Current Events > With console storefronts (Wii U, 3DS, PS3/Vita eventually) shutting down...

(+) Yeah! (+)

do you see the value in physical media's longevity as opposed to digital's convenience?

And this also extends beyond games to things like movies or streaming shows, since it's inevitable that services like Netflix or Hulu or Disney+ (or, far more likely, HBO Max) will shut down and their exclusive content will be (by legal means) unwatchable due to never receiving a DVD/Blu-ray release.

On the flipside, with physical media, there's only so many copies available, especially if the product already had a limited release, and said copies can easily get lost, destroyed, or just stop working.

At least with movies and TV shows, someone could record, rip, or download them and upload them somewhere for anyone to watch. With games, it's much more complicated, since only the original hardware can play the media.

So, digital does have some advantages at least when it comes to distribution. I can't defend the shutting down of the storefronts, though.

I feel like I'm flushing money down the toilet when I buy digital console games. At least with physical games, I can sell them and get some of my money back. And digital console games are too temporary. I bought a bunch of shit on the Wii Shop Channel and PS3 PSN store over 10 years ago. Those games are trapped on hardware that has been discontinued for many years. The Steam games I bought back then are still easily playable.

The only system I feel okay with buying games digitally on is PC. There are DRM-free stores like GOG and I'm pretty confident that Steam's gonna last a long time.

Solar_Crimson posted...

only the original hardware can play the media.

I mean ...

This once again shows why DRM sucks, not digital media.

Digital media is inherently better than physical media because you can turn it into physical media, assuming no DRM

More so with movies and shows on Blu-ray / DVD than video games because of video games often getting updates, but, yes, physical media is definitely important.

Your physical media will degrade while all those ROMs can hop around the peer 2 peer network for eternity.

Physical for consoles will always be superior

For some reason Steam for PC is my go to....maybe because I know it's easy to obtain PC games for a reduced amount if I had to

The only time I buy physical is if it's a game my wife plans on playing as well. I don't like displaying a collection and I rarely trade stuff in.

And I bought Binding of Isaac Rebirth on Switch, and just...lost it. Now I'm hankering to play it again, but I'll have to buy it again. It'll definitely be digital this time.

The big problem with physical media these days is that too many games are a broken mess when they are released, so if you can't download updates anymore, the only thing you can play with the original disc is the broken mess that originally came out.

Doe posted...

Your physical media will degrade while all those ROMs can hop around the peer 2 peer network for eternity.

I'll be dead of old age before my CD-ROMs and the ROM chips in my NES games fail.

Oh definitely. The problem is even if you have the disk there are so many games with day one patches that once the online services shut down you can still be left with an unlatched buggy mess of a game even if you have the physical copy. Even more so with games that have DLC critical to the story like FO3 and ME3.

googs19 posted...

The big problem with physical media these days is that too many games are a broken mess when they are released, so if you can't download updates anymore, the only thing you can play with the original disc is the broken mess that originally came out.

lmao fucking ninjad.

Huh? But the PS5 is a console storefront? Or do I have a different definition of the word "console storefront"?

I still buy digital, but I knew the "muh physical" crowd would latch onto this as vindication for their belief that digital is bad. The only thing this changes is that you can no longer buy new games or DLC. You will still be able to redownload games and DLC that you've already purchased.

Even after March 27, 2023, and for the foreseeable future, it will still be possible to redownload games and DLC, receive software updates and enjoy online play on Wii U and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.

https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/57847/~/wii-u-%26-nintendo-3ds-eshop-discontinuation-q%26a

There are benefits to digital and benefits to physical. Anyone claiming either side is unanimously better with no flaws is dreaming.

NoxObscuras posted...

I still buy digital, but I knew the "muh physical" crowd would latch onto this as vindication for their belief that digital is bad. The only thing this changes is that you can no longer buy new games or DLC. You will still be able to redownload games and DLC that you've already purchased.

https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/57847/~/wii-u-%26-nintendo-3ds-eshop-discontinuation-q%26a

Can I still download Wii games I purchased? Ive still got my Wii somewhere but cant be bothered to get it out just to test.

SHRlKE posted...

Can I still download Wii games I purchased? Ive still got my Wii somewhere but cant be bothered to get it out just to test.

I'm not sure. I know the funtionality was down for the Wii shop for a bit, but redownloads were working as July 2022

no. in fact it made me hate consoles all together.

steam store going strong. almost 20 years of games, still right there.

SHRlKE posted...

Can I still download Wii games I purchased? Ive still got my Wii somewhere but cant be bothered to get it out just to test.

Yeah, you can still re-download stuff purchased on Wii and even transfer it to a Wii U, but they've said that may be discontinued at some point.

NoxObscuras posted...

I still buy digital, but I knew the "muh physical" crowd would latch onto this as vindication for their belief that digital is bad. The only thing this changes is that you can no longer buy new games or DLC. You will still be able to redownload games and DLC that you've already purchased.

Can the people who bought Xbox Live Arcade games for the original Xbox still download them now?

Damn_Underscore posted...

This once again shows why DRM sucks, not digital media.

Digital media is inherently better than physical media because you can turn it into physical media, assuming no DRM

This is the main thing. If I could buy a movie digitally and make my own disc and / or be able to keep it on my computer, Id be more for it.

Thats why I dont mind buying music digitally; I can burn my own discs and also keep it on my iPod that doesnt even require an internet connection.

It's much of a muchness tbh.

Like it's really easy to back up digital Wii U (and I think 3DS?) games.

I want to play these games on new hardware.

CaptainStrong posted...

Can the people who bought Xbox Live Arcade games for the original Xbox still download them now?

If the games are backwards compatible, yes. If you mean using the original Xbox, then no. You'd have to use a work-around.

Punished_Blinx posted...

Like it's really easy to back up digital Wii U (and I think 3DS?) games.

I want to play these games on new hardware

this. needing to hit up the ps3 games. there's still some out there to get (physically).

I feel like both sides slam together somewhere in the middle, and have began to mesh. While digital support may not be forever, a digital version will essentially always be on the internet, along with the patches and likely most, if not all onlines features, from patches to dlc, to even online features. The problem with this though is that this is likely going to be illegal or otherwise not usable or preferable.

On the other hand you have physical, which will last forever (or at least very long) and you will be able to use the base game with base features. However you will be limited by digital things like dlc, online play, patches, and so on that typically don't come on the disk, or if they do, only certain editions.

Which one that's is superior typically comes down to moral, and the two basically coexist with all the things that both versions if the game require. I believe that there should be some sort of way for Both to coexist and be owned, or at least that owning the physical should allow you access to everything else that is digital once the service goes down. Overall I would say I prefer physical.

No, digital is just too convenient and honestly by the time those online stores closes for their consoles, that console can be easily emulated on a PC or hacked in some fashion.

CaptainStrong posted...

Can the people who bought Xbox Live Arcade games for the original Xbox still download them now?

Normally yeah. There is certain games that despite having being bought there can be issues trying to re-download them if they have gotten delisted a long time ago.

I was in the mood to fire up my earthworm jim HD I bought on the 360 when it released on my xbox one s, and no matter what I do when trying to play it the game is stuck on some sort of signing onto xbox live loop. It then gives a xbox live error code trying to play it.

I tried looking up the solution before I said fuck it because apparently it didn't work for another dude who has the exact same problem I have now:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/xbox/forum/all/earthworm-jim-hd-cant-download/c7aae29d-2df4-4d71-abaf-67ecdbe62b34