Physical vs. Digital
- Thread starter Elberik
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Digital copies are cheaper and less effort for me.
I'd also disagree that consumers have complete control over access to the product with a physical copy since a lot of games have DRM, regardless of whether you buy it digitally or physically, that inhibit a consumer's control over access to a product.
I'd also disagree that consumers have complete control over access to the product with a physical copy since a lot of games have DRM, regardless of whether you buy it digitally or physically, that inhibit a consumer's control over access to a product.
physical copies of games used to be better when they had all the tied in extras (or "feelies" if you prefer), I still remember when I got Star Trek: Klingon Academy, with its 6 CD folding cardboard disc holder and MASSIVE 300 page or so spiral bound manual written in universe detailing every possible thing in the game..now-a-days you just get a tiny controls pamphlet and MAYBE a 4 page manual if it's a deluxe edition or something.
haven't seen many modern console game boxes though, so I might be off a bit.
haven't seen many modern console game boxes though, so I might be off a bit.
Big-ass con for digital games:
Bandwidth limitations. Those, sadly, are still around.
I got a datacap of 50GB a month, that's peanuts. I mean hell, look at the recent news about COD: Ghost. If I were to buy that I'd spend my entire month's worth of data on one game. That won't do. People with relatively slow internet connections will have a problem as well. Downloading 30GB of data with a 500KB/s download speed is going to take a while. Shit's going a lot faster with physical copies.
Bandwidth limitations. Those, sadly, are still around.
I got a datacap of 50GB a month, that's peanuts. I mean hell, look at the recent news about COD: Ghost. If I were to buy that I'd spend my entire month's worth of data on one game. That won't do. People with relatively slow internet connections will have a problem as well. Downloading 30GB of data with a 500KB/s download speed is going to take a while. Shit's going a lot faster with physical copies.
I do like looking at my shelves and seeing all those purty boxes lined up next to my novels and comics. Hmmm yes.Ronack said:
2 games (Diablo III & Simcity) require a constant online connection. TWO games when 15-30 are released per month. Yes, always-online DRM is a bad idea but you cannot use two games to represent all of PC gaming. Plus DRM is a problem with digital as well.Doom972 said:
Personally I like Physical. I collect alot of old games, and if they were digital, I wouldn't have the satisfaction of having them there for me to see and hold. (that didn't sound creepy)
It took me going nearly all digital on my ps3 to find out the biggest con.
Limited disc space. Coupled with having to redownload what ever I delete if I want to play it again.
I thought I was untouchable with my 500 gig hard drive, but recently I got to the point where I just didn't have any more space. ;-;
Man, I remember another flaw. I bought Magical Drop F on PSN, and can't download it anymore.
Sure I can, have, and will eventually lose disc based games, but it feels different in a way I can't quite put my finger on. Just feels safer.
Limited disc space. Coupled with having to redownload what ever I delete if I want to play it again.
I thought I was untouchable with my 500 gig hard drive, but recently I got to the point where I just didn't have any more space. ;-;
Man, I remember another flaw. I bought Magical Drop F on PSN, and can't download it anymore.
Sure I can, have, and will eventually lose disc based games, but it feels different in a way I can't quite put my finger on. Just feels safer.
just too many good deals i get for digital copies of games to justify buying physical anymore, plus it keeps them all neat and tidy in my libraries without having to worry about the disc getting scratched and such. (i have a physical game library on the shelf, but most of the games on there are pretty old)
i can't tell you the last time i spent above 20 bucks (and even then, 20 has been a fucking whileeeee) on a game, all because of sales on gog/greenmangaming/steam/humble bundle, pushing 260 games digitally now and i've spent maybe 1300 dollars total for all that.
i can't tell you the last time i spent above 20 bucks (and even then, 20 has been a fucking whileeeee) on a game, all because of sales on gog/greenmangaming/steam/humble bundle, pushing 260 games digitally now and i've spent maybe 1300 dollars total for all that.
Well I'd add:
Physical:
Con:
> Must either
- go to a store which must be open, must have game in stock (can be harder to find older and/or less popular games locally), may be a fair distance out of your way or inaccessible due to daily commitments (like being at work no where near a game store from 9-5)
- purchase online which will take at least a day to be delivered.
Digital:
Con:
> Game takes time to download (results may vary depending on quality of internet connection)
> Can be more difficult to return in the event of a problem
Pro:
> Can't misplace or damage the game since it's tied to an account and can be retried
I'm a fan of digital mainly for the convenience aspect of not having to go to the store. I can keep going about my daily routine taking my dog for a walk, browsing the internet, playing games which is way more fun than driving out to the shops. I can also purchase the game at times that I couldn't from the store, like late at night so it will be ready first thing in the morning, or by remoting into my PC from uni so I can play when I get home. I actually kinda hate it when physical store offer a significantly cheaper price than online, since I'm a bit tight on cash justifying the extra amount is pretty hard.
Also, for me personally at least, I feel it's far more likely that I'll lose a disc than one of the digital distribution platforms shutting down (my last holiday I managed to leave my entire travel itinerary, passport, credit cards and carry money at the customs check, followed five minutes later by leaving my sunglasses on a bench, then I lost my passport again which was luckily in my bag - though the one that was already checked in on the plane). I'm not particularly a fan of the idea that it's a service rather than a product that I own, but it does seem more reliable than me...
Physical:
Con:
> Must either
- go to a store which must be open, must have game in stock (can be harder to find older and/or less popular games locally), may be a fair distance out of your way or inaccessible due to daily commitments (like being at work no where near a game store from 9-5)
- purchase online which will take at least a day to be delivered.
Digital:
Con:
> Game takes time to download (results may vary depending on quality of internet connection)
> Can be more difficult to return in the event of a problem
Pro:
> Can't misplace or damage the game since it's tied to an account and can be retried
I'm a fan of digital mainly for the convenience aspect of not having to go to the store. I can keep going about my daily routine taking my dog for a walk, browsing the internet, playing games which is way more fun than driving out to the shops. I can also purchase the game at times that I couldn't from the store, like late at night so it will be ready first thing in the morning, or by remoting into my PC from uni so I can play when I get home. I actually kinda hate it when physical store offer a significantly cheaper price than online, since I'm a bit tight on cash justifying the extra amount is pretty hard.
Also, for me personally at least, I feel it's far more likely that I'll lose a disc than one of the digital distribution platforms shutting down (my last holiday I managed to leave my entire travel itinerary, passport, credit cards and carry money at the customs check, followed five minutes later by leaving my sunglasses on a bench, then I lost my passport again which was luckily in my bag - though the one that was already checked in on the plane). I'm not particularly a fan of the idea that it's a service rather than a product that I own, but it does seem more reliable than me...
That's the thing though... In this day-and-age, if you purchase a physical copy, you get all the Pros of the digital column with accounts and key registration and such... (On the PC platform anyway)
Say I bought AC4 I would have to register the product key on UPlay and link it to my account...
Which means that as long as I can access that account, I own that game in a digital sense...
Sure, the collectors edition will look amazing with its figurine and such, but the point is still there...
If it was just a regular version of the game, then I could throw the disc away after (x) years of it broke...
But I would always own the digital version...
Which is why I prefer digital now-a-days...
EXCEPT for epic collectors editions, which now-a-days is the ONLY reason I purchase hard copies... (unless digital download doesn't exist for that game... (this is mainly handhelds anyway))
Say I bought AC4 I would have to register the product key on UPlay and link it to my account...
Which means that as long as I can access that account, I own that game in a digital sense...
Sure, the collectors edition will look amazing with its figurine and such, but the point is still there...
If it was just a regular version of the game, then I could throw the disc away after (x) years of it broke...
But I would always own the digital version...
Which is why I prefer digital now-a-days...
EXCEPT for epic collectors editions, which now-a-days is the ONLY reason I purchase hard copies... (unless digital download doesn't exist for that game... (this is mainly handhelds anyway))
Digital: because I hate going into retail stores.
Also, while I like the idea of fully owning my game and not being tethered to a service like Steam, I can't shake the feeling of vulnerability that comes with a physical object. If it gets scratched or damaged in any way my game is gone, whereas with digital even if my files get corrupted I can always delete and redownload them as many times as I want.
Also, while I like the idea of fully owning my game and not being tethered to a service like Steam, I can't shake the feeling of vulnerability that comes with a physical object. If it gets scratched or damaged in any way my game is gone, whereas with digital even if my files get corrupted I can always delete and redownload them as many times as I want.