Poll: Are You Ready To Ditch Disks?

[Slythernite]

I absolutely refuse to buy electronically. There is something comforting about having the actual box if someone steals my Steam account or something.

 

[rockyoumonkeys]

Before blu-ray came along, I was absolutely ready to ditch discs, because I hated the fact that they were always already scratched when I bought them.

But blu-rays are durable and almost never pre-damaged, so I like them again. Not interested in digital distribution.

 

[Stalk3rchief]

It would be nice to see a system that uses something akin to a memory stick opposed to a disk. I'd like to see something that is small and easy to use/plug in (Not like old school cartridge) without the risk of being scratched and ruined like disks, a reoccuring problem with the 360 in particular. But thanks to XBL downloaded games not working when I'm disconnected from XBL, I'll stick with hard copies instead of digital downloads. It's just too reliable.

 

[Zeekielou]

I like both options. I love to look at the collection of games I have but I also like being able to jump form game to game with out changing disks (yes I am that lazy). Disk do also give me something to trade in when I'm done playing and get money to buy more games.

 

[Stalk3rchief]

I would love to have a physical storage of the game, but I hate discs. Discs are slow, fragile. I think the future lies in non-volatile memory like NAND Flash memory, used in SSD and memory sticks.
And this is a strong possibility if and when USB 3.0 is accepted standard by the industry. Faster than discs, can be driven over many times by a car, trampled on, and still provide the same data undamaged.
I store my old gaming boxes from 1994 (Tie Fighter, Normality etc) in my parents' garage attic. I don't keep any game boxes in my apartment. Of course, I have fond memories of them, but having the boxes around isn't doing me any good.

Until a USB 3.0 flash unit is used in the games industry, online storage like Steam is much more convenient for me. I prefer to have books in my shelves rather than game boxes with manuals.
Problem with online storage is that not everybody has a good broadband connection.

Damn, ninja'd.

 

[dot0rai]

If I can get the physical version of the game, it at least makes me feel like I'm not wasting money.

 

[LogicNProportion]

I love disks and CD's for the same reason I love books and newspapers. I like the material feeling of holding something I paid for.

 

[Railgun88]

It would be great if lets say, the games were installed on a external HDD with an e-SATA port. But this needs three things, 1.) Easy ways to identify you have bought the games, but while still being secure.
2.) All computers having e-SATA ports.
3.) Also a backup on a separate site with all your game saves.

If these three things could be done, you would only have to pay once for the external HDD, and for each game. This makes it easier to play your games on multiple computers with out the need to wait for separate downloads. I think Steam should look into this idea. They're already part way there with the easy verification, and backing up game saves.

 

[Gardenia]

People still use discs?

 

[laol1999]

if you lose your console then you wont be able to do much without discs

 

[Socken]

They only asked console gamers, according to the article. Herp, derp.

Hear hear.

How retarded would you have to be to not want digital downloads? It saves money off production and distribution, and more importantly, saves space in your home.

You're right, it sure would save space on my games shelve. Only I don't want the bloody thing to be empty.

 

[astrav1]

I can't let it happen.

 

[phenity]

Thanks to Steam, I've ALREADY ditched disks. If consoles in the future have MUCH bigger hard drives I might just as a soon ditch disks for them as well.

 

[RatRace123]

Nope, from where I stand, discs are more reliable than digital download only.
Plus, I like the feeling of ownership I get from actually having a hardcopy in my hand.
I don't own a download, it's just data that I have stored on my system.

 

[superbatranger]

Never. Not in a million years. I will not ditch physical media for digital distribution. I don't trust it enough.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

I want my hard copy dammit! The day discs stop being made for video games is the day I quit gaming I start griping for all to hear that the days of hard copies was infinitely better.

 

[Magicman10893]

I hate direct downloads. With a disc I can always play the game whenever I want, but with these downloads you have to online to play them which if my internet is down I'm fucked. That has happened with DLC from the Xbox 360, not being able to play because I have to logged onto Xbox LIVE for it work. Without a disc, I can't sell the game to make money from something I don't play anymore. I sell games back to Gamestop to get money to buy the brand new games coming out, without that I would never have been able to buy all these games.

-Gears of War 2
-Fable 2
-Prototype
-Madden 10
-Madden 11
-Battlefield 2
-Modern Warfare 2
-Mass Effect 2

Not to mention buying used games so I can enjoy more for my money. I bought several games that I never would have been able to at full price because many stores don't really hold on to old games anymore so they can make room for new games to come out.

 

[The Cookie Cruncher]

I like it and all. But holding a physical copy of a game in my hands just feels so nice.

 

[migo]

On PC, yes. Pretty much GOG for me on my Netbook.

On console, no. And for that matter, with 50GB of content, BR is definitely necessary. Mass storage will always be cheaper on optical media, so there will always be a place.