If games became only downloadable...?

[RatRace123]

That'd suck.
I prefer having a hard copy of my games, it lets me know that they're mine.
Whenever I download a game I feel like I'm just renting it and I don't really own it.

 

[Traun]

I mostly download my games, so I don't care about boxes that much. Especially considering that the only thing in the boxes is the dvd and the manual.

 

[Continuity]

Ive been thinking about this alot but If games became only downloadable how would that change your gaming experience? It wouldn't be that hard for them to do it, probably cheaper too. After all does a downloadable game play any different then one on disc in a box?

So tell me how you'd feel if said changes were made. Good, bad, indifferent? How do you think this would effect businesses such as Game Stop and other stores that buy, sell, or rent video games? Lets discuss.

EDIT: One more thing I felt the need to ask. If this really was going to happen, what would be the best possible solution to make something like this work?

Well, as I currently only purchase games via steam and have done so exclusively for about 18 months now, I can't say that I'd be all that bothered.

There is a lot of convenience to having one service to download your games from, plus steam acts as a social network for gamers too which is actually pretty important to me now.

 

[LaputanMachine]

Video game industry would suffer. Some people (yes it's shocking) don't have internet/cant afford it.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

The convenience factor sure is huge, but so is the abuse gap.

- drop of prices highly unlikely, why would they drop the price when people already proven they are willing to pay $60, or in Australia even $110

- you never own the game, should you lose your account for whatever reason all the games you bought are gone, that is a huge issue

- you can't resell/lend/share games, I resell most my blockbuster games that only have 6-8 hours of content, so that money can go into new games, or exchange them with friends who bought other games, with download only you are stuck with what you get forever

- data mining, let's not kid ourselves these online services are used for user data collection and your data get's sold back to marketing people (I don't want them to look at my private life, just as they wouldn't want me to look at theirs)

This. This list explains what I was going to say.

I've always been a hard copy guy and I always will be. The day that stops being offered is the day I stop buying new consoles.

 

[xHipaboo420x]

In terms of console games, I'd be disappointed. I buy most of my 360/PS3 games pre-owned a few months after release, and On-Demand games over Live/PSN is a service that is lacking in any semblance of fair pricing.

With PC games, on the other hand, a lot of us are already there. I buy the majority of my games over Steam and am entirely happy with that.

 

[n.s.c.m.]

My worst nightmare, my sketchy internet would mean I would never be able to play games again.