Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

I recall a lot more negativity about buying games digitally with the whole Microsoft DRM fiasco before the XBox One launch, hating the idea of not being able to trade in games after playing them, the pricing, etc. Has that changed or softened for a lot of you console only gamers? I remember arguing before at the time that as a PC gamer being digital only was just fine and a non-issue for years now, and it feels like there's much less of a backlash now and more people preferring some type of games be digital rather then having to always swap discs.

I imagine it's mostly a case by case basis, with certain replayable games being great to have digital whereas the one and done single player games being disc so they can be traded away afterwards (unless the price is right). But it seemed like things have gradually softened as I remember people being so vehemently against anything digital before.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

Yep. Gimme everything digital now. I'm tired of the clutter.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

The main thing, to me, that changed my opinion is the fact that both Xbox One and PS4 still install the entire game on your system anyway, and most games require multi gigs of updates. So it's not like these games are going to be playable if the online ecosystem goes away and you need to install fresh, and a lot of games limit what you can do without an online connection (like NBA 2K). Otherwise I don't trade in my games anyway. The digital sales have been surprisingly decent as well.

Honestly, if not for Best Buy GCU, I doubt I'd buy many new release games and just wait for digital or clearance sales.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

Digital is definitely more convenient. I'm becoming a convert, although I hope a market for physical copies stays strong. The DRM crap MSFT pulled was pretty lame and anti-consumer.

My biggest gripe so far is that consumers are not seeing any price savings with digital distribution.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

What price savings would you expect to see, though, without them ticking off the stores that sell physical products by undercutting them?

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

My attitude has softened some, but I still want physical for a good majority of my games, especially the ones I'm really wanting to "keep" as part of my collection. However, I have converted some of my physical copies of my more casual and not so special games to digital copies during key sales and then making my money back on selling the physical copy. Just depends. I agree, I'm trying to reduce a little bit of clutter too but some games will always look good on my shelf.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

Gotta admit I like digital for games that I play on a heavy rotation. Mainly because I like the convenience of not having to get up to change games. I do love my GCU so it is nice to get discounts on physical copies. I also believe that there should be a savings given to the digital version of the game.

Now if only my controller wouldn't need charging I would be set.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

I prefer digital for pretty much everything, except COD. Since I don't do COD multiplayer anymore, I prefer to buy the game physically, complete the single-player campaign, then ditch the disc within a week.

I still hold out hope that some kind of "family sharing" gets rolled out (much like Steam's sharing options), but I don't see it happening.

Digital prices NEED to come down. $5 or $10 below the physical price is all I ask... but if it happened, retailers would throw a fit.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

Nope - Will always stick with physical just like I will with CD's and bluray's....Love having the artwork and tangible in general.

But with that said.....let's be clear - I have nothing against people who are digital only.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

It doesn't help the physical releases' case when the actual case is poked full of holes to save on material, and there's no booklet or manual or anything included. I can't remember the last non-special-edition or steelbook case that I was actually impressed with.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

I bought The Order for $10. The Crew Complete for $15. Digital sales happen all the time. I don't know why the myth persists that they don't.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

My opinion has evolved, especially owning multiple X1's. The main gamertag can play the digital content on any X1 and the sub account holders can use play the content on the primary X1, even at the same time. That means, I can race my son (and lose miserably) in Forza 6, which is awesome.

Also, the laziness factor. Not getting up to change discs is surprisingly freeing.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

Nope, I still want physical on most stuff. If anything, to lend to friends or sell later if I want. Games that I play in short bursts (like Trials for example) I do want digital. If anything, games like those are good way to pass time when downloading patches and installing the games from the disc.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

This. 100%.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

Prefer digital but GCU makes me stay physical.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

I like digital just fine, but it is nice to be able to lend out games and not have to download them (although day one patches typically means a big download anyway).

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

no change .... first choice is always physical
collector by nature and I cannot trade in a digital copy if I don't like or tire of the material

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

It was never purely about physical vs. digital, IMO, it was about price. Gamers club unlocked, clearance, used, etc. Deals disappear if MS or Sony are in control and the ONLY source of digital games like MS wanted to do.

That being said, I'm still down the middle. Games I know I'll keep and want the convenience of always ready to play (Halo, Borderlands, etc) I'll go digital. Anything that has less replay value, it'll be physical.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

I think most people understand that digital games go on sale. But on average, I haven't seen any evidence that consumers are seeing substantial savings on digital products (especially when you consider the inability to resell the games).

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

I was all about physical then I had a kid now I lean digital

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

You still think so? Their messaging was so terrible and vague, but I don't really see how being digital only is anti-consumer or any different from how the digital distribution systems are now. There's just the choice of physical along with it.

Anyway, another thing that made me think about the usefulness of digital is backwards compatibility with the One/360. Hopefully it remains a thing going forward, but the ease of retaining games you've purchased before feels more useful now rather then hanging on to old 360 discs and cases.

I still don't think digital necessarily means less sales, I think it would be more ideal if they continued the same way that PC games do where retailers still sell physical copies or game codes so you still keep multiple stores competing with each other for discounts and sales. fujishig made a good point that since all games have to be installed anyway, it really does end up being like a PC. They could just tie physical game codes or licenses to your account :p

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

The Xbox One stuff never happened. I don't know why people continue to debate it. It was an idea, the market said no, they scrapped it.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

I tend to go physical, but credits and points have made me more amenable to digital. Swapping discs in and out when my kid and I are playing different games--especially when the X1 is a little hit and miss on reading them--also gives digital a little more appeal.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

Price rules all for me so usually that translates into physical (love my GCU). Plus, I like that I can trade/sell physical when needed.

Having said that, I buy digital games I know I won't get rid of... IF I can get it for a cheap price. Most recent example is the Uncharted Collection PS4. Bought digital for around $26.

Edit to add the one exception to the above is I tend to buy the digital version for games my kids play, i.e., Infinity. It is easier for them and my wife to start up a digital game versus physical.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

Physical stores do sell the digital download codes, though those never go on sale (except on Amazon, which is not a B&M). However, most physical stores seem to have a tiny PC section (if they have one at all) compared to console games, and I wonder what the sell through is like, especially with the popularity of something like Steam.

Though I guess Steam shows us that deep discounts on digital does happen, even when they don't have much competition. And then you have something like Nintendo, where the sales are pretty lackluster.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

Publishers do not deserve to get paid again from, or outright deny, a used sale. Toyota wasn't standing in line to get paid again when I sold my Camry. Simon & Schuster didn't have a hand in my pocket when I went I bought a used book. Apple can't block me from trading in my iPad at Best Buy.

Locking physical disc installs to my account. Requiring that I go to a partner, like Gamestop, who is tied into their system to buy or sell used games. How much of my information would I have had to give Gamestop to enable the removal of a game from my account to sell it?

The only real choice that a physical disc would have given me is where my installation came from. Every other choice would have been given to the publisher.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

I don't resell my games, so aside from download time, there's no real advantage for me to be physical-or-die. The collector in me won't let me, though...!

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

I only like digital. Hate the thought of collecting more physical media and no fuss from discs...

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

They sell game codes separately now for consoles, but for PC games their basically one and the same; the retail disc comes with a key that you just redeem on Steam (or Origin, UPlay, or whatever). If it followed that model, there wouldn't be a point in separate physical key code sales and i'd hope discounts would then be applied universally to one physical product. Wishful thinking I suppose :p

It would be nice if third party sites that exist on PC had the ability to do the same for console codes since that's where a lot of discounts can be had. Although I know cdkeys.com has cheap XBox Live codes and has digital console codes, although I don't know how regularly they're discounted.

I never understood why the fact that a used market exists in one industry that it should apply universally. And I hate continuing to use PC's as an example, but I don't find the PC gaming market anti-consumer at all. Although in that case, I think the system mostly grew out of piracy more then anything. And honestly, that's why I started the thread since it seems like the attitude you hold which was so prevalent 3 years ago seems to be considerably less so with consumers realizing that all of the above isn't the concern they thought it would be the way digital has been received this generation.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

I think both have their place.

For example, Destiny is the perfect game to have the digital version. The amount of content you have to download for the game, and with all the expansions being tied to digital only (the disc you get with the Taken King is the vanilla disc, with codes for the DLC addons), it just makes sense having the base game digital.

It didn't hurt that I got the digital version cheaper than the disc, plus I got the PS3 and PS4 versions.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

Except it was more than an idea, it was their entire platform six months before launch.

Consumer choice is wonderful. If one wants to go all digital no one is stopping them. If one wants to buy, rent, borrow a physical disc they're free to.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

X-Box One owner here. I prefer physical copies in most instances still. I've bought a few games digitally though. I downloaded Life Is Strange which was initially only available for download and the Mega Man Legacy Collection which received an earlier release on digital and I was in the mood to play them. I also downloaded WWE 2K15 as it was reduced in price plus had all the DLC. I've also used my Gold account to download Tomb Raider for free.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

I'm curious, if you don't sell games back, what's the draw of physical? Having the game case? Isn't the disk basically just acting as a license to verify that you bought the game, which is installed on your HDD either way?

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

To me its just the fact that companies want to charge the same price either way so I'd rather pay for something I can have in hand and put on my shelf. If there's a discount or incentive for me downloading digitally then I'll go that route otherwise I'll almost always go for a physical copy. There are some titles or game franchises that I'm a bigger fan of and just prefer to own a physical copy though. I've always been more of a physical media supporter in general too so that plays into why with me.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

I'd rather have a disc over a digital download. Downloads for games are enormous and you're not going to have an endless amount of hard drive space. Even 2 TB will eventually run out with all these downloads.

If I'm spending $60 for a game, I absolutely want a disc/case/artwork as opposed to a digital copy sitting on a hard drive.

I would only do a digital download for a much less expensive game that isn't 80-100 GB of download space and doesn't cost me $60.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

9 times out of 10 physical is cheaper. Pretty basic.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

Unless the digital is a steal, I want physical copies as I can sell or trade in when I'm done.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

Oh, and I should say since I started this thread and feel like i'm arguing more in favor of digital versions is that i'm also mostly physical currently because of price. If price were equal, I'd probably go digital more often then not. I've gotten some games digitally when on sale, like Forza Horizon 2 or Lego Marvel Super Heroes, but things like store credit, employee discounts, and random gifts have meant the majority of my games are physical. Some games like Rare Replay I really wish I had digital versions of though.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

Only when it comes to the Sony. I don't like to have to keep renewing my license to play my digital games therefore I will only buy physical when it comes to the PS3.

Re: Has your opinion on digital vs physical games changed?
 

I have a friend who went exclusively digital after his home was burglarized. He no longer will run the risk of reliving the experience of having his collection end up in some tweeker's backpack.