Why the slow move from CDs to DVDs?

[AmberClad]

Like the title says, why has there been such a slow move from CDs to DVDs, as far as PC games? I tend to assume that if a game has a minimum requirement for a discrete video card, it's reasonable to assume that such a PC would have a DVD reader as well. Surely one DVD doesn't cost dramatically more to produce than a half dozen CDs.

I guess my other question is -- are those new double-thick DVD-style cases becoming the standard?

 

[Genx87]

My guess is games for the most part simply dont require a DVD. It seems games that do, have a DVD option.

 

[Bateluer]

From my view point, any software thats large enough to cover more than 1 CD should be on DVD. I'm not sure exactly what the cost difference is between CDs and DVDs, but CDs are uber cheap to project. I always buy the DVD version of a game, if available. Some games I've never seen a DVD version on store shelves. Like BF2, I went to Walmart, BB, Gamestop, and a few others, and no body had the DVD version. Went to a LAN a week after I bought the CD version and someone had a DVD version.

Hopefully, wit Vista now requiring a DVD drive as a minimum requirement, we'll see more software on DVDs.

 

[AmberClad]

Luckily, I waited to get BF2, so I was able to get the DVD compilation version. I can't imagine having to load and eject nearly dozen disks to install a game and all the booster packs and expansions for it. I think I've been seeing a larger percentage of games being released as DVD-only, but as you said, there are still many recent ones that don't even have a DVD version at all.

 

[lupi]

The euro'ish dvd case with cardboard wrapper is pretty much the standard now.

In general titles that would need multiple CDs are now on DVD, can't really think of anything less than a year old that was multiple CDs.

 

[Aikouka]

Imagine how bad installing WoW would be if you simply couldn't copy and paste an installation. The original game had 5 CDs (if you bought a later version, I believe the initial release was 4 CDs) and the expansion was 4 CDs I think. It made me thank baby Jesus that I had least had two optical drives and the installer would check them both for the next disc.

Blizzard's idea is weird though... the standard releases came in CDs but the Collector's Edition copies came with DVDs. But I guess that came from the larger demographic that they were aiming for with the low system requirements.

 

[Schadenfroh]

re those new double-thick DVD-style cases becoming the standard?

Yes, cheaper / easier to transport than cereal boxes, plus they can use the same cases as their console games.[/quote]

Why the slow move from CDs to DVDs?

Cheaper manufacturing cost and a larger target audience (my friend actually had to purchase the CD version of BF2 because he lacked a DVD drive).

Yes, he was too cheap to buy a ~$25 dvd drive, yet had no problem blowing $50 on a game on launch day.

 

[Stefx]

Oh well... I remember the day when games like X-wing came on 15 3.5" floppies or so

Oh and yeah I agree, any game with more than 1 CD should be on DVD.

 

[AmberClad]

Originally posted by: lupi
The euro'ish dvd case with cardboard wrapper is pretty much the standard now.

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
Yes, cheaper / easier to transport than cereal boxes, plus they can use the same cases as their console games.

I'm a little torn on whether or not I like them. I think they look great and they're durable, plus they protect much better than paper sleeves and don't crack like jewel cases. On the other hand, it's kind of hard to find DVD racks that can fit them.

It's also always a little bit of a let down to get one of these super-thick DVD cases home, pop it open and find only a single disk and a 10-page manual inside . I was expecting a full-color 200 page encyclopedic manual, a "goodies"/bonus disk, soundtrack disk, and a collectible figurine, dammit!

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: Aikouka
Imagine how bad installing WoW would be if you simply couldn't copy and paste an installation. The original game had 5 CDs (if you bought a later version, I believe the initial release was 4 CDs) and the expansion was 4 CDs I think. It made me thank baby Jesus that I had least had two optical drives and the installer would check them both for the next disc.

Blizzard's idea is weird though... the standard releases came in CDs but the Collector's Edition copies came with DVDs. But I guess that came from the larger demographic that they were aiming for with the low system requirements.

The Beta client can be used for WoW. Or even the trial from Fileplant. Install, update, and login using your credentials. I bought the collectors edition but used the beta client and simply updated it.

 

[shortylickens]

As was pointed out, some folks are too damn cheap to buy DVD drives.
As was also pointed out: thats incredibly stupid.
A DVD reader can be had for about 20 bucks at Newegg. Most games go for about 40-60 bucks these days and they usually require at least a hundred-dollar video card.

Really stupid that it hasnt been the standard for a long time. You can still see plenty of CD games in the stores.
The PS2 came out in the summer of 2001 (I think?) and it used DVD as its game format.

 

[lupi]

Yeah, and they're even putting out a new PS2 next month.


Also the CD-reg, DVD-collector edition is not new either. There have been a couple games I've gotten in collector ed to skip having multiple CDs.

 

[PingSpike]

I never bought one until Oblivion. None of my shit came on DVDs so I had no reason to bother. They cost $30 for the drive, that isn't it. The manufactorers have done a lot of funny stuff to hobble their adoption it seems...charging more for the DVD version or only including it in the collectors edition (same thing).

The thing is, the media doesn't really matter as much with PC games. Once they're installed you just put the disks in the closet...or at least you would if the game didn't have to spin up the jet engines every time you loaded it.

I think its probably a case of the bean counters misinterpreting the sales data. They probably look at the sales of DVD versus CD and say "Man, DVD isn't selling well, must be there is more demand for the CD version." When really some one says "$10 more for the DVD version? CD version please."

Granted, there isn't a price difference always. But with limited shelf space you have supply issues as well...where they only buy one version, and its probably the CD one. Standard self perpetuating cycle.

 

[hdeck]

it's probably just because of the amount of PCs that actually have DVD drives. for tech savvy people like us it's common to have a DVD drive, but i'm sure less than half of people have DVD drives on their PC. that's why companies can do special editions that come on DVD. they can produce less of them and charge more and for a lot of people with DVD drives it is worth the extra cost to have less hassle with 5+ CDs.

 

[AmberClad]

I assume by non-tech savvy, you mean those people who buy pre-built systems. In which case, I don't think it's possible to buy a Dell or HP without at the very least a CD/DVD combo drive these days (even for the el cheapo, craptastic $300 systems they sell).

But I suppose you're right that, with older systems, they might not have a DVD drive (despite how cheap they are...). And it does make sense with certain games to sell them on CD (budget games, and kids' games, for example, that don't require much in the way of system horsepower).

I'm not sure if the same case can be made for most of the modern games that require some pretty hefty hardware though. At the very least they require a recent IGP. The types of systems that rely on IGP instead of a real video card tend to be prebuilt ones. Which brings me back to my argument that even the worst Dell you could possibly buy still has a DVD reader.