Digital Vs Physical Purchases

As the title says i want to discuss the differences of digital and physical purchases of video games compare pros and cons and hear different opinions.....

• So i would to start with the digital purchases as i think is a trend which is here to stay.Purchasing a game digitally has many pros that really make our lives a lot easier...First of all for all the hardcore gamers that count every second after a game is released untill they play it ,i think you will all agree that digital copies have a major advantage here as you can download the game the second its been released and if sony develops its new feature where the game will be already downloaded and ready to play the second that it is released then there will be no more discussion on that matter.Second of all you can purchase and download a game without going to a store,lets say its really cold outside and rainning really hard how would you go to a store and buy the game that you want??.Physical copies can be ruined if you are not very careful or sometimes it might not even be your fault(my xbox 360 ruined a couple of Cd's for reasons that remain unknown)while the only danger that you deal with when bying games digitally is forgetting your password or having it hacked(both problems have a not so hard solution ).One thing that i personally count as an advantage of having a digital library of games instead of a physical one is the fact you dont have to change the disc in order to change the game,whenever i play on my ps4 i sit on my sofa which isnt very far from my console but still i have to stand up go wait for the disc to come out and put the other disc in,why not just press the ps button and just pick another game to play(of course i accept the fact that many of you wont see this as a pro or a con)!Of course nothing is perfect and so digital downloads have some disadvantages,i think what im about to mention is considered a very rare occasion but lets say that you just bought a new game digitally and suddenly your internet goes down for some reason.....you are no longer able to play the game untill your internet is fixed.Some gamers prefer to be offline at all times not connecting their console or pc to the internet at all, these games cant use the digital purchase feature.Another disadvantage which is only happening to last gen consoles is space requirment,digitally downloading a game means you have to install is something which you have to do anyway in the next gen consoles but last gen dont require physical copies to be installed for you to play.Last thing to mention is the price,i dont know if this is a fact about every country but in my country digital copies of a game cost 10-15 less euros than the physical copie e.g Infamous cost 69.99 and i bought it at ps store for 59.99,something i want to add is the fact that releasing a game digitally is also more convinient for the developers,mostly refering to indie industry which is offering more and more awesome games that are never released in physical copies.

• Now lets talk about the physical purchases and want pros/con do they have..Starting off with pros i think every gamer is also in a way a collector,we compare our libraries with others,our special edition items with others and our games are something we are proud of,but when you buy a game digitally theres no box or cd to show to your friends.Many might not notice it but to us gamers the box holds a great value how many times have you been excited to have a game that you go over the manual 5-10 times..or look at the back of the box to see some pictures of in-game content and read the amazing phrases and quotes that you are going to meet in the game,buying your games digitally also means you have to say goodbye to these things,some gamers wont mind saying goodbye to boxes and manuals as digital download seem to be more convinient but others wont even consider leaving behind the physical copies.Second advantage of physical purchases is the fact you can share your games way easier than sharing digital games(if its possible i havent looked into it at all)you just take your cd to a friend and you just shared your game!I have already mentioned the disadvantages of physical copies i will just summarize them real quick

1. CD's can be ruined
2. You have to change the cd to play a different game
3. Sometimes physical copies can be more costy
4. You will have to be more patient to play a game if you want to buy it physically

All the things i mentioned in the previous paragraphs are things that i notice in my gaming hours all the pros and cons are my personal opinion i havent looked into forums about this subject,so theres a fair chance ive missed a lot of pros and cons about both digital and physical purchases,also if some of the facts i present above are wrong please do tell,also id like to hear your opinion!!!

I will always prefer physical copies... Even if I had super fast download speeds. And for me, physical copies are usually cheaper.

I prefer physical copies even if I have to pay more for them. I seriously doubt that physical copies of games will go away any time soon. I still buy my movies and music in physical format and never have any problem getting the latest releases that way. Even the latest PC games I can still easily find on store shelves.

Physical 90 percent of the time. The other 10 percent would be ps plus games or if there is a huge sale on a certain game.

Digital is the only way to go, DVD's and BluRay are just stupid. Why?

1- You have to physically remove a disc to play or watch something different. With a digital library you have access to everything, everywhere at anytime at the push of a button.

2- You have to have space in your living quarters to store a bunch of pointless, waste of space boxes. It's nice to be able to use shelves for something more purposeful than storing a bunch of nerd boxes on.

3- Makes moving and travel easier. No need to weigh yourself down with a bunch of cases, discs, etc.

4- Better for the environment. No waste of resources to create plastic cases, discs and paper inserts and covers.

5- It's modern. I'm surprised technologies still ship with disc drives. It's a waste of space on the device that serves absolutely no purpose in the modern world. It's not 1995.

6- Waste of space for stores. Stores could sell something actually useful rather than devoting shelf space to an archaic media form. You don't see VHS sections at Wal-Mart, why the hell are there still DVD's, blu rays and CD's there? (and for that matter books and magazines)?

I go Physical most of the time. I like having the game there. I like the space that Physical takes instead of the digital type.

DD has too much middle man there and just just where you bought the game from but those that made the game. They have too much power in it.

For me, it really comes down to the type of game. I really like physical purchases, but their are some games that I prefer to just have on my system at all times since I play them so much already. Games like Animal Crossing, or MH3U for example. Games that I'm going to be spending a lot of time with, and I don't want to be constantly swapping discs or cartridges.

Music CD's are still 51% of the business. Im not sure what it is for video games. I usually buy physical product, though. 90% of my stuff is physical.

I prefer discs over digital

I see most of you prefer physical over digital! To be honest i was expecting the opposite but im happy to know this technology is still being supported ..I personally go for digital with most games and when they drop their price a lot(might take couple of years for some games) i buy a physical copy to put in my collection...For the games i really like i just go with Special editions..

physical for games that I really really think look awesome like Mass Effect, Batman, Darksiders, 3D mario, Zelda. Digital for games that look good, but aren't mind blowing.

Generally, I lean towards physical but right now I'm getting most of my 360 games digitally. But that's only because I got the console so late into the cycle that most of it's best games weren't on shelves anymore.

Once I get a PS4/XONE I'll probably go back to physical. So, I think it might just come down to ease and convenience for me rather than a personal preference.

I will always choose a physical disc over a digital, in general, and, even more so for the games I really like.

I despise even the thought of a digital-only future: it is unnecessary, foolish and anti-consumer to the core.

along with this I despise online and server requirements.

options yes- mandatory, hail no.

oh, and the fact that digital games aren't significantly cheaper is really all one needs to know to understand the ridiculousness of it all.

Digital takes away pretty much all your rights to that game, for me i will never go digital except on PC.

The fact is here in the uk games on digital are about £10 more than physical copies, and i see no advantages.

I mean are we really getting to the point that we're that lazy we can't get up off are arse and go and change a disc, I mean how many times do you change a game in a course of a sitting, unless your attention span is real short.

Physical is just so much better, I have something to show for my money, once the console life is over on PS4 and Xbox One and you went all digital, once you move on thats it, you've got nothing to show for that gen, for me I'll have every game sitting there on myself, in all it's glory for one day may get sold on, and i'll get money for it.

Strongly prefer physical over digital. At least with something that';s tangible I have something to show off, pretty boxart, and all that. I'm a collector of games so unless I cannot find it, that's when I'll opt for the less preferable medium.

Only games i buy in a physical box are collectors edition or consoles games, otherwise its all digital because why anything else? despite what steam or any other online distribution center might think, once i buy a game i own it and can do whatever the frag i want with that copy.

Its seem stupid to buy physical copies unless we are talking consoles there the digital versions are simply to pricey and its cheaper to buy the physical copies.

It all comes down to the idiot thing of Money, and also storage, with hard drives, the more on the drive, more likely it's going to bugger up. Even the cloud stuff is not secure and reliable. Wait two months and get the game cheap on disc as digital pricing and networking is useless. So better off with DVD/Blu ray, as you don't rely on internet /outside sources.

let me put it this way, as well: my kids know about the greed of this current generation and the attempt towards all-digital.

I don't believe anything these companies say. and, as every game comes out they prove they don't care about the games.

Physical whenever possible since I've been collecting games since NES days. Those of us who own multiple same-systems know you have to buy a separate digital copy for each system, but physical copies work with more than one system. You also can't trade, sell or give away digital media.

I like a physical game so I can install it quickly. Downloading a game of even a few gigs takes me all day on my crap internet.

Also its just nice to have it there to look at. If its digital, it doesnt feel like you really own it

One thing that bothers me the last few years is getting a physical copy of a PC game, but then having to activate in through steam. Basically I don't feel I own this game, so it takes away that nice feeling I had before this scam they came up with. I've got this feeling that some day I won't even be able to play these games because the activation server will not be around anymore. At least for console games they don't have this yet, but its likely M$ and Sony will make a backdoor deal and force it into their consoles next gen.

Last PC game I bought was Borderlands 2. Haven't bought a game since then cause I hate steam and any activation scams. Learned my lesson and won't buy any more pc games with DRM unless given no other choice.

I prefer physical copies because you have something to collect and put on the shelf. I love the cases (especially limited editions) with the artwork etc. Same goes for music, I still prefer cd's and even vinyl because of the art and the cover.

Definitley Physical copies- you can buy it and sell it used for about half of it's price you bought for, you can buy used games, you can lend them to your friend and almost kill him if he scratches your disc (its fun to do that).

The only real advantage I see with digital is you can access your content (if it's tied to an account) from anywhere. Although I would never buy digital from a console the cross-buy feature sony implemented with the PSV/PS3 is neat.

The one major disadvantage of digital content on a closed platform, once again only talking about consoles, is the impermanence of it, especially if PSN games don't cross over from the PS3 era. When servers are shut down for the PS3 have fun trying to buy digital games for the system, and some games are exclusive to those system's digital stores like Outland. PC you don't have this problem with because you'll always be able to find a way to get a digital copy of something you want.

Same here. Except now digital downloads are becoming cheaper than physical copies. On PSN for example, Ground Zeroes is $10 less than the physical disc. Metal Gear Rising Ultimate Edition with all DLC's was a digital download only. They're trying to eventually phase out physical copies but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

There is a reason that companies are pushing the Digital and it is not for the players.

digital-only and mandatory internet has nothing to do with gamers and consumers. it only TRULY benefits the companies.

digital-only and mandatory internet is for the blind or fools.

@wiouds: You're right. The Walking Dead is another slick tactic to promote digital. Episodic releases months apart. Granted, it's a good series but still, you could just wait and buy the whole season on disc and still pay less than having a season pass.

If they did phase out physical media, I would be gaming strictly retro as far as consoles go. Retro meaning PS3, PS4 or whatever the last gen is that has physical discs. With the 2 console limit for downloads, at least on PSN, and worrying about internet speed, HD space, etc, it just doesn't beat having a physical disc.

I THINK DIGITAL GAMES ARE BETTER THAN PHYSICAL GAMES BECAUSE THEY NEVER GET SCRATCHED.YOU CAN TRUELY ENJOY THE GAME FOREVER.MISSION GAMES ARE PLAYED ONCE,AFTER THEIR COMPLETION THE DISCS ARE NO MORE USED.HENCE THESE DISCS HAVE LESS FEAR OF GETTING DAMAGED BECAUSE USED LESS.

BUT GAMES LIKE WWE 2K14 OR FIFA OR CRICKET ARE OFTENLY PLAYED AGAIN AND AGAIN.SO AT LEAST IN CASE OF THESE TYPE OF GAMES DIGITAL DOWNLOAD IS THE BEST OPTION.

cant share digital copies go figure so nope

Retail is always better, atleast where XBox is concerned.

@bezza2011: I completely agree!.. Is it really that hard to move your ass a couple of feet and lift an "oh so heavy" disc? lol sad

Each one has it's role, if you have a huuuge storage capacity digital is nice, and instant access to the game is nice(no fumbling around for the game disc.)

However you can't re-sell or trade in a digital copy and if you are a collector that likes to show off his or her collection..kinda sucks.

To be fair, Physical Discs don't just "get scratched", truth is you are getting them scratched, thats what happens when you don't take care of your stuff.

Although its completely ruled out with digital, with a physical it could still happen even if you do take care of you stuff. My 360 chomped up a few games and scratched the hell out of them, that was nothing to do with how I was taking care of my discs

@thehig1

Ofcourse it did... 360 Sucks.

I'd perfer digital if physical weren't almost always cheaper.

While I think digital downloads are more convenient, I really only trust physical purchases, as digital typically causes many complications with me, between my credit card and just overall download and connection issues. And physical copies can be traded and returned, so i'm personally more of a physical copies person.

You lease digital copies and many times the company have control over it. The worse part is that could be overruled about if you can play that game. Some will try to lie and say that you did purchase the game and how you still have the right to it but this is not true. It is still a nice long term rental system.

At least with physical copies I do not have a third party each time I want to play may games.

A combination of both. I like physical discs because they don't take long to install compared to downloading and then installing a digital copy. This is especially true if the game is big.

On the other hand, many devices are dispensing with optical drives. My ASUS laptop doesn't have a built-in optical drive. It makes more sense to have digital copies.

Every time my Internet goes down or a problem happens to psn or xbl, all my xbone digital games canot be played at all, and a few notable ps4 games as well. Always go physical when the option is there.

physical all the way.

All the responses about people saying physical aren't good cause cd/dvds get scratches on them making them useless are a bit off. I've never had any get scratched enough to the point they wouldn't work.. but on top of that even if i did break one, i have them backed up 2-3 times over. You guys should learn how to copy your games. I have ISO backups of every floppy/cd/dvd i've bought since the early 90s.

Digital is beyond useless, once the company shuts down or whatever in the future, all those games you bought go up in dust unless you had them cracked to run in offline mode (except GOG digital games which will install them without an internet connection).

But .... a downfall of the physical copies in last few years is this crap steam activation for most games... if steam disappears, all those physical copies of games will also become useless.

So basically if your going digital only, GOG or another DRM free place, is the only safe service to use since you can install the games as much as you want with no internet connection. Steam is a steaming pile of crap.

Digital games all the way for me, you never lose your games, they never get scratched or ruined, they are right there infront of you by the push of a button, they don't take up space in your livingroom, in my mind there are only positive things about digital purchase. Physical discs will die out slowly but certent, one videoshop and two gameshops have ran out of buisness just in the area where i live. If your a collector though i can understand why you want your games physically.

If I am buying for a console I go physical everytime,

For PC I prefer digital, since I do most of my PC gaming on my laptop physical copies are a burden, and unlike consoles, when I do get a new PC all my games will still conveniently be there.

As a PC gamer who is awfully familiar to double click on icons to start games, I certainly prefer digital.

As hard drive capacity is so big these days, there's really no need for physical stuff.

More than half a year later I would like to revise my original post. Sony has been doing some amazing flash deals that has led me to purchase multiple games from their digital store front. $1 game sales make the inherent risk of purchasing digital games on a close platform reduce to extremely low. The physical copies of the same game cannot be the digital prices of these sales. Digital copies also reduce required physical storage space and reduce clutter of my shelves.

Outland released onto steam undetected a month or two ago.

I prefer Digital but I think there should always be Physical Copy for a big budget game if possible .

As I always say in topics like this, DD only will never be a thing, and any system that employs it will shoot itself in the foot. You have to take into consideration that high speed internet simply isn't available everywhere, and even where it is available doesn't mean that people can afford it. Even then, people who have high speed internet might also have data caps, and those get approached quickly when you're downloading games at 15-30 gigs a pop. It's a nice option to have, but it will never or should ever be the standard.

same here, i go for the physical copy. I go for them when they are downloadable only or on a really good sale. But 90% of the time i go for the physical copy

Only Physical Disk ! Because many people don't have access to internet or high speed internet ! we can't change digital game with friends! we can't play game when game server or internet is down. download each game is very time-consuming . if your device ( PS4 or PC or Xbox One ) face with software issue and reinstall software ( Initialize ) all downloaded games has been removed and you should download all games again! :( you need more free H.D.D for save all game! and ...........................

I had an amazing breakdown on the differences.

Long story short. PHYSICAL.