Digital Distribution or Actual Copies Which Do You Prefer?

DD....boxes and manuals are clutter for me and eventually get thrown out. Steam is my primary DD method so it is nice to have all my game stored on one space. If I ever have to reformat I just log back into my steam account and redownload them easily. You get the .pdf files of the manuals so you are basically getting everything you get in the box. Only reason I see now to get a physical copys is collectors editions.

Also most DD services allow you to back up the files so you dont have to go through the downloading process.

Digital Distribution FTW. It's easier and I don't have to wait in lines forever. BitTorrent especiallykokomos

It will take you more time to dl a 10Gb games instead of going to a store buy a dvd and come back...

Digital Distribution all the way. There are just too many great points that speak for it.

• The games will always work. No CDs or DVDs that can scratch, crack or get worn out. Nobody can say that that is not awesome.
• Every game ever made will forever be available. Believe it or not, hard copies equate to limited supply. Any gamer should be happy over this.
• Downloaded games only waste HDD space. Hardcopy games waste physical space. A HDD is smaller than a batch of games and easier to transport as well.
• Manuals and DVD boxes wear out too and become ugly. Why keep that useless trash anyway? You would not only do yourself a favour, but the environment as well. Positive externality, anyone?

Digital distribution solves the vast majority of the problems I have had with gaming. Why prevent progress from happening? I want things to get smaller, sexier, cleaner and simpler. I move a lot and want to lead an efficient life to boot. Having loads of game boxes which serve no real purpose apart from to prevent outdated means of storing data safe is quite irritating.

Actual hard copies. I'm a collector just as much as I am a gamer. It drives me crazy to think that I wouldn't be able to play a game in 10 years that I bought today. That's always a possibility with DD.

I'm slowly easing my way into the idea of DD with XBLA/PSN games though. Games that are exclusively available as download I don't have a problem with.

Actual Copies hands down

spidadragon1

yeah, but i ll go with crappy games for D-D

just another fanboy page, face it, you are NEVER, EVER EVER going to change anyones fans opinion with your one sided uncompromising views, yea repeatedly saying the same things over will never change someones opinion for them to see things your way. you have to use facts, and logic and be willing to be flexible, be willing to accept that your console is not the GOD console!! then they can make a rational descision about which console they think is the winner. most fanboys will never see eye to eye , and are not capable of that kind of mature rationality, and logic wont change their arrogant, attitudes, and refusal of to be COMPROMISING. all of these "fanboys" take a more biased immature bashful approach. you will never win system wars like that. may this message have a place in your hearts and in your signature to all who believe me armymen4

Digital Distribution FTW. It's easier and I don't have to wait in lines forever. BitTorrent especiallykokomos

... And what companies are selling games via BitTorrent exactly?

Actual Copies by far.

I appreciate the art work covers of Vinyls, CDs, DVDs, and VHS. The only thing I don't have are Laser Discs.

I'm an avid Film and Music lover. I also keep my old videogames as well, although I'm not a die hard gaming collector as I am with Music and Movies. But I do prefer buying the actual game itself.

Actual Copies hands down

spidadragon1

usually actual copies if it's the same price or lower and DD only if it's much cheaper or i can't find a hard copy

Ontain

well maybe in us its that same price but here in nz, dd = 50usd normally while at the shop = $100nzd ($80 usd) but even if they cost the same still dd all the way

DD -- The packaging is just worthless.rimnet00

agreed, especily cod4, that 5 page manul was a joke

It depends.

I prefer Actual Copies for Music and Movies. (I'm a collector myself).

Digital Distribution for smaller games and retro games that's on XBLA and PSN.

I admit some of my Videogame collection for the past 20+ years, the box art, instructions and game itself are really NOT worth keeping. Some of them I just kept, never finished and actually don't care for them. I could understand why DD would work for many people here. DD is a simple solution for clutter. The only actual copies of games that are worth keeping are AA-AAA games. But that's just me.

I'll take my content on steam any day over physical stuff. If you tried it you would too.Ogre_Mage

I did, and I still prefer the physical presence of a game. Plus...I'm just not comfortable knowing that I can't simply get a disc should anything go wrong.

[QUOTE="Ogre_Mage"]I'll take my content on steam any day over physical stuff. If you tried it you would too.Verge_6

I did, and I still prefer the physical presence of a game. Plus...I'm just not comfortable knowing that I can't simply get a disc should anything go wrong.

a disk is more likly to get wrecked than you lose all you steam login info, you can get your password back if you forget it

For old games and small, budget titles, DD is a pretty good way to go.

But for new games? I don't even want to touch DD. I love how everyone claims, "it's the future, so stop fighting it." Nobody wants to stop a better future, but the current situation with DD SUCKS.

EA Link only allows you to download your game for 6 months.

You have to log in to Steam to play any of your games...what happens when the internet is down? Or you've travelled to a location where you don't have access to the internet? Yay, you have nothing to play! Congratulations!

I'm sorry the perils of owning a disc are ones that some of you can't seem to handle. It is a real pain to put the disc in a case and then not beat the case with a hammer.

Seriously, most of the arguments against physical copies are false arguments that people just bring up when they're grabbing at straws. Until DD services figure out a way to combat being required to be online and limited download times, as well as giving me lower prices since they're saving money, then I just don't see DD as being worthwhile. Call me when they fix it.

One aspect that has not been touched on has been the number of people who will lose their jobs if DD was to take over.

People who work at gamestop and other game stores would be out of the job along with to a lesser extent artists (who create box art) and others.

Remember most of the costs are in development and not in packaging/shipping. The price of games will not drop drastically but would fall slightly with a fatter profit margin that will go into corporate profits instead of some of it trickling down into the little guys pocket (eg worker at gamestop).

I like DD for smaller/older games but prefer actual copy personally for many reasons as well as the reason i listed above.

Digital Distribution

1)Optical discs are a dead format soon

2)Saves Space

3)Never ever have to worry about losing manual/serial etc.

4)Optical discs are fragile.

5)Developers see more money for their games

6)You don't have to deal with idiot clerks

7)You don't have to "RESERVE" a copy

Actual copies. Hardcopies are the way to go and how am I supposed to sell DD products if I no longer want it?tmntPunchout

qFT!! this is a great reason to ask for actual copies. games get old and we can trade them in when we don't want them.

I'll take my content on steam any day over physical stuff. If you tried it you would too.Ogre_Mage

For old games and small, budget titles, DD is a pretty good way to go.

But for new games? I don't even want to touch DD. I love how everyone claims, "it's the future, so stop fighting it." Nobody wants to stop a better future, but the current situation with DD SUCKS.

EA Link only allows you to download your game for 6 months.

You have to log in to Steam to play any of your games...what happens when the internet is down? Or you've travelled to a location where you don't have access to the internet? Yay, you have nothing to play! Congratulations!

I'm sorry the perils of owning a disc are ones that some of you can't seem to handle. It is a real pain to put the disc in a case and then not beat the case with a hammer.

Seriously, most of the arguments against physical copies are false arguments that people just bring up when they're grabbing at straws. Until DD services figure out a way to combat being required to be online and limited download times, as well as giving me lower prices since they're saving money, then I just don't see DD as being worthwhile. Call me when they fix it.

Vampyronight

You shouldnt knock something until you've tried it. We've all had to buy our physical copies at one time or another, but if you think you need to be online to use steam then you obviously have never tried it. you DO NOT need to be online to play a steam game after you've authenticated it. Thats why it has an offline mode. And if you don't have access to the internet in this day and age, I don't know why you'd be gaming in the first place.

Also, DD gives you the option of making your own CD/DVD backup. So if you want to take it over to your buddies house your free to do it.

I've been gaming since I was 6 years old and i've bought Hundreds upon hundreds of games in cartridge and disk format. Do you think i drag around all that crap? It would be nice to simply log on and be able to plpa any game i've ever bought, but the physical limitations of traditional copies make that impossible for anyone who isnt a basement troll. I can't even tell you where 99% of the games ive bought are. Where is my super mario world cart? Wheres my GTA3 cd? I dont have the slightest clue!

Now that I have steam and other forms of DD, I know EXACTLY where all my games are. And I can access them wherever and whenever I want

DD saves space, reduces plastic waste, and can never be lost. So I prefer that. However I can see why people would want to have something physical to make up a collection. I do the same thing but with my comics.

They're alphabetically organized.