasing in physical format.
This is an editorial written by a member of the editorial team and is not necessarily representative of the editorial line of Multiplayer.it.
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