Digital or physical

PostDigital or physical by **Zerudaaaaa!** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:09 pm

I was just reading a news article about Nintendo offering 4 3DS games for the price of 3 on the E-shop. Sounds like a great deal, but if I had a 3DS, even with that incentive to download titles, I'd still rather buy hardcopies. I just like having the box in my hand.

So what do you choose when given the choice? I'm not talking about download-only titles, but rather full games which are also available digitally.

PostRe: Digital or physical by **False** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:11 pm

Digital is usually cheaper on PC, so that. Im happy to buy physical if its cheaper or if it comes with shiny bits though.

PostRe: Digital or physical by **Peter Crisp** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:14 pm

If it's a game I've been looking forward to for years then I do like having a physical box otherwise digital is fine.

PostRe: Digital or physical by **Yoshimi** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:19 pm

I happily download my PC games because ...
A) You can't resell PC games
B) More convenient
C) Often cheaper

I prefer physical copies on 3DS because...
A) Can sell/trade once finished with
B) Arrives a day or two before release date
C) Cheaper than downloading

BTW, you can buy physical copies for the Nintendo deal. The free game will be digital download though.

PostRe: Digital or physical by **Rik** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:22 pm

Physical, then it's mine forever.

PostRe: Digital or physical by **Xeno** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:24 pm

Digital only, physical media is so 2000.

PostRe: Digital or physical by **chalkitdown** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:39 pm

I used to love having discs, but now with PS+ and Steam offering so much more for so much less, I couldn't give a strawberry float. Digital all the way.

PostRe: Digital or physical by **kommissarboris** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:41 pm

Digital on physical.

PostRe: Digital or physical by **OLIN** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:42 pm

Physical, and with a manual!

PostRe: Digital or physical by **Dual** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:42 pm

Whatever is cheaper

PostRe: Digital or physical by **D_C** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:45 pm

Depends on the game.

PostRe: Digital or physical by **Hypes** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:46 pm

Physical - I feel like I own the product more. Perhaps it's the collector in me.
Although only owning a 3DS the digital is handy

PostRe: Digital or physical by **HSH28** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:47 pm

Zerudaaaaa! wrote:I was just reading a news article about Nintendo offering 4 3DS games for the price of 3 on the E-shop. Sounds like a great deal, but if I had a 3DS, even with that incentive to download titles, I'd still rather buy hardcopies. I just like having the box in my hand.

So what do you choose when given the choice? I'm not talking about download-only titles, but rather full games which are also available digitally.

Actually its buy 3 physical or digital games and get one free (from a selection of 8).

All things being equal I'd prefer digital copies for a single reason, you then have the option of playing any game you own without having to carry a load of separate carts around.

Unfortunately till now things haven't been equal, you'll pay something like £10 more for the digital copy of a game on the eShop compared to the cheapest retail price. I say till now though because Nintendo have just started letting retail sell codes for digital copies of games on the eShop.

Oh and one other thing is that they've made a tool available that allows you to transfer saves from a cart version of a game to the digital version (unfortunately you still need both versions at the same time to do this).

We aren't there yet, but its on the road to the digital only future.

PostRe: Digital or physical by **GrinWithoutaKat** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:52 pm

I want to embrace digital, but only Steam is really getting it right at the moment.

1. Competitive pricing. I think it needs to be a little less than the price of the physical copy, but particularly in Nintendo's case, it's a whole lot higher to get the download.

2. Forwards computability. Am I going to need to keep a 360 and PS3 around to play the digital stuff I buy on them? I can understand them not being able to run the current gen stuff on the new consoles as people keep saying the architecture is so different, but what about XBLA, PSone Classics and things like that? Nobody seems too sure.

3. Purchased game lists. I don't have a PS3 yet, so maybe they got it right, but if the 360 has an easy way of showing you what you've previously bought, it's not kept in a very obvious place. On steam you can see that list and re-download anything, but as far as I can tell, if you've bought something on 360 and need to re-install it, you have to navigate to the purchase page... but what if you can't remember everything you bought?

I don't really have any kind of attachment to the boxes and manuals anymore. Ten years ago I was against the idea of downloading music for the same reason, but now music, books and films are 100% downloads for me and I love the space saved and the convenience of having it all in one place, so easy to access.

It would also be great to do away with the whole rare games thing. I'm sure collectors stuff will still retain high prices, but sometimes I just want to play a game, like recently with the Fire Emblem series, yet you have to pay collectors prices now. If you want to watch a classic movie, read a classic book, or listen to a classic album you can buy them all for pennies or a couple of quid, but if you want to play a classic game you could be looking at paying £60.

It would be really nice to one day just have the latest console from Nintendo/Sony/Microsoft and be able to have your library from all their predecessors loaded onto the HD.

PostRe: Digital or physical by **Lagamorph** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:57 pm

For Console? Physical. Digital prices on Xbox Live and PSN are just ridiculous for newly released titles, even more expensive than the High Street and remain that way for a very long time. Despite the fact that you're cutting manufacturing and distribution completely out of the equation which should shave a good £5-10 off the price per unit.

For PC? Well Steam are usually as expensive as the high street for new releases, and often more expensive than places like ShopTo. So for new titles it's again physical. It's not usually up until 4-10 months after release that the digital versions usually start dipping to the same or a lower level than the physical release.

PostRe: Digital or physical by **Trelliz** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:57 pm

Digital has made previously rare games available to a much wider audience - Radiant Silvergun, Rez etc, so that along with the normally massive cost benefits of digital, plus no either waiting at the mercy of delivery companies or having to schlep around shops with limited stock and full of awful children and hipster-as-fuck "young people" while being assaulted by terrible music.

NickSCFC · PostRe: Digital or physical by **NickSCFC** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:57 pm

Physical, because I love contributing to peak oil.

Seriously though I'm pretty old fashioned and if there's no obvious disadvantage I love having my games/movies in boxes.

PostRe: Digital or physical by **Jam-Master Jay** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 10:00 pm

I've always liked having a physical copy of a game and most digital services are a bit lacking right now.

Steam on the other hand is close to perfection. Great prices and new deals every day.

Website · PostRe: Digital or physical by **Venom** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 10:01 pm

Whilst I've always preferred physical and having the game box on my shelf I have found over the past year or so that I am more accepting of digital. Music on iTunes and PS+ has helped me get used to full games that live on the hard drive. Also, you don't have to go to all that effort of putting a disc in and out of your console! However I still want the GTA V box and artwork to be something I can put on my shelf and touch and admire.

PostRe: Digital or physical by **Adam Ash** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 10:10 pm

Digital, physical media just feels like unnecessary clutter to me these days. Games don't even come with manuals half the time and tutorials have relegated them anyway.

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