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How close are we to an all digital gaming future?
- Thread starter levyjl1988
- Start date
I specifically purchase games for my two consoles (switch/PS4Pro) that provide an acceptable out of box experience.
I’ve got dozens of playable, fun, relatively bug free single and local multiplayer games that do not need the internet.
heck, the industry trained me to wait for a physical release or a patched up-to-date physical. Shovel Knight and DiabloIII I double dipped because I bought too soon but I resold my earlier versions (because again they’re physical).
cadence of hyrule is coming this October in physical form with all the DLC. Next year at my in laws cabin with no internet I can be rocking out with no wires.
sojuwarrior
Member
hopefully never close lol
REDRZA MWS
Member
It already has gone all digital. Physical disks are nothing more than installation disks, then they are NOTHING more than physical DRM.
Iced Arcade
Member
Haven't bought a physical disk in years, was given fallen order and god of war as a gift for Christmas by a grandmother though (I'll still buy the disk based console just in case).
Actually don't know a single person who buys physical games anymore.
Actually don't know a single person who buys physical games anymore.
alabtrosMyster
Banned
Anybody who wants to can be 100% digital, I don't know why you think it's not here yet.
JCK75
Member
The only thing I've done physical in the last 10 years was a handful of games on switch knowing my son would eventually get his own switch so I'd only have to buy them once..
but then after the new puppy destroying pretty much all of those games when he left them on the table... I bought digital versions of the ones I wanted to replace.. I'm done with physical.
but then after the new puppy destroying pretty much all of those games when he left them on the table... I bought digital versions of the ones I wanted to replace.. I'm done with physical.
Birdo
Banned
If you download the digital version before going to your cabin, you will be able to play it without having to take the cartridge with you. Even better!
True. It would be naive of me to claim one form of media is better than another in all situations.
Thicc Enigma
Member
Considering digital software has been selling more than physical for the last two years and continues to ride, I'd say close but physical media will continue to exist regardless. Digital will continue to sell more than physical though.
Walter Matthau
Member
Nintendo will have a physical option for Switch 2 so maybe 10 years?
ZywyPL
Banned
I'd say around a decade. With digital distribution being the majority of sales for quite a while now and still growing every year, especially now due to Covid, and younger generations who grown up with nothing but digital distribution, I can see the physical media sales in 2030 getting to a point where they are barely profitable, like sub-10 or even 5% of global sales, and being completely dropped out.
Javthusiast
Banned
This close. xD
I am pretty much 99% digital nowadays. The only exception this year was FF7R, which I got physically from a gaming renting website at launch, where I payed about 15 € to play the game for 2 weeks through.
I am pretty much 99% digital nowadays. The only exception this year was FF7R, which I got physically from a gaming renting website at launch, where I payed about 15 € to play the game for 2 weeks through.
Damigos
Member
I love physical games a lot. But i buy only digital..
The reason is space. I dont have any. And i mean none. With my wife we live in 50 square meters.
When i was living with my parents i used to buy collectors editions etc and now i cant even bring those at my home. So going digital for the past 7 years have been my only option.
But please, keep physical games alive. I would like to buy them again when we move to a bigger house
The reason is space. I dont have any. And i mean none. With my wife we live in 50 square meters.
When i was living with my parents i used to buy collectors editions etc and now i cant even bring those at my home. So going digital for the past 7 years have been my only option.
But please, keep physical games alive. I would like to buy them again when we move to a bigger house
synchronicity
Member
I like that both options exist, but I almost never buy physical any longer. I will on consoles sometimes if it's cheaper (and it often is), but I'm happy with digital in general. Less stuff = more free, to me anyway. (I wish it wasn't taking so long to sell my physical collection, lol. I'll never be done.)
I do think it will be a good while before physical isn't an option though.
I do think it will be a good while before physical isn't an option though.
Bryank75
Banned
We see things in the European and American courts right now that will make it a necessity for these companies to keep physical options alive......
Having an App store or game store on your system makes you a target now for being 'anti-competitive' much like Apple and Google play store, by keeping physical alive, they avoid being hauled onfront of authorities and facing punishment.
Physical is also still quite popular and collectors editions are big moneymakers on launch, I paid 200 euro for the GOT collectors and 150 or so for the Death Stranding CE.
Keeping physical alive also keeps retailers healthy to sell on hardware in the future, which is in their interest. I actually think the big 3 should give better rates and more flexibility to retailers on software. It benefits the industry.
Having an App store or game store on your system makes you a target now for being 'anti-competitive' much like Apple and Google play store, by keeping physical alive, they avoid being hauled onfront of authorities and facing punishment.
Physical is also still quite popular and collectors editions are big moneymakers on launch, I paid 200 euro for the GOT collectors and 150 or so for the Death Stranding CE.
Keeping physical alive also keeps retailers healthy to sell on hardware in the future, which is in their interest. I actually think the big 3 should give better rates and more flexibility to retailers on software. It benefits the industry.
UltimaKilo
Gold Member
Not in the next 20 years. Too many large markets with inadequate internet infrastructure makes it impossible.
MiguelItUp
Member
Hopefully not THAT close. I'm beyond fine with digital on PC, I mean, it's been a standard for quite sometime now. I'm of course with digital indies across all platforms as they typically don't go physical anyway. But when it comes to consoles if there's a physical copy, I'll always want that over digital.
The only thing that would make me change my mind is if there was a difference in cost, which I honestly feel there should be. I mean, when you cut out the cost of packaging and everything that comes with it, it should be cheaper IMO. In the long run, from my perspective, if I'm paying the same price for something, it just makes sense to me to have it physically rather than digitally.
The only thing that would make me change my mind is if there was a difference in cost, which I honestly feel there should be. I mean, when you cut out the cost of packaging and everything that comes with it, it should be cheaper IMO. In the long run, from my perspective, if I'm paying the same price for something, it just makes sense to me to have it physically rather than digitally.
I’m gonna go with this one. Given the choice, I will always opt for physical. Until we’re able to sell/trade our digital copies, I’ll keep going physical.
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