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[boiled goose]

I haven't bought a wiiu or 3ds because of the lack of account system.

I do have a slight fear what will happen to my massive steam library if steam disappears.

 

[FeiRR]

Also, can we, as a community, stop using the term "digital download?" We never had analog downloads. There's no reason to distinguish between the two.

I actually know something like that. Long time ago, when ZX Spectrum was the most popular machine people were using, there was a radio program about computers in one of (national) stations here. At the end of the program they transmitted a piece of software. You recorded that on tape and sometimes (lol) it worked on Speccy. That would be analog distribution of software .

Now on topic. Dear OP, collecting games is fun but remember that current storage media won't last long. CD/DVD/BD disks aren't going to last more than 15-20 years even if properly stored. New electronics produced with lead-free soldering won't even last that long in most cases. If you have a SNES with carts, it will probably outlive your current gen consoles. I think that there's actually more chance that current content providers (or their successors) will last for those 20 years and you'll be able to redownload your content on demand.

Also remember than in most cases what you get on a disc is before any patches and you know how it's nowadays - games are so buggy. So even if you have a working console and a disc in that future, will the game be still playable? The industry has us by our balls.

I'm not a good example of a collector, I went all digital this gen. I play new games and move on. Life's too short to go back to old games for me. You may have time for that now but will you have it later on in your life? I look at my shelf with all those PS3 games I haven't sold yet and see that they're worth pennies in most cases. Not really an investment, unless you really know what rarities to gather.

 

[Coreda]

Also, can we, as a community, stop using the term "digital download?" We never had analog downloads. There's no reason to distinguish between the two.

I've always though the term was used to distinguish from CD/DVD installs.

 

[kudoboi]

I'm pretty sure all Steam and Xbox de-listed games are still hosted for owners.



Same case with 360.

steam actually removed a game from libraries recently
http://www.geek.com/games/valve-pul...the-first-time-even-if-you-bought-it-1580981/

 

[Deadceptor]

Well yeah, I think I've grown accustomed to the idea that someday I'm gonna lose my digital games. Of course it sucks but I'm the kind of guy who rarely revisits old games. I'll admit it's kinda stupid; "renting" a game with the same price you could own it forever. But then again it's so good to get rid of disc swapping, especially now with the PS4 and it's remote play possibilities.

Shitty thing but I'll manage.

 

[killer rin]

what's gonna happen when the service for these platforms are shut down? Maybe it won't happen today, or next year, or 3 years from now...but let's focus on PS3 and Xbox 360 first....how much longer do you guys think they're going to see the value in supporting platforms like these if the PS4 and Xbox One continue to be successful? Even if they maintain a modest level of support for years to come, I can't help but think there's gonna be that day where the switch is flipped, and you can't even log in anymore.

At least in the case of xbox live, starting with the 360, they managed to split the network into compartmentalized little pieces. Download servers are separate from Login servers and Login Servers are on the general Microsoft Account Login Servers. I can see a situation in the future where maybe they discontinue the the Social and Matchmaking servers for the 360 Live, but past that, they others are safe.

Plus once you have a platform large enough like Xbox Live, Certain Governments will require that you have contingency plans ready to go. Even more governments will force the issue within a couple years. The thing with the Original xbox was that there was no notion of Account based licences because everything was tied into that individual unit.

 

[Raw64life]

I'm also paranoid about losing my games/game saves, which is but 1 of the many reasons I'm staying physical for as long as possible. I'm going as far as to backup all my game saves going all the way back to SNES onto my computer so they will be preserved.

 

[jroc74]

That's not true. I've replaced my PS3 since 2010. Outrun and Afterburner are always the first two games I install. You have to grab them from your previous download list in the store. Not sure if that's the case for XBLA.

XBLA still hosts de-listed games for owners.

AFAIK the only times a console digital title has been truly removed from these services is: Sony (temporarily?) removing PSP games due to security holes, and Nintendo removing a NES game due to unusual licensing issues stemming from an outside party.

Yea....I know for PS+ thats why I can let my subscription expire....re-up and still have access to the games.

I do hate that some games I cant get the content anymore. I got The Saboteur recently and I cant get some DLC or something it had. I guess since I never had the game before its a lil different.

These two posts are an example of why Nintendo needs to have better account management for downloaded content. I dont know if my PS+ stuff will always be there...for right now it is. I would probably be afraid of them vs Sony and MS...even with the GFWL thing. Even tho PC might be the way to go....PC games with DRM might have issues too.

When I signed up for PS+ I knew the risks going in in that case. I have a few large retail games I downloaded off PSN and XBL. I never give it too much thought. Guess I will if/when the time comes. Seeing as how companies are still making PS2 games...I wonder what the situation is for XBL users with an orig Xbox. EDIT...I see the post up above about the orig Xbox....

 

[Wray]

Not really a concern for me. 20-30 years from now, this entire gen will be easily emulated and forever "backed up" on the internet.

 

[Goliath]

Right now the way Digital gaming works on consoles there are 0 benefits for me to ditch hard copy games for digital gaming.

Digital Games aren't cheaper

They don't make it easier to carry over to the next Gen

They are dependent on server support

HDD provided aren't suitable for building a gaming library

They have no resale value to help recoup future gaming purchases

The only perk is you don't have to put a disk in a disk drive. Sorry not enough for me to give up owning a game and possibly playing it many years later on either original hardware or third party hardware like NES cartridges.

 

[C00kie M0nster]

Sony is using PlayStation Now to try to remedy this problem.

I don't know what Microsoft is planning on doing but they seemingly will do something similar to Sony.

Also, this may sound ridiculous, but it appears Nintendo is seemingly trying to do this with the Virtual Console and backwards compatibility as well by having everything be tied to your NNID going forward. I'm very interested to see how they develop this. If they can develop a universal emulator that can be updated for new systems so users can retain their games, that would be incredible.

 

[Marty Chinn]

Not really a concern for me. 20-30 years from now, this entire gen will be easily emulated and forever "backed up" on the internet.

You realize it's been over 12 years since the Xbox came out and there still isn't an Xbox emulator right? I wouldn't say relying on emulation is a safe bet.

 

[kick51]

Lately I've been thinking, maybe a little too much

definitely too much.


don't spend money you don't have on things that would kill you to lose in the future?

i've bought shitloads on all 3 systems, but it's still only a few grand.




plus, I won't be slitting my wrists over not being able to play my $10 PSN game when I'm 70.

 

[JaseC]

as for those wondering what happens if steam shuts down

I'm inclined to think this is fake, but out of curiosity I myself have submitted a ticket to Support. I do vaguely recall Gabe's post on SPUF many years ago but it was before Steam began selling third-party games so naturally it was easy for Valve to assuage such concerns regarding its own titles.

Looks like my cynicism was misplaced:

Hello Jason,

Thank you for contacting Steam Support.

We apologize for the delay.

In the unlikely event of the discontinuation of the Steam network, measures are in place to ensure that all users will continue to have access to their Steam games.

If you have any further questions, please let us know - we will be happy to assist you.

Valve really is guaranteeing continued access to one's library in the event of Steam's imminent death.

 

[RockTurtle]

i bought it the 1st 3 months of launch. bought some digital games. i bought a bunch of n64/snes mario and zelda titles within 1st cpl years then stopped playing my wii. my wii stopped working. i guess the dust messed it up.

i couldnt send it for repairs since it was past warranty. i hadnt used my password in years and forgot it. locked myself out trying to remember. i didnt even remember the card that was used to set it up. called nintendo and they couldnt help. (or didnt want to)

it bothered the hell out of me, but i got over it...until my 360 RROD for the 4th time the week after. got pissed off and didnt log onto that one either. lost all those games and dls i had bought for 360 too.

i lost all those games and really irked the hell out of me. that's why i am very weary of buying digital only because i realized i was at the mercy of the companies ability to keep the games up for download years after i stop playing in a hypothetical setting, or set to an account name and password. or even a specific hardware.

i can grab my old ps2 discs when i get nostalgic. or an n64 cartridge. I can't do that for scott pilgrim vs the world (just an example)