Physical VS Digital

[Azure-Tranquility]

What type of game do you prefer? One you can hold physically in your hands or one you can just store digitally on a harddrive?

Personally I've grown used to Physical games, being born in 1991 and playing games since around 1994-1995, I'm used to roughly a decade of physical games, with only a couple with digital, and frankly I don't feel like I own the game if it's not on my shelf in a physical box and manual. I'm not completely against it, but I see it as a supplement. The only games I have downloaded on my Xbox 360 for example include mostly HD versions of games I have physical copies of, with the exception being the Splosion Man series.

[Viiper]

While I love being able to truly own the physical form and have it on my shelf, the convenience of having things tied to my Steam or Live account just can't be beat.

[Vipershark]

Physical.
Nothing better than the feeling of popping a cartridge into a console.

As much as I despise digital distribution, I have to admit steam is super convenient
but what about when steam eventually dies
WHOOP NO MORE GAMES LOL

[Sol]

If the game is available as a CD then that's probably how I will get it. I like using Steam, but I don't have a computer that can play many modern games, so most of the titles I play on it are little indie games that are easy enough to run and don't have physical counterparts anyway. There's a video game store literally down the street from me, so buying console games is easy enough when I have the money. It's the same thing with music, for me. It just feels better to have a case and CD than a virtual folder.

[Cobalt Blue]

both are ok for me.

really, having digital copies of a game on steam is extremely convenient and way cheaper.

having a physical copy of a game involves a certain amount of nostalgia(not to mention you tend to value it more over time)

[Garamonde]

I play ROMs a lot of the time if I don't own or can't get a game but there are games I own that I have ROMs of as well (yeah I know this has to do with Steam or whatever but I'm just throwing this out there). Sort of recently though I've stopped really playing the games I download for enjoyment, but rather I download and possibly play them just to rip things from them.

Spoiler

Trust me, I'd love to own the two GBA Bomberman Jetters games for real, but seeing as they're Japan only I have no way to get them at this time. :I

[Azure-Tranquility]

ROMs and emulation are an entirely different beast.

I mean PAYING for digital content. If it was free then I would be a'lot more fond of digital gaming, obviously.

[Kriven]

It depends on the distribution service, honestly.

I really dislike the way Nintendo is handling their digital distribution. While I appreciate having all of those games available, the entire process just feels impersonal, and since I'm not guaranteed to be able to transfer the content from console to another (Wii-to-Wii, not Wii-to-Wii U, I know the latter has been addressed) I don't really feel like I own the content. It feels more like I purchased the right to play the games sometimes when they say it's okay.

However, I like the XBLA system a lot. The fact that the titles are linked to my account give me a feeling of ownership over them, even if it is a pseudo-sensation. The titles can also be reliably transferred to another console, so it feels like "I bought this, it's mine." I also like how most XBLA titles come equipped with achievements, and the potential to be upgraded over time.

In general, I used to like physical copy more. I'm now seeing how it's inconvenient as a whole to industry and consumer. To make an order chart:

XBLA > Physical > VirtualConsole/WiiWare

[Vipershark]

in terms of convenience, that's correct (though steam is far, far above xbla there)

but still, there's not avoiding the fact that one day, all DD services will eventually go down.
All those games you paid for? No more.
That doesn't happen with physical copies.

[Rosencrantz]

That doesn't happen with physical copies.

(except for when they deteriorate)

(there's no such thing as a material that doesn't corrode in some way)

[Kriven]

in terms of convenience, that's correct (though steam is far, far above xbla there)

but still, there's not avoiding the fact that one day, all DD services will eventually go down.
All those games you paid for? No more.
That doesn't happen with physical copies.

Since I'm not streaming the games and they're actually on my 360's HDD, even if the XBLA service shuts off, I have what I purchased so long as I can take care of my 360.

And there's really no reason DD services will shut down. At least, not within our lifetimes. So long as we have the resources required to keep the technology running, there's literally no reason for these services to shut down if they're still making sufficient income.

[X Gamer 66]

buy physical copies, make digital backups, experience the best of both worlds.

[Alpha Six]

but still, there's not avoiding the fact that one day, all DD services will eventually go down.

uh, no they won't. and i'm sure they plan for this stuff ahead of time. if anything, DD is becoming the new standard.

[Gwen]

Physical, I hate that things are shifting to digital.

[Strasteo]

Digital is fine, but when it comes to games where it's something I'm really looking forward to and available AS a physical copy... I'd go for the physical copy. It just makes the purchase seem more 'special' to me. (derp, purchasing a game = special event for me wow i'm a loser) Reserving it, waiting for it, going out on the release date to pick it up, then going home grinning like a maniac and popping it into the console is more satisfying than clicking a few links and downloading a game. However, how important the game is to me is also a factor in how I'd approach buying it, as stated above.