What are OzBargainers opinions on Physical vs Digital games?
What do people prefer and Why?
I prefer physical but some Digital prices have been very good lately. I just worry that one day Digital games will be unavailable (if sony went bust or something) - im talking years from now.
Whats your opinion?
(I live in Australia)
The name of the site you're posting on is a slight giveaway
Just slightly… pointing out that most of us here wouldn't have the speed to download a bluray game without leaving on the PC or console overnight to download a game.
If you are downloading ps4 make sure you close anything running as Sony massively throttle downloads if any programs are running (may not be any but it quite a lot)
Installed FarCry Primal from disk, and then had to wait for the 4GB+ "Update" to download. Don't see the point.
I prefer physical as the size of games makes them too slow to download again…
The other reason for physical games being no.1 is that they are cheaper even though you get no dvd/box etc.
Praise-Allah that we still have a choice and are not limited to one or the other.
Digital means you have to pay for storage costs.. You cannot sell on when you decide you don't want it any more..
I'd buy a game for under 10 dollars on digital.. But never have yet.
Digital is always a risk - if they ban your account it's good game.
However, I do have a decent digital library for games that were either on massive sale or games that are playable on both PC & Xbox (FH3 for example).
I like to get physical for games that I'm not sure if I'll like, or games that get refreshed a lot (sports games for example). There are a few exceptions like Red Dead Redemption. Got that for <$10 physical but never seen it so cheap for digital so…
I go for physical on my PS4 cause i can play threw the game usually in a day or two and then sell the game without much loss of money.
That's true, but if your account was banned you'd still be able to play if it's kept on the system. You'd have to give your account away if you sold the machine, that's the downside. I've bought plenty of games that never got released physically (mostly indie) or were too pricey during the time, like Oddworld New N Tasty for example, physical copy was released in ltd quantities and selling for over $100 on eBay, digital copy on PSN was $29.95 and dropped even more after some time. Imo it all comes down to availability and price difference
Digital prices should not be the same or higher than physical.
i certainly would have over 200 games on PC if i had to pay the prices they actuly want (i buy from key sites humble bundle etc..)
I think I got that free on PS plus one month?? Played a few levels but didnt finish it
Indeed, it gets very irritating at times but no doubt a good ol' classic haha
I don't have a DVD drive in my main PC anymore, so it makes zero difference if the game is digital or physical
All that matters is the purchase price, if the game is a AAA title, has singleleplayer, multiplayer has good reviews and it's under $25, I'll probably buy it straight away.
For consoles I will always buy a physical copy.
Physical on console, digital on PC.
Physical when you can, if you can't resell it, you don't really own it.
PC Digital via things like steam sales. Price has got to a point where you can pick up great games for $5. Cant resell but I am a hoarder anyway
There has to be a significant price difference for me to justify digital (ie. some Steam sales). I wouldn't bother with a digital new release, not until our internet and storage capabilities are far superior.
Digital is a bum deal. The fact that game companies have convinced people that digital is good is a joke. You're lucky to even get half decent box art these days. It's quite pathetic how much they cut out. Luckily you still have special editions for some nice physical media, but it's expensive and getting rarer.
I'm on the PS4. I buy physical copies and then I sell them as soon as I finish the game. The cost of each game ends up being quite low because I get most of my money back. I've even made a profit on a few occasions.
The problem with digital is that it's too expensive. It needs to be substantially cheaper than physical for me to consider it.
Physical for consoles. You can buy, sell, lend, trade physical. Digital is locked to your account only.
Not much choice left for PC. I know you can still buy a physical game but basically all good games must be redeemed on steam/uplay/origin.
Like monopoly and stuff right?
I like my games physical. Physical games have a resale value.
As I am constantly breaking down and rebuilding my rig (it is a Frankenstien that possibly has parts from my first build 20 years ago), having my software in the cloud, registered to me is super convenient. After 3 xbox 360s gave me the RROD, I decided i like my console games stored there too (dont buy xbox anymore, but i can access my library from other peoples if i want to play with them on theirs). I do have a gold Zelda cartridge banging about the house, as every few years we buy an N64 and play a while, then resell so it doesn't gather dust and keep bringing joy, but for newly published works, I will have mine digital thanks, with a side of physical purchase option in case I go bush again.
Nost of my game collection is digital. With "games with gold" and the odd sale here and there I have built up a fairly big library. I also occasionally buy off foreign Xbox stores when they're cheaper and the Aussie dollar is higher. I don't mind having digital copies as I can revisit these games whenever I like. I find that when I do buy a game on disk it ends up on my pile of shame and I don't get around to playing it until 6 months later (anyone want to buy titanfall 2 off me?). Plus, I'm too lazy to get up off the couch and change the disks.
Family sharing is great too. That way I can share my entire library with a mate and we can play the same games online.
I only buy digital. This is fine, until I realise that I want to lend my games to a friend. Obviously I can't then. Still, it is more convenient. (And funnily enough, I tend to play less, or not at all, the games that I do have physical copies of)
I buy physical, then wait for them to be free on Gold so that I don't have to use the disc to play them… Then trade them in :-)
I've never put a disk in my PS4. I prefer the convenience of digital. Instantly switching games without getting up is great. I'm fortunate that I can afford the slight added expense and I have a good NBN internet connection. I only buy when on sale and use discounted PSN cards when available.
I personally prefer physical copies because digital you can't on-sell if you find yourself not wanting to play it anymore. Usually digital copies are locked to your account, so if your account gets stolen or something else happens to it you lose those games then as well.
Generally physical copies for me, unless the game is free then I will get digital. Digital also takes up less space on the shelf. Yet with the size of games getting larger all the time physival is for me.
I once got a free copy of Gears Of War 4. 85gb download size. Took almost 3 days solid downloading to get on my old ADSL2+ since the PC version is digital only. If I uninstall and want to play again another several hours to download on my 25mb NBN going at full speed.
Prefer console physical copies, but I prefer digital PC copies. I don't even know why I prefer physical, I don't even intend to sell my games, ever. I guess it's for the sake of collection.
In the past, having a console physical copy used to mean something, but after a 6GB install on Destiny 2 on release day, I realize that there's no way to avoid mandatory first day downloads on games you buy :|
Have games on discs are nice, gives you something physical to sell later when you're done with it. Plus my internet is rubbish (I live in Australia) and it would take too damn long to download a huge game.