Hardware The future is Dual Layer?

[dokaebi]

Considering the fact that we now have our first dual layer release out, do you think that a majority of the newer releases will be migrating to DVD9?

 

[jargus]

#3. It's too early. Ninty's next console will probably use DVD9 exclusively.

 

[Salamantis]

#3. It's too early. Ninty's next console will probably use DVD9 exclusively.

Yeah and game prices will skyrocket.

Can you imaging Barbie in 3D on a DL-DVD?

 

[Kiok]

I hope not cause Dual Layer disk are expensive.

 

[science]

The prices wouldn't skyrocket. PS3 games are on Blu-Ray, and they aren't anymore money than Xbox 360 games, which are DL, which are not a lot more expensive than Wii games. What I see with the Wii is DVD5, with the odd DVD9 release that needs the extra space. I don't anticipate a lot more DVD9 games for Wii.

 

[OSW]

It depends if there are many games that need the space.

personally i also think that the majority of future games for the wii will only need to stick to single layer.

because clearly, you have to have a hell of alot of extra content like in smash to warrant the need for extra space, considering the wii doesn't output high definition.

 

[Foie]

Dual layer disks cost a whole lot of extra money, so the developers will want to keep the game somewhat small to keep the prices at a minimum.

 

[lordkieranos]

Future Zelda??????????????????

I hope so!

 

[starduck]

Dual layer disks cost a whole lot of extra money, so the developers will want to keep the game somewhat small to keep the prices at a minimum.

It's not because it's cost a whole lot more to you that it costs a lot more to them.

When you're printing batches of 100 000 copies, the difference must be minimal between DVD5 and DVD9.

 

[Hooya]

Dual layer disks cost a whole lot of extra money, so the developers will want to keep the game somewhat small to keep the prices at a minimum.

It's not because it's cost a whole lot more to you that it costs a lot more to them.

When you're printing batches of 100 000 copies, the difference must be minimal between DVD5 and DVD9.

I would think that would be the opposite. Yes, they'd get bulk discounting, but if you have a 5 gig game it'd probably be more economical to cut something down to fit it in a DVD5 than to pay for the DVD9 disks. Since they are more expensive, those costs over 100k+ copies adds up.

 

[Lukeage]

Dual layer disks cost a whole lot of extra money, so the developers will want to keep the game somewhat small to keep the prices at a minimum.

It's not because it's cost a whole lot more to you that it costs a lot more to them.

When you're printing batches of 100 000 copies, the difference must be minimal between DVD5 and DVD9.

I would think that would be the opposite. Yes, they'd get bulk discounting, but if you have a 5 gig game it'd probably be more economical to cut something down to fit it in a DVD5 than to pay for the DVD9 disks. Since they are more expensive, those costs over 100k+ copies adds up.

Exactly, for each cent more it costs per disc, over 100,000 units is $1000. If you've got a million seller, this could easily be $10,000+ extra in production.

 

[starduck]

And for each feature you don't cut down in your game, there's more buyers.

 

[starduck]

In summary, if developers are ready to print their games on blu-ray disks, on a console that has 40% the user base that the Wii has, I doubt they'll care enough to cut down features to go to a DVD5 instead of releasing their whole game on a DVD9.

I was objecting the argument that developers will want to keep their games small to put them on DVD5 instead of DVD9, not how they won't cut down, say 1 character or 1 special effect to make the DVD5 cut.

 

[James B.]

And for each feature you don't cut down in your game, there's more buyers.

Exactly.

And, they could just charge a few extra cents. Either way, the consumer wouldn't notice.

Oh, and I'm interested in CD pressing for games.. does that work properly on DVD9s?

Do companies even do that anymore?

 

[Rando]

Exactly, for each cent more it costs per disc, over 100,000 units is $1000. If you've got a million seller, this could easily be $10,000+ extra in production.

If Nintendo has a million seller on their hands they aren't worried about $10,000.

 

[AMPonzi]

Well... buying single-layer discs in bulk is much much cheaper than dual-layer. Probably on the order around 80 cents more per disc. But even still, then it costs about $3.80 to manufacture a game instead of $3.00. And at $50 a game, that's a profit of like $46.20 instead of $47.00. I highly doubt I'd be hurting. Besides, how many PS2 DVD9 games were there? I don't think even 1% of all games were DVD9s despite the fact that Xenosaga was one of the first.

 

[starduck]

Well they don't do 47 bucks of profits per game... More like... 4 bucks of profit per games... but yah. You got the point.

 

[TSPhoenix]

You'll only ever use DVD9 if you need the storage. Any DVD9 drive can also read DVD5 so you'll use whichever is big enough to fit your game.

Also one DVD9 is cheaper than 2 DVD5s (even moreso when you factor in the special 2-disc case needed).

I got a quote on the cost of printing 50000 discs and its 85c a disc for DVD5 and $1.42 for DVD9s. These prices are for a service in Australia converted into US dollars.

Lets assume the difference between DVD5 and DVD9 for Nintendo is 50c, if Brawl sells 5m copies thats 2.5m spent on using a higher capacity disc. As such you can understand why you'd want to use DVD9 only where needed.