According to a Wall Street Journal report on Wednesday, May 30, Sony was close to offering an online-only PlayStation, but ultimately pulled the plug on the development. Citing unnamed sources, the WSJ said Sony Corp. decided to stick with the traditional industry practice.
"Sony Corp. considered but ultimately rejected a download-only plan for its next videogame console, people familiar with the matter said, opting to include an optical drive rather than break with decades-old industry practice," the WSJ reported.
Meanwhile, online services that allow users to download content such as games, music, or movies without requiring disks or cartridges are becoming increasingly more popular. The Xbox 360, for instance, has evolved into a complex media hub.
The physical disk, however, has long been a key part of the video game universe, and the console industry still has a long way to completely eliminate it. Moreover, the WSJ notes that downloadable-only versions may pose some issues when it comes to Internet connections.
Issues with Internet Connections
"Sony decided against a download-only model largely because Internet connections are too inconsistent around the world, one of the people familiar with Sony's thinking said," the WSJ reported. "Because game files are large, customers in countries where Internet connections are relatively slow would be hobbled by a requirement to download games, the person said."
Considering that downloading many of the top games today requires fast Internet connections and takes up a lot of bandwidth, this explanation makes sense. Also, as CNET points out, Sony has invested in Blu-ray discs, and if gamers can download games, those disks would be worthless.
In addition, the WSJ's sources also said Microsoft is similarly reluctant about shifting to online-only games, and plans to include an optical disk drive into its next console. "Microsoft Corp. is planning to include an optical disk drive in the successor to its Xbox 360 console, according to a person familiar with the matter," the WSJ reported. "The software company also had concerns about access to Internet bandwidth, the person said."
While many expect only the Nintendo Wii U to make an appearance at next week's E3 video game conference, the Journal expects other consoles as well. "Prospects for new consoles are likely to be a hot topic at the E3 videogame exposition in Los Angeles next week," wrote the Journal. This year's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) will take place June 5-7 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
