Do you still purchase physical media?

[compl3x]

Simple enough: When did you last buy a CD? A DVD? Blu-Ray? Do you see a reason to? Have you done away with the whole physical media business and gone streaming/on demand only?

 

 

I threw up a simple poll. Discuss below.

[Bigkaye]

Mario Kart 8. 

[Max Norris]

Only kinds of media I buy now are blanks. Movies and such, nah haven't bought one on disc in some years.. last one I picked up was on HDDVD, haven't bought any since. My broadband gets a good workout.

[Ian W]

I'm sort of in between the first two options on the poll. On one hand, I like physical media because there is nothing quite like owning the media that includes the software (it gives me that warm, fuzzy feeling especially if the software is Windows). On the other hand, digital media has several advantages compared to physical media. For example, I don't have to worry about it being damaged, lost or stolen.

I will definitely purchase physical media after the new Super Smash Bros is released.

[Wyn6]

I haven't purchased a movie, game or any music on physical media in eons. My brother did buy me Dragon Age and Mass Effect about five years ago for Christmas. But, again, I didn't buy them. I find them wholly unnecessary. But, I understand people purchasing them for the sake of nostalgia or just wanting to have that physical object in their possession.

[Lord Method Man]

I but Blu-ray movies on a regular basis. I don't spend money on inferior formats.

 

[Gerowen]

I last bought a CD a couple of weeks ago, because I like having a physical copy.  "Cloud" storage is dependent on the companies that run the servers.  If I have a physical copy, I'm not depending on somebody else for ready availability of my purchased content.

[astropheed Veteran]

I'm about 50/50. I purchase Blurays and PS3 games often enough but I also have quite a hefty Steam collection. Pros and Cons to each, I have no real preference.

[Raa]

Yes if it's a collectors edition and comes with multiplayer (or it's just a really good game).

For movies again yes if it's either a great movie (and preferably comes in a box-set).

 

Otherwise, no.

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

I'm buying digital copies of media or games for the most part. The only exception are films on DVD every once in a while.

[Sir Topham Hatt]

OTHER:

 

I buy blank CDs to make up a CD for the car.

I buy blank DVDs to backup things every few years.

 

I download CDs, movies and games so have them all digital.

[Phouchg]

Audio CDs only. There's a warm, fuzzy feeling. For me... and for publishers. And then they're rotting on the shelf, because I rip to FLAC immediately.

[Arpit]

i buy blank CDs/DVDs but other than that pretty much no physical media.  truth be told, i don't think i've ever even bought a single DVD. i know i haven't watched any blu-ray movie other than the demos shown in the stores.  all the dvds i have were given to me as gifts which i'm getting rid of.

 

i'm a casual consumer and the convenience of wifi/cloud far outweighs the requirement of a physical media.

[neo1911]

3 years ago, when I built my PC, I skipped a DVD/Blu-ray ROM drive. I don't miss it at all. I do borrow few movie discs from friends to play on PS3.

[simonlang]

 

Some physical media I purchase, some I stream or enjoy on a subscriber based model (spotify, netflix)

 

but media purchase has become very race to me. i still think its good to have some backup and variation, you never know if your internet connection breaks some time or what restrictions manufactors have included in their latest gadgets - i dont trust it completely.

[Brian M. Veteran]

I have a netflix sub, and I buy DVDs/BluRays (since it's often cheaper than buying the digital equivalent), but I don't use the disks. They get ripped onto my local server and served that way.

[+Fahim S. MVC]

Music - yes.  Due to the fact that streaming music is such low quality.  This is changing though.

Bluray - only when the movie is a keeper.

Console games - don't really buy many, but it depends.

Software - typically not.  Completely comfortable downloading.

[blerk]

Not exactly "media" (well, not 'entertainment' media), but I haven't gone all-digital on things like textbooks. Games, movies, music - yes, but I buy some of my textbooks (not all) other larger, more involved books such as Piketty's Capital in physical form. 

 

If I want to enjoy something, I'm perfectly happy with current digital options. If I want to learn something - physical for me thanks.

[cork1958]

Haven't bought a CD in years, but have over 6,000 of them, and have never bought a movie dvd. Last game I bought was way back for PS2 and that was for my kid. All cd's are in a beautiful home made rack inside a walkin closet.

 

Don't stream crap either! Anything that has to do with just setting in front of the tv or computer to watch something is dull as heck.

[blade1269]

I but Blu-ray movies on a regular basis. I don't spend money on inferior formats.

Exception with blu-ray combo packs, bluray and DVD. And games

[fusi0n]

Mario Kart 8. 

best.game.ever.

I still purcahse console games phsically..

[blade1269]

I'm sort of in between the first two options on the poll. On one hand, I like physical media because there is nothing quite like owning the media that includes the software (it gives me that warm, fuzzy feeling especially if the software is Windows). On the other hand, digital media has several advantages compared to physical media. For example, I don't have to worry about it being damaged, lost or stolen.

I will definitely purchase physical media after the new Super Smash Bros is released.

The only reason why disagree with the last stament of your post, "I don't have to worry about being damaged or lost or stolen is because if the company decides that you violate the DRM they take control of your content". If you need an example check out that (finish) lady with the fiasco with Amazon.

[Anibal P]

Only buy CDs of bands I like if the pre order bundle is good, have Play music sub for the rest, same for movies, buy the rare BR of the rare movie worth spending money on

 

As for games, I game on my PC like you're supposed to, I'll download those, most pre orders are not worth the trip to GameStop

[Ian W]

The only reason why disagree with the last stament of your post, "I don't have to worry about being damaged or lost or stolen is because if the company decides that you violate the DRM they take control of your content". If you need an example check out that (finish) lady with the fiasco with Amazon.

I understand where you are coming from and you make a good point, but I must admit that DRM hasn't really been a concern for me . . . It has been quite the opposite, in fact.

As others have mentioned, both types of media have pros and cons.

[+JHBrown Subscriber¹]

I still buy all my games on physical media. If a music CD is good enough, I will also buy it. Same goes for Blu-Rays. Although the majority of our movie watching is streamed.