Poll: Games, download or retail?

[Peter Langdijk]

Games

Do you got your closet filled with them, or is your Steam library filled with them?
Do you buy your games online for download(i,m not talking about pirating, but things like steam, XBLA, Playstation Network ETC.
Or do you buy your games retail so they look nice in your closet?

I usely buy games retail, but sometimes steam is just to cheap to resist.

 

[AmrasCalmacil]

I prefer retail, but most of the time it depends on the price, compatability and such, if its easier for me to get it on steam, I'll get it on steam.

I still love that new game smell though, and leafing through the manual whilst installing or waiting for updates/loading times.

 

[Radeonx]

Most of my games are ordered online through Amazon and the like. Everything that was downloaded I've gotten during one of the Steam sales.

 

[Irridium]

Retail.

Downloading a game on my connection is, well lets just say if it happens it'll take 2 weeks. Minimum.

Plus, nothing beats that new game smell. Also, I prefer owning a physical version.

 

[theheroofaction]

I go retail, something about getting the case, opening it up and seeing the disc inside gives me a good feeling.

 

[Zarmi]

Download, always. Due to games being rather pricy here, compared to the downloads from Direct2drive and Steam.

 

[Carbon Monoxide]

Retail - I love browsing through the game shops, even when I've already planned what game I'm going to buy or don't have enough money. Also I enjoy looking through instruction manuals, I'm the only person I know who reads them.

 

[Johnnyallstar]

Lately, I have been on a download kick, but retail is never out of the question.

 

[GodsAndFishes]

For PC games I'll prefer to buy it on Steam if I can, but for 360 I'll always get a hard copy.

 

[drbarno]

Online shops for games I really want

Retail for browsing

I haven't looked in to downloads, having not used steam, Wii ware, and only recently getting an Xbox 360.

 

[.No.]

Retail. If I tried downloading, it would take a month to download, and I wouldn't even be able to run it.

 

[Jaded Scribe]

For PC games, I'm coming more and more to prefer Steam. They have good sales, good bundles, and when I get a new computer, I don't have to dig up disks, look for authentication keys, etc etc. I can just redownload them and move on.

But, for most games, I tend to prefer the console. And console games, I want a disk. I like having the physical copy, being able to look through my entire collection across 5 consoles without having to boot up each one and browse through them one system at a time.

 

[FalloutJack]

A numerous amount of games I downloaded had ummm...problems.

 

[EHKOS]

Retail if it's a ps2 game. I aim to own every one.

 

[Mace Tulio]

I prefer retail, but I've been buying digital downloads more and more often, mostly games that aren't available in-stores.

 

[squid5580]

Retail. Too much stuff can go wrong. I lost 100s of dollars in DLC because of a messy break up. And no before you ask there is nothing that can be done about it. Short of hacking her anyways. And nothing beats that new game smell.

 

[varulfic]

It's damn cold outside. And steam, it's right there, at the bottom of my screen, just a few inches away! I just have to move the cursor a bit, left click two or three times, then wait for the game to download, which shouldn't take more than an hour at most. It's just too convienient to pass up. Retail can suck it.

 

[Chibz]

I prefer retail, download if that's the only way to get it.

 

[KiKiweaky]

New titles are generally cheaper when you buy em from a store. Steam can do some incredible deals tho, rather peeved I didnt avail of some of the offers over christmas

 

[Gigano]

I much prefer physical copies, but if a title is only - or much easier/cheaper - available through digital distribution I don't mind using that.

Back up the bought install files on an external media, and you have what for practical purposes serves as a physical copy; though it just isn't quite the same in the feeling of ownership[footnote]And actually, it often really isn't the same in terms of ownership, as purely digital stuff can't be resold in many jurisdiction, whereas physical copies can.[/footnote] .