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[Mr Reasonable]

Have you ever thrown a game in garbage?
I certainly have never seen a game in the dump or seen anyone throw away games ever.
It's the kind of item that will always find some owner

Happens all the time, go to a charity shop and you'll see old copies of fifa, Xbox live starter kits, etc. Etc.

They sit on the shelves for a certain amount of time, don't sell, and end up going to landfill.

Some things will end up getting held onto and stored as part of a collection but loads of things will gradually depreciate and end up getting disposed of.

 

[rofif]

Why do have two copies of Prey on 360? Not complaining just seems weird.

Honestly I am asking myself the same question. It's identical copies lol.
I just got some used games and forgot I already had prey. I had other repeats but I gave em away.
I had a plan to buy way more 360 games and complete my collection but at this point, it feels redundant as most games are released on ps4/5 as remasters and/or I have them on pc.
So, stuff like mass effect trilogy or Alan Wake, I will just get on ps4/5.

 

[Rocco Schiavone]

Physical is just landfill.

Sure buddy.
Who does not know the garbage dumps filled with video games. Every time the same rubbish from you digital only fanboys. I can guarantee you that 99.9% of normal thinking people will certainly not throw their games in the trash.

 

[Captain Toad]

I was thinking mostly about Switch. I have over 200 games (don't judge ) and that's only because I have most of it (about 70%) physical. There's no way I could do that digital only.

I have close to that. All digital. You don't need 200 games installed at the same time.

 

[balls of snow]

The literal deathmarch phase of physical disc.

 

[Mr Reasonable]

Sure buddy.
Who does not know the garbage dumps filled with video games. Every time the same rubbish from you digital only fanboys. I can guarantee you that 99.9% of normal thinking people will certainly not throw their games in the trash.

I'm not saying today, or tomorrow. Ten years? Twenty? Thirty? Yep. Landfill.

 

[Esppiral]

You know what? I've made the maths and with all the savings I've made buying the Ps5 disco version I've recouped all the money I spent on It, so It is like I got the console "for free"

 

[Laieon]

Physical for Nintendo, digital for everything else.

When a disk isn't playable right off the bat because it requires me to download something, that defeats the entire point. I can throw a cartridge into my Switch without a required download just fine though (I think...).

On top of that, I don't trust Nintendo's digital ecosystem enough yet to assume that my games will still be there in 5-10 years (or more). I can boot up digital games on my Series X that I bought during the 360 era (Castle Crashers or Braid, for example), just fine - but I can't boot up anything I bought on the Virtual Console during that same generation.

On the movie side of things, physical media all the way. Streaming can't do what my UB820 can.

 

[Dr. Claus]

Lol.

Oh, wait, you're serious?

Yes, because unlike you I am not talking out my ass.

DoesItPlay? - Home

Working to ensure games remain accessible now and always!

www.doesitplay.org

Not hard to look up either. Next time, actually do some research before you act like a clown.

 

[TexMex]

The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Collection says 'hello'.

Exception that proves the rule (and also has basically zero availability outside of Play Asia, if they even still have it) isn’t really the best example.

 

[0neAnd0nly]

I purchase almost exclusively physical.

 

[DownLikeBCPowder]

Physical almost always.

Enjoy your temporary licenses, digital folk! Still have and can play all my old games back to the NES.

 

[Topher]

I'm not saying today, or tomorrow. Ten years? Twenty? Thirty? Yep. Landfill.

And? That's pretty much everything you own.

 

[chromhound]

Physical forever

 

[Lasha]

The copium for wanting physical media to die is real. Keep supporting anti-consumer practices and I hope you have some cream for the butt-hurt.

Digital games would be cheaper if consoles weren't locked ecosystems to begin with. That's much more anticonsumer imo.

 

[In Cold Blood]

Physical has benefits. Cheaper to buy, able to buy and sell second hand and its a pretty little box to look at.
Downside, having to get up to change the disc, no quick resume.

I don't think Sony and MS.could cut off BC for Physical copies of games, no doubt regulators will Smash them for it, but I expect both new consoles to be discless and will sell a disc drive separately, which we are seeing Sony look at now.

 

[Danjin44]

Downside, having to get up to change the disc, no quick resume.

I can sometimes be lazy but not lazy enough that I’m unable to change disc, it’s like being too lazy go to bathroom.

 

[Guilty_AI]

it’s like being too lazy go to bathroom.

 

[BootsLoader]

Forever Physical of course. When you go digital, you literally don’t own the game.

 

[Danjin44]

 

[LordBlodgett]

Slowly moving all digital. Whenever there are big sales I purchase the digital, then sell physical. Have replaced around 400 physical Xbox 360, One, and PS4 games. Hate the space all the games take, and I found that I have already moved all digital for movies and music. It's more convenient in every way.

 

[Naked Lunch]

For 360 era and earlier - physical is fine.
But for modern consoles with all the day one patches and updates - its a complete waste of space.

Now you have obscure companies releasing games physically in extremely limited quantities and sold in super limited time windows. Their entire business model is FOMO - and if you do miss out, its goes for hundreds on ebay. Thats all the evidence you need to know physical is dead. Give it up. The times have changed.

 

[Gexxy1]

No thanks. Rather have the ability to swap games on the fly without changing disks.

Not interested in collecting a pile of games I'll only play once and never again, it's very very rare I'll replay through a game multiple times.

That's why you sell them when you're done with i-

Oops.

 

[phaedrus]

I’m really sorry… I’m very lazy…

 

[ArtHands]

You can get 4 Capcom digital games for $1. Good luck matching them physically.

On a more serious note, I still buy physical but for Playstation exclusives. So that I can sell them and rebuy on PC when they are ported over.

 

[Eimran]

Does physical even exist anymore? Pretty sure discs just give you permission to download the digital version.

Iv'e hear this argumen so many times now and I'm yet to stumble on a game where this is the case....

Bought 8 games this year. Neither of them had a key code for digital download.

 

[TLZ]

Because it's happening. Both sony and microsoft released versions of their consoles without disc drives. Discs are going the way of the dodo bird.

 

[Dr. Claus]

Digital games would be cheaper if consoles weren't locked ecosystems to begin with. That's much more anticonsumer imo.

Oh yes, having slightly higher prices, on occasion, is more anti-consumer than being able to sell, lend, trade, and borrow games.

 

[Guilty_AI]

Comprehensive analysis of digital vs physical

PHYSICAL​	DIGITAL​
+High collectible value +Resellable +Less susceptible to DRM (though still susceptible) +Can be bought used for cheaper​ +Acceptable value proposition on consoles	-Low collectible value -Non-resellable -More susceptible to DRM (though not always and to different degrees) -Can't be bought used​ -Low value proposition and unhealthy ecosystem on consoles.
-Can be damaged and lost​ -Can't be backed up most of the time -Takes up space -Can't have more than one person playing simultaneously in most cases -Practically non-existent on PC	+Can't be damaged​ +Can be backed up a lot of the time +Takes up no space +Can have more than one person playing simultaneously in most cases +Really good value proposition and healthy ecosystem on PC

 

[ReBurn]

Happens all the time, go to a charity shop and you'll see old copies of fifa, Xbox live starter kits, etc. Etc.

They sit on the shelves for a certain amount of time, don't sell, and end up going to landfill.

Some things will end up getting held onto and stored as part of a collection but loads of things will gradually depreciate and end up getting disposed of.

Back in the PS360 days GameStop used to toss boxes of games in the dumpster on a regular basis. They'd run those buy 2 get 1 free sales to clear stuff out and when it was over they'd toss out a bunch of the crap games they didn't sell. Sometimes they'd damage them so they couldn't be retrieved and resold but a lot of times they just binned them. When they stopped selling PS360 games to focus on Xbone and PS4 they did the same thing.

I've tossed games as well. Back when I still used to trade games if they wouldn't take something for trade I'd toss the disc and case in with my recycling. Same with movies and CD's.

 

[Lasha]

Oh yes, having slightly higher prices, on occasion, is more anti-consumer than being able to sell, lend, trade, and borrow games.

Being locked into an ecosystem with high switching costs, service fees to use basic features, and forced obsolescence is the actual cost you're paying.

 

[Shifty1897]

Queue up all the lazy sloads who praise digital for the convenience. Their self righteous masks are as transparent as their soon to be rectal lining once it all goes digital.
I’ll keep my curated physical shit from the last 30 years and it will have the added benefit of getting me laid by hot retro sluts.

"Okay Google, find hot retro sluts near me."

 

[SEGA_2012]

To everyone who voted for physical games, just want to say you are brothers in arms to me.

 

[64bitmodels]

With physical even if i order from Amazon i gotta wait a day for the game i'm interested in. Don't have a car either so even if i wanted to buy it from a store i'd have to pay for a bus or bike it.

With digital i get the game instantly, and i can download it quickly too even with my pretty OK internet. I'm on PC so i sadly have no choice, but I'd be more fine with that if Steam had no DRM like GOG did.

 

[Darkmakaimura]

I will take physical games over Steam games any day of the week. The problem is that most physical games nowadays require a day one patch to function properly. So the disc really means nothing now.

What I do like is DRM free digital games that can be backed up on a physical media. The best example of that is GOG. In that sense, every game you buy is yours to keep. All the patches will be on there when they become available and then you can back it up on physical media. So in a sense you have the best of both worlds.

Unfortunately, most new games are not released on GOG so you have to deal with Steam DRM or worse, requiring an online connection to single player games or Denuvo.

 

[Gambit2483]

I have close to that. All digital. You don't need 200 games installed at the same time.

Lol very true, but as mere humans, what we need and want are two different things. Hence you want instant digital access to all of you games, but you don't "need" it.

 

[ThatStupidLion]

ITT

 

[flying_sq]

From any store I have ever been in that sold newly released games in the US, you will never find that kind of difference. It will be what it costs digitally, good for the UK, but it makes no difference here. Also as a PC guy, I have been digital only for a long time.

 

[DryvBy]

The only things digital has going for it is game sharing and lack of physical space. But digital games are like buying a thing from Walmart and asking permission to use it. No thanks.

Physical is wonderful. I can loan it out (game share). I can pretend I'm at a 90s Blockbuster when I grab a game front the shelf. I can trade games with friends. Games are usually cheaper (TotK for $51, you $70 digi suckers!). I can sell my games if I ended up getting bored.

Ultimately I only care that there's these weird digital missionaries out telling me I'm not partaking in the obvious future of not owning things I buy. I don't care if people buy digital, just quit acting like that should be the only option or else I'll have to bring up the first two paragraphs known as facts and logic.

 

[nikos]

I haven't paid close to retail for a PC game in years and I buy them all on or before release date.

Physical can be nice but it's nowhere near as convenient. I did recently buy the physical version of Trinity Trigger because it was a nice package.

I made the mistake of buying physical PS5 games at launch and they took forever to install. I could have downloaded them 3x over by the time each installed. Never again.

For music, it's the opposite. Vinyl is still the best format. Same with films, physical > streaming.

 

[Rykan]

So not only do digital games cost a lot more, but they take up limited HD space

I don't get this point, though? A game installed from a Disk takes up the same amount of space as a digitally downloaded one.

 

[Deerock71]

If the point of gaming is to play games, I'd say they both serve the same purpose.

There is...LITERALLY...no point to digital games; I can poke or hit you with my physical game. Get it?

 

[Happosai]

Comprehensive analysis of digital vs physical

PHYSICAL​	DIGITAL​
+High collectible value +Resellable +Less susceptible to DRM (though still susceptible) +Can be bought used for cheaper​ +Acceptable value proposition on consoles	-Low collectible value -Non-resellable -More susceptible to DRM (though not always and to different degrees) -Can't be bought used​ -Low value proposition and unhealthy ecosystem on consoles.
-Can be damaged and lost​ -Can't be backed up most of the time -Takes up space -Can't have more than one person playing simultaneously in most cases -Practically non-existent on PC	+Can't be damaged​ +Can be backed up a lot of the time +Takes up no space +Can have more than one person playing simultaneously in most cases +Really good value proposition and healthy ecosystem on PC

You don't want my opinion on this topic. I've been on my high horse about streaming vs. physical for T.V. and movies.

Every line item for physical games is right there. The space saving argument is ridiculous. Growing up I never heard anyone complain "I have nowhere to put my games!" Most would look at their physical collections and rather point out what was missing.

I'll download for Steam or a demo before buying. Otherwise, let's keep ROM drives another 10-years or more.

 

[Happosai]

Yes, because unlike you I am not talking out my ass.

DoesItPlay? - Home

Working to ensure games remain accessible now and always!

www.doesitplay.org

Not hard to look up either. Next time, actually do some research before you act like a clown.

They need a few updates in the site catalog. Other than that, this data holds up and I've tested plenty to say you don't need the patches.

Good luck there convincing Captain Turd though.

I'd also post stats on how well CDs, LDs, et al, have held up since the 80's. It's impressive to say the least. Or how there are 35+ -year old NES carts which boot up like they were printed yesterday.

 

[Johnny Concrete]

I hate physical media, but when bought on release they are about 20-30% cheaper than digital. So, yea. Physical it is.

 

[TidusYuna]

Physical sucks, digital is better.

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

That's the terryifying future when physical games are phased out for good.

 

[rofif]

Comprehensive analysis of digital vs physical

PHYSICAL​	DIGITAL​
+High collectible value +Resellable +Less susceptible to DRM (though still susceptible) +Can be bought used for cheaper​ +Acceptable value proposition on consoles	-Low collectible value -Non-resellable -More susceptible to DRM (though not always and to different degrees) -Can't be bought used​ -Low value proposition and unhealthy ecosystem on consoles.
-Can be damaged and lost​ -Can't be backed up most of the time -Takes up space -Can't have more than one person playing simultaneously in most cases -Practically non-existent on PC	+Can't be damaged​ +Can be backed up a lot of the time +Takes up no space +Can have more than one person playing simultaneously in most cases +Really good value proposition and healthy ecosystem on PC

Nothing about ownership, hacking, getting locked out of account or being able to revert to 1.0 version. But it’s more or less a good list

 

[THE DUCK]

Physical. I like to own what I buy.

You don't own the game, you've just licensed it's use.

 

[THE DUCK]

Digital all the way for me, way, way more convenient, never gets wrecked or lost.
I can't even fathom buying physical.

Also, most of the time, physical and digital are the same price at launch, and most of the time both are on sale at the same time when discounted. Occasionally just digital is on sale, or just physical.

Of course you can sell physical games after, if you are so inclined, but a lot of people why buy physical say they do so to collect so that's out the window for them.