Why would people go digital only when it’s so financially bad compared to physical?
- Thread starter Dave
- Start date
I dont buy games day one, and games are generally cheap if you buy on PC. there's no console tax.
Also save me spaces and declutter my room. I am not a kid anymore, so I dont want those silly shelves of countless game discs as some visual trophies.
Buying digital also have major positive environment effects too. Save on gas petrol cost to drive to the game shop to buy the game, discourage tangible electronic waste eg (plastic cases and discs) etc.
Physical game shops also dont sell every games for the platform at all time so there's possibility the game is sold out too. They only stock the latest and popular titles. And if you are on amazon buying a niche game, you might as well buy it on the digital store and save the waiting time.
Also save me spaces and declutter my room. I am not a kid anymore, so I dont want those silly shelves of countless game discs as some visual trophies.
Buying digital also have major positive environment effects too. Save on gas petrol cost to drive to the game shop to buy the game, discourage tangible electronic waste eg (plastic cases and discs) etc.
Physical game shops also dont sell every games for the platform at all time so there's possibility the game is sold out too. They only stock the latest and popular titles. And if you are on amazon buying a niche game, you might as well buy it on the digital store and save the waiting time.
Same price, and dont have to swap discs, and can take your library with you wherever you are. Inm some cases it also goes is available on more than one platform (Xbox/PC and PS4/Vita)
I have bought games digitally because I don't have to get up and swap discs but the prices are a huge problem . So unless it's a game I really want I usually wait for a sale even then retail is still cheaper.
It's mostly games that I know I will be playing over and over again that I buy digitally rarely never a single player game. I always make sure I can play it offline after buying it too.
It's mostly games that I know I will be playing over and over again that I buy digitally rarely never a single player game. I always make sure I can play it offline after buying it too.
Traveling a few miles costs time and is bad for the environment if you go by car. So if you have much spare time to spend for boring shopping trips or don't care for the environment... yes just get a physical copy to save a few dollar ;)
Especially on Switch its just great that you can take all your games with you.
So, consoles are kinda new to this. But digital is way cheaper than physical was on PC, and PC games were cheaper than console.
If people think digital is why things are expensive or whatever, it's not. Digital prices would have been pretty reasonable, Sony and MS get to keep things at ludicrous prices because they have you trapped in their closed ecosystem, in which you have no say in pretty much anything. You just gotta deal with what they give you, good or bad.
Time is money. It takes me one hour to buy a game at retail and I luckily earn more than 10€/hour. That plus the convenience to not have to deal with crowded places and not having to swap discs...how could anyone still go with plastic boxes.
I buy all the big hits day one. That's 3-4 games per year. The rest I buy during sales and those digital prices don't even make me remotely think about reselling again. And reselling also means work. Selling a game is another hour of work and the small chance of encountering an asshole buyer on ebay. Meh, I'm fine.
I buy all the big hits day one. That's 3-4 games per year. The rest I buy during sales and those digital prices don't even make me remotely think about reselling again. And reselling also means work. Selling a game is another hour of work and the small chance of encountering an asshole buyer on ebay. Meh, I'm fine.
lol I can spare a few minutes and the environment will survive a short car ride. If we're bringing up the environment as a defense of digital now then we're really stretching.
I've been a mostly physical guy for years, trading in the games when I am done (for SP games) and rebuying digitally if I want the game "forever".
This fall however, at least in the USA, the corner has really turned to heavily favor digital. Black Friday / CyberMonday this year had a ton of sales on very recent games, and the prices were pretty much equivalent between physical and digital. Trade in values for used games have also dropped hard, while before it was easy to get $40-45 for a new game at gamestop/best buy now the max is around $35 in the first 30 days and it drops hard fast after that.
Plus I find myself wanting fewer and fewer games every year. It was easy to skip Battlefield 5 and Fallout 76 this year, they both didn't look great and both dropped to 50% within a week of release. Thats insane.
I expect the tide to continue in digitals favor going forward, there will still be games I buy physically (SP games) to trade but at this point the real decision is whether to buy a game at launch or wait a few days or weeks for a sale.
This fall however, at least in the USA, the corner has really turned to heavily favor digital. Black Friday / CyberMonday this year had a ton of sales on very recent games, and the prices were pretty much equivalent between physical and digital. Trade in values for used games have also dropped hard, while before it was easy to get $40-45 for a new game at gamestop/best buy now the max is around $35 in the first 30 days and it drops hard fast after that.
Plus I find myself wanting fewer and fewer games every year. It was easy to skip Battlefield 5 and Fallout 76 this year, they both didn't look great and both dropped to 50% within a week of release. Thats insane.
I expect the tide to continue in digitals favor going forward, there will still be games I buy physically (SP games) to trade but at this point the real decision is whether to buy a game at launch or wait a few days or weeks for a sale.
I get two copies when I buy digital with the way it functions on the platforms I use. Physical is very rarely 2x cheaper to offset that cost.
That's certainly a conclusion you can reach when formulate a strawman position out of everyone who doesn't share your viewpoint.
1) I stock up on Xbox/PSN/eShop credit when it's 15%-20% off
2) PSN doesn't charge tax in Canada. Automatic 13% discount vs retail
3) I almost never buy games on launch day and wait for a sale.
4) Since I don't resell my games. Digital often works out cheaper for me.
2) PSN doesn't charge tax in Canada. Automatic 13% discount vs retail
3) I almost never buy games on launch day and wait for a sale.
4) Since I don't resell my games. Digital often works out cheaper for me.
I wait for digital sales. If it's a day one I just buy digital so I can play at 11pm instead of after work the next day.
I buy digital only so when I move I don't have to carry any disc with me. Last year I moved to work in another country for a year and all I did was buying another PS4 there, signing in and boom! I got the access of all my games. Digital is the best.
I dont mind as I get it "now" - bought God of War, Beat Saber and Detroit and a fair few other games at launch and I enjoyed them all. so no regrets.
I also buy lots of shit on sale so its a win.
I also buy lots of shit on sale so its a win.
i have installed on both my PS4, XB1 and Switch about 120 games currently digitally installed. To be able to go in and out any of those games without having to get up swap discs and all that shit is the reason why i won't go physical.
Convenience over everything!
Convenience over everything!
As a parent, stacks of discs are a complete waste of money when they're destroyed. I also like not having to swap discs between plays.
I make a lot of money and don't mind paying the premium. I also love that my whole collection sits on a 4 TB external hard drive instead of a bunch of plastic cases on a shelf.
Different people like different things, not a terribly complicated concept.
Different people like different things, not a terribly complicated concept.
It's definitely not better financially for me.
Shops in Hungary don't have nearly as good deals as the PS Store.
Shops in Hungary don't have nearly as good deals as the PS Store.
I only buy a handful of games a year. I only buy games when I'm ready to play them and not to hoard them or display them. I don't feel any need to carry around extra shit and I only play Switch these days. I don't have any need to sell my old stuff for a few extra bucks.
Game Sharing is basically why I'm all digital at this point. (as in one copy = both can play at same time or whenever)
I never trade in my games, even if i did by the time I finished them It wouldn't be worth much, and I rarely buy them full price. I don't like cluttered shelves of boxes. I don't currently worry about data caps, so I don't care about download sizes.
That's it. The end.
Digital is much cheaper for me. Also spend my time between 2 regions, Europe and Asia. Easier to pack and transport if digital. Might buy a special kind of game in physical tough... like Kestui on ps4 this month.
Ultimately the real answer is that everybody has time preferences and trade offs they take into consideration. Markets aren't a unanimous blob.
Is it still a strawman if dozens of people in this very thread have said they prefer all digital because the don't like disc swapping? I am not making those people up.
But I will concede that is was a lazy argument to make. People have many other reasons for going all digital. I just don't feel that any of those reasons are worth giving up my rights to trade, loan, resell and actually own media. But I know the war is already lost. All digital future is inevitable. But I don't have to like it.
Not even close to being true. Hitman 2 is $30 on disc already.
I suppose it's theoretical at this point but they are supposed to last longer than CDs or DVDs. I have CD based games that are from 1991 that still play great so it is my estimate that most properly cared for Blu Ray discs will outlive me.
What's the half life of a digital distribution platform?
I guess I'm just bitter. I recently lost $100+ worth of purchases from the Telltale store. Also Apple has removed some TV shows I purchased from my library (rights issues? No idea). Had a bought those on Physical media I would still have them.
My PC doesn't even have a disc drive anymore. Even if you do buy physical PC games, half of them are basically just a key in a box and require entire games to be downloaded. I'm actually okay with it... the average price I spend on PC games is cheaper than console games by a considerable margin.
On the other hand, I'm largely resistant to having a digital library on any console. Some reasons are 1) I'm at the mercy of Sony/Microsoft/Nintendo's pricing. There are decent sales, but nothing like PC where there are multiple stores selling keys 2) STEAM is unmetered on my ISP, the others aren't. Also, downloads on PSN are slowwww comparatively. 3) I have full faith that my PC games will continue to work essentially forever (at least for a long time). Will my digital PS4 games work on PS5? Who the hell knows!
Anyway, I am open to a fully digital future... but only if the console markers open the marketplace up significantly, and guarantee forward compatibility.
On the other hand, I'm largely resistant to having a digital library on any console. Some reasons are 1) I'm at the mercy of Sony/Microsoft/Nintendo's pricing. There are decent sales, but nothing like PC where there are multiple stores selling keys 2) STEAM is unmetered on my ISP, the others aren't. Also, downloads on PSN are slowwww comparatively. 3) I have full faith that my PC games will continue to work essentially forever (at least for a long time). Will my digital PS4 games work on PS5? Who the hell knows!
Anyway, I am open to a fully digital future... but only if the console markers open the marketplace up significantly, and guarantee forward compatibility.
Having all your games on the system rules and there's plenty of good sales.
It's especially useful for a handheld since you're traveling with the system.
It actually fucking sucks right now that I have several new physical Switch games i have to fumble for. I'm all up in my bed in the dark and I'm tired of Diablo and want to switch to DBF. If i had those games on the system it would be as easy as hitting the home button.
I'm not trying to like, hussle for $8 store credit. I mean shit, i just sold Pokemon LetsGo Pikachu and Gamestop gave me $28. That game just fucking came out. They gave me $6 for Fire Emblem Warriors.
Fuck that, I'd rather go digital. At least I won't have to worry about losing my game somewhere. The Switch games are very tiny.
It's especially useful for a handheld since you're traveling with the system.
It actually fucking sucks right now that I have several new physical Switch games i have to fumble for. I'm all up in my bed in the dark and I'm tired of Diablo and want to switch to DBF. If i had those games on the system it would be as easy as hitting the home button.
I'm not trying to like, hussle for $8 store credit. I mean shit, i just sold Pokemon LetsGo Pikachu and Gamestop gave me $28. That game just fucking came out. They gave me $6 for Fire Emblem Warriors.
Fuck that, I'd rather go digital. At least I won't have to worry about losing my game somewhere. The Switch games are very tiny.
Personally, it's not a financial hardship and...
a) I detest the stranglehold retail has on distribution, given how little value they have to offer. What exactly did they do to earn my money?
b) Developers, publishers, and the console vendors all actively contribute to making my hobby enjoyable, so paying a little more when I'm sure every penny goes to them doesn't bother me. If the model succeeds, they won't need to raise price to keep it sustainable.
c) I hate wondering whether my physical game is going to arrive. Pre-load and midnight unlocks guarantee that I can start playing when I think I'm going to.
a) I detest the stranglehold retail has on distribution, given how little value they have to offer. What exactly did they do to earn my money?
b) Developers, publishers, and the console vendors all actively contribute to making my hobby enjoyable, so paying a little more when I'm sure every penny goes to them doesn't bother me. If the model succeeds, they won't need to raise price to keep it sustainable.
c) I hate wondering whether my physical game is going to arrive. Pre-load and midnight unlocks guarantee that I can start playing when I think I'm going to.