Current Events > Why would you ever go 100% digital with console games?

(+) Yeah! (+)

why wait multiple hours to download a 40-70gig game and then update it when for the same price you can go to the store, buy it physically and do a 25 minute update which takes like 1/10th the time?

unless you got like 200mb/s internet or some shit

I pretty much already have.
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Idk, I like my physical copies.
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No. I like having physical copies of stuff. Its an obsession. I dont buy any games used either, unless they are retro.

I have to be the one to open the seal.

Im a weirdo
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I like physical copies
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If I could get deals like on Steam, sure.
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I think it's fucking stupid unless you get them on sale

More space, no actual copy of game or case, none of the goodies that a lot of games come with

Most important no flipping/resale value. Besides games that I really love i flip most games back or resale.

For example got injustice 2 for 15 at Gamestop during BF. Flipped it for 30 on a trade promo offer last weekend.
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This is kind of a silly way to paint the argument, especially when you know and I know that a round trip to the store would take about as much time as downloading a game these days on a half decent internet connection, and you wouldn't even need to be involved in the process. Digital is far more convenient and faster and requires no effort on your part. Go do your laundry, catch up on some emails and make dinner while that game is downloading.

The better argument would be how digital mediums have created a culture where you don't fully own a game even though you've bought it, and what you buy is not really a complete game anymore.

All that said and done, digital is definitely preferable to me. It's nice knowing that I have a library that takes up no actual physical space, that I can access on any device I own anywhere in the world and I don't need to be concerned about the condition of the CD.
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Why do people act like waiting is the most horrible thing in the world? Oh no, it's a big download, this is so horrible what am I going to do with my life because I have no patience. What's the difference between playing the same game now or later? It's still the same game.

Physical copies are great and all, but they degrade. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but nicks, scratches, and just general wear and tear occur, and your pristine newly broken seal physical copy isn't so new and pristine anymore. Also, consoles get replaced, and then you have to buy the same game again for your new console.

pinky0926 posted...

This is kind of a silly way to paint the argument, especially when you know and I know that a round trip to the store would take about as much time as downloading a game these days on a half decent internet connection,

u wot m8?

Trip to the store an back is like a half hour-45 minutes at most. The average american can't download 50gigs in that time. Average download in the US is probably like 10megs or less.

Rhylos posted...

Physical copies are great and all, but they degrade. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but nicks, scratches, and just general wear and tear occur, and your pristine newly broken seal physical copy isn't so new and pristine anymore.

I think I've only had one game stop working due to scratches since the ps1 era. And that was because I dropped it and accidentally stepped on it.
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I go digital for games that I know I'll be playing for a while (like long RPG games, or games I like mostly for multiplayer, like Call of Duty or Smash Bros.) and physical for games that I know I'll be trading back in eventually (like yearly sports titles, or shorter action/RPG games).

I generally find digital downloads more convenient (not having to go out to buy them, no problems with discs getting lost/scratched, having all my digital games on hand at once) but if I don't plan on keeping a game long, I'll get it physical and try to recoup some of the value by trading it in after I'm done with it. If a system added a way to "trade in" digitally downloaded games to get part of the value back, I'd never buy a physical game copy for that system ever again.
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Comfy_Pillow posted...

pinky0926 posted...

This is kind of a silly way to paint the argument, especially when you know and I know that a round trip to the store would take about as much time as downloading a game these days on a half decent internet connection,

u wot m8?

Trip to the store an back is like a half hour-45 minutes at most. The average american can't download 50gigs in that time. Average download in the US is probably like 10megs or less.

That's a dedicated trip to the store just to get the game. An hour out of your day just for this one task (I feel 30 minutes is pushing it, at least for me, once you factor in parking, walking, paying, getting your ticket, etc. etc. Obviously that varies depending on where you live).

You're just thinking about the time it takes to get your hands on the game whereas I'm talking about the time you actually have to spend devoted to the task of getting the game. You know how long it takes me to download a game in those terms? Somewhere between 30 seconds and 2 minutes depending on whether my credit card details are saved or not.

While you spend that 45 minutes going to get the game, I've spent 45 minutes completely free to do other things.

Not to mention games can download any time. The store is open 9-5. With a full time job that means you have to take time out of your precious weekend to get it. Even if it is a large game and will take a few hours, I can download it while I sleep. No time wasted.
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Not to mention aside from steam, digital games are way more expensive. GCU and or trade ins beat everything any day of the week

No brainer.

Stupid argument. Literally only digital benefit is not leaving your ass.

Actual copy, resale value, cheaper, possible goodies, less time downloading

No brainer
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pinky0926 posted...

Comfy_Pillow posted...

pinky0926 posted...

This is kind of a silly way to paint the argument, especially when you know and I know that a round trip to the store would take about as much time as downloading a game these days on a half decent internet connection,

u wot m8?

Trip to the store an back is like a half hour-45 minutes at most. The average american can't download 50gigs in that time. Average download in the US is probably like 10megs or less.

That's a dedicated trip to the store just to get the game. An hour out of your day just for this one task (I feel 30 minutes is pushing it, at least for me, once you factor in parking, walking, paying, getting your ticket, etc. etc. Obviously that varies depending on where you live).

You're just thinking about the time it takes to get your hands on the game whereas I'm talking about the time you actually have to spend devoted to the task of getting the game. You know how long it takes me to download a game in those terms? Somewhere between 30 seconds and 2 minutes depending on whether my credit card details are saved or not.

While you spend that 45 minutes going to get the game, I've spent 45 minutes completely free to do other things.

Not to mention games can download any time. The store is open 9-5. With a full time job that means you have to take time out of your precious weekend to get it. Even if it is a large game and will take a few hours, I can download it while I sleep. No time wasted.

do you live in crazyland?

Comfy_Pillow posted...

do you live in crazyland?

What's hard to understand here. Digital allows you to directly beam games into your living room passively, at any time of day with basically no action on your part required. Going out to buy games means going out to buy games from a certain location within a certain time of day. You have to be actively involved and it's time you could spend doing other things.

There are many very legitimate reasons why hard copies are still superior to digital but convenience is absolutely not one of them.
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darkprince45 posted...

Not to mention aside from steam, digital games are way more expensive. GCU and or trade ins beat everything any day of the week

No brainer.

Stupid argument. Literally only digital benefit is not leaving your ass.

Actual copy, resale value, cheaper, possible goodies, less time downloading

No brainer

I'll concede that sometimes it's cheaper but the last few games I bought on steam were actually free, and they do sales a lot.

The other things are of no value to me. Having an actual copy that I can sell in 3 years time for $10, eh. Not really a factor I'd consider important enough.

I don't care about goodies either. I wanted the game, not the limited edition box set with the cool box art and special map inside that I'm definitely not going to pin on my wall.
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pinky0926 posted...

but convenience is absolutely not one of them.

but the store can easily be on your way home from work (what kinds of stores close at 5pm where you live wtfff?)

and unless I'm mistaken most console have to be turned on in order to actually download/install the games if you buy them online while at work so you'd still have to wait a long time.

Literally zero point to owning physical on PS4

Downloading is faster and takes less effort than going to a store
Same install sizes
Don't need to switch discs
Can access your library from ANY PS4

lmao physical games in 2017

Comfy_Pillow posted...

and unless I'm mistaken most console have to be turned on in order to actually download/install the games

PS4 standby mode will download your games when you buy from the browser store

Comfy_Pillow posted...

got like 200mb/s internet or some shit

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Talks posted...

Comfy_Pillow posted...

got like 200mb/s internet or some shit

Who the fuck goes to the store you get it delivered from online ordering and it shows up the morning of or the day before release.

Biggest negative of digital downloads is letting people borrow games. Publisher are wrecking the shit out of your options as a consumer and people eat it up
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TheMarthKoopa posted...

PS4 standby mode will download your games when you buy from the browser store

do most people actually leave it in that state 24/7? I guess if you knew you were gonna buy a game in advance you could put it in that state before going to work.

Comfy_Pillow posted...

pinky0926 posted...

but convenience is absolutely not one of them.

but the store can easily be on your way home from work (what kinds of stores close at 5pm where you live wtfff?)

and unless I'm mistaken most console have to be turned on in order to actually download/install the games if you buy them online while at work so you'd still have to wait a long time.

The store is not on my way home from work, it's a detour. Conceivably it would be possible that for some people the store is on the way home, but you still have to park your car and walk into it. Whereas do you know anyone who doesn't have a laptop/computer/console at home? It's always there. There is no detour or special trip required.

Most consoles and computers these days can run on low power mode while still downloading, so you really don't need to be involved in the process at all.

You're dreaming up fairly unlikely scenarios here for how - hypothetically speaking - going into a store could conceivably be as simple as possible, but it will never be as simple as clicking "download".

Like I said, if you want to talk about the benefits of having an actual copy there are lots of arguments to be had, but I really cannot see how this is one of them.

Here's a hypothetical for you. Say I need to buy some last minute games as christmas presents for my brother. It's nearly 6pm on a saturday where I am. By the time I'd get to the store they'd probably be closed. I'm busy all day tomorrow so I can't make it to the store unless I reorganise my day.

Or I could click download tonight and it will be installed on my machine somewhere around 3am. Hell if I clicked download now it would probably be installed before I went to bed. Tell me how that is less convenient than anything a store could offer my situation?
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Comfy_Pillow posted...

do most people actually leave it in that state 24/7? I guess if you knew you were gonna buy a game in advance you could put it in that state before going to work.

who doesnt leave their consoles in "standby" now? It's by far the best feature of the newer consoles. Automatic downloads and instant on, plus resuming exactly where you left off at? Yes please
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pinky0926 posted...

It's nearly 6pm on a saturday where I am. By the time I'd get to the store they'd probably be closed

again where do you live where stores close this early?

pinky0926 posted...

Or I could click download tonight and it will be installed on my machine somewhere around 3am.

so in your example downloading a game would take from 6pm to 3am but that's still less time than going to store would take?

Or you can order it online ahead of time its gonna show up by the time you wake up in the morning, 6+ hours before 6pm and you dont have leave your house and you dont have to sacrifice your consumer rights for convenience and you can play the game quickest
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Comfy_Pillow posted...

again where do you live where stores close this early?

Are you really going to split hairs over the exact times a store is or is not open? The obvious point here is that you can download a game literally any time of day without leaving your house, whereas going to stores means being limited to whatever their opening times happen to be and that they are within reasonable driving distance.

so in your example downloading a game would take from 6pm to 3am but that's still less time than going to store would take?

You're still not getting it. While that game is downloading I am completely free. Any time at all spent downloading a game is time I can do a million other things.

When you make the decision to go to a store, you are sacrificing time out of your day. That's 45 minutes where the only thing you're doing is driving a car to a location to buy a game.

Now it might be quicker if playing the game RIGHT NOW is the most important thing to you, but it means you're not going to be doing anything else for that hour.

If because of some weird scenario I absolutely needed to be playing a game within an hour, I guess going to the store would be the best option. The only conceivable scenario for that is if you had a big video game gathering planned and people were arriving in 2 hours and you forgot to download the game last night. In other words, going to a store is only more convenient in a dire emergency. Something that is basically never a thing.

We're talking about convenience here, not "who can play the game the absolute quickest starting now". You can drive to the store and back before I finish downloading a game, but in the time you're driving to the store and back I just put my laundry on and made dinner. I'd say my solution is way more convenient.

Incidentally, if the store is shut then downloading will always be way way faster than going to the store the next day.
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Burgess posted...

I pretty much already have.

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josifrees posted...

Biggest negative of digital downloads is letting people borrow games.

There's a way on XB1 (and I think PS4 too) to share digital games with one other person. Basically, both people need to set their account's "home console" to their share partner's console (this requires logging into each other's accounts, therefore trusting each other with passwords). After that, each one will be able to download digital games and DLC that the other bought, and will be able to play them without needing to be logged into their partner's account OR needing to be online.

My brother and one of his friends do this on XB1 all the time with games that one of them wants but the other isn't totally sure about. They even split the price half-and-half on the digital deluxe versions of Call Of Duty each year, so both of them get the game and the season pass for less than the price of just the game by itself.
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pinky0926 posted...

We're talking about convenience here, not "who can play the game the absolute quickest starting now". You can drive to the store and back before I finish downloading a game, but in the time you're driving to the store and back I just put my laundry on and made dinner. I'd say my solution is way more convenient.

I disagree

If we both started at 3pm and our goal was to get the game, play it for 2 hours and make dinner / do laundry I would finish all of those things way before you and would have extra time for other things.

it's only more convenient for you IF you start the download while at work and the store isn't on your way home/doesn't close super early.

Comfy_Pillow posted...

pinky0926 posted...

We're talking about convenience here, not "who can play the game the absolute quickest starting now". You can drive to the store and back before I finish downloading a game, but in the time you're driving to the store and back I just put my laundry on and made dinner. I'd say my solution is way more convenient.

I disagree

If we both started at 3pm and our goal was to get the game, play it for 2 hours and make dinner / do laundry I would finish all of those things way before you and would have extra time for other things.

it's only more convenient for you IF you start the download while at work and the store isn't on your way home/doesn't close super early.

Not since I was about 10 years old have I wanted a game so badly that I absolutely needed to play it 1 hour from now, like I couldn't wait until tomorrow or the weekend or something. Generally my life works on a "that game looks cool, I should pick it up this week" basis.

Like what, are you on a race to play a game before 7.30 tonight or something bad will happen? Absolute emergency and you only found out the game existed just now and you need to play it before bedtime tonight? I think that's a fairly ridiculous and unlikely scenario.

Taking an hour out of my day just to pick something up is honestly a really massive inconvenience for me. I work a full time job. I barely get an hour or two of free time on any given weekday. That's an hour wasted to me. The fact that I can download a game without having to do anything is a huge time saver.

The difference here is that I'm saving a total hour of time whereas you're just having to change your time around to squeeze that hour in. The only time your example is more convenient assumes you can't plan your schedule ahead of time by like, 8 hours.
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