How console DLC could go free mmorpg

And why not? Think about it. These days with how DLC is managed, it goes straight to your hard drive. There is no media. No packaging. Just a straight download. How is that not different from PC clients?

Well, from a big picture perspective, they’re not at all [different] since it’s a server/client build. People would exclaim that there already are mmorpgs like Phantasy Star (360) that are subscription based, but overall even this genre is pretty minimal. Seeing how the Playstation 3 is now on the 40G and 80G series, there should be space enough to handle most worlds easily.

Let’s take for example, one of those Korean mmorpgs like my favorite example: SilkRoad. Runs somewhere between 3.5G for client (it’s been a while so I don’t remember offhand) but it doesn’t sound like it’s too terrible for a console. The only difficult part would be the limitations of chatting (fixed by audio chat or a BT keyboard connection) and controls (assuming that one would use a controller).

Now from a perspective of network provisions, I would assume that while the content providers could definitely pull off a game to be developed for either PSN or Xbox Live, it’s also very important that publisher’s end of the network have some sort of API that integrates game stores into the network stores. This is because, it would not only allow people to make small purchases quickly and outside of the game, but it also gives a chance for the games to be more cohesive with the publishing store instead of just being a media vending machine.

Believe me, I know what I’m proposing and it would be a major step for either PSN or Xbox Live to even venture down this path. On top of that, I don’t know if the pirating world has really blown apart the nexgen console gaming industry yet since I don’t follow it. But if they’re looking for a profit, be it for the reasons of anti-piracy or for another business revenue model, this definitely could be a next step.