Physical loyalists: Where do you draw the line when it comes to download requirements?

Deleted member 3534 · Oct 31, 2018

As someone who's come back around to console gaming I'm very strict when it comes to buying physical copies of games. Switch games that require a download to play all or part of the game are a no-go from me. The only reason I buy games on console are when they're exclusive or, in the case of Switch, when I desire the portability. When I buy these games I want them on a card. All of them. I begrudgingly accept that patches are a part of life nowadays, but I do take comfort in the fact that when Nintendo shuts down their online services for Switch (like they did for Wii) I'll be able to pop in the card I paid for and be able to play the game, even if it is in a less stable and pre-patched state.

I bought Okami HD on Switch because I felt like that's where I want to experience the game. I had to go so far as importing it from Japan to get a physical copy of the game. I'm likely do to the same thing for Bloodborne's EU release as it's the only version with a GOTY version and the PS4 and Switch are region free. I won't buy console DLC. Ever. If a game doesn't eventually come out with a way to get the DLC on a physical media I either won't buy that game or won't buy the DLC. I don't have any of these hangups when it comes to PC games which is my platform of choice for multi-platform AAA titles and any indies that don't get physical Switch releases.

As for the image above, it's an immediate no-buy from me. Along with those compilations where only half of the content is included on the card. It's a shame because I'd love to buy Mega Man collection on Switch but nah, if I have to download I might as well do so on PC where I trust the stability of the ecosystem. I'd love to buy Mega Man X collection too but X5, X6, X7, and X8 are included and I don't want to go anywhere near those games.

My line's all over the place but I consider myself a hardliner with a few minor exceptions.

RF Switch · Oct 31, 2018

Let go

Pikagreg · Oct 31, 2018

Stuff like Spyro or those Telltale games that released maybe one episode on discs and the rest had to be downloaded grind my gears. I still regret not importing Bayonetta 2 CE from Japan

Vito · Oct 31, 2018

If I need to download anything to play or complete my single player then it's a no go.

drclaw411 · Oct 31, 2018

I only buy digital if it's the only option.

texhnolyze · Oct 31, 2018

Eh, I think the main draw of physical games is ownership so you can resell them if you want. I'm not a loyalist, but I'd have no problem buying physical games even though I have to download the entirety of the game as long as I can resell it later.

Deleted member 7156 · Oct 31, 2018

For consoles I buy digital if it's a game I see myself starting randomly (such as multiplayer games) or only available digitally.
That or a good promotion.

For PCs I buy everything digital.

liquidtmd · Oct 31, 2018

My general rule of thumb

- New title: buy physical. It offers me the option to sell it, I want to support the physical market and dont wont a 100% digital market, plus usually I can find it cheaper than PSN store prices day 1

Old title: check cheap physical but lean towards more swallowing stuff up in PSN sales

That's it.

Download wise, anything that's asking for mammoth day 1 patches I approach with caution

D.Lo · Oct 31, 2018

Pretty much agree, OP.

I prefer physical for archive purposes for all single player games, as I can put it on the shelf when done and return to it if I need to.

There half-on-card games are an abomination. I'd prefer digital to half-physical.

Unless a game is GAAS by its nature (eg the majority Splatoon) in which case digital makes a lot of sense. But at least the single player is 100% complete on every Splatoon cart.

Waluigilicious · Oct 31, 2018

Almost all Switch games "require" a download. Imagine forcing yourself to play the release version of Splatoon, ARMS, Mario Tennis Aces etc. I know it's not the same thing but it might as well be. Even games that are quite fine how they originally released like Odyssey and Mario Kart have had so much free stuff added. Don't know about other consoles but with the Switch you will require "extra downloads" whether it's "optional" or not. Especially when you bring fantastic DLC into the equation that some games are getting. Breath of the Wild, Xenoblade 2, Mario + Rabbids are good examples. No doubt Smash Ultimate will also have many free updates (including balance patches) and also paid DLC where again, the original disc version on its own would be obsolete.

Vito · Oct 31, 2018

Waluigilicious said:
Almost all Switch games "require" a download. Imagine forcing yourself to play the release version of Splatoon, ARMS, Mario Tennis Aces etc. I know it's not the same thing but it might as well be. Even games that are quite fine how they originally released like Odyssey have had so much free stuff added. Don't know about other consoles but with the Switch you will require "extra downloads" whether it's "optional" or not. Especially when you bring fantastic DLC into the equation that some games are getting.

Thank god Nintendo puts the current version on later print runs of their games. My Zelda cart has the final version on it.

Deleted member 34949 · Oct 31, 2018

Vito said:
Thank god Nintendo puts the current version on later print runs of their games. My Zelda cart has the final version on it.

Has it been done for Mario Kart? Having the BoTW Link outfit on cart would be nice.

Themaddestgamer · Oct 31, 2018

Well I'm a physical supporter but not a loyalist. I do whatever works given a situation. A lot of times that's physical but not always. Driveclub and Battlefield both digital. All Sony SP games were all physical.

I have hard drive and shelf space so I use them both even though that ends up mostly physical.

It's my money so I use it however suits me.

Vito · Oct 31, 2018

Seven Force said:
Has it been done for Mario Kart? Having the BoTW Link outfit on cart would be nice.

As far as I could confirm, the latest cart on stores is version 1.4.0 but that was since April. They could have released a more updated cart already.

MadMike · Oct 31, 2018

The download is irrelevant to my purchase decision. The reason I buy physical when I can is that it's cheaper, and I can recover much of the cost after I'm finished.

Seahawk64 · Oct 31, 2018

As long as theres still a disc inside the case, I'm always going physical.

Hilarious_Bearious · Oct 31, 2018

I just buy what's cheapest, which tends to be physical at launch or digital later on sale.

However, a cart or disc that can't work at all without a download is really off putting to me, as it rules out one of my favourite things about physical; preservation. I wouldn't mind a game where the single player experience is all in the cart/disc, but MP or additional content requires a DL. As long as the game is playable raw off the cart/disc I'm happy. I just have no interest in a hardware key to enable a download to work.

For example, I was going to buy Banner Saga Trilogy in Switch (physical), but then saw that you can't play any of it until you complete an additional download. I now have zero interest in buying this cart, but may get digital if it gets a good sale.

JershJopstin · Oct 31, 2018

D.Lo said:
But at least the single player is 100% complete on every Splatoon cart.

They have actually made some minor bug fixes, but the sentiment is the same. The kind of bugs they fixed are the kind that would've shipped anyway in the pre-patch days. And all of the content is still there, of course.

Interficium · Oct 31, 2018

Vito said:
If I need to download anything to play or complete my single player then it's a no go.

What a weird fucking hill to die on.

Professor Beef · Oct 31, 2018

Well Red Dead Redemption 2 was 100gb, so I guess that's my baseline. Rockstar ain't getting my dollaridoos with that nonsense.

Tezza · Oct 31, 2018

Here in the UK, it's still cheaper to buy physical.

Digital prices are still £10-£20 more compared to physical, so I tend to buy physical as the price on games drop a lot quicker on physical.

I only buy digital when the price is right, which is normally when sales are on.

D.Lo · Oct 31, 2018

Vito said:
Thank god Nintendo puts the current version on later print runs of their games. My Zelda cart has the final version on it.

While absolutely cool, it actually makes this interesting - in the future second hand/retro Switch market, not all cartridges will be equal.

We'll be searching down a copy of Mario Odyssey version 3.63 etc.

Deleted member 25606 · Oct 31, 2018

I am all digital but I understand the sentiment. If your buying physical it's to have a complete game. Sure there are online worries and patches but you still have at least the initial release.

This is some weird buying physical but mandatory download because the whole game is not on the cart is a no no. It's some weird limbo that combines the downsides of either format and it's gross, not in an anti-consumer way as much as just trashy.

Goose Se7en · Oct 31, 2018

I don't really have a limit that'll make me say "I won't get this game" because of the reasons you pointed out OP. I know that I'm resisting against the inevitable all digital future. Almost all games that I get on my consoles are physical with the exception of digital only releases. I've even imported physical copies of digital only games, for example Heavy Rain/Beyond Two Souls and Ass Creed Rogue.

But the Switch is the one console I wish I had gone fully digital. But I can't justify going all digital, especially when I get 20% off on every physical purchase thanks to BB/GCU and I'm lucky that my sub expires in the middle of 2020.

I don't have an issue with the install size of the games nor the massive patches/updates that accompany them. I upgraded my PS4 Pro to an internal 2TB HDD and it alongside my 1TB Xbox One X have external 4TB HDD hooked up.

I'm lucky that my internet is fast enough that downloading these updates don't take as long relative to others. Gears 4 takes a whopping 117GB on my drive. Quantum Break is close to 175GB because I chose to download locally the live action cutscenes. I don't mind it at all.

Deleted member 36578 · Oct 31, 2018

So far on the Switch, if there's a physical cart I buy it. But I've bought tons of digital games on it as well that are all indies. I'm still a sucker for padding my shelves. However, I also often lend games to friends so that works out too.

SinCityAssassin · Oct 31, 2018

If I can't play the game by default without the content update, then it's not for me. If it's somehow in a playable state without it, that's a reluctant pass.

legend166 · Oct 31, 2018

I buy retail because of price and resale. Downloads don't bother me too much unless it's egregious.

eXistor · Oct 31, 2018

Downloads suck, but it's never deterred me from buying physical.

dock · Oct 31, 2018

My favourite oldest example of this problem is Samba de Amigo 2000. A large number of the songs in the game could not be unlocked through gameplay. They were unlocked by files on the VMU that could only be downloaded via the web browser. This makes the VMU with these files on it a precious ticking time bomb.

My general feeling with this is that I'm very disappointed that physical disc copies on consoles are so meaningless, and the same thing happened with PC gaming. It's a shame there's no fallback for no-DLC digital backups for console games. Heck, the switch doesn't even have backups.

It could be worse. Look at iOS gaming!

Vito · Oct 31, 2018

D.Lo said:
While absolutely cool, it actually makes this interesting - in the future second hand/retro Switch market, not all cartridges will be equal.

We'll be searching down a copy of Mario Odyssey version 3.63 etc.

Mario Odyssey hasn't had an update in 8 months. I believe the game is done and I'm safe to rebuy it to have update 1.2 on the cart.

Interficium said:
What a weird fucking hill to die on.

Don't really care what someone that clearly doesn't care about game preservation thinks.

redmoss · Oct 31, 2018

The bizarre physical/digital restraints gamers put on themselves are a reflection upon, a denial of, the fact that all things are momentary, fleeting and subject to decay, degradation and loss. To hold on to an incomplete medium that will mold away on a shelf and be unplayable in 10 years time, or to worry that titles can and will be removed from a digital storefront, is a refusal to confront the inevitability of thermodynamics and our own eventual demise. Once you accept this you will free yourself from a heavy burden and realise the 40-100 hours of enjoyment you get from a game is the only thing with lasting value.

but uh if you get that nostalgia bug in like 15 years time i guess let's just hope there's working emulators and somebody backed up all the games

potatohead · Oct 31, 2018

My Internet is good so I don't mind download but I agree it's kind of redundant to buy a disc for just a license or Cd key basically

I'm buying less and less console games since I've built up my classic libraries mostly and on pc I'm all digital except for very occasionally buying an old physical copy game last of which was halo 1 and before thay probably cnc first decade

redmoss said:
The bizarre physical/digital restraints gamers put on themselves are a reflection upon, a denial of, the fact that all things are momentary, fleeting and subject to decay, degradation and loss. To hold on to an incomplete medium that will mold away on a shelf and be unplayable in 10 years time, or to worry that titles can and will be removed from a digital storefront, is a refusal to confront the inevitability of thermodynamics and our own eventual demise. Once you accept this you will free yourself from a heavy burden and realise the 40-100 hours of enjoyment you get from a game is the only thing with lasting value.

but uh if you get that nostalgia bug in like 15 years time i guess let's just hope there's working emulators and somebody backed up all the games

yup nothing is permanent

Which is why digital storing of game content is so important and also backing up data on pc :)

Waluigilicious · Oct 31, 2018

Vito said:
Mario Odyssey hasn't had an update in 8 months. I believe the game is done and I'm safe to rebuy it to have update 1.2 on the cart.

Don't really care what someone that clearly doesn't care about game preservation thinks.

It may not be an update as such, but what about having to connect to the internet to receive new costumes? Those aren't on the disc either.

Vito · Oct 31, 2018

Waluigilicious said:
It may not be an update as such, but what about having to connect to the internet to receive new costumes? Those aren't on the disc either.

The game has nothing like that. The costumes were added on an update and just unlocked over time.

Waluigilicious · Oct 31, 2018

Vito said:
The game has nothing like that. The costumes were added on an update and just unlocked over time.

So you still need to update at some point to eventually get the costumes? I'm a little confused to how it works.

Deleted member 31873 · Oct 31, 2018

I buy physical because it's cheaper than digital, so a download makes no difference to me.

fourfourfun · Oct 31, 2018

If the game is a one shot and gone huge game, then physical. If I'm downloading something additional, digital.

Seneset · Oct 31, 2018

For console games the answer is DLC, the actual game has to be all on the disc. For PC, I'm willing to do games up to 30 gigs give or take. Just let me pre-load the game several days early.

Deleted member 30887 · Oct 31, 2018

Vito said:
Thank god Nintendo puts the current version on later print runs of their games. My Zelda cart has the final version on it.

I remember reading Nintendo doing this with the "Nintendo selects" versions of some 3ds games. I might just hold out on a lot of single player switch games if this is a common thing for them to do.

Is there any way to know which retail games are up to date?

Thoraxes · Oct 31, 2018

Day 1 patches are fine, as long as the game can be played without it.

Using the physical medium as a glorified download key is not.

Deleted member 17990 · Oct 31, 2018

Internet in Australia is shit so having to mandatory download anything to play the game especially for singleplayer, I avoid.

olobolger · Oct 31, 2018

I am a Switch as only console owner, and a nostalgic/wannaownthegame/otherreasons physical buyer, though I also buy digital games when they release only in that way.

For me the line it's on the full game being playable with what it's included in the disc/cart or not.

I'm fine with Doom (multiplayer as download, though sadly general game updates are not separate from that), Skyrim or Diablo (additional voices other than english as download).

I am not fine with L.A. Noire, NBA 2K Wolfenstein or Starlink, games that I'd most probably bought should they've offered better options.

Philly Cheesesteak · Oct 31, 2018

Vito said:
Thank god Nintendo puts the current version on later print runs of their games. My Zelda cart has the final version on it.

Isn't that more so for hacking purposes so people get updated to the most recent version when they play their game and can't revert to an earlier firmware?

Noppie · Oct 31, 2018

Philly Cheesesteak said:
Isn't that more so for hacking purposes so people get updated to the most recent version when they play their game and can't revert to an earlier firmware?

Regardless of the reason, it's still nice to have.

Deleted member 2328 · Oct 31, 2018

For me there is no point in buying a physical edition if:

Game needs a constant on-line connection. (I rarely buy these at all);

There is no full single-player mode on disc/cart. I'm fine with having to download multiplayer related content.

"True-ending" is DLC.

TSM · Oct 31, 2018

In the age of games as a service for many games a cart is just a snapshot of a game at that moment in time which many times is before launch and doesn't even include the day one patch. Physical copies started to lose their value when DLC was gaining prominence, and now with more and more games getting long term support they have even less value.

hank_tree · Oct 31, 2018

I just buy physical so I can share games with my friends and/or sell them if I don't want to keep them.

The download requirement doesn't impact that.

Cokie Bear · Oct 31, 2018

Vito said:
If I need to download anything to play or complete my single player then it's a no go.

You're missing out on a bunch of great digital only games then.

Deleted member 2328 · Oct 31, 2018

Gravy Boat said:
You're missing out on a bunch of great digital only games then.

We're talking specifically about physical releases.

Deleted member 8593 · Oct 31, 2018

On Switch, I tend to go 80-90% physical but the "line" is how much I want to play a game. I wasn't happy about Nintendo cheaping out on Bayonetta Switch but I love both games so I bought it. If I am already on the edge, like I was for Starlink, I am more likely to skip it altogether even if there's a price drop. But this is becoming more and more of a losing battle. With many larger games receiving considerable post-release support, a truly physical experience is becoming a thing of the past.

PC is completely digital and PS4 for the most part as well. In the case of something like Titanfall 2, it simply makes little sense to me to go physical when there's huge amounts of data to download anyway.

Physical loyalists: Where do you draw the line when it comes to download requirements?

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