UPDATE: The Grand Theft Auto 5 trailer is live!
Will Grand Theft Auto 5 only be available to download when it goes on sale, presumably sometime next year? That’s what one market research company is predicting today ahead of the trailer’s release at 4pm this afternoon.
MCV UK reports that Newzoo predicts Grand Theft Auto 5 will mark a big change in the economics of consoles by requiring a download instead of a physical disc. “The ultimate objective being to launch games faster, create continuous revenues on a title and simply to make more money,” the report says.
While game downloads on mobile app stores have been a huge hit, traditional consoles have struggled to emulate their success: games are where the profits are made, and if shops can’t get in on that action, well, maybe they just won’t stock the hardware. Take the Sony PSPgo: it ditched the high street retailers, and paid for it with its life.
If Newzoo is on the money however, you’ll still be able to buy Grand Theft Auto 5 in the shops – there just won’t be a disc. “Boxed games will not disappear, but what is in the box will. That is why the boxed GTA V version will contain a collectible piece of merchandise and a download code. No disc.”
We’re skeptical – don’t forget the large number of Xbox 360 consoles out there with no hard drive or a mere 4GB of storage – but we’ll find out more when the trailer hits this afternoon.
Read more:
