Goodbye Big Box

[shadowbird]

I don't see the problem with losing a game. If you've bought the game already, in either way, there's no moral reason not to get a "pirate" copy as a backup. I usually buy a game I like (sometimes physical, sometimes digital), put it in a shelf (real or metaphorical) and proceed to play a "pirate" copy. Never lost or damaged a single game disc, and Internet problems don't bother my playing.

 

[karmapolizei]

But I think the big problem with digital distribution is that it swaps the responsibility of storing physical media on a shelf with the rest of your crap with the more expensive responsibility of storing digital media on a hdd. So I'm not against the idea as a concept and I think it'll work once we have terabytes of info on flash drives and super high speed wifi for all but that's a few years down the road. I just think that at it's current model, digital distribution is a greater expense on the consumers who already spend up to $400 on consoles and about $60 for individual media.

That's not a hassle if it's done right. Again, Steam marches ahead as an example: If you purchased a game, you can download it as often as you want.

 

[GonzoGamer]

But I think the big problem with digital distribution is that it swaps the responsibility of storing physical media on a shelf with the rest of your crap with the more expensive responsibility of storing digital media on a hdd. So I'm not against the idea as a concept and I think it'll work once we have terabytes of info on flash drives and super high speed wifi for all but that's a few years down the road. I just think that at it's current model, digital distribution is a greater expense on the consumers who already spend up to $400 on consoles and about $60 for individual media.

That's not a hassle if it's done right. Again, Steam marches ahead as an example: If you purchased a game, you can download it as often as you want.

Sorry but my experiences with Steam haven't been all that exciting. It usually involves me putting the CD in and then having to download the game (which takes a while for those big games) anyway. So I'm hesitant to delete any of my Steam games because its going to take a while to reinstall those big ones. Certainly more time than installing off the disc, especially if its a new release that everyone is trying to download.

PSN might be better (I never download whole on-disc games like Burnout or Warhawk, just the little $5 ones like Noby Boy and Last Guy) but I doubt it. It takes a few minuets to download a 1 and a half gig demo, I'd hate to wait for a whole game to download, even though, like Steam, you can download them as much as you want.

Once again, when we all have free super speed wifi and/or virtually unlimited storage, it'll be worth it but with the tech and infrastructure available now, it's an unneeded and unwanted burden on consumers.

 

[Thrudh]

I LOVE Steam... I just built a new computer, loaded Steam on it, and then had it re-install all my games... So much easier.. I'm talking like 15 games... Going through each box (some of them had 2-3 CDs), clicking Insert next disc, okay, etc would have sucked...

Now... If Steam ever folds, I'm screwed... so I understand why most people want the hard copy, but man does it make it easier...

 

[Royas]

I generally prefer physical media as well, but that is changing as the physical games get more and more opressive "licensing" (I'm looking at you, EA). I'm also one of those freaks who actually read the manual before playing any game, which might be a factor

But Valve have definitely gotten hold of a winning strategy. I found myself buying the Oddworld games this weekend (mostly due to the insanely cheap pricetag) -- even though I still know exactly where my physical discs for the games are.

Unfortunately, even the digital version of a lot of games comes with restrictive DRM (not the EA games on Steam, granted, but lots of the others. Far Cry 2, for example) that is in addition to the DRM provided by the DD system. So, Steam and Direct 2 Drive are not cures for the DRM blues. If anything, they just add another layer where problems can occur. In those cases, I'd rather have a physical copy and just have to deal with one server, not two or three. Actually, I'd rather not buy any game with online activation, but that's a different topic altogether.

 

[Jeronus]

It is more like goodbye to all the stores and the people who work at such stores that rely heavily on the boxed content. If Gamestop goes completely digital, there will be no need for the stores where employees work. I mean when everyone can download companies will liquidate their stores and fire the people working there so I can safely say that I can support digital media because it will put an end to all those video game stores that over charge me for the games I buy.

 

[karmapolizei]

Somehow I get the feeling that what you think about Steam has mostly been shaped by whether you first experienced it as a downloading platform (as I did) or as an activation platform (as many others have). The latter kinda seems to make you put it in the "additional hassle" drawer.

Nevermind though, I understand the point. I can see that acceptance of digital distributions varies with what expectations in the product, internet connection and trust in the company running it. And I have to admit, I LIKE Valve, and I think they do have the customers' interest at heart.

Something else that comes to my mind: Whenever someone says "digital distribution", everyone thinks of Steam. BUT come the switch towards D.D., they probably won't be the only players - they're not even now. There's to scenarios, and I don't know whether I like them:

1. We'll see a lot of different digital retailers... all with their own DRM, own servers, own everything - so we'll need accounts for all of these. When we re-install Windows and want all of our games re-installed as well - what will we do? Go to every single service and retrieve our stuff? Also, you'll have to remember which game you bought where? I don't know if that will be a progress.

or

2. With respect for that, one provider (Steam being a likely contender), or maybe a handful of big players, will see all of our purchases. While that's convenient, on the downside it will also minimize competition - especially with respect for prices. I don't know who makes the prices on Steam, XBLA or PSN - but I hope it's not Valve, MS or Sony.

 

[GonzoGamer]

Yes Jeronus, Gamestop going out of business (and not having to deal with the barking fruitcakes that work/manage them, except for when going to McDonalds) is a great (perhaps greatest) incentive towards digital distribution but my point is that if the game publisher is saving money on burning, printing, packaging, and shipping they can at least give us the same $2 Gamestop takes off the new price for their used games. And especially if we/the consumer, provide the storage space.

I never shop at gamestop either, for obvious reasons, but I do still prefer to go to a store and buy a disc that (if it sucks) I can trade with a friend or sell on amazon which I don't even do that often. In fact the only game I did that with last year was No More Heroes which was so bad it had to go.

 

[sonidraw]

Some of the games in stores are still cheaper than digitally distributed copies of the same games, as far as I can tell. Saving money isn't a feature of digital distribution (yet). Although, I do enjoy getting to try out the demos (even though I would never buy any of those games anyways).

 

[SenseOfTumour]

I think it's a long way off before we see DD as the only way to sell games.

However, I'm certainly a convert to Steam, just picked up the two first Oddworld games for a lousy £2.25, that's a pint or 10 cigarettes.

Actually one of the problems with Steam is saying no to the offers they keep throwing at you, when they offer me bundles of old games I remember enjoying for less than the price of a trip to McD's, its hard to say no.

My advice is shop around, Steam isn't ideal, no, but it's worth comparing to the other retailers, and there's GOG and other distributors too.

 

[neispace]

Yes Jeronus, Gamestop going out of business (and not having to deal with the barking fruitcakes that work/manage them, except for when going to McDonalds) is a great (perhaps greatest) incentive towards digital distribution but my point is that if the game publisher is saving money on burning, printing, packaging, and shipping they can at least give us the same $2 Gamestop takes off the new price for their used games. And especially if we/the consumer, provide the storage space.

I've never seen a case where retailers going out of business increases product availability. You know why you ***** at gamestop? Because they can pull that crap because all the other game chains have gone out of business.

With digital distribution, there is no competition. It's not like I can buy an xboxlive game anywhere but from xbox live. That would be like gamestop x 10, if anything, they'll not only not pass on the 2 buck savings, they'll raise the price another 2 dollars. Where are you going to go otherwise?

 

[GonzoGamer]

I ***** about gamestop because before they bought up every other game store (a big difference from them going out of business), you could usually get a used game in a couple of stores for half the price of a new one. Now you get it for about $2 less unless you go online. If you want more reasons: you have to wait 15 minutes for two people on line in front of you because the clerk has to ask them if they want to preorder anything coming out in the next year, sell them a magazine subscription, and then look for the game they want to buy. Then once you get to the counter you have to hope they have the game they display on the shelf, then hope that the moron behind the counter puts in the right game or even A game at all.

Gamestop has done way more to gouge prices than to slash them, don't even try and pretend it's the other way around. Nobody is stupid enough to fall for that.

All the PSN games I have (I think) are exclusive to PSN, yet I've always bought them at half price when they go on sale which happens. That's a much better deal than I'm sure gamestop would've sold it if it were up to them.

 

[karmapolizei]

Gamestop has done way more to gouge prices than to slash them, don't even try and pretend it's the other way around. Nobody is stupid enough to fall for that.

Are you sure you really read the post you're replying to? Because I think you didn't. neispace did say they gouge prices, and he did say they're pulling crap. And I can only agree to him when he says that they do because they can. And they can because THERE'S NO COMPETITION. If there was, nobody would deal with that amount of nuisances and go buy their games someplace else, where prices are lower and customers are treated with more respect.

And I agree that might happen with digital distribution in the long run, too. Maybe it will be less harash for PC gamers (because there might still be multiple big distributers to choose from), but on consoles, you're basically at the console manufacturer's mercy, and that's way worse.

 

[BloodyOne]

While the Orange Box I bought was a boxed edition, I completely agree that online game providers like STEAM simplify life. You can still backup your games. I rely on STEAM for my gaming community a lot.

 

[Fenring]

I like having all the boxes and other stuff, it makes me feel as if I actually bought something material. Also, my interwebs are pretty slow.

 

[Nekroneko]

DD is fine as long as the games are from smaller companies trying to cut overheads, ie, most of XBLA. I do have a problem with larger companies using it. I just see it as a way of them trying to destroy the second hand market.

If you buy a tangible copy of lets say, avatar, you would go straight back to the retailer for either a refund or trade in. With DD you get one copy with no chance of refunds and no trade ins whatsoever. You really will be stuck with a stinker if you buy one.

Also, prices drop a lot slower with DD compared with real copies of games. New games can drop to half price withing weeks of release, DD could take a couple of years or more.

For me, my choice is to stick with what I know but test the waters gently with the likes of XBLA

 

[GonzoGamer]

Gamestop has done way more to gouge prices than to slash them, don't even try and pretend it's the other way around. Nobody is stupid enough to fall for that.

Are you sure you really read the post you're replying to? Because I think you didn't. neispace did say they gouge prices, and he did say they're pulling crap. And I can only agree to him when he says that they do because they can. And they can because THERE'S NO COMPETITION. If there was, nobody would deal with that amount of nuisances and go buy their games someplace else, where prices are lower and customers are treated with more respect.

And I agree that might happen with digital distribution in the long run, too. Maybe it will be less harash for PC gamers (because there might still be multiple big distributers to choose from), but on consoles, you're basically at the console manufacturer's mercy, and that's way worse.

As long as we're all in agreement: that Gamestop is the worst place to buy games.

I too can see the problem with the console maker having the retail monopoly but in my experience with PSN, I've found that any PSN only game that I'm interested in goes on sale for half price a few months later. The Pixel junks, Last Guy, echocrome; I bought them all for $5. But I can see how that would change for big budget games if they were the sole providers.

 

[Keshie]

I just finished building a new game PC too. And it's not for going online with. EVER. I've had too much hassle in the past with virusses, trojans and anti-virus apps causing havoc in my system. If I want to play online I'll go on a LAN.

As for Steam...
I bought Half-Life 2 GOTY edition two years ago and I've never been able to play it on any PC I've owned because Steam has always sucked. Why the hell would I want a system where I need some server's permission to play offline? And then my useless ISP drops connection* or Steam crashes.
So I've played the game from a downloaded install I got on a torrent somewhere. But I also paid for Lost Coast, Half-Life: Source and Counter-Strike and I've neve been able to get those working.

I don't think I'm unusual in this. I'm sure there lots of people out there with a lousy internet connection and little patience for Steam's instability.

IMO digital distribution is for chumps. I see it as just another excuse for publishers to cut costs, like when they cut back on bug-testing and play-testing, and later on manuals and custom boxes.

Which makes me wonder. What's wrong with ordering a game from a company and having them print a decent manual in a custom box and posting it to you?



*For reasons I won't go into here, I have no alternative ISP to choose from. So please don't be predictable and tell me to get another one.

 

[Poopie McGhee]

i prefer owning a actual disk...
And, i like to buy used games, one thing i can't do with DD..
and i shop at gamestop, as i know most of the people that work at the closest one, and it's fairly cheap for older games, two days ago i bought CoD2 ($10) And Dark Sector($7) For A TOTAL Of $17 dollars WITH Tax... a month i bought a years subscription for game informer for the price of three issues, and get 10% off used games...
it's new games they rip you off on with the used one being 5 dollars less... most games that have been out for a bit, it's like $10 off for used...
AND, Grammar Nazi's, I KNOW...