Battlefield 3: Steam or Retail?

So what is the advantage of both? Are the points correct?

Pro Steam:

Automatic updates

Steam friends

Tied to your account

Pro Retail:

No need to wait for Steam to launch to begin playing

Pretty retail box to put on your bookshelf with pride

Here in Australia Steam is almost always the cheaper option, and if not cheaper (not by much) it's certainly more convenient for me. I already know I prefer Steam over retail so it's a no brainer for me.

Depends. If retail has annoying DRM and is more expensive steam version.

If niether of those is an issue retail.

Retail Collectors edition OFC with a toy or whatever they put in... 8)

Retail because I like my boxes.Elann2008

[QUOTE="Elann2008"]Retail because I like my boxes.DigitalExile

I generally go through EA/EADM for EA produced games, but if i can't then Steam it is.

I'll try to get the Expensive Version :), Hope it has a miniature Jet :PPP

Steam!

Through a US proxy to pay US price, to avoid the likely AU price ripoff!

:)

Steam..life is so much easier with Steam...Unless you get it real cheap Retail there is no reason to go back to old school.

So what is the advantage of both? Are the points correct?

Pro Steam:

Automatic updates

Steam friends

Tied to your account

Daytona_178

retail version of Bad Company 2 automatically checks for updates when you launch it. also has a friend-list in-game, so it only leaves the "tied to your account" as pro for Steam version.

i bet it will be the same with BF3. retail for me, cos i like boxez! BC2 also doesn't require you to have the game DVD in the drive when you play it.

[QUOTE="Daytona_178"]

So what is the advantage of both? Are the points correct?

Pro Steam:

Automatic updates

Steam friends

Tied to your account

groowagon

retail version of Bad Company 2 automatically checks for updates when you launch it. also has a friend-list in-game, so it only leaves the "tied to your account" as pro for Steam version.

i bet it will be the same with BF3. retail for me, cos i like boxez! BC2 also doesn't require you to have the game DVD in the drive when you play it.

retail.. many times the boxed copy contains nice goodies steam doesnt offer.. for example the witcher 2 or duke nukem forever.. another fine example was bfbc2 and opfp2: DR

I'm surprised that the poll is that close. I prefer having the retail copy, not sure why. I guess the same reason I'll never buy a Kindle; I want the physical copy in my hand.

depends on my internet situtation at college and how steam works with it. If its fine steam if not gamestop.

If there is any crazy special edition I will be getting that.

I have not decided yet will wait to see what the boxed version includes.

These days I only purchase retail games where there is added value. CD Projekt with The Witcher, SC2, GTAIV for example where they put effort with normal editions then you got collectors edition that I also like to get. Other than that I mostly purchase games through Steam & other DD now.

The football manager series if I recall correctly actually one of few games where even if you buy retail you get the option of activating it normally or choose to activate it on steam, this is highly unlikely to happen with BF3 but would have been the perfect buy as retail for me is usually cheaper here in the uk than steam and you also get the boxed version.

I don't mind if its tied to steam since its going to be tied to the ea account anyway and we are all mainly getting this for MP.

DA2 retail won't require the disc to be kept in and I hope EA/Dice go the same route because BC2 retail does require a disk check.

Hopefully I can buy retail and then there will be a Steam activation code! Best of all worlds.Remmib

+1

I dream of this...

But if that would not be possible ill go with steam...because is more convenient...where i live retail prices of the games are as same as steam(only that steam has deals every weekend,which retail hasnt)

retail.. many times the boxed copy contains nice goodies steam doesnt offer.. for example the witcher 2 or duke nukem forever.. another fine example was bfbc2 and opfp2: DR

ionusX

What goodies did BC2 retail have over steam?

If the steam version of BF3 does not come with the karkand map pack if I preorder, then im getting the retail.

[QUOTE="ionusX"]

retail.. many times the boxed copy contains nice goodies steam doesnt offer.. for example the witcher 2 or duke nukem forever.. another fine example was bfbc2 and opfp2: DR

NanoMan88

What goodies did BC2 retail have over steam?

a cool box ahahaha
okay so bfbc2 is a bad example but the others lsited werent

I like having a physical copy, but I also like steam...

Steamworks please... :P

Pretty retail box to put on your bookshelf with pride

Daytona_178

thats all I need. I feel bad now that Amnesia is at retail cause I want the box. Same with Sniper Ghost Warrior, STALKER, STALKER CoP...dangit. I love me some boxarts.

Which ever I can get a discount on day one, and it's looking to be retail so far.

I'm thinking retail. We don't yet know how good the Steam integration will be. It just wasn't there in BF:BC2, so why would there be in BF3?

All things being equal? I'm going Steam.

However, if a retail vendor comes up witha cool, exclusive Pre-Order bonus, I might take another look.

I buy through digital on games I want, but aren't super excited for.

BF3 on the other hand I've been waiting for well over 2 or 3 years now and I've been excited for it for pretty much the entire time. Retail for sure.

Neither. You know this game is gonna be $59.95 on Steam, and I'm sure I'll be able to preorder it from another DD service for less :P

I am getting it through Steam, unless the collectors edition has something really neat in it. Steam auto updates are the best.

Steam. That's how I do PC games now. That is, unless it has Steamworks. Then I'll go retail just because of the nice box.

Here in Australia Steam is almost always the cheaper option, and if not cheaper (not by much) it's certainly more convenient for me. I already know I prefer Steam over retail so it's a no brainer for me.

DigitalExile

definitely, Steam is much more convenient and cheap if you live in Australia (as i wouldn't know the pricing in most other countries)

So what is the advantage of both? Are the points correct?

Pro Steam:

Automatic updates

Steam friends

Tied to your account

Pro Retail:

No need to wait for Steam to launch to begin playing

Pretty retail box to put on your bookshelf with pride

Daytona_178

If these are the only differences then I will more than likely get a Digital copy, from Steam or D2D, gamersgate or something...

Lighter on resources, and energy.

I don't need anything more taking up any more room, I like an open room, I don't like owning much physical crap. (I mimize as much as possible of my own personal goods, most of my instruments are digital, not all though lol) Though I am thinking of getting a good big rug/carpet thing to put in the center of the room on the floor, the reverb can be a little too much for mixing music, when I am not using my headphones.. Plus It minimizes the sound carried through the house.

Anyway I digress, Digital Copy for me!

im goin with steam