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[EverydayBeast]

Digital is much easy cmon man key cards are nothing new how about key discs where you just install everything already Nintendo fans are trying to make it something surprising and get heated over to me key cards are exactly what discs already are.

 

[Poppinfresh]

I've essentially been digital only for years now and love it.

I will occasionally buy a collector's edition of a game, but I always double-dip for the digital copy to actually play.

 

[Gripsx]

I can resell or trade or lend key cards

 

[LavitzSlambert]

GKCs are probably as close as we'll see to transferrable digital licenses.

I'm not disagreeing with that. I'd take some GKCs over an only all-digital future. But all GKCs do here is create artificial scarcity where there is none (digital goods) and give platform owners and publishers even more control over physical supply. If they want to push us into an all-digital future, then they can deal with trying to sell games for a pittance.

 

[bender]

I'm not disagreeing with that. I'd take some GKCs over an only all-digital future. But all GKCs do here is create artificial scarcity where there is none (digital goods) and give platform owners and publishers even more control over physical supply. If they want to push us into an all-digital future, then they can deal with trying to sell games for a pittance.

I'm not seeing how a GKC creates digital scarcity as a game would still be available digitally on a given storefront. Beyond the ability to transfer ownership, there are other consumer benefits (using the secondhand GKC market for games delisted games that have been pulled from digital storefronts, impulse buying a game you aren't 100% sold on with the knowledge that you can resell and get some of the initial purchase price back which is why/how I'm getting the new Donkey Kong game day one). GKCs sacrifice convenience and don't help with preservation, but they do have benefits to consumers.

 

[PSFore]

Game-Key Cards are a short lived half measure to get gamers used to buying everything digitally.

 

[FinalBossWithTheMostPower]

 

[Quezacolt]

None. Would rather not play.

 

[DavJay]

Digital. At least I can seamlessly switch between games. Key cards will be useless when the servers are taken down.

 

[JORMBO]

Key cards don't do anything for me. I don't sell games. It's essentially a digital game that I have to insert the card to play. It defeats the purpose in my opinion. Digital is nice due to being able to load anything quickly. I also think about future generations. Digital downloads will be tied to my account. Future systems may not have a card slot.

For people that don't resell their stuff the key cards don't really have any upsides.

 

[Robb]

I'm a bit split on it. I like that Key cards function as normal physical media and can be re-sold etc.

But I'd probably just go digital anyway for the convenience.. It annoys me that you get a digital copy that is locked to a cartridge. If I get a digital copy anyway, I might as well go all in digital.

I don't see myself ever purchasing a Key card game.

 

[rofif]

that's easy for me.
Key cards.

Like.... it's almost as good as physical:
-Not tied to any account
-Playable offline after installing (if keycard is similar to how I think it works)
-Can buy cheaper from different retailers
-Can sell
-Can display and somewhat own.
-Barely anyone needs 1.0 on the disc anyway. It's just nice to have

With digital you get none of that.

 

[ShadyAcshuns]

Key cards are fine. One download and they're a functioning physical copy I can take to the off grid field.

 

[rofif]

Key cards don't do anything for me. I don't sell games. It's essentially a digital game that I have to insert the card to play. It defeats the purpose in my opinion. Digital is nice due to being able to load anything quickly. I also think about future generations. Digital downloads will be tied to my account. Future systems may not have a card slot.

For people that don't resell their stuff the key cards don't really have any upsides.

I sold maybe 3 games in last few years, so I also don't use "feature".
But the main thing for me is not having the game tied forever to an account and being able to play offline(installed).
Both are hypothetical features of course because nobody is hacking my account and nobody is taking away my internet.
And I like to have a game on a shelf.

But you are not wrong. So I suppose it depends if someone likes to have a peace of mind or it doesnt matter

 

[CLW]

 

[Labadal]

Physical on console, digital on PC. If I ever get a Switch 2, I will research which games are actually on the cart, and not some Key Card.

 

[WoJ]

I prefer physical, but I also don't resell my games. So if game key cards are the future of physical I'm going all digital, but doing so on PC.