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[rofif]

Hey. Obviously a question directed more to console users as on pc there is no choice and my library is all on steam/gog etc. This is not digital vs physical thread!
I am raising this question since for PS4(and previous consoles), I've always just went to media markt, to pick up latest games on release date.
With covid and local stores closing down, there is now a question... where do I go if media stores in nearest neighborhood is closed(some permanently)?
In my experience couriers are not reliable ... I don't want to wait for them. They deliver during work hours and when I am not home, they reschedule to another day (had packages cancelled after first attempt) or leave the package with neighbor if I am lucky...
Parcel lockers are amazing but there is almost no way of getting a game to a locker on release date as far as I know and more often than not recently, these are full.

I really miss being able to just stop by a store and pick up a copy of a game that just released... The unavailability makes me anxious a bit but I don't want to go fully digital for consoles.
What is Your choice?
edit: I selected Retail since last game I've bought was Demons Souls in December when the store was still open. I've not bought a game since.

 

[Captain Toad]

I just recently decided to go digital. Getting up and swapping discs in my PS5 (which is in a separate media closet from my gaming room), I realized how antiquated it felt.

 

[Jethalal]

Amazon. Used to buy from the mall but that store shut down.

 

[DonJuanSchlong]

Digital. I'm assuming you are in Europe?? Maybe you can setup something where they only drop mail by the garage instead of out front? Amazon drivers have fucked me several times by not following simple delivery instructions. (Haven't had anything stolen, but they just can't follow simple directions). Which is also why everything has been digital for me, for the past 10 years or so.

 

[Nezzeroth]

Amazon. Cheaper than gaming stores and if I'm not at home they call me to know where to leave the package (I usually tell them to leave them at a local store or with my neighbor).

I'm 100% digital on PC, but paying 10€ or more extra for a digital copy on consoles is dumb as fuck, I'd rather have the same game in a box if the cost is cheaper.

 

[dorkimoe]

Disc. Mercari used. Nobody should be paying $70 for a game

 

[Jethalal]

Amazon. Cheaper than gaming stores and if I'm not at home they call me to know where to leave the package (I usually tell them to leave them at a local store or with my neighbor).

I'm 100% digital on PC, but paying 10€ or more extra for a digital copy on consoles is dumb as fuck, I'd rather have the same game in a box if the cost is cheaper.

Another point. Amazon is cheap cause they have fresh stock too I believe. My dad bought Beyond Two Souls from a store for 60 dollars as a gift but when I checked on Amazon, it was 20 dollars. The store never sold the game so it was kept as is for a long while. Most expensive game I ever purchased and I didn't even like it

 

[rofif]

Digital. I'm assuming you are in Europe?? Maybe you can setup something where they only drop mail by the garage instead of out front? Amazon drivers have fucked me several times by not following simple delivery instructions. (Haven't had anything stolen, but they just can't follow simple directions). Which is also why everything has been digital for me, for the past 10 years or so.

Poland. Mostly UPS...
I live in apartment block. no garages

 

[DonJuanSchlong]

Poland. Mostly UPS...
I live in apartment block. no garages

Time to go straight up digital my dude. I'm sure this gen will be better for that as well, especially with sites that sell cdkeys, etc. Only issue is having to buy a larger medium for storage. If not, just wear a mask, and head out to your local stores.

 

[rofif]

Time to go straight up digital my dude. I'm sure this gen will be better for that as well, especially with sites that sell cdkeys, etc. Only issue is having to buy a larger medium for storage. If not, just wear a mask, and head out to your local stores.

the main problem with going fully digital on ps4 were terrible prices and promotions compared to usa or uk regions

 

[Jethalal]

the main problem with going fully digital on ps4 were terrible prices and promotions compared to usa or uk regions

Same for me, most of the time , it was more expensive than Amazon.

 

[Mabdia]

Where i live a game cost more than any online store. Usually I buy my games on Amazon because the ship it for free with Amazon Prime. That alone pay for the service.


When I find a store that send my game for free, I'll buy it there.

 

[Nezzeroth]

Another point. Amazon is cheap cause they have fresh stock too I believe. My dad bought Beyond Two Souls from a store for 60 dollars as a gift but when I checked on Amazon, it was 20 dollars. The store never sold the game so it was kept as is for a long while. Most expensive game I ever purchased and I didn't even like it

Probably. But even at launch they are cheaper, at least in Spain. Demon's Souls in Amazon Spain is 70€, 75€ on Mediamarkt and 80€ on GAME. And like you said, they drop in price more quickly as well.

 

[DonJuanSchlong]

the main problem with going fully digital on ps4 were terrible prices and promotions compared to usa or uk regions

Cdkeys my dude. You can get any and every game, cheaper than what Sony officially charges It might take 10 seconds of your time to find it, but it's definitely out there, with a savings of at least 5 bucks, if not much more.

 

[rofif]

Cdkeys my dude. You can get any and every game, cheaper than what Sony officially charges It might take 10 seconds of your time to find it, but it's definitely out there, with a savings of at least 5 bucks, if not much more.

I had no idea there are PS games on cdkeys. Must be a recent addition ?

 

[P.Jack]

I always order online since many smaller releases aren’t available everywhere. And most big stores don’t like to hold stock for too long.

If you are a cheapster like me, the trick is to always try to buy games just before they go out of stock, since that’s usually their lowest price point.

 

[sunnysideup]

online and i get them delivered to the post office or my mailbox.

 

[Ten_Fold]

Walmart, target, Best Buy. If I want a used game then I go to GameStop. Only time I really buy digital games is if it’s a smaller title.

 

[Moogle11]

Online from Amazon primarily (have Prime and Amazon rewards Visa that earns 5% so I often have store credit)with home delivery, and sell on eBay or Amazon when I'm done (resell is the main reason I buy physical as someone who doesn't collect and rarely replays).

Occasionally Best Buy with in-store/curbside pick up. Used them a ton when the GCU discount program was a thing.

 

[KingdomHeartsFan]

Online when the price is the same, store when its on sale that's not available online or if its used.

For retro gaming its the opposite, mainly store and then online if its not available at the store.

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

I don't usually do online anymore since the last game I preowned was in 2017 so I just get em at the store day one if they are good enough.

I always order online since many smaller releases aren’t available everywhere. And most big stores don’t like to hold stock for too long.

The niche stuff is usually found on Gamestop, there hasn't been anything truly niche in a while that would make it online only or at least it hasn't for a while. Outside like random play asia only games.

 

[P.Jack]

I don't usually do online anymore since the last game I preowned was in 2017 so I just get em at the store day one if they are good enough.

The niche stuff is usually found on Gamestop, there hasn't been anything truly niche in a while that would make it online only or at least it hasn't for a while. Outside like random play asia only games.

I’m in EU, and atleast in my experiance, big retailers don’t always carry stuff like Inertial Drift, Descenders or Sayonara Wildhearts, to name a few recent PS4 ones. On the other hand, I bought Valfaris and Risk of Rain 2 in a store. It really depends on which publisher it is and which EU region they cover. Many retailers only take games from the bigger distributors and not every publisher has contracts like that. There is no one store that has all the games here.

Maybe it’s different where you are at.

 

[Sander Cohen]

Country is Bosnia&Herzegovina and this https://www.olx.ba/ is where I buy games.

There you can find individual dealers where new games are cheapest and used games from all around country. Few game stores we have here are open but always pricier.

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

I’m in EU, and atleast in my experiance, big retailers don’t always carry stuff like Inertial Drift, Descenders or Sayonara Wildhearts, to name a few recent PS4 ones. On the other hand, I bought Valfaris and Risk of Rain 2 in a store. It really depends on which publisher it is and which EU region they cover. Many retailers only take games from the bigger distributors and not every publisher has contracts like that. There is no one store that has all the games here.

Maybe it’s different where you are at.

I'm in the US. I just saw UNIST for the Switch at a best buy and some VNs. So yeah it depends where you b.

 

[wyvern_bloodfist]

Amazon, PLAYASIA, & solarisjapan. I don't buy digital games.

 

[Desudzer10]

I buy 100% digital except when it's a collector's edition i really want. Then i use gamestop because i hate having stuff delivered to my house ans they always have it.

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

Normally I buy discs at the retail store and sometimes online. The only time I will buy digital is if the price is very cheap because I can almost always get it on disc for the cheapest price.

 

[TLZ]

I do both online and retail.

 

[TintoConCasera]

Amazon home delivery. No game stores in my town, and here in the city the owner of the store that's closest to my home is a middle-aged bald prick who thinks
he's hot shit and treats customers like crap, so he doesn't deserve my money.

 

[Impotaku]

Buy everything online now mostly amazon & amazon japan i buy physical disks carts where i still can, haven't set foot in a realworld store in over 10 years now.

 

[Labadal]

I used to import a lot of games from the UK. Brexit ruined that. Online is the way I order stuff 95% of the time.

 

[MrS]

Online and delivered to the door either before or on day of the official release. Usually at 20% cheaper than PSN prices also, with the added bonus of, obviously, trade in potential. Digital only is a big no for me.

 

[Enzo88]

New: Geo (Retail).
Second-hand: Mercari (online).

 

[Mithos]

Wherever it's cheapest, so I guess "other way"

 

[TransTrender]

Best Buy
GCU
Always free shipping and lower taxes when compared to store pickup.

 

[PropellerEar]

Retail for PS4/5, physical games at launch are much cheaper than PS store. E.g 39,90€ for Cyberpunk on launch day.

Digital for PC, mostly from Steam.

 

[ironmang]

Usually GS or Walmart brick and mortar if it's a game I want on release. Ebay for older games.

 

[Danjin44]

Most of the time in my local retail.

 

[KungFucius]

ebay. I can wait a few weeks or longer and pick them up used. If I need to get it asap, BestBuy or Amazon. I only buy physical exclusives and now that means PS5 only.

 

[Roger Rabbit]

New: BIC Camera or Yamada Denki if I have points on my card. Otherwise Amazon.

Second hand, eBay or any number of used shops. Geo is my closest.

 

[Imru’ al-Qays]

If it's a Fromsoft game I buy midnight release at my local Gamestop (if they're having it), otherwise I mostly buy on Amazon (shipped to my house).

 

[existensmaximum]

New games: I order (or pre-order if it's a popular limited edition or something) at my country's biggest retailer, then I pick it up in-store which is close to my home, so I don't need to pay for shipping.

Used games: eBay

Sometimes the limited editions are cheaper on Amazon in other countries or something, or have a cooler edition than what's available here so then I order from there.

Also, if it's a digital-only game that I really like I somethings buy the physical release from Limited Run Games or the likes.

 

[Md Ray]

Used to go to the store to pick up the games (still do sometimes), but now it's mostly online - home delivery for the console games and 100% digital on PC.

I miss buying physical copies of PC games

 

[BigBooper]

Don’t have any local game stores so I been online for a long time. Either Bestbuy, Walmart, Target, or Amazon usually. I try to spread it around to hinder Amazon's monopoly.

I've tried Gamestop too, but I ordered two brand new games from them last month. The were both removed from the factory plastic packaging, and one of them had a round sticker to seal the box closed which left a gooey residue on the case. I bought a new copy to not have to deal with that crap. Gonna avoid them unless they advertise some major policy changes.

 

[Sidney Prescott]

Amazon, usually.

Before the pandemic I used to shop at Game UK or CeX for used games.

I tend to go digital these days with the sales and everything.