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[ViolentP]

Hell, I’ve been trying to rid myself of my old physical collection for too long now.

 

[ROMhack]

So I guess my answer is: I didn't really notice it happening. I do love physical items but even console games physical presentations are so shit these days, no manual, no extras, nothing to "play with". So digital is basically the exact same for me except I don't need to install it first (installing PS4 games takes longer than downloading them for me).

Good point. Part of me thinks the 'true' price of console games these days is actually the price of the collector's edition.

 

[Kuranghi]

95% of my games are physical.

to go full digital these would have to happen:

1) games on launch for 9.90 - 19.90€ (digital games are kind of worthless vs physical games + much cheaper to distribute, so they should be cheap)

2) if 1) doesn't happen, then they should be sellable/tradeable = I could always buy used digital for 5-10€ or wait until they are on sale



IMO people whom pay full price for digital games are either bit stupid or just rich so they don't care. Kind of like driving with taxi to everywhere instead of owning a car, when taxi would cost same/more than owning+using a car, but being much worse for timetables.


It is just crazy to pay full price for digital, when you could get superior physical release to collect or sell after finishing it, or trade/borrow to friends etc.

I guess digital releases are convenient, but their prices are just too high on launch.

I usually get physical games used if I want them on launch, but paying 30-40€ instead of 69.90€ on launch week, because there are always people selling their copy fast and cheap on launch week. Can't do that with digitals.

I get most of my digital games for 30-50% off the RRP on release day, these are PC versions though. For console I (used to) go to Tesco or Asda as they have the best prices, but I mostly buy exclusives on console so I'm not buying many, and the smaller exclusives are cheap on digital anyway, cheap for what its worth to me anyway.

 

[ROMhack]

I get most of my digital games for 30-50% off the RRP on release day, these are PC versions though. For console I (used to) go to Tesco or Asda as they have the best prices, but I mostly buy exclusives on console so I'm not buying many, and the smaller exclusives are cheap on digital anyway, cheap for what its worth to me anyway.

Yeah same because they used to be cheaper in supermarkets. There was a time you could waltz down and pick up new games for £30 (PS3/X360 gen). These days they're the same price everywhere.

 

[JORMBO]

I will go digital. If it is the only option I won't be happy but there's no other choice.

 

[Eimran]

“I’m not watching porn unless I can still buy the VHS tape!”

False equivalency but a good one.

 

[Guilty_AI]

Stay mostly physical because in 20 years down the line when the Digital Store is taken offline and the games can't be redownloaded, you will see loads of people trying to buy a physical version of said de-listed game and the poor sods will have to pay 10x the Price from those of us smart enough to keep a physical library as they are probably desperate.

Not a very good analysis to be honest. Most people who want to play 20 yo games that aren't sold for cheap anywhere just pirate the thing. And i don't think the ratio of physical discs that survive for 20 years is very high in the first place.

Personally, i'll just be making a back up of my GOG library and a few selected Steam games (with a crack if needed). It can survive much longer than any disc since i can just copy them over and over again.

OP, if you buy a disc you don't technically own the game either. You are buying the exact same license.

Its not really the exact same license but yeah, its still just licensing. It's fairly easy to brick a physical copy by requiring internet connection (like NFS 2015) or when the game needs something like a day 1 patch to work properly.

---

I always thought this whole discussion was misconceived.
Its not about "Physical games" x "Digital games", its about "Games that enforce DRM" x "Games that don't".
In a way, ironically enough, digital stores on PC are much far ahead in terms of how much players "own" the game they purchased than consoles, be it digital or physical.

If i buy Metro Exodus on GOG right now, i'm free to do whatever i want with that software as long as i agree to not distribute it. I can copy from one HDD from another, carry around in a pendrive, save on a external HDD, anything. On the other hand, if i buy the same game on PS4, it'll either be restriced to a disc which i cannot make working copies of, or tied to a playstation account.

 

[JimiNutz]

I'm mostly all digital now.

I rarely buy physical now. Maybe if it's a short single player game that I know I'll only want to play through once and then want to sell immediately afterwards.

 

[kraspkibble]

me if consoles go all digital:

 

[synchronicity]

I rarely buy a physical game anymore anyway, so I'm good with digital. (not streaming digital subscription model though) In fact I've been selling a lot of my physical collection.

I care about the experience much more than the "thing". Although I do *love* really high quality, dense manuals.

Edit: "Stuff" is overrated.

 

[Zannegan]

Switch to the platform that gives me the most confidence that the games I buy will be available in the future (i.e. go all-in on PC).

I honestly don't think I'd sacrifice much in the move. MS is making some good moves on the PC front, and even Sony is bringing some first party titles over. I can wait. The games will age fine.

I'd probably also keep picking up whatever console/handheld/hybrid Nintendo puts out for the foreseeable future, even though they are the WORST with future compatibility/building a digital library. They just aren't likely to put their games on PC client any time soon (the more fools they). I might well start waiting for the end of gen fire sales they always have though.

 

[fran.fernandez]

The question is.... do people still sell their games or they prefer the disc for collection purposes?
Before ps3 I buy Physical, because I sell it as soon I finish and make money to the next game.. my biggest collection was around 300 games for ps1, sold all in a box to get money for my Dreamcast.

If I could I would sell my digital copies., but I want it to be as easy as possible.
Here in japan get rid of my ps4 physical copies are not hard but I would barely get some cash, like exchanging for a bottle of water. Lols.

 

[Bakkus]

I'm not gonna buy games digitally for even half the amount I do for physical games.

 

[vaibhavpisal]

I would love to buy special editions and game guides and artbooks of my favourite games.

For standard editions that are basically disc in a plastic shell with no extras, I am fine either way.

If a retail chain comes in future selling games, I would prefer to support them though.

 

[Starlight Lotice]

Not a very good analysis to be honest. Most people who want to play 20 yo games that aren't sold for cheap anywhere just pirate the thing. And i don't think the ratio of physical discs that survive for 20 years is very high in the first place.

Personally, i'll just be making a back up of my GOG library and a few selected Steam games (with a crack if needed). It can survive much longer than any disc since i can just copy them over and over again.

Fair enough. I wasn't being that serious in my comment anyway.

Digital certainly can last longer, but unfortunately some games will get removed if Licensing is an issue, but thankfully most avoid that.

 

[Guilty_AI]

Fair enough. I wasn't being that serious in my comment anyway.

Digital certainly can last longer, but unfortunately some games will get removed if Licensing is an issue, but thankfully most avoid that.

I wouldn't say most, but a lot of great ones do avoid that.

 

[Starlight Lotice]

I wouldn't say most, but a lot of great ones do avoid that.

I just wish OutRun and After Burner didn't have the issues as they tend to be touch and go.

 

[Guilty_AI]

I just wish OutRun and After Burner didn't have the issues as they tend to be touch and go.

Thankfully, even the ones that do have this kind of fate still end up available for download on the internet. Sure its a legal gray area, but if they're not being sold anywhere it usually means the companies involved don't care.
You can actually find these games you mentioned in abandonware sites such as "My Abandonware".

 

[ACESHIGH]

Such a 2007 discussion for us PC gamers.

 

[Caffeine]

outside of a few old games on disc im all digital.

 

[MP!]

breathe a sigh of relief as we wouldn't have to have that fight anymore

 

[Guilty_AI]

EDIT: forget it, i was drunk