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[Spyxos]

Physical games are disappearing more and more. And the future clearly lies with digital games. However, I find this anything but good. The digital games do not belong to you, you cannot resell them and in general you can lose all your digital games at once.

You only have to say the wrong thing and the account with all the games can be gone. I also find it absurd how it is almost celebrated here that physical games are dying out.

If we at least owned the digital games and could do whatever we wanted with them, I wouldn't be against them.

 

[PumpkinBoy]

No.

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

Nope

 

[Guilty_AI]

my philosophy is that as long as it's possible to back up games, it's fine

 

[cormack12]

Of course. Hardware doesn't last forever, so the games will eventually become useless anyway.

Plus the biggest platform (PC) has been all digital for years. The real issue with digital is walled gardens.

 

[Paulistano]

Just buy on GOG, profit.

 

[Lambogenie]

Not ok but what're you gonna do. I already wait for sales, 50% or more.

 

[Roberts]

Yes, I don't give a shit. The best thing is that they don't clutter my apartment.

 

[Three]

Physical is fine. It's not disappearing as long as people buy it and they are buying it on Sony and Nintendo systems. The problem only arises when companies make digital only releases or digital only consoles like Remedy or MS. It's a consumer choice otherwise for as long as consumers choose it.

 

[Guilty_AI]

Plus the biggest platform (PC) has been all digital for years. The real issue with digital is walled gardens.

as well as digital that use online checks as drm (though i guess physical isn't free from that either necessarily)

 

[ahtlas7]

No, but appears inevitable.

 

[Punished Miku]

I'm okay with it, but there's always lots of room to improve consumer rights for digital consumers. I think that's the main thing to focus on at this point, because digital feels pretty much inevitable to me. The lack of a disc or reselling doesn't bother me, but I think people deserve much more protections on access to their accounts and other areas could be improved too I'm sure.

 

[Putonahappyface]

 

[rofif]

no.
And what physical disappearance ?
I got all my games on ps5 on discs this year. Even if the game requires a patch, thats 10x better than digital game tied to an account and only playable online.

And no. Steam is different because you got access to files, key shops etc

 

[Danjin44]

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

I mean, in most cases, you can still back them up. On consoles, worst case scenario is you could play them on custom firmware if your original system shits the bed. On PC... GOG's obviously been a godsend. Functionally, you still own it and can do whatever you want with it. In all cases, I'm fine as long as whatever it is doesn't force me to phone home. If it does, I won't buy it.

Also, if anyone comes in here talking about how you don't own your digital games because the EULA says you don't, like a bunch of legalese has any practical effect on what I can do, I will punch you in the neck.

 

[DeepEnigma]

 

[Spyxos]

no.
And what physical disappearance ?
I got all my games on ps5 on discs this year. Even if the game requires a patch, thats 10x better than digital game tied to an account and only playable online.

And no. Steam is different because you got access to files, key shops etc

Pc Physical games market is gone. Xbox is also just saying goodbye right now. Ps5 pro was delivered without a drive and the signs are not exactly rosy for physical games.

Most of switch 2 games dont have a full game on a cartridge. It will probably soon be eliminated over time. And the physical nintendo exklusive games are more expensive so that people buy digital versions for switch 2.

 

[pudel]

Physical games are disappearing more and more. And the future clearly lies with digital games. However, I find this anything but good. The digital games do not belong to you, you cannot resell them and in general you can lose all your digital games at once.

You only have to say the wrong thing and the account with all the games can be gone. I also find it absurd how it is almost celebrated here that physical games are dying out.

If we at least owned the digital games and could do whatever we wanted with them, I wouldn't be against them.

GOG is a good direction.

But re-selling might just not work at all.

 

[Team Andromeda]

I couldn't give a flying f*ck

 

[vaibhavpisal]

I only buy digital.

Whatever you wanna call it. (Ownership/ renting etc)

No interest in keeping shelves of disk. As long as game is preserved and available to purchase / rent online, am ok.

Should be available if I get in mood to play it. Even if I have to buy again.

 

[Dr.Morris79]

Been buying physical games since around 84/85. It'll be a damn shame when the physical market will not exist. I enjoyed collecting libraries of games.

But also, you get to my age, realise you'll die and some arsehole will just sell it all off for pennies or stick in landfill, like a twat

 

[Evil Calvin]

No.

I've already lost dozens of games I bought on the I phone because developers didn't update their game and made it unplayable....couldn't even re-download.

Same crap will happen with digital game eventually. Servers go down and cannot even re-download.

 

[Spyxos]

No.

I've already lost dozens of games I bought on the I phone because developers didn't update their game and made it unplayable....couldn't even re-download.

Same crap will happen with digital game eventually. Servers go down and cannot even re-download.

Ah yes, that's right the phone games, I've lost a few old games there too. I don't think I even got my money back.

 

[rofif]

Been buying physical games since around 84/85. It'll be a damn shame when the physical market will not exist. I enjoyed collecting libraries of games.

But also, you get to my age, realise you'll die and some arsehole will just sell it all off for pennies or stick in landfill, like a twat

but hey, when you die, SOMEONE will use those games. they will live on.
meanwhile your steam account will be gone. just gone

I just love having physical games on my shelf and categorizing them, ordering them and it's so easy nowadays to get the games! I just order, get the game day before release in parcel box like 10 meters away from my flat. its so good

 

[Holammer]

We're one EU directive away from owning games in perpetuity and being able to resell them.
With digital sales growing, it's just a matter of time before lawmakers feel the need for regulation.

 

[Justinus]

Counter-argument. Also, we are talking about two different things here.

What if you lost all of your physical games to a fire, or a flood, or robbery? They are also gone forever. What does it mean to own a game? You want to loan it out freely to family and friends? You want to resell it at well-above MSRP on the market and rob the developers of a potential sale? How many of the games in your collection are you actually playing?

I don't know if I am a fan of digital gaming subscription services, because I wonder what the financial impact of that would be on gaming companies compared to just buying their games outright.

 

[Magic Carpet]

Curious to hear from the people who inherited a game collection from a rich Uncle.

 

[Dr.Morris79]

but hey, when you die, SOMEONE will use those games. they will live on.
meanwhile your steam account will be gone. just gone

I sincerely hope so

Someone's going to have a good time, I'll say that

I'm going to be damn well buried with my Wii copy of Xenoblade Chronicles though, took me bloody ages to get a copy back in the day!!

 

[Mr Hyde]

I'm only comfortable buying digital on Steam and GoG. If it's Playstation or Switch I prefer physical. I also like physical media, I think it's fun collecting movies and games and books. Having a digital collection isn't quite the same as having a physical copy in your hand. But it's definitely getting more difficult with collecting games since most of the physical games on Playstation and Switch doesn't even come on disc or cartridge. It's boring and off putting but it is what it is. Just accept it and move on I guess.

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

 

[RoboFu]

As someone who has been gaming since the atari 2600 .. I am totally fine with it. Almost every single physical copy of old games I have had has either broke, scratched all to hell, or got thrown away in a home move at some point. I have steam games older than most of the physical copies of games I have that still work.
Also who are you saving them for? To be worth $5 as a conversational piece on antique road show 2049?

my motto now is enjoy the games and save the memories. My memories of playing SF2 and mortal kombat in the arcades greatly out weigh having the physical copies.

 

[SILKYSMOOTH30FPS]

I completely ignore digital outside of pc, and not because i want em digitally, but because you have no choice on pc.

 

[Superkewl]

haven't bought a physical game since Fallout: New Vegas and haven't had a problem yet.

 

[ReyBrujo]

I'm still reluctant to spend over 30 bucks in a digital game. I don't care if it's cheaper but above that I no longer feel enthusiastic about it.

 

[bender]

The only physical games I purchase are for Nintendo systems as they are the least trustworthy to keep their stores up for the long run.

 

[DirtyBast8rd]

Not fine with it, but as this is how it's going to be I moved to PC in sept '23. Not gonna get stuck in a console ecosystem. Also I mostly wait for good deals which come hard and fast on pc. I pay rental prices mostly. And the state in which games release these days makes waiting a double win. Not have to reserve space to store games is a plus.

 

[seething left]

As long as Denuvo is a licensed model and publishers at some point refuse to continue to pay the license fee (aside from Sega), it's okay. Being able to resell the games is a good thing, but I buy so little games nowadays, that it doesn't hurt that much if I can't do that.

 

[Rush2112]

I see a bunch of people who seem very comfortable not owning their games. But if ubisoft said it, they would rage.

 

[DownLikeBCPowder]

Not really. I don't mind if I am able to buy them dirt cheap (1-10USD) , but I'm not into paying 40, 50, 60, etc for a digital code.

 

[Bitstream]

I'd argue that game disks on console lost a ton of utility once installation + patches became mandatory.
Sure, I know you can play without day1 patches, but it seems most of the time the performance out of the gate is typically shitty and it takes a few weeks to months post launch for things to stabilize.

 

[Space Runaway]

I used to be but now it's all disposable content and any games worth owning physical are just decorative.

 

[rofif]

I'd argue that game disks on console lost a ton of utility once installation + patches became mandatory.
Sure, I know you can play without day1 patches, but it seems most of the time the performance out of the gate is typically shitty and it takes a few weeks to months post launch for things to stabilize.

physical gaming is not only about being able to play 1.0 although it is great to have this ability. After all it is a game that was made for release.
But you can install the game, patch it... and guess what? you an unplug your console and keep playing because disc is offline authorization. with digital games you need to reconnect after grace has ended

 

[Mibu no ookami]

Yes, I don't give a shit. The best thing is that they don't clutter my apartment.

• No clutter
• Don't have to swap discs to play games
• Forward compatibility with enhancements is more likely moving forward
  • If a game is in my backlog long enough, I might end up playing it on the PS6 and might enjoy it way more
• If new console is digital only I'm not locked out
• If handheld allows you to play your digital library, my library works
  • Already hearing physical fans cry that they wont get the same access...

 

[Topher]

Honestly, I'm becoming ok with being all digital on PC now that Steam has family sharing. In fact, except for Switch, I'm probably going all PC for that very reason. My son's buy games on their PCs and I can play them so makes more sense for me to do the same and contribute to our collective library.

 

[Zacfoldor]

No but I'm not gonna not buy a game over it.

I also don't cut my nose off to spite my own face.

It sucks but we don't have any leverage here.

I would RATHER own digital if I knew I would never get banned but I don't so I live in constant fear.

Perhaps instead of pushing for physical we simply have a law that prevents banning of gaming licenses without a full refund. They could still ban accounts but not the license. If they wanted you off the service you would be able to transfer the license. It's an easier and less costly fix than forcing everyone to continue to put out physical. It's crazy that I can have 10 thousand bucks worth of games get taken away from me without a full legal explanation as to why and with no legal recourse. I bet Xbox would let you transfer your Playstation licenses over for free because it would earn them a new gamer for life. Sony should be required to facilitate that if they ban your account. The alternative is, in my mind, unfathomable.

 

[Bitstream]

physical gaming is not only about being able to play 1.0 although it is great to have this ability. After all it is a game that was made for release.
But you can install the game, patch it... and guess what? you an unplug your console and keep playing because disc is offline authorization. with digital games you need to reconnect after grace has ended

That + lending it out to friends and selling it whenever you're done. If you can't sell it, you probably never owned it.

I'm not trying to sound like I'm embracing digital completely, but there are pros and cons.

For example, there were a few times over the last couple of years that I randomly decided at 1AM that it was time to grab a new game. 15 minutes later I was playing it

 

[owandeseis]

I buy digital game, if for any reason i lose access to it, i'll pirate it, simple.

If we lose access to internet in the future or whatever to do this then not being able to play a game should be the latest thing i'd be worried about.

 

[L*][*N*K]

No I am not, but honestly what can we do? It is the the direction the industry is taking

 

[P.Jack]

Counter-argument. Also, we are talking about two different things here.

What if you lost all of your physical games to a fire, or a flood, or robbery? They are also gone forever.

Like I figure most people do, I have insurance and would get a payout around current value according to my insurer.