By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close

Forums - Gaming - Why the "digital" obsession?

-CraZed- on 20 June 2013
JinxRake said:

Is there a particular reason why digital media and physical media can't coexist? Because every time I read comments, it sounds as if people believe they'll be forced to buy discs to play their games, whereas I haven't seen anything in particular from MS saying they would not offer every game as a digital download. 

Seems to me people have either bought into the idea that as long as there is physical media digital is somehow held back. That or they are so concrete in their worship of all things digital they simply cannot stand by and see others using physical media. Why so many people think we require nihilsim to 'progress' gaming is baffling indeed.

The thing is they are coexisting right now and give consumers unprecedented convenience and choice. Games are EVERYWHERE. On your phone, on you PC, at your local retailers and available to download directly from your console. If you prefer to buy games digitally for convenience or just because you hate discs good do it. If you don't trust digital or prefer the new game case smell and having that instruction book good for you too go buy your games at Walmart or gamestop or heck even ebay (new case smell usually not included there).

For me I buy games both ways. I like having discs to KNOW I will always have them (barring some disaster of course) but I also like the convenience of digital stuff. I usually restrict my digital purchses to smaller less expensive games and buy my $60 dollar titles at brick and mortar retailers. It works for me.

 



Around the Network
Ail on 20 June 2013
disolitude said:
kitler53 said:
disolitude said:
1. Its annoying to change, store, keep track of disks especially when your library grows and you live in a small condo
2. Your entire library saved digitally meaning you have no worries of loss, theft, damage for your games
3. Loading/wait times are drastically reduced
4. No hassle background game updates for digital
many more reasons dealing with convenience

I have 100s of games for sega genesis, sega cd, saturn and dreamcast in storage rotting away. Going through the hassle of getting that shit out and setting it up is not going to happen. But I boot up my Steam Sega Genesis collection at least once per month.

Your desire to play games when everything is there at your fingertips increases 10X... I see buying physical as a complete waste at this point as I probably won't use it ever again after I finish the initial playthrough.

3. full instal required for all x1 and ps4 games so null and void.

4. i already get no hassle background game updates on my ps3 disc based games so i don't know what you are talking about there

 

1 and 2 are the main benefits and worth it for me.  however i'll add:

3. not having to go to the store to purchase a game.  especially for smaller games where the download is only a couple minutes i love the immediacy of that.


Xbox 360 has full installs too and loading time is slowed down by the disk verification. The DVD drive on Xbox 360 spins quite frequently so I'm guessing the disk verification is performed quite frequently. There is no reason to believe next gen consoles won't work the same way. I doubt the verification will be done once and then you play the game off the hard drive 100%

In terms of background updates, you still have to play your game to get the update even if it installs in the background. Your digital library would be updated if you're watching football or playing a different game. Its something you really wouldn't even see or think about with digital where on Xbox 360 you get warnings from time to time "you must install this update before connecting to Xbox live". Dunno where PS3 is at in terms of updates but last time I checked it had them just like Xbox 360.

If you have PS+ you get auto update of your games at the time of your choosing ( mine update every night at 4 am).



PS3-Xbox360 gap : 1.5 millions and going up in PS3 favor !

PS3-Wii gap : 20 millions and going down !

disolitude on 20 June 2013
Ail said:
disolitude said:
kitler53 said:
disolitude said:
1. Its annoying to change, store, keep track of disks especially when your library grows and you live in a small condo
2. Your entire library saved digitally meaning you have no worries of loss, theft, damage for your games
3. Loading/wait times are drastically reduced
4. No hassle background game updates for digital
many more reasons dealing with convenience

I have 100s of games for sega genesis, sega cd, saturn and dreamcast in storage rotting away. Going through the hassle of getting that shit out and setting it up is not going to happen. But I boot up my Steam Sega Genesis collection at least once per month.

Your desire to play games when everything is there at your fingertips increases 10X... I see buying physical as a complete waste at this point as I probably won't use it ever again after I finish the initial playthrough.

3. full instal required for all x1 and ps4 games so null and void.

4. i already get no hassle background game updates on my ps3 disc based games so i don't know what you are talking about there

 

1 and 2 are the main benefits and worth it for me.  however i'll add:

3. not having to go to the store to purchase a game.  especially for smaller games where the download is only a couple minutes i love the immediacy of that.


Xbox 360 has full installs too and loading time is slowed down by the disk verification. The DVD drive on Xbox 360 spins quite frequently so I'm guessing the disk verification is performed quite frequently. There is no reason to believe next gen consoles won't work the same way. I doubt the verification will be done once and then you play the game off the hard drive 100%

In terms of background updates, you still have to play your game to get the update even if it installs in the background. Your digital library would be updated if you're watching football or playing a different game. Its something you really wouldn't even see or think about with digital where on Xbox 360 you get warnings from time to time "you must install this update before connecting to Xbox live". Dunno where PS3 is at in terms of updates but last time I checked it had them just like Xbox 360.

If you have PS+ you get auto update of your games at the time of your choosing ( mine update every night at 4 am).


Gotcha...didn't know this. That's cool then.



Ail on 20 June 2013
-CraZed- said:
JinxRake said:

Is there a particular reason why digital media and physical media can't coexist? Because every time I read comments, it sounds as if people believe they'll be forced to buy discs to play their games, whereas I haven't seen anything in particular from MS saying they would not offer every game as a digital download. 

Seems to me people have either bought into the idea that as long as there is physical media digital is somehow held back. That or they are so concrete in their worship of all things digital they simply cannot stand by and see others using physical media. Why so many people think we require nihilsim to 'progress' gaming is baffling indeed.

The thing is they are coexisting right now and give consumers unprecedented convenience and choice. Games are EVERYWHERE. On your phone, on you PC, at your local retailers and available to download directly from your console. If you prefer to buy games digitally for convenience or just because you hate discs good do it. If you don't trust digital or prefer the new game case smell and having that instruction book good for you too go buy your games at Walmart or gamestop or heck even ebay (new case smell usually not included there).

For me I buy games both ways. I like having discs to KNOW I will always have them (barring some disaster of course) but I also like the convenience of digital stuff. I usually restrict my digital purchses to smaller less expensive games and buy my $60 dollar titles at brick and mortar retailers. It works for me.

 


The business model of most retail stores usually doesn't do well with them sharing the distribution of products.

You can still buy music CDs these days. Yet look at the CD shelves size at Best Buy.

E-books had not even reached 10% marketshare that Borders was already dead.......



PS3-Xbox360 gap : 1.5 millions and going up in PS3 favor !

PS3-Wii gap : 20 millions and going down !

V-r0cK on 20 June 2013

I agree digitally for portable devices (mps3 players etc..) so your not walking around carrying alot of stuff.

But....

...for me, I dont think it works the same for home consoles. I like to have my collection and display it, and to actually see where my money went. It's just like how others have a library collection of books rather than just have a Kindle ebook reader.



Around the Network
kitler53 on 20 June 2013
disolitude said:
Ail said:
disolitude said:
...


Xbox 360 has full installs too and loading time is slowed down by the disk verification. The DVD drive on Xbox 360 spins quite frequently so I'm guessing the disk verification is performed quite frequently. There is no reason to believe next gen consoles won't work the same way. I doubt the verification will be done once and then you play the game off the hard drive 100%

In terms of background updates, you still have to play your game to get the update even if it installs in the background. Your digital library would be updated if you're watching football or playing a different game. Its something you really wouldn't even see or think about with digital where on Xbox 360 you get warnings from time to time "you must install this update before connecting to Xbox live". Dunno where PS3 is at in terms of updates but last time I checked it had them just like Xbox 360.

If you have PS+ you get auto update of your games at the time of your choosing ( mine update every night at 4 am).


Gotcha...didn't know this. That's cool then.

to the disc checking:  i didn't think about that.  ps3 doesn't have full game installs so i guess i got caught with my pants down on that one.  :P

as Ail said, ps+'s autoupdate does it if you want to allow it.  it's not fool proof -- if an update lands after 3am (for my) and i play it that day i can still get caught with the need to update.  now-a-days i only really see it when i buy a new game and have to immediatly update for the latest patches.  no clue why when buying a game the patches aren't already applied but it is what it is.