Sony exec hints Microsoft may be right about future predictions of downloadable media

Well here’s one that is sure to cause quite a debate. While speaking at an ELSPA press conference recently, Sony Computer Entertainment UK’s Ray Maguire offered his insight on where he sees the direction of gaming media going, saying that within the next 10 years 90% of game sales will be online.

Maguire elaborated on his beliefs, saying: “We have a situation that if you’re a retailer you’re currently responsible for the goods that come through your chain,” he continues “But that’s not true with ISPs in the future. This isn’t merely a games industry issue. It’s an issue for every industry with companies that have a website, and when we look at user generated content it’s a people issue.”

Hmm… Well considering Microsoft has said all along they feel they “backed the right horse” and claimed that Sony knows downloadable media is the next big thing, which is why they are implementing it into their plans, do we look at Microsoft trailblazing and say that they are indeed on the right path? In a recent interview ex Microsoft exec Sandy Duncan told us that “dedicated games devices i.e. consoles (and handhelds) will die [out] in the next 5 to 10 years,” he has since gone on to launch his own blog devoted to the discussion.