Poll of the Day > Digital vs psychical copies :)

(+) Yeah! (+)

Hey guys ! I just wanted to open discussion about how you like to purchase your games !
Is it psychical copy, digital download, or mix of both ?
or maybe you use one of them for consoles, and one for pc games ?
---

I prefer physical, but can easily see the pros of digital.

Also, I expect most replies will be mentioning your unfortunate typo.
---

I am 100% digital on my xbox now, if they released a lower cost or higher storage digital only Xbox one X I would buy it.
---

TheGreatNoodles posted...

I prefer physical, but can easily see the pros of digital.

Also, I expect most replies will be mentioning your unfortunate typo.

Haha yeah probably :D unfortunately there's no way for me to fix the title tho. But I will mention it on the top of the post
---

do you need mutant powers to play psychical games? or a hallucinogen?
---

Always physical unless it's digital only. Most of my collection is RPGs and they almost always go up in value, sometimes by a lot, or at the very least maintain it.
---

Digital only for me. I haven't bought psychical since Smash 4 for 3DS.
---

Krazy_Kirby posted...

do you need mutant powers to play psychical games? or a hallucinogen?

https://youtu.be/pyhii0W6LAo?t=12s
---

They both have their pros and cons, but I think the pros for physical are more important than the pros for digital.
---

HelIWithoutSin posted...

Always physical unless it's digital only. Most of my collection is RPGs and they almost always go up in value, sometimes by a lot, or at the very least maintain it.

This for me as well. ^

I feel digital is just pissing away money when my physical games keep value to sell or trade if wanted to down the road. And as a collector my physical games look great displaying in my games room.

Physical copies of video games are digital. They just have the files stored onto a piece of substrate as opposed to a file stored on a computer.

It is the same thing, just a difference in how they are stored. You really didn't know that?

Hyyr posted...

Physical copies of video games are digital. They just have the files stored onto a piece of substrate as opposed to a file stored on a computer.

It is the same thing, just a difference in how they are stored. You really didn't know that?

Cringe"

Most of my games are digital from steam or gog. The last physical copy I bought was Skyrim.
---

I buy digital on PC (Steam), almost always buy physical for handheld and console.
---

xjayguyx posted...

Hyyr posted...

Physical copies of video games are digital. They just have the files stored onto a piece of substrate as opposed to a file stored on a computer.

It is the same thing, just a difference in how they are stored. You really didn't know that?

Cringe"

Was that a physical cringe, or a digital one?
---

Sarcasthma posted...

xjayguyx posted...

Hyyr posted...

Physical copies of video games are digital. They just have the files stored onto a piece of substrate as opposed to a file stored on a computer.

It is the same thing, just a difference in how they are stored. You really didn't know that?

Cringe"

Was that a physical cringe, or a digital one?

Physical obviously

Hyyr posted...

Physical copies of video games are digital. They just have the files stored onto a piece of substrate as opposed to a file stored on a computer.

It is the same thing, just a difference in how they are stored. You really didn't know that?

While this may be true (and why I find myself wondering if I SHOULD switch to digital, at least for video games), at least with discs / cartridges you still have the option to sell or lend your copy of the game.
---

I mostly prefer physical copies of games.
---

Typically digital for PC games (because physical games are either non-existent or a box with a download code), and physical for console games. Although since console games are getting to be more like PC in the physical department, I am getting more and more digital console games. I miss they days when games used to not only come with a full color manual, but trinkets, maps, and other feelies (and you didn't have to buy a collectors edition to get them).
---

Physical. Most of the physical releases go on sale faster than digital.
Also the Snes/Genesis/PS2/DS only takes physical carts. Some games for the PS3 dont have a digital copy.
---

Cant let your friends borrow digital copies, cant resell digital copies

If available, I always go physical for these reasons

MICHALECOLE posted...

Cant let your friends borrow digital copies, cant resell digital copies

If available, I always go physical for these reasons

Same note though, cannot do game sharing with my mate on Physical, and vise versa.
---

Physical. Considered going all digital for Switch, then found Best Buy GCU. I'm really glad too because my all-digital mindset was just a fad and I would've ended up regretting it. I love having my collection on display. Even though no one sees it because it's out of view, I just like pulling up a chair and looking at certain cases and whatnot.
---

Babbit55 posted...

MICHALECOLE posted...

Cant let your friends borrow digital copies, cant resell digital copies

If available, I always go physical for these reasons

Same note though, cannot do game sharing with my mate on Physical, and vise versa.

What is game sharing?

I dont think I understand what youre trying to say

Digital, since they make you install disc games to the hard drive now anyways there isnt much of a point in going physical unless you want the collection feel.
---

MICHALECOLE posted...

Babbit55 posted...

MICHALECOLE posted...

Cant let your friends borrow digital copies, cant resell digital copies

If available, I always go physical for these reasons

Same note though, cannot do game sharing with my mate on Physical, and vise versa.

What is game sharing?

I dont think I understand what youre trying to say

So on the Xbox for example, you set each others console to the other persons home console, that was both parties can play the game with only 1 person owning it.
---

I prefer all digital nowadays and even on my 3DS I have switched over to digital. I'll trade-in that "sense of ownership" and ability to resell for the convenience of just being able to download my games when I want to. If it matters, the internet in my area is stable enough that I need not concern myself with waiting hours for a 30-40 GB download.
---

I buy Digital. Disc swapping is so 1990's.
---

I'm all digital these days, but I play all my games on PC where I don't have to worry about losing access to them. If I played on a console or other closed system I'd be a lot more leery about support getting dropped at some point and losing all my games. I have some VC games I bought for the wii that will cease to exist when the system dies, that's not cool.
---

Digital.
---

Physical. Unless there's absolutely no possible way to get it, then I MIGHT purchase a digital copy. I've only done that once though.
---

Digital.
---

Physical. They don't take up as much space on my hard drive, I can return them if the game ends up unsatisfactory, I can resell them if I decide I don't want it anymore (and if I'm selling then I likely don't see myself playing it again), trade them for physical copies of other friends' games, and unless they're games on Steam then digital games almost never see a notable price drop even when they're "on sale", with a few exceptions.

Not to mention if a system's online service is ever shut down for good or a game is removed from the store (I'm looking at you, PT), I permanently lose any digital games I had uninstalled.

The only real flaws I can see are physical storage space and the fact that they can get damaged. The former can be solved with a large CD case, and as for the latter ever since the switch to Blu-Ray discs I've had maybe a small handful of minor and insignificant scratches at worst, and only one broken disc due to the game being misplaced for a long time. Even that wasn't very significant seeing as by the time I found it the game was only a few bucks at Gamestop (or Amazon if I shopped online), whereas buying it digitally would still have left me paying launch prices.

Physical, don't own a single digital game.

DIgital if I want to play as soon as it's out (usually 9pm the day before release).

Physical if I want the 20% amazon prime discount.

Low karma and a weird format to the op, pretty sure this is market research.

>_>
---

Always physical. I refuse to buy digital on principle, unless it is DRM-free (which basically limits me to GOG.com and a few smaller retailers).
---

Hyyr posted...

Physical copies of video games are digital. They just have the files stored onto a piece of substrate as opposed to a file stored on a computer.

It is the same thing, just a difference in how they are stored. You really didn't know that?

The context is very clear! Digital downloads, with draconian DRM vs. games purchased consumer-ready on physical media that will will work with any compatible console.

I buy physical unless the digital download is an unbeatable deal.
---

I used to hate digital games, but now I find myself 100% digital. I realized there was no point in me keeping my old games (because I won't go back and play them again) and any of my physical copies I have left, I will give to my friends if they want them. Once I beat a game, I just delete it from my drive and download another.
---

Thirty3_1Third posted...

I used to hate digital games, but now I find myself 100% digital. I realized there was no point in me keeping my old games (because I won't go back and play them again) and any of my physical copies I have left, I will give to my friends if they want them. Once I beat a game, I just delete it from my drive and download another.

Like pissing money away?

I used to be one of the people that'd pay double just for a physical copy, but around 2013 that changed. Digital sales became way too good to pass up, particularly 360 games at the time, and I amassed such a large library that I kind of "got over it." With Sony, I'm still wary a bit that my purchases will get stuck and I'd have to possibly buy them again, but with MS and Steam, I have complete faith that I can buy anything once and be done.
---

TheCyborgNinja posted...

I used to be one of the people that'd pay double just for a physical copy, but around 2013 that changed. Digital sales became way too good to pass up, particularly 360 games at the time, and I amassed such a large library that I kind of "got over it." With Sony, I'm still wary a bit that my purchases will get stuck and I'd have to possibly buy them again, but with MS and Steam, I have complete faith that I can buy anything once and be done.

You can get tons of good xbox360 games for $3-$10 used. Down the road collectors might want xbox 360 games more and values could go up. Your digital games will have zero value and the people that have loads of 360 games will have a collection possibly worth $1000+.

Only digital on steam for pc games is the only way I can see digital a good way to go. Even then to me still pissing money away.

I used to only get digital because switching discs is a pain. But the Switch and 3DS changed my mind. Cartridges are DOPE. Nothing is more satisfying than popping one in and watching your collection grow.

Discs disgust me
---

xjayguyx posted...

TheCyborgNinja posted...

I used to be one of the people that'd pay double just for a physical copy, but around 2013 that changed. Digital sales became way too good to pass up, particularly 360 games at the time, and I amassed such a large library that I kind of "got over it." With Sony, I'm still wary a bit that my purchases will get stuck and I'd have to possibly buy them again, but with MS and Steam, I have complete faith that I can buy anything once and be done.

You can get tons of good xbox360 games for $3-$10 used. Down the road collectors might want xbox 360 games more and values could go up. Your digital games will have zero value and the people that have loads of 360 games will have a collection possibly worth $1000+.

Only digital on steam for pc games is the only way I can see digital a good way to go. Even then to me still pissing money away.

I highly doubt physical games would go up in value, just look at stuff like the Atari 2600. You can get a collection of physical games for less then a dollar each (outside of a few rare titles). Even then, digital is killing the price of physical games long term. Hell, the price of Earthbound TANKED once it was released on VC. Treating physical media like an investment to me is pissing money away.

Conversely, if you actually play the game then it is not pissing money away. You are paying for the experience, not the bytes on a piece of plastic.
---

xjayguyx posted...

Thirty3_1Third posted...

I used to hate digital games, but now I find myself 100% digital. I realized there was no point in me keeping my old games (because I won't go back and play them again) and any of my physical copies I have left, I will give to my friends if they want them. Once I beat a game, I just delete it from my drive and download another.

Like pissing money away?

It's not that I piss money away. I don't buy anything that I won't enjoy. I beat the game to completion or as much as I want to get out of it and move on with my backlog or wishlist. If I had the time I used to sit and play all day, maybe I'd go shopping and buy physical. But I buy a game once a month at most, and I definitely get my money worth.
---

Dikitain posted...

xjayguyx posted...

TheCyborgNinja posted...

I used to be one of the people that'd pay double just for a physical copy, but around 2013 that changed. Digital sales became way too good to pass up, particularly 360 games at the time, and I amassed such a large library that I kind of "got over it." With Sony, I'm still wary a bit that my purchases will get stuck and I'd have to possibly buy them again, but with MS and Steam, I have complete faith that I can buy anything once and be done.

You can get tons of good xbox360 games for $3-$10 used. Down the road collectors might want xbox 360 games more and values could go up. Your digital games will have zero value and the people that have loads of 360 games will have a collection possibly worth $1000+.

Only digital on steam for pc games is the only way I can see digital a good way to go. Even then to me still pissing money away.

I highly doubt physical games would go up in value, just look at stuff like the Atari 2600. You can get a collection of physical games for less then a dollar each (outside of a few rare titles). Even then, digital is killing the price of physical games long term. Hell, the price of Earthbound TANKED once it was released on VC. Treating physical media like an investment to me is pissing money away.

Atari games were never super-expensive to begin with, so that's a bad example, and every other popular system puts the lie to this theory.

SNES game prices have skyrocketed in the last ten years or so. You used to be able to get a decent lot of games for under $100; no longer. The in-demand titles - the Chrono Triggers, Mario RPGs, Mario Karts, et al - are frequently selling for over $100. The grails, like Starfox Super Weekend or the Donkey Kong Competition Cart - are now routinely up over $1000 (which is crazy to me, because I bought mine almost exactly 10 years ago and they were ~$300 each). N64 games are going through a similar stretch.

I highly suspect physical may be even more valued in the future because when digital stores go offline there's no secondhand market to replace them, meaning physical copies of the game become all the more valuable.
---

i try to buy physical but i have 400 digital tiles and 100+ physical ps4 titles. those digital deals are to good to pass.
---

darkknight109 posted...

Dikitain posted...

xjayguyx posted...

TheCyborgNinja posted...

I used to be one of the people that'd pay double just for a physical copy, but around 2013 that changed. Digital sales became way too good to pass up, particularly 360 games at the time, and I amassed such a large library that I kind of "got over it." With Sony, I'm still wary a bit that my purchases will get stuck and I'd have to possibly buy them again, but with MS and Steam, I have complete faith that I can buy anything once and be done.

You can get tons of good xbox360 games for $3-$10 used. Down the road collectors might want xbox 360 games more and values could go up. Your digital games will have zero value and the people that have loads of 360 games will have a collection possibly worth $1000+.

Only digital on steam for pc games is the only way I can see digital a good way to go. Even then to me still pissing money away.

I highly doubt physical games would go up in value, just look at stuff like the Atari 2600. You can get a collection of physical games for less then a dollar each (outside of a few rare titles). Even then, digital is killing the price of physical games long term. Hell, the price of Earthbound TANKED once it was released on VC. Treating physical media like an investment to me is pissing money away.

Atari games were never super-expensive to begin with, so that's a bad example, and every other popular system puts the lie to this theory.

SNES game prices have skyrocketed in the last ten years or so. You used to be able to get a decent lot of games for under $100; no longer. The in-demand titles - the Chrono Triggers, Mario RPGs, Mario Karts, et al - are frequently selling for over $100. The grails, like Starfox Super Weekend or the Donkey Kong Competition Cart - are now routinely up over $1000 (which is crazy to me, because I bought mine almost exactly 10 years ago and they were ~$300 each). N64 games are going through a similar stretch.

I highly suspect physical may be even more valued in the future because when digital stores go offline there's no secondhand market to replace them, meaning physical copies of the game become all the more valuable.

My point is you can cherry pick a few examples from any system and say "See, this game sells for a ton of money!" There is an Atari 2600 game which costs more then a gold NWC cart, but that is because it is incredibly rare. Someone buying games for $3 - $10 are basically buying paperweights if they never play them. Those games are lucky to be worth half that price in 10 years.

Plus, your example is horrible because $700 profit in 10 years is a really shitty investment. I could make more money putting that $300 into a mutual fund. And you still need a market for those physical games, who the hell is going to want a physical version of Destiny once the servers go off-line?
---

It's always the physical guys that feel the need to justify themselves and badmouth digital.
---