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[dragonyeuw]

As long as no one stops you from getting your game digitally, what difference does it make what others do?

That's what I'd like to know. It seems like a real issue for some people( not talking about who you replied to, just generally) that not everyone shares the same love for the 'conveniences' of digital. I use digital when it suits my needs( crazy steam/PSN sales, games that I don't care to own physically as long as I can access it in some way) but I'd hate for it to become the only means of content delivery.

 

[Jimm]

I love phsycial media for so many reasons.

Digital is great for those who want it, but in Australia every game on the PSN is $20 more expensive than retail. Why would I ever consider it?

But still, if you like digital cool good for you. Why do so many people want physical to fade away? Options are good.

 

[Spyder_Monkey]

Yes you can buy games digitally.

 

[KingdomHeartsFan]

This makes no sense. I mean, it does if you don't care about having the latest version, but some of those patches out here aren't just about multiplayer but about actual fixes, frame rate, etc.

Yea some are, but the majority aren't. From this gen there's literally 4 games of mine that have those patches. Dead Rising 3, Bloodborne, Fallout 4 (idk for sure but I'm throwing it in because Bethesda), and I think FFXV? (I don't remember what was in the day 1 patch, but I'll just include it since it was a big one). All my other 80 PS4/X1 games I'm fine playing unpatched. People that care about snap map on Doom could add that, but I don't.

Edit: Oh add in Evil Within, fuck those black bars.

 

[Stillmatic]

Who knows how long a download for the game you buy will be available?

I buy some games digitally, but I go physical when I buy the big titles or games I love. Take care of them and my kids will be able to enjoy them, and so on.

 

[ViolentP]

I think all digital is the natural evolution of this market but not before certain things are addressed such as universal internet services , legacy support, and parity pricing. Frankly, I think reselling is a luxury item and shouldn't hold back the progression.

 

[dan2026]

Digital is shit.

It's so much more expensive that physical games.

 

[ViolentP]

Digital is shit.

It's so much more expensive that physical games.

Well, Steam proves it can be done in a better manner than you are picturing. You can play games from 20 years ago, pricing is much more competitive to the console market, and those games won't be going anywhere. So no, digital is not shit. Console makers simply haven't refined it yet.

 

[outunderthestars]

Digital is shit.

It's so much more expensive that physical games.

If you get store cards for 10%+ off and wait for sales it can be very competitive.

 

[sneas78]

What spicy fuckin connection did YOU get because it took me 6 hours in rest mode on a high speed.

I was getting low: 4mbs high 20mbs.

 

[lumzi23]

Hope not. Really I have 3 drives in my system and all of them are full. If anything happens I will have download them again with my limited connection.

I also find it annoying that when you buy a hardcopy game for PC these days it is actually just an empty stupid case with a slip of paper inside with the activation code.

I also don't like the feeling that game companies are trying to consolidate their control over how we play our games.

Edit: I don't hate digital but I don't want all digital.

 

[Valonquar]

Considering games usually have 4GB+ day one patches, I'd say we've been in the digital future for a long time now.

 

[batman2million]

I don't think it's fair to compare games other mediums. Music CDs cost at the most $20. Blu-rays/ DVDs about $30. Games at retail are $60.

Movies and music can be consumed and or purchased in different methods such as renting via redbox or streaming music on YouTube.

For games there only is gamefly/ redbox or just purchase purchase at full price at retail or digital.

 

[Manny Calavera]

I'm still collecting physical games and movies and will keep doing that as long as they're available. I enjoy holding that physical product I purchased on my hand and love how they look on the shelf as well. I'm fine getting smaller relases and indie games in digital but don't feel like downloading 50 gb game every time I feel like playing it later on.

 

[Luminaire]

Please, not even. At least, not yet.

• Data Caps - Downloading my Steam Library again in the event of hard drive failures would murder my data cap, same with my PS4 library.
• Internet Speed - I get decent speed in Seattle, but my friends in Texas (or elsewhere) don't due to their location.)
• Price Parity - Physical copies go on sale/down in price much faster. I can get some physical games I want for $30 on Amazon right now that are $60 on PSN and Steam.
• De-Listing - There are games that people can no longer get on stores unless they bought them previously.
• Licensing - There are games that are not on digital storefronts for stupid licensing reasons, but I can buy them physically no problem.
• No Re-sale Value - I'd be pretty damn bent if I couldn't get rid of The Division, Destiny, and No Man's Sky after playing them for 10 hours and going "nope". $47 mistakes turned into $~13 mistakes.

Well aware this isn't the same for everyone, but these are my grievances with the current 'digital future'.

 

[outunderthestars]

I don't think it's fair to compare games other mediums. Music CDs cost at the most $20. Blu-rays/ DVDs about $30. Games at retail are $60.

Movies and music can be consumed and or purchased in different methods such as renting via redbox or streaming music on YouTube.

For games there only is gamefly/ redbox or just purchase purchase at full price at retail or digital.

This is so far from the truth. Sony/Valve/MS run weekly sales. digital store cards can also be found for 5% - 10% off. If you are paying full price then you are doing something wrong.....

 

[sublimit]

Haha no

.

 

[Doctoglethorpe]

Who knows how long a download for the game you buy will be available?

I buy some games digitally, but I go physical when I buy the big titles or games I love. Take care of them and my kids will be able to enjoy them, and so on.

At least a good few decades. By the time there's any reasonably foreseable risk, I won't even own the console anymore (or possibly even a compatible tv) cause I'm not a hoarder, and the vast majority of games I would care to ever return to that far into the future will have been either ported to the newer consoles anyways or remain in the forever library of PC.

I really don't understand the incessant worrying about the playability of games in the distant future.

 

[Jacknapes]

I'm still mostly in the physical boat, however some games i own are digital copies (which i did check to see if a physical copy was cheaper first, but alas it wasn't (PSN/Nintendo sales)).

Digital is on the rise in gaming, same as streaming movies. But, if music is to go by (wasn't Vinyl at one point going out but it's making a comeback) with going digital, yet physical copies are catching up again.

 

[grosvenor_92]

Not with bandwidth caps being what they are in North America and I'm considering importing physical copies of games because of it. At least when it comes to PC games anyway

 

[Neonep]

CD's, vinyls, and blu-ray's are still being sold. Physical media ain't going nowhere. Also, buying digital games is more expensive than buying physical games. I still don't get that because the majority of the time it isn't like that with music.

 

[Doctoglethorpe]

Not to mention that most of the games that are actually going to age well enough to still be fun in 20+ years are indie games that have no physical releases to begin with.

 

[SmokedMeat]

I don't get why anyone would be excited about this on consoles. Especially when your games fail to carry over to new hardware. Screw that!

 

[Captain Tuttle]

Congrats on surrendering ownership of your games to the corporate oligarchy.

I don't know, it didn't happen on PC

 

[Marty Chinn]

If you get store cards for 10%+ off and wait for sales it can be very competitive.

Nah, digital on consoles is always one step behind in pricing compared to physical. Every time digital has sales, it's already been cheaper in physical form.

 

[inner-G]

Hey OP, the information that made up your games on carts/discs was already digital.

 

[DangerMouse]

20% discount prevents me from going digital.

Yup, I'm nowhere near going mostly digital.

 

[a Master Ninja]

This thread is a huge disappointment. The OP makes an analogy relating the declining sales of physical games to the fading of the flame in Dark Souls, and nobody responded back with Dark Souls quotes supporting or refuting it.

"Praise the Switch!"
"I am the keeper of the physical."
Something about boosting your Physical stat, etc.

I clicked on this thread for the Dark Souls memes, and y'all let me down.

 

[ScientificPizza]

Hey OP, the information that made up your games on carts/discs was already digital.

There are people in my cartridges

 

[outunderthestars]

Nah, digital on consoles is always one step behind in pricing compared to physical. Every time digital has sales, it's already been cheaper in physical form.

That is why I said competitive.

In the end i value convenience more than a few dollars of difference.

 

[Bsigg12]

Meh, I prefer the convenience of launching anything I want at a whim. Also, I hate collecting discs and purged my house of all games I owned digitally a couple years ago which was pretty awesome.

Also getting 2 copies is really nice with digital purchases.

 

[outunderthestars]

Meh, I prefer the convenience of launching anything I want at a whim. Also, I hate collecting discs and purged my house of all games I owned digitally a couple years ago which was pretty awesome.

Same here. I have about 1000 games, 23,000 songs, 240 movies, and 450 books all in the cloud. It is nice to not have all of that media cluttering my home.

 

[Kelegacy]

On PC, sure. Console, only if it's cheap or on sale. With 20% off physical at Best Buy or Amazon, why pay more? Convenience is worthless if it's a new game since that disc will sit in my console until I am done anyway.

Then, if I want, I can sell it back to BB or Amazon and get a new game for $10-$20. Digital users pay another $60. Again, why pay more?

 

[Jamaro85]

I've come to accept this for my PC. For my PS4 though... nah.

 

[PAULINK]

I still want the ability to sell if a game is bad, digital ain't got that. And don't tell me you can get a refund, gotta fight tooth and nail because its pretty much against the TOS when you buy it.

 

[Marty Chinn]

That is why I said competitive.

In the end i value convenience more than a few dollars of difference.

Competitive would be similar pricing at around the same time, sometimes even beating physical pricing. That's pretty much never the case, so it's not competitive, it's behind =)

 

[pitchfork]

Meh, I prefer the convenience of launching anything I want at a whim. Also, I hate collecting discs and purged my house of all games I owned digitally a couple years ago which was pretty awesome.

Also getting 2 copies is really nice with digital purchases.

This

Although I do love a good collectors edition

 

[RPGamer92]

Nioh way.

 

[Bsigg12]

I still want the ability to sell if a game is bad, digital ain't got that. And don't tell me you can get a refund, gotta fight tooth and nail because its pretty much against the TOS when you buy it.

Don't preorder or buy games at launch then. We have an extensive community here that will help you build an informed decision on the game in the first day of it being released.

This

Although I do love a good collectors edition

I do too. I'll typically buy the game digitally when it goes on sale if I pick up a collectors edition then sell the disc to a friend to recoup the cost of the digital purchase

 

[Frag Waffles]

It will happen eventually but I believe we have a ways to go with physical yet. Which is great because I always go physical if I have the option.

 

[tcrunch]

This thread is a huge disappointment. The OP makes an analogy relating the declining sales of physical games to the fading of the flame in Dark Souls, and nobody responded back with Dark Souls quotes supporting or refuting it.

"Praise the Switch!"
"I am the keeper of the physical."
Something about boosting your Physical stat, etc.

I clicked on this thread for the Dark Souls memes, and y'all let me down.

No memes for someone who tries to make me accept a world with 50GB downloads and without trade-ins, resale, and mad box store discounts.

 

[outunderthestars]

Competitive would be similar pricing at around the same time, sometimes even beating physical pricing. That's pretty much never the case, so it's not competitive, it's behind =)

There have been many times when a flash sale is less than physical at that time. I would call that competitive.

 

[Curufinwe]

OP is as well informed as Colin Moriarty.

 

[Afrodium]

I don't get why anyone would be excited about this on consoles. Especially when your games fail to carry over to new hardware. Screw that!

If the PS5 doesn't have a disc drive then you're not going to be playing your physical PS4 games on it. The digital ones tied to your account, however......

And maybe it won't be the PS5, but at some point a console will come out without a disc drive.

 

[baxter2231]

If i can get a game physically thats my prefered way of getting it, unless there is some crazy discount where its so cheap that it would be crazy to say no to it.

 

[LOLCats]

my cold dead hands

 

[AmyS]

Even now there are only embers.. closing gamestops, retail marketshare dipping.. Switch games requiring internet downloads to function.. rumors of all-digital consoles.. Ushering in the Age of Digital.


Physical have left their thrones GAF, what say you?

Fake News.

 

[Robert807]

Back in the day when Xbox used points to buy stuff I use to see deals on those point cards all the time. Good deals too. Know that they use dollar value , I have never sent a sale on those cards. Same for Sony money cards , never seen a sale on those cards too. It be cool if they had sale like buy 100$ card for 80$. I don't think that will ever happen.

 

[Lgndryhr]

Not quiet yet. People forget internet access isn't widespread enough in the U.S. and other countries.

 

[Moze]

Well, Steam proves it can be done in a better manner than you are picturing. You can play games from 20 years ago, pricing is much more competitive to the console market, and those games won't be going anywhere. So no, digital is not shit. Console makers simply haven't refined it yet.

Steam still cannot compete with physical. Atleast not here in the UK. Not even close. There are ways to get suspect keys for cheap on PC but as far as having a legit digital marketplace that competes with physical? No.