Speaking to the UBS Global Technology Conference, EA CFO Blake Jorgensen stated that most consumers were buying three games for their new PS4s. Most interesting was the newfound commitment to brick and mortar sales.
Jorgenssen explained the focus at the moment is trying to keep stock in the stores:
[…]Essentially our biggest worry now is making sure there is enough product in the stores because the consumers obviously want to buy a software to go with the new boxes.
According to Jorgenssen, one out of every three pieces of software being purchased for the PS4 comes from EA. However, there is a big difference between digital and retail distribution. Jorgensen acknowledges that despite an increase in broadband speeds, the increase in the size of games has undone those advances:
The biggest impediment still appears to be bandwidth coming into the house and while bandwidth speeds have improved dramatically over the last five years, unfortunately because the processing power of the new boxes is so high, the size of games have increased dramatically. And so all of the benefits that we got from faster bandwidth is probably eaten up by bigger games. So just to give you an example, Battlefield, on a download into the new PlayStation still takes about six hours.
Do my eyes deceive me? People actually recognizing that internet speeds aren’t magical and games are massive and will take ages to download? Does this mean that someone has actually listened to gamers, and we will continue to see games being sold at retail outlets? Amazing. It’s good to see companies acknowledge that not everyone has a fiber line into their home – plenty of us still struggle with slower internet speeds that made digital distribution next to impossible for these massive games.
At least we can look forward to retail support for a long time.
Last Updated: November 21, 2013
GalacticLordCaptainAwesomeness
November 21, 2013 at 07:50
Glad to see some people are actually starting to use their noggins… as we all do not have 100Meg lines at home where we can download 50GB for a game… and then there is are the collectors that like seeing physical discs …
Captain GUZ
November 21, 2013 at 08:16
Ya there is just something nice about having a collectors edition of one of your favourite games.
GalacticLordCaptainAwesomeness
November 21, 2013 at 08:35
Yup… cracking that case open, installing that game…. and then getting your error 37
Captain GUZ
November 21, 2013 at 08:38
Do not speak those evil words here!
GalacticLordCaptainAwesomeness
November 21, 2013 at 09:06
Sadly i have been caught too many times by Blizzard… Never AGAIN I TELL YOU.. NEVER AGAIN… Waaa
Otto "Die Hond"
November 21, 2013 at 09:58
Nothing beets the smell of a freshly opened game.
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2013 at 07:53
That’s just it. Since the announcement of the PS4 everyone has been saying that Sony listened to the gamer. I’m very happy to hear this though. I love supporting BT Games. I think Musica are still stocking games from 2010 as “new” on their shelves.
Captain GUZ
November 21, 2013 at 08:17
Who buys their games a musica? They need professional help
SaintsRowNigri
November 21, 2013 at 08:23
I usually just wine and dine my games. Never had to buy them a store…
GalacticLordCaptainAwesomeness
November 21, 2013 at 08:32
Same guys who go to Incredible Corruption
Captain GUZ
November 21, 2013 at 08:37
Whahahahahaha, that place is a joke, R100 bucks for 1m patch cable, no thanks
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2013 at 08:49
Easier to make your own at work and sneak it out as a belt on your way home.
Captain GUZ
November 21, 2013 at 08:51
Network cable belts, the seasons hot new hipster item
Unavengedavo(aka. MadeYouLook)
November 21, 2013 at 08:53
Please don’t say that out loud… They might hear you :O
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 21, 2013 at 09:14
If you make one for a friend, is that social networking?
Captain GUZ
November 21, 2013 at 09:17
lol
Unavengedavo(aka. MadeYouLook)
November 21, 2013 at 09:20
…
GalacticLordCaptainAwesomeness
November 21, 2013 at 09:10
Yup, and not to mention the Incredibly up to date Components they stock…
Weanerdog
November 21, 2013 at 11:00
Its awesome every time I need to fix my dads 486 I know where I can get new parts for it.
GalacticLordCaptainAwesomeness
November 21, 2013 at 11:08
Daaaamn … And I thought my XT was still up to scratch… sniff sniff
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2013 at 08:48
LOL
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2013 at 08:48
New stock is a naughty word at Musica.
GalacticLordCaptainAwesomeness
November 21, 2013 at 08:28
Only buy my physical copies from BT. There is something nice about going into the store to pick up a copy of your shiny new game…
SaintsRowNigri
November 21, 2013 at 08:41
Yeah, just too bad that BT Games seems to aim for the midget customer segment. Dem stores are too small for a biggish feller like me…
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2013 at 08:47
Shop space is expensive
TiMsTeR1033
November 21, 2013 at 08:50
The question is how big are you? Undertaker size or Big show?
Fnuik
November 21, 2013 at 08:54
Yokozuna?
TiMsTeR1033
November 21, 2013 at 08:55
That is taking it a BIT too far… I am not here to insult the man.
Fnuik
November 21, 2013 at 08:55
I’m just giving him more options
Unavengedavo(aka. MadeYouLook)
November 21, 2013 at 08:55
He wouldn’t think twice to insult you 😛
TiMsTeR1033
November 21, 2013 at 09:00
You are a different breed of animal…. the kind they put to sleep.
Unavengedavo(aka. MadeYouLook)
November 21, 2013 at 09:09
But I have no trouble sleeping 🙂
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 21, 2013 at 09:13
lol BOOM!
GalacticLordCaptainAwesomeness
November 21, 2013 at 09:08
Got to be… I’m a 6ft 5 Guy, and never have any issues…, then again people see me coming and make way for the angry looking guy
SaintsRowNigri
November 21, 2013 at 09:25
Have you been to BT Games in the Vaal? That shop is so small, I get in there and I feel the walls are closing in. Add another person in there, and the place is crowded…
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2013 at 08:46
It’s the best, now a shiny new console….
Gr8_Balls_o_Fire
November 21, 2013 at 09:45
Kalahari spoiled me.. I get the middle ground. Order game without going to a store, still get that new CD smell..
SaintsRowNigri
November 21, 2013 at 08:29
I am still amazed that I could get a Halo 3 Collectors Edition at Musica a few weeks or so ago. I wonder where they dug that up…
GalacticLordCaptainAwesomeness
November 21, 2013 at 08:31
Didn’t need to dig it up… was in the “new games” Section…. Heard they are getting in the new Saint’s Row Game soon… Man number 1 was Crazy, cannot wait to try no 2…
SaintsRowNigri
November 21, 2013 at 09:18
Wow! You guys got Xbox 360’s and PS3’s??? That is so radical!
GalacticLordCaptainAwesomeness
November 21, 2013 at 09:21
Yeah man… just got that new Eggbawks thingy…. i like the sleek new white color , a lot better that the old Big Black X …
Unavengedavo(aka. MadeYouLook)
November 21, 2013 at 09:21
Wait, you have a Big Black Ex?
Anon A Mouse
November 21, 2013 at 09:23
You know what they say, once you go black and all those stuff…
GalacticLordCaptainAwesomeness
November 21, 2013 at 09:25
you need a wheelchair?
GalacticLordCaptainAwesomeness
November 21, 2013 at 09:24
Yup and proud of it
Captain GUZ
November 21, 2013 at 09:26
Bazinga!!!!
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2013 at 08:46
No one bought it.
John's (JJ's) Annihilation
November 21, 2013 at 08:24
No wonder it’s flooding everywhere
TiMsTeR1033
November 21, 2013 at 08:51
Flooding by you?
John's (JJ's) Annihilation
November 21, 2013 at 15:52
All over the Western Cape, luckily my house is built on a slight hill, so I’m pretty much the lighthouse of the neighbourhood when the flooding starts.
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 21, 2013 at 09:12
It’s like everywhere has become Rince’s office.
John's (JJ's) Annihilation
November 21, 2013 at 09:45
Oh snap
Rock789
November 21, 2013 at 08:26
Totally agree with your closing comments Zoe – finally, someone on the game dev side has seen the light / lack-of-cable and realises we’re not all Rockerfeller with fibre optics and satellite feeds in our homes.
Call me old fashioned, but I still love being able to open a box and take out MY dvd / blu-ray in order to play it. 🙂
John's (JJ's) Annihilation
November 21, 2013 at 08:27
Agreed
Kensei Seraph
November 21, 2013 at 08:49
Here here.
TiMsTeR1033
November 21, 2013 at 08:49
AMEN! Plus for me I like that new DVD/ Bluray smell you get as you open the box. Hmmm smells good!
Hondsepop
November 21, 2013 at 09:54
Diablo I disks, man…those disks sure smelled good. Not to sweet, not to bitter, just right. The best smell I ever had, including my wifes cooking. Think I’ll look for them tonight to see if the smell is still there.
Fnuik
November 21, 2013 at 08:51
I also used to like having the physical copies, but then ps+ started giving me free games to download, and now I cant stand having to get up and change the disc. Love just being able to quit a game and start a different one without having to get up. Like I said, ps+ spoiled me, or maybe I’m just shit lazy.
TiMsTeR1033
November 21, 2013 at 08:54
shit lazy..
Hondsepop
November 21, 2013 at 09:57
What annoys me is getting up to search for the remote to change channels. BTW, how much do you pay for ps+/month?
Fnuik
November 21, 2013 at 09:59
Not sure per month, but its R489 per year
Hondsepop
November 21, 2013 at 10:02
±R40.00, jirre thats cheap, that’s like one game. Maybe I must consider.
Fnuik
November 21, 2013 at 10:05
Best gaming service ever. And get 2 free Ps3 and 2 vita games free each month
Eric
November 21, 2013 at 08:49
“UBS Global Technology” sounds like my parents looking for a printer cable
Unavengedavo(aka. MadeYouLook)
November 21, 2013 at 09:00
In the end it all comes down to this…
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 21, 2013 at 09:18
There was sense on display yesterday from Ubisoft, now from EA. WTF IS GOING ON?!?!?!
Ultimo_Cleric N7
November 21, 2013 at 09:59
Wow, what a shocker, games are getting too big to download. Geez, some of these dev’s and companies are dumb.
Maxiviper117
November 21, 2013 at 11:57
Not only is speed a problem in South Africa, with games getting as large as 40 gigs, our ISP’s would without a doubt start to throttle us and give warnings of high usage before we even get near that 40gigs. So It really does make it impossible in our country, as other countrys dont know what throttling even is.