Poll: Are You Ready To Ditch Disks?

[Something Amyss]

I already have, partially. I'm not sure I'm ready to go full on DD, though.

 

[Plinglebob]

I think GoG's recentlpublicity stunt showed why Digital Distribution is a bad idea. People seem to be under the impression that services like Steam or XBLA will be going forever but they won't and the moment they fail, you will lose all your games. I admit I use Steam as its very cheap, but if its a choice between a Digital Download or a physical copy at the same price, I will always go for the physical copy.

 

[JaymesFogarty]

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.

Well, congratulations for definitely not living in Britain, where the majority of people have cruelly slow internet connections. Not everyone can actually download from the internet in a reasonable amount of time. Plus, there is nothing beating actually receiving a game copy to display on your shelf, with a key to download it a few times as well. There, everybody's happy.

 

[Broken Boy]

I like having hard copies of my games its just the way I am.

 

[p3t3r]

ps3 exculsives can be upwards of 50gb and i only have 20 gbs of download per month. so ya i would like to but it doesn't seem reassonably quit yet but i did get the digital version of peace walker oppsed go ghe physical

 

[alloneword]

I like both methods. I have plenty of boxes and disks, but I also have quite a few games that I have only digital copies of (mostly through Blizzard). Removing a tangible form of gaming seems like a bad idea, because there is no way to ensure that some catestrophic event will bring down the internet.

However, disks will eventually evolve into a new form of physical media and I'm okay with that.

 

[Usurpurus]

I love the way you can download anything whenever you want, but I HATE the way Steam doesn't give you refunds for games that do not work whatever you try to do to fix the problem.

 

[SovietSecrets]

No. I will always get a physical copy of a game if I can.

 

[shinigamisparda]

I'm old style, so I prefer being able to hold the object my game is on. Digital is fine, but I'm nervous with the possibility of of them being destroyed in a power surge or something. As they say, don't keep all your eggs in one basket.

 

[Yopaz]

I like my disks, but also like the Steam thing where you can download the game if you lose your disk. That comes in real handy.

Yeah, games that are supported in Steam are great, having both the ability to download it when you want to and install it from a disc (and play it without one) is great.

Discs all the way! You can't really get screwed that way.

Yeah, you can't get screwed like getting a non-functional disc like I've experienced on 2 games. One being a 360 game the other being The Sims 3. The Sims 3 had digital support so I could simply register it in EA download manager and download it though. Digital distribution is just there to screw us over big time while physical copies never ever fail.

I'm actually torn in this case. For one having the physical copies of a game is nice because you get the boxes to look at, then again (check my badge if you don't believe me) I'm lazy. I realized I wanted to play Alan Wake, but I didn't simply because it wasn't the game I had in the Xbox. I ended up playing a different game all the time, either the one that was inside, or a game I had downloaded. With Steam, xbox live, Nintendo shop channel and PSN network things are quite nice. You have the right to download it at any time, well, there might be a time when Xbox live, Shop channel and PSN network shuts down and we can't anymore... But in theory at least we can download as we please. Some digital distributors suck though and that just means they got things to work with.

 

[LitleWaffle]

Steam is seemingly the only DD I trust so far. I've had problems with D2D, where their customer service was straight unhelpful and I suddenly had $50 down the drain. I'm not ready to abandon physical until I feel like I can trust more than one distributor.

Agreed, Steam is the only one I will ever actually trust with this sort of thing. Otherwise I want a Hard copy.

 

[tzimize]

Problem is that at the moment a lot of it is still stupidly overpriced. Its beyond stupid when Battlefield Bad Company 2 cost 50? on steam and I can have it SHIPPED PHYSICALLY half over europe to me for 15? from play.

Dont get me wrong, Steam has some nice offers...but hot damn they have some overpriced CRAP too. I'd expect prices to be at LEAST competitive with regular retail.

 

[PissOffRoth]

I use steam for my PC games. Can't be arsed to go to the store. So for me, I say yes. So long as they don't do stupid shit like Ubisoft loves to do.

 

[Nitrozzy7]

My point is this:
Sure Digital Distribution has its benefits but note that you don't own what you buy. In other words, it's like paying for a service.
No one will guaranty you that you will be playing your games in 10 years from now free of charge.

 

[qeinar]

oh this was for console owners, i play alot of mah games on steam so i've already ditched disks.. : p it's just annoying to have to switch discs when you want to play a different game..

 

[eggy32]

I wouldn't mind it if I had a massive hard drive or 2.

 

[ShaqLevick]

I prefer something tangible, so that I can take it wherever I want, and do whatever I please with the information. 6 Gb of information will never be worth $60 to me, but if you were to burn it to a shiny disc and wrap it up with a nice bow, well then we're talking.

 

[Emilox The Great]

i dont really have that much of an opinion on this matter. i like having the boxes and the little gaming manuals that follows, but some games can be hard to get physically. so thats where digital download comes in handy.



also: am i the only one who read the title as Are You Ready To Ditch D!cks?
maybe im just tired...

 

[Tom Phoenix]

Even as a PC gamer, I don't think I will ever be willing to give up physical copies of games. I prefer having an actual disc for the many reasons already mentioned. Plus, I don't like the idea that I could potentially lose some or all of my games should the digital distribution service go under. If I buy a copy of the game, I want it's fate to be in my hands, not anyone elses.

Fortunately, the PC retail situation in Europe is much better than the one in the US, so I am not forced into having to only use digital distribution like many PC gamers in the US are.