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Forums - Gaming Discussion - Why do people hate digital games so much?

 

Why do you hate digital games?

Can't sell them 66 15.24%
 
HDD space is too limited 19 4.39%
 
I like a physical collection 171 39.49%
 
The downloads may become ... 69 15.94%
 
Other 15 3.46%
 
I don't really mind digital games 41 9.47%
 
DIGITAL GAME MASTER RACE 45 10.39%
 
Total:426

A lot of people are steadfast against digital games, but I'm not quite sure why at times. From what I can see, digital games are much superior to their physical copies. I'll list some common arguments, and try to rebute them.

1. "I want the ability to sell my games when I'm done with them, or at least be able to play it on another console!"

From what I understand, a lot of people who make this argument don't actually sell a good portion of their games in the first place. Even if you do, I would think that the cheaper price of digital games would make up for that easily. For example, I got a $20 game (Ni no Kuni) for $5 on a PSN sale the other day. Dark Souls 2 was also available for $40, which is a bargain compared to the price of the physical edition. Microsoft also has talked about implementing a large variety of sales for their digital games. Just look at Steam: You can get a hundred games for less than $100 if you wait for sales or get humble bundles. You just can't save that kind of money with physical media. 

Also, Sony, Microsoft, and Valve all let people have multiple devices that can have a game at once. Many people seem to believe that a game is tied to a console, and once you no longer have that console, you lose that game. What they don't realize is that, with the exception of Nintendo, everyone's digitally purchased games are tied to an account, meaning you can have multiple systems with the same game, as long as you log in to download it. Sony allows you to have two consoles with the same game, and you can activate or deactivate consoles as you go along. That means you can log into your friend's PS4 and download the game there, and then just log off when you leave. 

2. "Digital games take up too much room on hard drives!"

Seeing as that almost all games on the PS4 and the Xbox One are now installed on the HDD, regardless of whether you have digital or physical, this point is pretty much moot. Loading from the HDD is faster than reading a disc, anyway. 

Also, HDDs are getting cheaper and cheaper. You can get 1TB HDD and plug it into a PS4 for $70, or you can get a $3TB external HDD and plug it to the Xbox One for even cheaper. For the price of one game, you can more than double your storage.

3. "I like having a physical collection to show off!"

I actually understand this. I used to love collecting game boxes and displaying them, but then I realized that the convinence of having all your games available as soon as you start the console without having to look through your collection to find a game is just too awesome. And, you still have your collection, it's just digital. You can amass a huge digital library, and show that off if you please, as many people already do on Steam.

4. "Sony/Microsoft/Steam may not keep those games available forever!"

While a valid concern, I also thing this is an overexaggeration. All of those companies have promised that while they exist, they will keep purchases available. And I know some really peccimistic people are going to say Sony is isn't going to last, but even then, I doubt the digital downloads will ever go offline as long as the Playstation brand is alive (which it almost certainly will be). Companies like Valve have even said that they would consider removing digital DRM from games if they ever felt that they were about to die out.

Also, physical games will scratch and break as you use them over time. I'll take the small chance that my games will not be available for me to redownload many, many years from now rather than worry about a physical copy getting scratched up because my system's disc drive decided to fail.

 

Overall, I think digital is the best way to go, and I for one am glad that the industry is heading that way. How about you?



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Xbox One - PS4 - Wii U - PC

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3. for me.
I just like to collect the games! Also being able to sell them is nice, but not necessary.



If you're interested in Nintendo content and understand german, maybe you want to take a look at my youtube channel! :)

https://www.youtube.com/user/RealGamingExpert

im all for digital but only if everything is exact as physical except the physical part O_O



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kljesta64 said:
im all for digital but only if everything is exact as physical except the physical part O_O

It usually is, just the prices may be cheaper.



                                                                                                               You're Gonna Carry That Weight.

Xbox One - PS4 - Wii U - PC

Pretty sure it's a myth among core gamer like vinyl records for music lovers... DD has never been so accepted than it is today.... By the mainstream but you'll still have the vocal few purist than want to go vintage style :)



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I tend to rent and share games so physical makes that very easy. Also I do not have internet so any time I want a digital game I have to load up the console and find a place to connect it and leaving it for hours while it downloads. Big part of why I have put off getting a new PC as be a real hassle to get games on it.



Augen said:
I tend to rent and share games so physical makes that very easy. Also I do not have internet so any time I want a digital game I have to load up the console and find a place to connect it and leaving it for hours while it downloads. Big part of why I have put off getting a new PC as be a real hassle to get games on it.

Lack of internet is a big concern, so I see where you are coming from. That being said, most people who buy consoles have internet, judging by the amount of online players. I think having a physical option is great for those lacking internet, so I'll agree with you there. 



                                                                                                               You're Gonna Carry That Weight.

Xbox One - PS4 - Wii U - PC

I don't dislike digital but prefer to have physical copy on console.



We Are One

VanceIX said:

A lot of people are steadfast against digital games, but I'm not quite sure why at times. From what I can see, digital games are much superior to their physical copies. I'll list some common arguments, and try to rebute them.

2. "Digital games take up too much room on hard drives!"

Seeing as that almost all games on the PS4 and the Xbox One are now installed on the HDD, regardless of whether you have digital or physical, this point is pretty much moot. Loading from the HDD is faster than reading a disc, anyway. 

Also, HDDs are getting cheaper and cheaper. You can get 1TB HDD and plug it into a PS4 for $70, or you can get a $3TB external HDD and plug it to the Xbox One for even cheaper. For the price of one game, you can more than double your storage.

 

Forced installs is the reason I haven't got either of those systems yet and I am leaning towards XBOX ONE due to being able to install on an external HDD when the consoles themselves become cheaper. People complain about the Wii U having no space, yet the 500gb of space offered for forced installs is as bad if not worst then not much space an no force installs. If you going to force peopel to install offer adequate space.


 

3. "I like having a physical collection to show off!"

I actually understand this. I used to love collecting game boxes and displaying them, but then I realized that the convinence of having all your games available as soon as you start the console without having to look through your collection to find a game is just too awesome. And, you still have your collection, it's just digital. You can amass a huge digital library, and show that off if you please, as many people already do on Steam.

 

If you store your collection in a logical order nothing is hard to find. Physical look better because people walk into a room and see your display. It takes effort to make it look nice,

 

4. "Sony/Microsoft/Steam may not keep those games available forever!"

While a valid concern, I also thing this is an overexaggeration. All of those companies have promised that while they exist, they will keep purchases available. And I know some really peccimistic people are going to say Sony is isn't going to last, but even then, I doubt the digital downloads will ever go offline as long as the Playstation brand is alive (which it almost certainly will be). Companies like Valve have even said that they would consider removing digital DRM from games if they ever felt that they were about to die out.

Also, physical games will scratch and break as you use them over time. I'll take the small chance that my games will not be available for me to redownload many, many years from now rather than worry about a physical copy getting scratched up because my system's disc drive decided to fail.

 

Agree and disagree here. Valve has the right model as it can work on any PC and they keep all their patched online forever. Where as atm consoles do not offer the same versatility when it comes to patches once a generation ends. Therefore you have to keep your games installed on the consoles, meaning more space and more backups on hdds.

If gamers did not become beta testers for devs I wouldn't care about patches as much.

 

Overall, I think digital is the best way to go, and I for one am glad that the industry is heading that way. How about you?

Yes and No.  However overtime it will be acceptable if they can get closer to Valves digital model where generations do not matter.






 

 

Well... what about if you get banned? See, my issue (even though I have 280 games on steam) with digital is that if your account gets banned for whatever reason, you will lose every single one of your purchases vs physical copies, you can still play them! I am also not just talking about hacking the console...

See, one of the things that happened to a friend of mine was that, he used to buy/sell hats on TF2 in which case he made several alternate accounts and one day, he got caught and Steam traced it back to his main account and he got banned along with all his purchases...

Now after tons of begging, steam decided to give his account back but my point is that when buying digital games, there is always a risk you are taking that you aren't while buying physical games which is why I only buy (most of the time) physical games when it comes to consoles/handhelds cause trusting companies whoes soul goal is to make profit isn't something I feel comfortable with

So no, I do not think digital is the way to go... Oh and I guess there is one more thing... One day, Sony/MS will shutdown the ps3/360 servers for psn/xbl and since ps4's/x1 can't play ps3/360 games, well, you are shit out of luck then if you ever want to go back to them but with physical copies, that part doesn't matter cause you will always be able to play the physical games



                  

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