I like physical copies but cannot deny the convenience of digital downloads.

Elfgore

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I like physical copies more, as I feel like I own the product a little more. But I won't deny digitals convenience.

No point really for that in my opinion.

Of course, more options has never really hurt anyone.
 

CrystalShadow

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I find digital downloads way more convenient. Especially being a frequent traveller. In the past I'd have to pick and choose which games to take.

That being said, I miss oldschool game packaging. You know, the old cardboard boxes PC games in particular came in?
... Before everything became generic, lifeless DVD cases?

Yeah. Those.
A storage accident led me to lose most of those, which sucks.
I miss those old boxes. Far more charm than DVD cases...
 

Johnny Novgorod

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Vigormortis said:
Johnny Novgorod said:
Hairless Mammoth said:
Something Amyss said:
inu-kun said:
Why even create a distinction between physical and digital?

Every single digital game I've purchased on Steam or GoG is stored either on a storage harddrive or a physical DVD, or both. Whenever I purchase a game from one of those storefronts I immediately download it and proceed to create a backup of it on an external/internal harddrive or burn the files to a disc. Hell, Steam even has an in-built utility for making backups of your games.

This way, regardless of whether I have internet access or not, or even if either respective service becomes unavailable for some reason, I will always have a physical copy of the game.

Honestly, I've never understood the desire to view digital downloads and physical copies as vastly different entities. With the tiniest of effort you can have all the benefits of digital downloads and all the reliability of physical ownership.

:/
If you have to burn the files to a disc, why purchase digital?
 

Hairless Mammoth

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DoPo said:
Hairless Mammoth said:
but what happens when the HDD or the whole console goes out.
Erm, what happens if a disk gets scratched beyond readability or it breaks? How is it that only DD is in threat of your game never being playable again, yet a physical copy is seemingly immune to this fate?
I never said discs are infallible. Indeed if your discs are scratched,[footnote]But light and medium scratches can be fixed by taken the disc to a store with a professional resurfacing machine. Most of the time the disc looks almost new afterwards.[/footnote] broken or stolen you lost those games. Also, there is a thing called disc rot. So you do have a point that downloads offer more security in that area. All I can say to that is take care of your discs and don't let your kids/ younger siblings use them as Frisbee substitutes.

Still my main point there was in the future, where an older system might not have server support, a physical disc can easily be swapped between systems, either in case one dies or you just wish to use a different system.
Vigormortis said:
Why even create a distinction between physical and digital?
The formats are not too much different anymore, with the way PC and the two recent consoles handle most game data. Although, I feel the licensing differences between them still necessitate some distinction.
Every single digital game I've purchased on Steam or GoG is stored either on a storage harddrive or a physical DVD, or both. Whenever I purchase a game from one of those storefronts I immediately download it and proceed to create a backup of it on an external/internal harddrive or burn the files to a disc. Hell, Steam even has an in-built utility for making backups of your games.

This way, regardless of whether I have internet access or not, or even if either respective service becomes unavailable for some reason, I will always have a physical copy of the game.

Honestly, I've never understood the desire to view digital downloads and physical copies as vastly different entities. With the tiniest of effort you can have all the benefits of digital downloads and all the reliability of physical ownership.

:/
Some PC clients and DRM systems might allow you to make backups (which was handy when I switched to an SSD). What about console games? AFAIK there's no way to copy games onto an external drive with the PS4. The xbox and the Wii U might allow multiple copies of a game between the on board storage and the external drive or two external, though I'm not familiar with using externals on either system.

They sure are not going to allow us to burn discs with their console games on them, even if the games are encrypted to just one system/account. (It might be a nice feature if the investors didn't think it would somehow cause rampant piracy.)
 

Something Amyss

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Vigormortis said:
Why even create a distinction between physical and digital?
Because we understood what he meant and didn't decide to talk about something else entirely.

Also, because he specified primarily consoles, so much of your response is irrelevant.

But mostly that first part.
 

Cowabungaa

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Johnny Novgorod said:
I prefer physical copies. They just seem more reliable to me.
Figure that. Two days ago, for the first time in years I thought I'd get myself Fallout 4 for PC on DVD so I'd save myself most of the download to spare my data cap.

Turned out the disc didn't work, and even if it would've I still had to download like 19GB, so I still had to download it all.


You think you do well for once, buuut nooo...
 

DoPo

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Johnny Novgorod said:
If you have to burn the files to a disc, why purchase digital?
1. You don't need to have one game per disk, you can have many, thus reducing the amount of plastic you need.
2. You can store files on a bunch of other media aside from - an external HDD, flash drives, a NAS, what have you.
3. You can have VASTLY larger amount of redundancy than a single copy of the game. You determine how safe you are from data loss. Sure, you could duplicate an official disk, but it's largely more of a hassle.
4. More of a continuation of the above: you are in control of how easy it is to recover the game - you may decide that searching for a CD is too much of a hassle, and have an easier method.
 

laggyteabag

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I do like the have the disk, as my download speed in this area is abysmal, so I like to do a quick install, but I do appreciate how linking a game to an account effectively gives you infinite copies and access to that game, even if your disk does get lost/broken. That being said, though, I do fear the day that Steam shuts down or if I lose access to my account, as that will just signal the loss of the best part of a £1000 worth of games.
 

Scow2

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Lufia Erim said:
There is nothing i love more than looking at my bookshelf and seeing the wide arrangements of videogames i have purchased across the years.

That being said i cannot deny the convenience of purchasing a game via digital download. No need to disc swap, an entire library at my fingertips.

I was wondering if anyone else would like to have the best of both worlds. I would love to see retail box games with a digital download code , to be able to have my box all while having the convenience of being able to play my games without the disc.

Console MMOs already do this where the disc in the box comes with just then game client installer and a code to activatw your account ( example : Final fantasy 14).

Here are my questions:

a): do you prefer digital download or physical copies?

b)would you like the see physical copies of games with digital download codes inside.

C) do you think this is a good idea and will ot catch on?


Edit: im talking mostly about consoles because i don't think PC games have hardcopy releases anymore.
Where the heck were you 8 years ago when they started doing this for PC? There was a huge controversy over people buying hard copies of games, only to find a digital download code inside.
 

Vigormortis

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Johnny Novgorod said:
If you have to burn the files to a disc, why purchase digital?
I don't have to burn them to a disc, or store them on a backup hard drive. But doing so gives me the benefits of owning a physical copy after I've already gained the benefits of buying digital.

Hairless Mammoth said:
The formats are not too much different anymore, with the way PC and the two recent consoles handle most game data. Although, I feel the licensing differences between them still necessitate some distinction.
For all intents and purposes, your ownership of the files doesn't change, whether you've bought digital or a physical copy. So in that regard, there's no difference between the two formats.

Some PC clients and DRM systems might allow you to make backups (which was handy when I switched to an SSD). What about console games? AFAIK there's no way to copy games onto an external drive with the PS4. The xbox and the Wii U might allow multiple copies of a game between the on board storage and the external drive or two external, though I'm not familiar with using externals on either system.

They sure are not going to allow us to burn discs with their console games on them, even if the games are encrypted to just one system/account. (It might be a nice feature if the investors didn't think it would somehow cause rampant piracy.)

You can store the files on the primary drive, but digital is one thing consoles have failed to do well. They've attempted to co-opt the inherent benefits digital brought to PC gaming, but then hampered the endeavor with their 'closed garden' policies.

Something Amyss said:
Because we understood what he meant and didn't decide to talk about something else entirely.

Also, because he specified primarily consoles, so much of your response is irrelevant.

But mostly that first part.
Except that "mostly" doesn't equate to "only", and his primary assumption of "i don't think PC games have hardcopy releases anymore" was wrong. As a result, I felt like pointing out that the common distinction people make between digital and physical isn't quite as significant as people assume it is.

I meant no offense. You don't need to be snappy. I wasn't trying to start a fight.

I'm a pacifist, I swear.
 

Something Amyss

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Vigormortis said:
You don't need to be snappy.
Nor do you need to accuse me of being snappy. It's untrue. I answered with an understanding of what the topic is about. That's all.

But I'll make it simple and stop responding.
 

FPLOON

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a) Physical... like the song title...
b) You mean like Blu-Ray combo packs? If so, then yes...
c) Ask certain Blu-Ray releases because they have an objective answer, I think...

Also, unlike Hannah Montana, I can't have the best of both worlds... unless video games are released just like Blu-Ray combo packs where I get my disk and a code for the digital copy that expires in "15+ years", at least... With that said, I don't think that's going to happen with my limited edition copy of Them's Fightin' Herds, but I'm going to be optimistic about that particular outcome just like everything else about that game in general...
 

SirDeadly

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Considering my physical copy of Fallout 4 only cost $60 (Australia) while the digital copy was $100 I prefer physical copies. Definitely wouldn't mind having a download code for the game included so I don't have to keep changing discs but it is what it is.
 

DementedSheep

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Digital. It tends to be much cheaper, they don't take up space, I don't have to go into a store and there is no disc to get scratched. Of course I could lose my account but while that would SUCK and I would be plenty pissed about it since I buy most things on sale when they're cheaper than what you get with a physical copy here even if that happened I would still have gotten a better deal than buying it in a store and I wouldn't be buying most of them again. I'm on PC so trading games I don't want play more than once to get some of the money from that purchase back and reduce the cost is already more of pain in the ass that it's worth.
The only problem with digital is that if they have a edition including the art book/poster/map I want an actual book/poster/map not a PDF.

A lot of physical games do come with a digital copy even if it doesn't say so. You just use they key that came with the disc.
 

Leg End

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Physical, yes if it actually has the full game and the download is for personal preference/convenience/because, and yes if it is as described as previous, in that order.

There is no feeling quite like molestingholding your game cases and discs.
 

Plucky

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a): do you prefer digital download or physical copies?
I prefer both for different reasons, Physical-wise it means that i can have something to show off and a reason to go about doing my usual things. however Digital downloads could mean that franchises/developers could release games that might not do too well in terms of sales, an example would be the digital release of Rune Factory 4 in Europe, before Square-Enix actually announced western releases of DQ 7&8 i would've suggested them to make them digital releases just to cut down on production costs.


b)would you like the see physical copies of games with digital download codes inside.
I would say no, it would just be doubling the prices of games, people might take the code and loan the game to a friend which might be detrimental to the developers. now if some devs had crossplay on a similar level to Terraria, and it's locked to the user account, i'd accept it, like if you buy a game digitally on the Vita and you could play it on the PS3/4.

C) do you think this is a good idea and will ot catch on?
The whole digital DLC code thing with Physical titles? probably, its presumably a way to ensure first-day/month sales. kind of annoying in the US to have various different exclusive timed-DLC packs with some games however. it's less cruel here in the UK where i don't even see something like that, unless some shops isn't as widespread.


With Digital, i expect console makers to be pretty open about the space. like Nintendo probably didn't have many digital games when the Wii U was out, but even now, a 32GB system can't hold much more modern games or games that demands DLC freely added (but pay) to use. so Mario Kart 8, Splatoon, Smash, Metroid Trilogy and Xenoblade Chronicles X has probably forced people to buy externally-powered Hard drives due to data caps and this is probably going to get worse if they're adding more Wii VC games. now with the Vita, their case is attempting to monopolize on sales by only creating the memory cards themselves which may often by overpriced in comparison to the games; however they generally see more sales than Nintendo.

I havn't personally had much experience on the Microsoft/Sony front though, so i have no idea about the state of Xbox storage and sales. probably unfair to compare a media console with other console makes that has both consoles and handhelds.
 

Loonyyy

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Cowabungaa said:
Johnny Novgorod said:
I prefer physical copies. They just seem more reliable to me.
Figure that. Two days ago, for the first time in years I thought I'd get myself Fallout 4 for PC on DVD so I'd save myself most of the download to spare my data cap.

Turned out the disc didn't work, and even if it would've I still had to download like 19GB, so I still had to download it all.


You think you do well for once, buuut nooo...
I got burned like that with my physical copy of Homefront. The disc only had the steam client on it, it had to download the whole damn thing.
 

WeepingAngels

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OP said:
a): do you prefer digital download or physical copies?
Physical copies. 10 years in the future I want to be able to pop in a disc or a cart/card and play. I may be playing an non updated version but that?s better than no version at all in most cases.
OP said:
b)would you like the see physical copies of games with digital download codes inside.
Worthless waste. You are still dependant on servers being up and running and your consoles ability to connect to them. I buy games, not box art.
OP said:
C) do you think this is a good idea and will ot catch on?
Terrible idea and no, it won't catch on. It is a waste of money on the part of the publishers and they will eventually just stop doing it. A box with a download code has the publishers paying for distribution twice, once to manufacture the box and ship it to stores and a separate distribution cost when you download the game. I am sure that they get charged something by Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo every time a person downloads a game for the first time. A box without a disc is an unnecessary cost to publishers and I wouldn?t expect it to continue on a large scale.

I also want to mention data caps as they seem to be an increasing problem in the US. Even if you don't currently have a data cap you may have one in the future and since console hard drives are ridiculously small you will likely find yourself deleting old games to create HDD space and having to redownload them again when you want to play them again. Your new data cap may keep you from your games.
 

WeepingAngels

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DoPo said:
Hairless Mammoth said:
but what happens when the HDD or the whole console goes out.
Erm, what happens if a disk gets scratched beyond readability or it breaks? How is it that only DD is in threat of your game never being playable again, yet a physical copy is seemingly immune to this fate?
I have had hard drives fail from normal use. I have never scratched or broken a disc, never! Scratching/breaking a disc is not something that happens by using it as intended.
 

BarkBarker

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"No need to disc swap" jesus christ a few seconds is a big deal to some people who apparently run through like 10 games in a session. Anyhoo:

a): do you prefer digital download or physical copies?

b)would you like the see physical copies of games with digital download codes inside.

C) do you think this is a good idea and will ot catch on?

A:physical, pop a disk in wherever I go is just a nice aspect and I look AFTER my shit unlike the guys next door who probably licked their PS1 disks, enjoy having no music on spyro cos the disk is fucked....twit

B: In some way, shape or form, it'd just be nice for some people

C: doubt it, control addicts the majority of publishers are unfortunately, nice idea but I think it'd have to be a company by company basis