How collecting full games died with last gen.

Do you actually believe that in 5 or 10 years time anyone will just pop Gear of War 2 on a 360 and download the maps that were not included in the disc? Do you think than in 15 years time Uncharted 2's multiplayer will still be running?

That's right, since most if not all of the new games rely on part of their content being purchased by the player when these are new, sooner or later that DLC will disappear once the developers don't see it profitable to keep it in the servers. And anyone in the future that would want to experience the game as it was intended will just find it incomplete, truncated, lacking in content that was left out and was never intended to be future proof.

Enjoy and collect the games from past gens as much as you can, because vintage gaming is going downhill from now on. Or is there a feasible solution to this?

While I agree with you on most things, I don't necessarily agree on your part with online DLC. Eventually online games die out, so no, I doubt that anyone will buy Gears 2 maps several years down the road, mainly because the online for Gears 2 will most likely be long gone. I think single-player DLC, however, such as The Force Unleashed, or even GTAIV's episodes will still be around, because they don't necessarily rely on an online infrastructure to play. That's one of the reasons why I am usually very reluctant to buy map packs for online, as I can't feasibly see the online lasting much longer than the time it takes for a (nearly inevitable) sequel to come out. As for the game not being "complete", what's on the disk is the game. Granted, DLC oftentimes helps to further flesh out games or add extra experiences, but that's not to say that just having the game itself is not the true experience. Take Dead Space for example. You have the option of downloading extra guns or armor, but it isn't necessary to enjoy the actual game. So at the end of my incredibly long response, I believe that single-player DLC will last on, but map packs for online will die out and become obsolete. After all, would someone buy a map pack for Call of Duty 3 at this point with Modern Warfare 2 right around the corner? Chances are the online component is already dead.

This makes me think of how the Dreamcast Internet support died a few months after the system did. They kept the connection running for Phantasy Star Online, but that was it. I hate when games rely on DLC, but they will still sell as collector's items in the future anyway, just not for as much for a long time.

I was going to type up the possibility that future releases of the same game will offer all DLC included on the disc (Gears 2, LBP, Modern Warefare), but I think most of those games that include all the content just provide vouchers to nab it online and not on the disc possibly due to space issues, but most likely to deter buying used copies.

I'm not too bothered by it, since most DLC of the current gen seem to be mostly multiplayer map packs, which won't mean much many years down the road, but for other cases, it still really sucks to get a gimped version of the game. It makes me appreciate my older games, and the extra content that comes with it, if it has it. The extras of last gen are the DLC of the current gen, and I can't say that I'm thrilled to see that.

You make a good point, but, As a life long gamer, I've seen things come and go, tapes and carts to cd's and now dvd's and blueray and DLC. It's almost inevitable that over the next 10 years the way we purchase games and content is gonna be mostly download only. We already purchase most of our music, and movies are heading the same way.

Now I love looking at my "physical" collection as much as the next man. But, the future is happening now. I'm sure, that if in the futureyou decide to buy Gears of war 2 on yourXBOX 1440orwhatever it is, you'll buy itonline, down the wire will come withall the included extras... if anything, as the content doesn't age or corrode, it'll be easier to find any game and any associated content you could wish to own.

The only real problem with that, to me, is instead of looking upon a glorious, multi-stacked shelves, filled to the brim with old classics and new epics... we'll be sifting through alphabetical menu listings on our consoles or whatever the hell we'll be playing on.

A final thought, I just realised... my son(who's 2 now)will probably NEVER buy a physiacal entertainment product. unless he's looking for somethign specific and "legacy" like... We are living in fast times people. We gotta keep up.

That's why I game on the Wii. I don't want to be nickel and dimed for stuff that's even already on the damn disc.OreoMilkshake

You make a good point, but, As a life long gamer, I've seen things come and go, tapes and carts to cd's and now dvd's and blueray and DLC. It's almost inevitable that over the next 10 years the way we purchase games and content is gonna be mostly download only. We already purchase most of our music, and movies are heading the same way.

Now I love looking at my "physical" collection as much as the next man. But, the future is happening now. I'm sure, that if in the futureyou decide to buy Gears of war 2 on yourXBOX 1440orwhatever it is, you'll buy itonline, down the wire will come withall the included extras... if anything, as the content doesn't age or corrode, it'll be easier to find any game and any associated content you could wish to own.

The only real problem with that, to me, is instead of looking upon a glorious, multi-stacked shelves, filled to the brim with old classics and new epics... we'll be sifting through alphabetical menu listings on our consoles or whatever the hell we'll be playing on.

A final thought, I just realised... my son(who's 2 now)will probably NEVER buy a physiacal entertainment product. unless he's looking for somethign specific and "legacy" like... We are living in fast times people. We gotta keep up.

Odnomiar

I've always wondered how much that aspect will affect the "value" of games. I mean, who would pay $60 for a complete, used copy of a game if you could just download it for $10 from the console maker's online store.

You're forgetting about the several GOTY editions that include all download content.

for me, having a physical copy of something is far better then a digital download, I agree with some of your points (I myself am against DLC), though im not sure games will stop being rare.

DLC likes maps will not be around forever true, but these only matter for online games anyways, and those will never ever be rare or valuable

I love having the hard copy but for games I can't find or don't want to pay an arm and a leg for such as mario rpg I'll just download

That's why I game on the Wii. I don't want to be nickel and dimed for stuff that's even already on the damn disc.OreoMilkshake

They essentially nickel and dime you in another way, though. A lot of the best Wii games still sell for the same $50 they did 2 years ago and that's just annoying to me. They could easily lower the price to $20 at this point, but Nintendo is too cheap to do that. When you compare something like that to a collection of games like The Orange Box, which costs about $20 for ps3/xbox360 and $30 for pc, it's extremely difficult to justify the price, whether or not you're on a budget.

On Topic: I kind of agree with you because there are games that are single player only, but still have DLC that could've been on the disc in the first place. On the other hand, multiplayer games that have DLC like map packs or anything else online-specific won't really matter since it'll be around as long as people play online. After that, no one will care about the DLC because they obviously won't play online.

I've thought about this long and hard. What game collecting will be like at all in 10 years, or if the majority of new games will even be on the shelves. But for this generation there is a bigger picture. Not only will your games be incomplete, and it will be doubtful that they will leave add on packs up for you to buy, but do you really see your Xbox 360 or Playstion 3 even working 10 years from now? 5 years from now? 2 years from now? Next week? As far as I can see at all, video gaming from a collector's aspect ended last gen, and may not come back around for quite some time. Especially when you add in the rubbish that they put out lately. Yeah, these games are good enough for this week, which is all they are intended to be, but how many games from this generation are going to be revered in 20 years?

The bright side of this is that there are thousands of video games pre current generation to collect. I doubt really anyone has every game because there are so many and it would take untolds amount of money to get them all. I buy stuff for this generation carefully because I know that they aren't going to be worth jack in the long run. I buy way more classic stuff because it has much better investment potential, and most of the time they are just plain more fun.

Yeah all the games that have actual worthwhile dlc come out with it on discs.

Most of the other stuff that gets released on games are crappy anyways and just add something like new skins.

YES i totally agree that games sold for the 360 and ps3 nowadays are NOT complete in the stores. I hate when additonal DLC is already posted on Xboxlive RIGHT AFTER a game is released. Talk about nickel and dime..... they chose to NOT put the content on the disc, just so they could turn around and charge you for it 2 seconds later? they could at least wait a few weeks, so its not so OBVIOUS they are trying to squeeze $$ out of us.......

Yeah, this theory applies mostly to the game that rely on the multiplayer aspect, but just about every best seller these days relies on that. As far as the downloadable content, I'm not so sure. That might depend on the game itself, and how much it slacks off on single player. The FPS genre is so crowded now, that could be another reason there won't be so many vintage games this gen.

The Wii might be the exception. At least theres one upside to having crappy WiFi. :lol:

As someone who generally prefers single player games rather than multiplayer, having a lack of online support isn't as much of an issue for me. I do however try to avoid digital distribution wherever possible, because as soon as that company disappears or gets bought out who knows what will happen to your content? You don't have a physical disk any more, so are just left with memories of owning it, and perhaps an email or two if you were organised. Atleast if I have the disc I have the files to play the game. Anyway I have my collection for me to play. I don't buy or keep games for any value in the future. Nothing of this generation is even vaguely rare unless it is genuinely unique - so unless your copy of Gears of War is signed by someone famous it will be worth next to nothing in the future.Avenger1324

Mine is signed by Fergie. I'm holding on to that sucker.

Single player games are not going to be safe for long either. They are throwing in codes for armor, and various items that you only get if you buy a new copy. You open it, get a password, put it into Live, and get it. Plus there are games with single player content downloads like Fable 2 and Mass Effect. Sure, you don't actually need to buy it to play the game, but I know it would always bother me to have a game without the added content.

they better keep physical copies available or those w/o internet , are not gonna support them and thats half the ps2 fanbase/wii fanbase

so ya good luck , ,

psp go failed its fanbase , you have ot rebuy anything you bought just to play them on psp go ,

dsi is a different story , kept the slot and still added dl games,

and like some one said if its all downloadable games, wont we need credit/debit cards so much for finding good values to ,

youll pay 60 for every game regardless how old it is ,

and if the company gows bankrupt i bet your files go with them ,

if somthing werte to happen with your hdd /console, im willing to bet youll have to pay for every game if you even can

if you cant the only way you can prove to your kids /friends /spoise you actually owned it is byt email /letters etc but its to bad you wont be able to play it/buy these 6-10 yrs from the time their released lol

If anything, the only thing that will kill the collectors value is the fact that the games are mass produced at levels we've never seen before. The valuable collectors games are the ones that only a few copies were made (Shin Megami Tensei, Earthbound, etc.). Also, for some of the games popular in the past, they made enough copies for then, but now, the number of people gaming is much larger than before, therefore more people want the game (FFVII) so there aren't enough to go around.

Now today, look at the popular games, CODMW2, Gears of War, Halo, etc, they made SO MANY copies, that it won't be an issue.

SNES FTW

You're forgetting about the several GOTY editions that include all download content.

fjosh

Yeah, several.No collector is only gonna want several games.

Maybe we won't even have game cases anymore in the next gen, or the gen after that, but it will start to rely on downloading games as a whole.PetJel

I don't think it is going to completely die, people are still buying music CD's even though they can download them. If anything they will probably do what some music and movies are doing and come with a digital copy or something.
Given some of the things some companies have done with downloads I'm not looking forward to downloading as the only way. Like the guy who downloaded a movie and was charged by bytes as opposed to duration, and he ended up with a $60,000 bill.

I'm pretty sure at some point we will look back and say 'wow remember buying video games in actual cases with a disc inside? hahahaha'PetJel

I remember when games were cartridges in boxes inside a case... in a display case. I still actually remember when console games were floppy discs.
Hell, I remember when Gameboy's could kill a man.
I'm only 23, and I already feel old.:(

I remember when games were cartridges in boxes inside a case... in a display case. Chaos1031

I'm only 23, and I already feel old.:(Chaos1031

[QUOTE="Chaos1031"]I remember when games were cartridges in boxes inside a case... in a display case. Epoq

I just realized that was kinda redundant since their still in those display cases. Only they don't have those holes in the display so you could look at the back of a game, where you could see the screenshots and know what your somewhat getting. They were mainly at the Target and K-mart like stores though.

[QUOTE="Epoq"]

[QUOTE="Chaos1031"]I remember when games were cartridges in boxes inside a case... in a display case. Chaos1031

I just realized that was kinda redundant since their still in those display cases. Only they don't have those holes in the display so you could look at the back of a game, where you could see the screenshots and know what your somewhat getting. They were mainly at the Target and K-mart like stores though.

You make a very good point here. I am also worried about bug fixes that will not be available for download in the future.

Aside from the downloadable content, I also think there are also fewer games this generation that will be regarded as "cla$$ics" in the future.

I can live without DLC... but what about the patches that seem to come out for every single game these days?

When I pop in a game for the first timethat is more than a few months old, chances are there'll be a big update waiting for me, fixing any inherent problems with the game as it was released.

Will those updates still be available, or will collectors be stuck playing inferior, or worse, buggy versions of those games?

thats why im making serious choices this gen