Do you prefer physical or digital copies of games?


Physical or Digital  

149 members have voted

  1. 1. Which distribution type do you prefer?

    • Physical. I like to have and hold my games, 0s and 1s on a HDD don't cut it for me.
      46
    • Digital. What do I need with manuals I don't read and cases I'm forced to store?
      62
    • Price dictates which one I will buy.
      41


Recommended Posts

I prefer physical. Same with most things though.

I prefer physical music, dvds, blu-rays.

 

Not that i'm close minded. I know digital has its benefits (love netfix) but there is something about having the physical item. With the artwork and having it on a shelf along with the others.

I guess it might be because when i was a kid, it was only physical. So i've kind have been bought up that way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I thought I preferred physical. But now with my Xbox One I tried to go all digital and to be honest I never felt so relieved never having to worry about game discs and where they may be. That alone is so convenient that it completes negates the need for a physical retail copy

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like to collect the cases however not having to get up to change disk is quite nice. I guess it's down to price and the game I am buying.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I do download games sometimes and find it very convenient... but for games I really love, I want the physical copy. I... can't fully explain why--just feels more like 'mine', I guess. I like having the manual and booklet and sometimes the cool posters that come with it (I have one hanging on the wall behind my console, actually) and etc. I'll usually install the game so it loads more quickly and doesn't put as much wear on the disc, so in that respect it's not much different than a purely digital copy for usability.

 

I will say that I have trouble with region-locking, and that simply doesn't happen with digital copies, so there are many benefits to not fussing with discs. I'm sure at some point I'll change my mind and 'get with the times' :p

 

turn down that music, get off my lawn, etc etc

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think in the theory side, I would be happy with digital however limited storage and none comeptitive marketplace is probably me back from going fully digital.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Digital now. :)

 

For those saying they like physical for the manuals/artwork etc. Aren't you finding more and more games come without any of that? Unless you splash and but the limited edition

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Digital. But bloatware is a dealbreaker for me.

 

if I need to install something other than your game (bar .net and directx) in order to play your game aka bloatware no sale;

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Physical, I like a collection and my internet speed isn't good at all, 3.5mb. While I don't really sell or trade anything, letting my GF and friends borrow games happens often and I for one would not be paying digital console prices in the UK. I just picked up Rayman Legends for ?22 at launch for the PS4, its probably ?40 on PSN.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Physical preferably, but I do plenty of digital too, GOG for example.  Digital stuff I download get burned to a disc anyway as a backup just so it saves time later.  Faster than re-downloading a few gigs+.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Digital now. :)

 

For those saying they like physical for the manuals/artwork etc. Aren't you finding more and more games come without any of that? Unless you splash and but the limited edition

This is correct... but for games I really love, I do go all out and buy the limited edition/game of the year/whatever special edition :) the more toys and posters and bells and whistles the better :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah you tend to get very little nowadays inside which can be frustrating but just seeing it sat there on the bookshelf gives me a warm fuzzy feeling.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember manuals for Rockstar games were always really funny. Shame companies don't make the effort now :/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I prefer digital game copies, as I have good broadband and can just download them again via Steam, or keep the install files on my NAS.

But regarding the price, I prefer physical media. In germany, buying digital games is more expensive than buyng the boxed sets.....go figure...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Physical no doubt about it.

I cannot let a friend borrow a digital copy.

I also cannot trade in a digitial copy when I am done with a game, which I just do not revisit games once I beat them. Time does not allow me to.

Being able to trade in physical games towards the purchase of a new physical game has saved me hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars over the years.

 

I only do digital on Steam as the pricing through their sales is to good to pass up. Also with a lot of games these days you can purchase the physical copy, enter the serial number into Steam, and get the digital version. So that is a win win situation for sure.

 

I would perhaps go digital if the pricing was better on digital, but If a game is always the same price on both formats, I will always go physical due to the freedom that it allows me the options I mentioned above to do what I want to do with the game itself.

 

Consoles just offer no reason at all yet for me to go digital, and in fact they sometimes absolutely deter it. For example I am thinking of picking up a WiiU again as I love Donkey Kong Country and am also looking forward to Mario Kart 8. I saw yesterday the physical version of DKC:Tropical Freeze is $49.99 while the digital version is $59.99??? Seriously? Digital is $10 more?? That is nonsense for sure.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Physical, or the ability to make a non-drm digital offline backup (aka gog.com).

I consider steam physical copy digital.

 

I play and collect games, and I do like playing older games.

New shinny graphics alone don't make new games good. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This topic is now closed to further replies.