PC games get console packaging
by Ross Miller 
{ May 21st 2006 at 12:30AM }
From giant cardboard boxes to smaller cardboard boxes to DVD cases. The IEMA on Friday announced a new packaging for computer games. As seen to the right, the box mimics the style popular with console game packaging. The first game to use this standardized packaging will be Madden 2007 (although The Sims has been using similar casing for awhile now). You can download the press release (pdf file) here.Interested in the history of video game packaging? Wikipedia has an entire page devoted to it.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
rhork. @ May 21st 2006 12:39AM
I believe they've been doing this for awhile. Like you said, the sims- but many other franchises as well. Some tom clancy games and Max Payne for sure- Somehow a copy made it into my house. In either case, I'd prefer the cardboard box packaging over the console-esque packaging.
But, seriously- I'd prefer DC++ and .iso's before that.
=]
Mitsuo Yuikihiro @ May 21st 2006 12:46AM
I liked the cardboard packaging. I like looking at the cardboard boxes. It has a different feel to it just like the games have a different feel to them. Pretty soon we'll be playing games with console controlers instead of the mouse and keyboard on the PC. Oh wait....too late.
Todd Rabanus @ May 21st 2006 12:54AM
Must be a slow news day with the E3 aftermath and all!
Seriously though I have seen some PC games doing this I think it is a good standard. It adds protection to the game. Sure I know that the games in cardboard boxes are enclosed in jewel cases. So I think I just contradidcted myself.
In either case think of the trees man!!! Save the trees
Edmund @ May 21st 2006 1:04AM
Jesus Christ it'a about time. Some games have been doing that for a while but they all should. There's no reason why they should still come in cardboard boxes.
Einhanderkiller@gmail.com @ May 21st 2006 1:07AM
I prefer the "console" packaging compared to the cardboard used in many of the current PC games, mainly because they take up less space and look better, but what will happen to the PC games that come with all those extras? (Guild Wars comes to mind, with its 100+ page book). Will those games just use the "traditional" cardboard box, or would it use a larger plastic case?
Holden784 @ May 21st 2006 1:22AM
I know that it is easier to store and probably cheaper to make, but I still miss those big cardboard boxes. I remember getting PC games as a kid and it seemed so cool getting to open a big, shiny box. It's kind of boring now that they are all going to come in DVD cases. I always did wonder why they bothered making th boxes so big though since all that was inside was a CD case. Maybe id didn't like trees.
AndrewNeo @ May 21st 2006 1:24AM
I enjoyed the change from big boxes to the small boxes very much, reduced shelf space and the space I put all my pack-rat'ed boxes in. I'll have to see how this pans out.
Mitsuo Yuikihiro @ May 21st 2006 1:25AM
I just thought of another dissadvantage. Now games like Civilization or other big games can't come with a giant manual that's 200+ pages long. THINK OF THE MANUALS MAN!
Ryan Williams @ May 21st 2006 1:31AM
This is only just happening in the US? They totally dumped all of the cardboard boxes and went 100% DVD/console style a few years ago here (the UK).
Oh, how I miss the old style; I have a lonely shelf of them that will forever remain as it is. I guess the newer style is good for storage both in shops and at home, but there's not much room for elaborate art or for stuff inside. ? not that they bother including stuff inside.
Holden784, a lot of games used to contain very big manuals, which is almost certainly what led to the boxes being so big as standard. I mean, we're talking entire novels of backstory and stuff here. Nowadays it just can't be justified though, what with the games themselves costing so much to develop in contrast to back then where it was a several month job in many cases.
Nick @ May 21st 2006 1:46AM
I'm disappointed in this move. Like someone previously mentioned, this pretty much precludes the inclusion of any type of manual with our games now. If you like to play FPS that may be fine, but think of us strategy gamers who want to know why we're fighting, what units do what, and what the play mechanics are. I hate reading the PDFs that they include with games now and now THAT will become the standard.
Dave @ May 21st 2006 1:56AM
I wish they would take it farther and use standard ultra chin CD cases. The manuals can be accessed in a file anyway.
wesley @ May 21st 2006 2:00AM
whatever's best for the enviroment's what they should use.
nootau @ May 21st 2006 2:13AM
woo! finally. I have been waiting for this since the reduced size boxes. I hate the card board boxes.....well, its actually the white paper cd sleeve they give you to put your CD in. That is horrible. I lose those, and my CDs sit out or i have to put them in a CD book. Which then you lose the CD-Key, etc, etc. The console game packaging is easier to store, and harder to damage or loose. Woo!
ZekeS @ May 21st 2006 2:15AM
#10, go read the manual to Falcon 4.0 in PDF. It's only 800 pages! EASY READ ON THE COMPUTER LOLZ!!!
I miss getting REAL manuals and packins with games ... oh well, nobody plays the games that need more than a quickref pamphlet anymore ...
kingmanor @ May 21st 2006 2:30AM
ZeKeS, I have the original Faclon4 and the manual is like a 3-ring binder. But even a smaller manual, like the WoW manual for instance, is too small to fit inside a DVD case. Also, most games have a fold-out cover showing more detail about the game, instad of a few screens and sentences on the back of a DVD cover. I like the mini-boxes we have now.
Zero_ @ May 21st 2006 2:42AM
This is an interesting move, that I see no evidence to justify it. The only one that springs up to mind right now is that it'd be much cheaper just to use the DVD cases with sheets inside them, as opposed to creating cardboard boxes with designs on them.
I actually quite liked the recently adopted style for PC games, like the packaging for World of Warcraft. It's small, sleak but packs a punch in both weight and design, especially with that whole 'book opening' thing. That's some hot shizzle surely to be missed by PC Gamers.
Henrik @ May 21st 2006 2:48AM
Like #9 said, Europe releases has been almost only dvd-case years ago. Only games with extras, such as World of Warcraft (and probably 50% of all special editions) come in special cardboard boxes with a dvd-case inside (which looks like it could be sold seperately with ratings and synopse etc.). And almost all include the manual as a pdf, and a printed version if it is short enough. I don't miss the giant boxes on new games, but on old games they are part of the release and i wouldn't have it any other way.
LordAlu @ May 21st 2006 3:41AM
I am a little suprised that you guys over in the US are only just getting these, as as previously stated, we in the UK have had them for years.
As for games with big manuals, they get around it here by putting it in a double DVD case - twice the thickness and with two CD clips (and sometimes even four). In fact sometimes they even provide an outer cover to the DVD!
One of my biggest gripes with them however still hasn't been solved, and i'll make my point here - if you look in the top left it says PC DVD. Obviously if it was just a CD it would say PC CD-ROM. However, at least over in this country, the text is so small that your average consmer doesn't look to see if it's a CD or DVD - they just see the word "PC" and assume it'll work in their drives.
As a shop worker I get fed up of having to explain this to people (it's really bad when you ask them to check the minimum requirements and they go "I dunno? I've got Windows XP so it'll work.", but that's for another gripe).
I would like to see a much bigger notification of what drive it uses, and possibly even a short message right underneath the top bar stating which format it is.
Anyway, it looks like you guys in the US are finally catching up with us with these cases, and whilst I too miss the big cardboard boxes, you'll soon find the convienience outweighs the fun of having a big box! :P
Conn @ May 21st 2006 3:45AM
This is a welcome change- I always thought the boxes were pretty lame :/
I expect that games that come with extras or large manuals will be packaged like Odama/Mario Party 6/7 were- in a box that mimics the DVD-case packaging, and with the DVD case tself inside the box.
Pal @ May 21st 2006 3:45AM
Love the change, never read the manuals. Takes up much less space in stores, which means more games on display. It'll look nice with my console games collection.
It's about time this was standardized, I'm tired of crushed cardboard boxes. I like to keep everything in a pristine condition and this will make my nitpicking easier.
Hans Gruber @ May 21st 2006 4:26AM
Being from UK I'm glad we changed over to the DVD style boxes. No more cardboard boxes falling apart and dodgy stacking due to the multitude of different shapes and sizes. Now maybe America could even start releasing games on DVDs instead of CDs? ;)
adam @ May 21st 2006 5:05AM
to number 18: if you have a pc with high enough specs to play a new computer game there is NO reason in the entire world why you wouldn't have a dvd-rom.
M Al-Madi @ May 21st 2006 6:28AM
They should take it one step further, slim DVD cases.
http://www.madiart.blogspot.com
computer games @ May 21st 2006 7:01AM
A standard is good now. Back in the olden days with Amiga games etc there were all sorts of shapes and sizes also, it made for an interesting shelf full of games but they were not robust and they never looked tidy.
Of course, nearly all the PC games I buy these days (sans special editions) are usually in typical DVD style cases anyway so not really a big change. Unless this is US specific.
Kevin @ May 21st 2006 7:23AM
Had this in europe for about 6 years. I think amazon were the ones that started it.
PS3 Apologists @ May 21st 2006 7:53AM
Following the wikipedia link to find a box shot of Marathon. Damn. I wish Bungie would make another Marathon game that is modern. Loved those games.
Phor!, Spht! and BOBs.
James @ May 21st 2006 9:12AM
as long as they don't get console prices it's fine by me
the_game_master @ May 21st 2006 10:09AM
Everybody's ripping off Sony's idea.
They were the first to start packaging their games in DVD-video styled cases w/ the PS2.
6 years later this trend is being followed by everybody now. How ironic.
I personally had no problems with the old PC styled packages, you got to be really stupid to mistake a PC game for a video game.
Sjohn @ May 21st 2006 10:20AM
You know wal-mart had to have a huge hand is deciding this, they are the ones that got it to the smaller box because of their precious retail space, this way they can cram the same amount of games in 1/2 of the space therefore being able to either get twice as many games, or bring in something else that will sell also. I've heard stories about how powerful wal-mart is over the games, so this is no surprise that they would want to reduce the size of the box yet again.
John @ May 21st 2006 10:45AM
My Battlefield 2 and Medal Of Honor Pacific Assult have been using this packaging for a while, is isn't that new is it
Joe @ May 21st 2006 11:39AM
EA has done this since last years set of games. It makes the games harder to steal as well over the old cardboard boxes.
Babylonian @ May 21st 2006 11:47AM
My friend went to England a couple years ago and bought KOTOR on PC, and it was in casing just like this. So's the copy of Psi-Ops on the PC I imported from the UK, as is the Age of Empires III I bought here in the States.
Matthew Baggett @ May 21st 2006 11:56AM
the_game_master - Would this make it the only standard sony have introduced successfully? (think of MS,MS-duo,UMD,etc)
ZekeS @ May 21st 2006 12:12PM
kingmanor, I know it came in a binder - I didn't pick it up until a later run in smaller packaging, though, and all I got was a quick reference card and a little note saying "The manual is on the disc! LOLZ" ... that's what I get for waiting. I was kinda upset that they didn't include a voucher or something to GET a printed manual (because I don't want to figure the cost of PRINTING the PDF of doom ...)
Wouldn't making triple or quadruple thick DVD cases only defeat the purpose of standardizing packaging? At that point, you're almost at the size of the miniboxes :P
LordAlu @ May 21st 2006 12:37PM
@22: You would think that, but not necessarily - PC World still sell systems that don't have DVD drives (lord knows why though).
Besides which, what if they have an older computer that meets all the specs but doesn't have a DVD drive? Plus we're still releasing games in CD format - just look at Full Spectrum Warrior: Ten Hammers.
It's good to have games on PC in DVD packaging, it just still needs some work to it unfortunately :p
shitup @ May 21st 2006 1:08PM
this is definitely a good thing. right now when i look at pc games in the cardboard boxes i see them as cheap games. I dont know why, thats just how it is.
Luke @ May 21st 2006 2:09PM
I like it.
GOD @ May 21st 2006 2:15PM
Like rhork said some publishers have already been releasing games in that DVD movie case thing. EA did it for BF2, BF2 special forces, and Black and white 2 (I assume more title too, but those are the ones I own). Also if you buy counter strike source at a store it comes in a DVD case.
It makes a lot more sense to use a DVD case because you can fit the game and the game manual in one small box.
refinedsugar @ May 21st 2006 2:28PM
Cost and space definitely tipped this hand. I for one always liked when computer games came in big cardboard boxes for collecting slash sentimental reasons.
Doug the Aquacell Guy @ May 21st 2006 2:32PM
DVD cases are way easier to store than cardboard boxes and double-sized DVD cases other PC games have been using. Definently a good switch, in my opinion.
thank you Wal-Mart... @ May 21st 2006 2:33PM
I don't say that too often. But the big boxes are a waste. I was glad when the boxes got smaller and I believe I'll be happy with this shrink to DVD size too.
the_game_master:
This is Wal-Mart's doing mostly. They want the small boxes so they can fit more games on a shelf. Makes sense too, those boxes were mostly air anyway. So it isn't really "ripping off" Sony. Perhaps you don't remember the early days of the PS1, when (in the US) the Sony copied the Sega Saturn game packaging.
Companies copy good ideas from each other. And sometimes the retailers force particular things on them.
Dave @ May 21st 2006 2:40PM
I can't wait to buy games on memory sticks. Then the packaging would be really small. Discs seem so archaic now.
Then again, by that time, we should be able to just download any game we want. Computer games on shelves will cease to exist.
Clay @ May 21st 2006 3:42PM
Uh, guys, if you would have looked that the website, you would fine that both BOXES and CASE INSERTS were designed, meaning that you won't see the end of the boxes just yet.
Flak @ May 21st 2006 3:47PM
Don't some games now come in DVD cases but thicker? I think CS: Source does. I really like that style but not real thin cases like DVD movies come in.
Jacob @ May 21st 2006 5:14PM
It's about time, I hate those big boxes all they do is waste space, now when you go to the store to buy a PC game if will feel no different than buying a Xbox 360 or Playstation game.
Glenn Cahill @ May 21st 2006 6:52PM
You want to know what is a waste? When I got buy a gamecard for World of Warcraft, they come in a big cardboard box but only contain a card the size of a credit card. Now that's a waste.
squeevi @ May 21st 2006 8:18PM
Wow, must be a slow couple of days. Only three new posts in two days, what's the deal? Must be an after E3 slump or something.
nootau @ May 21st 2006 8:43PM
the guys at joystiq are probably sleeping off those wild E3 parties! thanks for the constant updates! you guys deserve a rest!
James @ May 21st 2006 8:46PM
seriously though, games should all be available to download.
It would be great for the environment. No more packaging, no more plastic disks, no more shipping.
When it is more convenient to pirate, games companies should be worrying and changing practices.
amanwithaplan @ May 21st 2006 8:46PM
Everyone's been saying that making the move to console packaging will not enable games to come with large manuels (sp?). Not true. I have four games right in front of me "Battlefield 2, the expansion, AO3, and Black and White 2, that all come in plastic cases that are the same size as the old cardboard boxes. They are just more durable and better looking. I'm really happy that they are making the move to the slimmer console version packaging. Current PC boxes take up so much extra space. I mean, if a game has a 200 page manual and 4 discs, okay, you have to have a thicker version. But for games with decent manuals and 1-2 discs, a slimmer version would be much appreciated