Next Xbox: 2013 & No disc drive?

[MXC]

So a good, hefty half of their consumer base(myself included) will be required to pay extra for a disc drive because they only have access to service providers with lousy download rates. Strong, fast, reliable internet is still very nonexistent in rural areas, and we're already paying more than those in urban areas to get a fraction of the speed and reliability they have.

This is a bad idea.

[Futzy]

So a good, hefty half of their consumer base(myself included) will be required to pay extra for a disc drive because they only have access to service providers with lousy download rates. Strong, fast, reliable internet is still very nonexistent in rural areas, and we're already paying more than those in urban areas to get a fraction of the speed and reliability they have.

This is a bad idea.

The main market for games will still be through physical media, just flash memory instead of discs. Disc drives would be a complete detractor in the new hardware without considering backwards comparability. If they go through with the no-disc scenario they will offer a DVD addon (not blu-ray because then they would have to license it from Sony, and MS backs digital media delivery as opposed to BR movies, and no 360 game would need a blu-ray player for backcompat). Windows 8 has made it incredibly easy (the only set-up required is to have your xbox on the network, connected to XBL) to push media to the xbox via a single click in the media apps.

Digital delivery of game will become a much more appreciated option, but it will not replace physical media.

[neuro]

Also, idk what neuro means by impressive specs... The only rumored secs have been that of a 3 year old desktop PC.

i'm aware of the rumor

[jcap]

So a good, hefty half of their consumer base(myself included) will be required to pay extra for a disc drive because they only have access to service providers with lousy download rates. Strong, fast, reliable internet is still very nonexistent in rural areas, and we're already paying more than those in urban areas to get a fraction of the speed and reliability they have.

This is a bad idea.

So if you include the drive, then a good, hefty half of their consumer base will be required to pay extra for a disk drive that they won't use? Really? The Xbox is a game console first, home entertainment system second. The overwhelming majority of their sales are through games, and flash media is WAY superior compared to BD. So, if they go with flash for distribution, the BD drive will be unused unless you are watching a movie. If you are primarily watching movies on your Xbox, then you should have an $80 BD player.

[Limited]

Who here has a laptop that has no disk drive. Has it been a blessing or a pain?

[MXC]

So if you include the drive, then a good, hefty half of their consumer base will be required to pay extra for a disk drive that they won't use? Really?

Whats better, half of your consumers pissed that they have to pay extra because what they bought is basically a brick, or half your consumers pissed that they payed extra for something that they won't use?

Either way your pissing off half of your consumers.

[Futzy]

Whats better, half of your consumers pissed that they have to pay extra because what they bought is basically a brick, or half your consumers pissed that they payed extra for something that they won't use?

More accurately: Whats better, half of your consumers pissed that they have to pay extra because they want to play games on hardware they weren't made for, while they likely still own the hardware that it was, and those games will all be outmoded before long, or half your consumers pissed that they payed extra for something that they won't use?

[jcap]

Whats better, half of your consumers pissed that they have to pay extra because what they bought is basically a brick, or half your consumers pissed that they payed extra for something that they won't use?

So then you buy the fucking addon drive. It's not like anyone is stopping you. Also, basically a brick? You joking? The Xbox is a GAME CONSOLE. It's plays GAMES. If you're buying the Xbox to play movies only, you deserve to be wasting your money because you're a fucking idiot for buying it in the first place.

How do you feel about paying for XBL? Are you pissed that you're being overcharged for multiplayer? They keep trying to substantiate the price AND THE HIKE IN PRICE by saying they are adding features, but the majority of the people would rather have a reduced rate if only the bullshit was taken out of XBL. I don't want Twitter, Youtube, Last.fm, ESPN, and all the other shit they "include." I don't want it, and I don't want my membership to be paying for it. Same applies to the disc drive.

Who here has a laptop that has no disk drive. Has it been a blessing or a pain?

I haven't installed anything from an optical disk in about 3 years now. I use flash drives and external hard drives for everything. I don't have to worry about losing discs, burning discs, carrying them around, or scratching them. When a new version of a program comes out, I just download it, copy the installation files to the drive, and plug it into a computer. Even for Windows and Linux installations, I boot from USB. It's way faster and results in way less waste.

[MXC]

More accurately: Whats better, half of your consumers pissed that they have to pay extra because they want to play games on hardware they weren't made for, while they likely still own the hardware that it was, and those games will all be outmoded before long, or half your consumers pissed that they payed extra for something that they won't use?

Forgive me if I'm misreading you, but I read that as people looking for backwards compatibility. First off, I was talking about purchasing physical copies of new games when downloading takes a freakin' week for some, and second, how many people with a PS3 are still using their PS1/PS2 to play their games?

[Limited]

The original Xbox 360 DVD drive cost $21 and cost roughly a total of $715 in parts.