Support NeoGAF

[Rbk_3]

As an example, looking at some games I may want to buy and retailers here have NBA 2K24 for $29.99, but on the PS Store it is currently $79.99.

How often do scenarios like this happen where there is such a drastic price difference? How often do digital games go on sale vs in store?

 

[lh032]

so far all physical games are cheaper than digital, at least from what i seen. But i am surprise on the differences you mentioned above.

 

[TrebleShot]

It depends on the game really, there is alot to be said for being able to swap games very quickly without putting a new disc in, for instance if you have a portal or steam deck for remote play.

If you have all disc based games your only playing the one you have in your system right now.

 

[AV]

It was always an insane option, but there's plenty of people who will only buy a handful of digital games a year and just suck it up as wasted money if they're bad.

 

[killatopak]

I rarely buy digital because of this.

The only time I do is when there are DLC bundles along with the game. Those are more often cheaper than if you buy physical base then buy the expansions after.

 

[Esppiral]

Physical is cheaper even on release dates, enjoy your all digital future and being scammed

 

[The_Verecocha]

It depends on the game really, there is alot to be said for being able to swap games very quickly without putting a new disc in, for instance if you have a portal or steam deck for remote play.

If you have all disc based games your only playing the one you have in your system right now.

You’re right…there is a lot to be said for being able to change games quickly…$50 in this guys example, I assume that’s what you meant?

 

[Elysium44]

As an example, looking at some games I may want to buy and retailers here have NBA 2K24 for $29.99, but on the PS Store it is currently $79.99.

How often do scenarios like this happen where there is such a drastic price difference? How often do digital games go on sale vs in store?

$79.99 is the Baller edition, the regular edition is $59.99. Also the Baller edition is currently $19.99 on PSN if you have PS Plus.

On the Xbox store the Baller edition is currently $19.99 (for everyone).

So the answer to your question is to wait until the game you want is on sale, which is usually regularly for most games.

(edit - just realised OP was talking Canadian dollars, my mistake. General point stands otherwise though.)

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Physical games are usually cheaper at launch vs digital on PlayStation (at least in Europe and in the UK). For example Stellar blade is €80 on PSN while at retail you can find it for €65. Similar story with Unicorn Overlord which is €60 on PSN, but at retail you can find it for €50.

Ofc, later down the road the reverse can also be true, with games being on a deeper discount on PSN in comparison to the retail offerings.

If it's a game I love I usually double dip by first buying it physically and then digitally on a deep discount.

 

[Physiognomonics]

Yes it's a scam.

Physical games are usually cheaper at launch vs digital on PlayStation (at least in Europe and in the UK). For example Stellar blade is €80 on PSN while at retail you can find it for €65. Similar story with Unicorn Overlord which is €60 on PSN, but at retail you can find it for €50.

Ofc, later down the road the reverse can also be true, with games being on a deeper discount on PSN in comparison to the retail offerings.

If it's a game I love I usually double dip by first buying it physically and then digitally on a deep discount.

This.

 

[makaveli60]

Yeah, the digital only I think only worths it for people who only play the yearly Fifa, COD etc. games occasionally. Otherwise, not much sense to it. Physical all the way

 

[Little Mac]

Bought the PS5 Slim Spider-man 2 Bundle last December and even though I intended on going all digital, due to the price disparity, the vast majority of the games I have so far are physical. The only three digital games I have are Spider-man Remastered, which came bundled with the Miles Morales Ultimate Edition, Spider-man 2, which came bundled with the Slim, and Final Fantasy Remake 7 Intergrade, which I bought for $16 bucks on the Playstation Store during a holiday sale. Other than the FF7 outlier, the physical games I've bought (Ratchet and Clank, Returnal, Ghost of Tsushima, Last of Us Part 1, FFXVI) are sometimes 50%+ cheaper than digital.

 

[Rbk_3]

$79.99 is the Baller edition, the regular edition is $59.99. Also the Baller edition is currently $19.99 on PSN if you have PS Plus.

On the Xbox store the Baller edition is currently $19.99 (for everyone).

So the answer to your question is to wait until the game you want is on sale, which is usually regularly for most games.

I am in Canada so more expensive but yea I see what you're talking about with the PS+ discount thing. Interesting.


Edit- Holy Christ the cost of PS+ is crazy since I had a PS4. $95 CAD for the basic for a year. I used to get it for $39.99.

 

[PanzerCute]

This is the price I paid for each new big releases in 2024, retail version:

- Yakuza 8: 55 euros (70 on the online store)
- Persona 3: 50 euros (70 on the online store)
- FF7 Rebirth: 60 euros (80 on the online store)
- Banishers: got it almost free by reselling God or War Ragnarok at a store (60e on the online store)
- Prince of Persia: got it for free by reselling an old PS5 game (50e on the online store)

I got all these games day one and never had any issue with delivery. Digital versions are great for deep sales, otherwise you are just getting scammed.

And one big argument is also that if you dont like the game, you can resell it. Sometimes I only paid 10-15e to play a game before reselling it.

 

[Porticus]

The issue with the physical is having a disc, who really want to have to handle those archaic things in 2024? Especially people that move quite often.

 

[Lucifers Beard]

Physical is cheaper even on release dates, enjoy your all digital future and being scammed

For console definitely, I'll only buy digital games for console in a sale or if there is no physical release.

PC, digital only since I don't have a disc drive. If Steam decide to take all my games away from me for whatever reason then I'll set sail and find them through other means.

 

[hemo memo]

For my experience physical is 97% of the time cheaper.

 

[Bojji]

So the answer to your question is to wait until the game you want is on sale, which is usually regularly for most games.

Other than some massive sales like 50%+ physical would be cheaper anyway (and you can always resale) and why would I wait some unspecified amount of time for sale when I can have game the same day I want it (store) or next day (delivery).

Physical is 100% better and it will be very sad day when PlayStation launches without disc drive (at all), I will abandon consoles then.

 

[Roman Empire]

I don't really buy many games these days, but for me has been more of space issue more than anything. I don't have space to put all the media because they'd have share space with other personal stuff and books.

And now I got a new dog and had to move some stuff up shelves for now while sue is too new and too curious before I can train it.

Maybe I'll go back at collecting physical stuff when I renovate what I want to be my gaming/movie room.

 

[Krieger]

Physical hasn't been the best choice since the PS360 era, because games on disc are always just half the package. You can get the base game for $15 on disc, or the complete edition for $25 digital.

 

[Mephisto40]

It is incredibly silly that the digital versions of the games are more expensive when it costs them less to send it to you digitally than it does packaging the game and sending it to stores for you to buy

It's like publishers just decided everyone should pay some digital tax on everything

Saying that I buy every single one of my PS5 games digital, but that's just because I'm too lazy to get up and swap the disc in my console

 

[CrustyBritches]

I don't buy physical games. I don't want them around I like having a digital library. I mostly play PS+ and GP games on consoles, and buy most of my games on PC. I buy the occasional exclusive at release on PS5 like FFXVI and Helldivers 2. I don't see those as being much cheaper at retail to justify having games cluttering my life. On PC you get games cheap as hell. Like 17% off at release through Fanatical and GmG, and even cheaper from gray key resellers.

P.S.- 2K24 digital edition was just on sale for $20.99. I know because I bought the X|S version for my son on Feb. 8th.

 

[skit_data]

As a digital launch version owner since launch;

Yes, I wish I'd went with the disc version in hindsight. It looks a little bit better since it's more symmetrical but digital prices are pretty outrageous.

 

[FunkMiller]

I was delighted to buy Final Fantasy 16 physical edition.

I was even more delighted to sell that boring shit two weeks later for only five quid less than I paid for it.

Same went for Spider-man 2.

To buy something digital, I have to be very sure it's a game I want to 'own forever'. There's not many of those...

 

[Bojji]

I was delighted to buy Final Fantasy 16 physical edition.

I was even more delighted to sell that boring shit two weeks later for only five quid less than I paid for it.

Same went for Spider-man 2.

To buy something digital, I have to be very sure it's a game I want to 'own forever'. There's not many of those...

I only bought digital version of Elden Ring on day one, this is the caliber of game I want to have forever in my library (unless sony ban me lol).

I bought FFXVIIRe on disc because i will have no use for it after I complete it, it will just go on sale.

 

[Zathalus]

For digital just wait until it is discounted on one of the monthly sales. NBA WK24 was discounted to $14.99 quite recently on the PS store.

 

[Killjoy-NL]

It was always an insane option, but there's plenty of people who will only buy a handful of digital games a year and just suck it up as wasted money if they're bad.

Digital purchases are ideal for those with a family, as you only have to buy a game once to play with 2 people in the same household (or whoever you share systems with).

It's the sole reason I switched over to digital completely.

 

[Portugeezer]

Ofc, later down the road the reverse can also be true, with games being on a deeper discount on PSN in comparison to the retail offerings.

If it's a game I love I usually double dip by first buying it physically and then digitally on a deep discount.

Even then, I paid €40 disc version of Last Jedi when it was on sale for like €35 on PS Store. For €5 more I get to have the disc.

 

[Tsaki]

Yes even having the option to play physical media like movies is worth it. Also Backward Compatible games from the PS4 if you already have some.
Just two weeks ago my brother bought a used Demon's Souls copy for $20 at a big chain electronics store; the lowest the game has been digitally is $40.

 

[Mr.Phoenix]

This unfortunately doesn't work for me. Even though I have the disc version of the PS5 slim. But what you say must be true to those in a region this applies.

For me, pretty much every physical game costs more. That's because I live in the Caribbean. So by the time you add shipping and duties to the cost of everything I buy, I am paying 70% + $8 more on EVERYTHING (53% duties + 17% VAT + $8/lb shipping). I practically have to wait till the duty and VAT reduction months in Nov/December to buy the pricier items like TVs/Projectrors....etc.

I am sure you can see how the PS store is a Godsend to someone like me.

 

[PropellerEar]

FF 7 Rebirth as an example on release day.
56€ in my local store 80€ in PS store.

That's 35% difference

Also happened to have some cash back at that store from similar previous purchases... -12€ on top of that. 44€ all in all.
Gotta love Physical.

 

[mdkirby]

Depends on what ur needs are. I actively didn’t want the disk drive but ended up with the pregnant looking machine because it was the only version available at the time. I’ve never put a single disk in since launch day, nor would I want to. Disks just clutter the house, end up loose and scratched or in the wrong boxes, and are a pain to find and put in vs just click a button and the game starts. Obviously if you’re more price conscious and value a bargain more than convenience then it makes sense to get physical (tho in that instance ps+/gamespass represent infinitely better value), or if you’re a collector. Otherwise I just don’t see the point in disks whatsoever.

I guess if things escalate to a broader war and russia cuts the undersea fibre cables and/or all the satellites get blown up, causing the internet to go down, disks will be useful to have then…and I’d prob still like to play games if I can in between shifts in ammunition plants etc

 

[AV]

Digital purchases are ideal for those with a family, as you only have to buy a game once to play with 2 people in the same household (or whoever you share systems with).

It's the sole reason I switched over to digital completely.

Sure, but this isn't about the advantages of digital, more the disadvantage of buying a discless system and intentionally gimping yourself for the sake of a few bucks. If there's some new non-family-friendly game you're on the fence about, you don't have the option of buying a disc and selling it if it's not for you, you just have to take the plunge and hope for the best. The one risk per generation could make up the entire cost of the drive.

Works for some, not for others - the day they don't offer disc drives on consoles, I'm out personally for the above reason.

 

[Killjoy-NL]

Sure, but this isn't about the advantages of digital, more the disadvantage of buying a discless system and intentionally gimping yourself for the sake of a few bucks. If there's some new non-family-friendly game you're on the fence about, you don't have the option of buying a disc and selling it if it's not for you, you just have to take the plunge and hope for the best. The one risk per generation could make up the entire cost of the drive.

Works for some, not for others - the day they don't offer disc drives on consoles, I'm out personally for the above reason.

I was including non-family-friendly games in my previous post, but I get the point.

Was just responding to your statement about "wasting money by going digital" specifically (I'm actually saving money, in a way), rather than the topic at hand.

 

[Beechos]

It all depends on the game and when it goes on sale. A bunch deluxe ea games like dead space remake, immortals, wildhearts have been like $5 recently. You ain't touching that price with physical.

2k usually goes on sale too for 9.99 digital around this time of the year also.

 

[ReBurn]

The disc version is the better buy for sure, especially with the price increase on the digital version. I don't know if it's happening in Canada, but in the US the Spider-Man 2 bundle is being discounted to $449 USD by many retailers and PlayStation Direct, so it could be a good time to buy to get a PS5 disc version with a game for the same price as a digital-only console.

 

[Larivel]

Freakin forspoken is 70$ on ps store, while you can buy new physical copy for 15$

 

[Fbh]

Yeah in most places it's absolutely worth it.
Not only are physical games usually cheaper, but it also gives you access to way more vendors so you can take advantage of sales and promotions from multiple places instead of having to depend entirely on PSN.

Sadly in my country physical game prices suck. It's worth it if you are buying a game at launch since the price is the same, but retailers rarely if ever put games on sales

 

[ResilientBanana]

Sony and Nintendo have shit prices.

 

[Euler007]

Buy games at the sales. The game you mentioned, 2k24, was 21$ for the entirety of the month of february.

 

[Generic]

The prices on PS Store rarely drop (not counting discounts). Some old games are still being sold at full price.

 

[DryvBy]

This is why companies keep wanting that digital only content. Thisbisnwhat the digital only missionaries fail to realize. Physical gaming is way cheaper.

 

[Portugeezer]

It all depends on the game and when it goes on sale. A bunch deluxe ea games like dead space remake, immortals, wildhearts have been like $5 recently. You ain't touching that price with physical.

2k usually goes on sale too for 9.99 digital around this time of the year also.

 

[Skifi28]

I almost never buy physical these days, but it's still great to have the option.

 

[buenoblue]

Physical rules baby . I got FF7 rebirth for £59.99, I'll play it for like a month ( 25 hours in already ) then I can sell it for probably £50.

 

[AngelMuffin]

It’s not just that you can buy them cheaper, you can also sell them once you’re finished with them. I think a lot of people ended up buying the digital version of the PS5 because it was the only one they could get their hands on at the time. The price difference is negligible imo and will end up costing you a lot more down the line.

 

[Duchess]

Yep. And if you buy a physical game that you don't like, you can sell it.

And even if you do enjoy it, you can sell it if it's not something that you're going to keep in your library.

 

[TheGrat1]

Disc version gives you flexibility. Digital only does not. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

 

[Kings Field]

Bought Callisto protocol at launch physical and beat it in a couple days and sold it to a coworker for $5 less than I paid new.

I do like my digital library too though. Can’t beat some of the sales they have.

 

[Shadowstar39]

As an example, looking at some games I may want to buy and retailers here have NBA 2K24 for $29.99, but on the PS Store it is currently $79.99.

How often do scenarios like this happen where there is such a drastic price difference? How often do digital games go on sale vs in store?

All the time, which is why they want to end Physical. Why do you think xbox tried it last gen? They hate physical as there is the resale market. Without that they can control the prices and jack them up and you wouldn't have any options. Imagine also the amount of old games that would not be playable if it was always digital only. They will just let them go as they only care about the money and not preservation of art. I understand making a profit but it should be both, profit and art.

This is why it irks me to no end when xbox and playstation owners (I own them all) are all ok with the all digital future.... "but game pass" take your gamepass and toss it. That shit leads to them to removing physical from stores and us not having options. Not a future I want.