Buy Physical or digital copies of games?

[aperture7]

I also prefer digital copies of games, but I have been recently buying a lot of games available only by download. I think I'll keep doing this. Physical games can be traded or sold a bit easier, lent to friends, etc. But if there's going to be a price difference, I'd look at downloading.

 

[novasparker]

The main consideration for me is the ability to trade games in for credit on other games. You can only do this with physical copies that I am aware of right now, so physical discs it is. When they figure out how to swap out digital copies, then count me in because I hate storing physical media and I hate it when the games get damaged.

 

[jstep7262]

Physical. Just like my movies. I just prefer to have the physical copies of games...Oh, and I want the original case as well. I hate going to Gamestop and getting a game with a crappy generic case. Uugh.

 

[themarksquared]

I used to prefer physical copies of my games due to my slow internet connection and because I wanted to have a large physical collection of video games. But nowadays, I have bought more digital games due to the different sales and the like.

 

[mauricioq]

Definitely physical, I like to keep my games on a shelf so I can show them hahah.
Anyways, with the physical version you can sell it, trade it or even take it to a friends house to play it together, sure you can log onto your account but it's just more easy and simple like this.

 

[Munchkinator]

Definitely physical for a lot of the same reasons already mentioned. It's tangible so it feels a lot more valuable. You can't borrow/trade/lend digital copies. Physical discs don't eat away at the room in your HDD. Besides, I don't much trust digitally downloading games more than I'm comfortable just heading to my local game shop.

 

[Abradax]

Digital.
All my games in one place, no physical storage needs. My kids can't destroy or lose them.

 

[Loyal2mysoil]

Yeah, seriously man! What's up with that?

Surely they save a few bucks not having to bundle the game in a case and disk etc. Not to mention the packaging. Why the hell are they offered at the same price regardless?

This really makes no sense and I hope next gen we would have cheaper digital games than their physical counterparts.

Physical has resale value. /thread lol

 

[Pickicool]

It may seem odd, but it is important for me to have a physical version. Otherwise, I do not really have the impression that the game really belong to me.

I never buy digitals games. Except sometimes on PC because of the savings.
On PS4, I still remain on the physical medium. Then I like it see all my games before me.

Even though it may sound silly, first quon returned the game in the console is still a mythical time.

PHYSICAL SUPPORT FOR ALWAYS.

 

[Joker99352]

I hate digital copies of just about anything, unless they're really really cheap. I very rarely make exceptions, except maybe on Steam for PC since it backs up your purchases, so to speak. I just don't trust not having physical copies of things, and I always take really good care of my material items so I don't worry about them getting damaged beyond use. I'm extremely reluctant to buy eBooks, and I think it's absurd that they cost the same as physical copies when they aren't being manufactured or use up any materials. Same goes for games and music.

 

[efrahinu19]

This is my beliefs but what I would do is buy the exclusives on disc format and buy third party games digitaly. But if you want all your games on disc then be sure to have a big shelf or if you don't want the responsibility of taking care of the disc then have many hard drives and maybe one big hard drive. Again, I'd only get the exclusives on disc; the rest can go on my hard drive.

 

[Shana]

I've always bought physical copies of games but I think this time around I'm going to start buying digital copies. Very rarely do I take my game to someone's house anymore so I don't really need a physical copy. It would also be nice to just sit down and have every single game I own in front of me rather then having to get up to switch the disc. Haha that makes me sound like such the lazy gamer! But wouldn't we all be more lazy if we could!

 

[Banister]

To be honest I prefer the physical version of games. Though I have nothing personal with digital copies I always fear since if such games are corrupted or either deleted before I get satisfied with their service I may end up losing my entire investment into pain.

 

[Boundless]

Physical all the way.

It's a lot more pleasing to hold the original plastic case and add it to your collection on the shelf.

You also save a lot of space.

 

[RobDaCool]

I prefer physical copies. I reserve my HDD space for free PS+ games, demos and the occasional digital only game that isn't available on physical disk.

 

[Mizali]

I have never bought any physical edition of game since 2011. Yes, it's been 2 years since I have bought any physical game. I prefer to purchase all my games online now.

I think that it's been at least that long since I bought a physical copy of a game, too. I don't ever sell my games or trade them, so having the physical ones for that reason isn't important to me. I've also never had a digital copy of a game get damaged and be inaccessible, and I've never put one somewhere and then not been able to find it. I can't even put them back in the wrong case!

 

[daemeonp]

Physical is always better than digital. I like having something concrete to show for my money spent. Not to mention, a digital copy never comes with the game case or a physical copy of the instruction booklet. There is always the potential for losing your account information which contained your copy of the digital copies. There is no "trade-in" value for digital copies. Twenty years from now, when you want to plug in your old PS4 system and play "old-school" games, if you didn't get a hard copy, you probably aren't going to be able to enjoy your old classic titles.

 

[jardantuan]

I think I'll probably go digital, though it'll depend on things like hard drives and game sizes.

I've bought a couple of games digitally on the 3DS (it's so convenient to always have Animal Crossing ready to play!), and I've bought a number of Wii U games digitally, though a lot of them are eShop titles which don't take up much space (32GB isn't much, but at least I don't have to buy a proprietary hard drive).

When I eventually get a PS4, I will more than likely go digital. I appreciate that a lot of people enjoy having the game cases and artwork, but I don't have a whole lot of storage space, and I really like how convenient it is. I also like that while I don't technically 'own' the game, I could always re-download it should anything happen to my console. With a physical disk there's always the risk of damage and not being able to read it.

 

[Legendoflore]

I'm still a bit old school about my gaming and love me some hard copies. But I understand where technology is going and that eventually we'll be forced to go digital. Hard disks are being slowly but surely phased out, so it's just something that we all have to accept.

 

[drmrw]

I prefer digital. The main reason is that if your collection gets burned up in a fire or stolen you're done! Once you own with Sony you own it forever. Also, the physical games take up space on your hardrive ANYWAY yet you STILL HAVE PUT IN THE DAMN DISC! What's the point? If you like to take advantage of the Ps4 portability (and it is VERY portable thank god there's no power brick) then you have take your games as well. I prefer to have something that has all the content on it already. Seriously, who schleps around a wallet full of CDs to play their music? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? There is at least one upside however of the physical disc. RESALE! I'll give you that one. Anyhow, just my 2 cents.