Digital copy vs Physical copy

[BlackBlade]

Sorry if this has already been discuss I looked a round a bit but could not find it for the life of me.

It's been said that people in the west( North america, Europe etc) when it comes to games actually prefer digital, especially if its less expensive, and find owning the game physically isn't necessary.

It's also been said people from the East( Japan, Asia) prefer games physically and even appreciate the cases/artwork so much they would prefer to own the game even if its a little more expensive.

What do you guys prefer? Do you think this is a fair assessment of people?

If anyone is interested on where I read this info it was on kotaku mind you I don't know which article it was exactly but I do remember it being mention when RE5 was coming out with its DLC.

[Edge]

Physical copy.

I'm east, and south, with a western originated society.

I don't know enough gamers here to know if it's the norm but for my favourite games I only want a physical copy, unless I can't get it any other way and I have to have the game I don't like digital. Unless that's the way the game was originally, then I don't mind.

If you're specifically talking emulators, being able to kickback and relax with your console and your game in its original case and art, possibly still with its manual, and the control set up and controller it was designed originally to work with is a great feeling. I'd definitely pay more for that. Especially for the games you like it's an appreciation of the game in its first official state, and returning to that. It also feels a bit like I don't actually own it if it's exclusively digital.

Some gamers believe it's not really the same game if you can't do that and aesthetics aside different controls and movements in emulators can alter the feel or difficulty of the game a surprising amount in some cases. Sometimes with digital versions glitches from the originals are fixed (some glitches become famous and looked for, and missed) and new ones pop into existence in the digital copy.

[TheNiteAngel]

I definitely really want the physical copy if at all possible. I'm one of those gamers that gets the art guides to games because I like to collect the stuff like that. As a matter of fact, I have so many cases that I recently had to break down and buy a cd wallet because I just don't need them taking up space in my dorm next semester. I fill two whole shelves with all the games and now I just have all the cases in a big box under my bed. It's not even like I want them for a collector's item though. It's more I guess for my pride in my own collection.

[Cecil Harvey]

I like collecting things, so I like having the hard copy. I would take the hard copy anytime over the digital copy. I am even happy paying more money for the physical copy.

[Illusion]

I prefer a physical copy. One day we won't have a choice probably, but for now I like to know I have a hard copy of one of my favorite games in my collection. I like to see the whole package together, cover art in the case, the disk, and the instruction manual.

[Cecil Harvey]

I prefer a physical copy. One day we won't have a choice probably, but for now I like to know I have a hard copy of one of my favorite games in my collection. I like to see the whole package together, cover art in the case, the disk, and the instruction manual.

That is exactly my point, I couldn't have said it better myself. It feels more special somehow......

[Furore]

I've fallen for digital copies, if mainly because I don't need to insert discs and they save a lot of space. That said, I buy physical copies of my favourite games when possible as I do appreciate the cover art, printed materials and how they look on my little shelf. I've been mostly mobile phone gaming of late though, and all those games are digital only.

[Rocky]

whatever is cheaper and happens to be more readily available. Having digital copies of games is great because there occasionally appears that super rare game you never got to play from a previous console generation (example, Symphony of the Night), and now that it is on the PSN/XBL marketplace, it is now available for the masses to play! And at a much cheaper price too (some copies of SotN were going for $100 easy on ebay)

[TheNiteAngel]

whatever is cheaper and happens to be more readily available. Having digital copies of games is great because there occasionally appears that super rare game you never got to play from a previous console generation (example, Symphony of the Night), and now that it is on the PSN/XBL marketplace, it is now available for the masses to play! And at a much cheaper price too (some copies of SotN were going for $100 easy on ebay)

I guess that's the big upside that I've seen as well. I still really like to have the hard copy, but for me the bottom line is getting to play the game. Luckily, there is a used game store in my area with some of those rarer games showing up with some frequency. I got the PSX copy of SotN for $23. I didn't plan on grabbing it, but I figured I wouldn't get the shot again soon.

[DragonHeart]

The way I am doing it right now is actually a mix of digital, physical and renting. Any game that I am certain I will love I prefer to have a physical copy of for displaying, especially if it has a collector's edition or is an older game that is perhaps harder to find in good condition.

Older games that I do not already have a copy of, favored games I do have a copy of, or small indy games that are digital only are what I am more likely to keep on my HDD. For example, I plan on buying digital copies of the Final Fantasy games on the PSN store even though I have all of the originals. They are not very expensive and much more portable than the originals, plus digital copies can't get dropped or scratched like a disc can. And frankly, I am the type of person who goes back and plays favorite games time and time again, so it makes sense for me to have essentially a permanent copy of these games.

There will eventually be a transition solely to digital games in the future, most likely, and while I won't have new game cases to display on a shelf, there are other ways to do it. A digital picture frame that cycles through the covers and artwork of one's favorite video games, for example. And artbooks aren't going anywhere, for now anyway. Yes, you miss out on the tactile part of the experience, but in my case at least, it's what's on the disc that matters most. I'll miss holding the case in my hand, new game smell, and flipping through the manual for the first time, but I'm sure I will adapt as quickly as I did for ebooks.

~DragonHeart~

[Darkwolf]

Digital.

A lot of places where you can get a digital copy of a game allow you to download it on a limited number of systems. (For the PSN It's 5 systems total)

So I can share my digital games with a small group, and within that small group we can all enjoy multiplayer games while not having to pay a lot more money to do so.

It's a win as far as I'm concerned. (Me and 2 friends are doing this with Gods Eater Burst for the PSP)

[Cereal~Killer]

I don't know. It's weird with me...I like digital copies, because you don't have to deal with discs or worry about them scratching to the point where they mess up, but at the same time, I like physical copies, because of the case itself, the case design and just having it there physically. I think I'll choose physical copy. The positives outweigh the negatives.

[Cereal~Killer]

Digital.

A lot of places where you can get a digital copy of a game allow you to download it on a limited number of systems. (For the PSN It's 5 systems total)

Would you mind explaining to me how you do this exactly? I have FFVII on my PS3, but if I could copy it to my PSP from there, that'd be great.

EDIT: Sorry, didn't mean to double post. I meant to edit this into my first post.

[Darkwolf]

Would you mind explaining to me how you do this exactly? I have FFVII on my PS3, but if I could copy it to my PSP from there, that'd be great.

EDIT: Sorry, didn't mean to double post. I meant to edit this into my first post.

If you have both systems on the same account, just go to the store on your PsP and click "View Downloads" on the upper right corner and Final Fantasy VII should be there.

Which reminds me, I also got digital copies of Silent Hill and Final Fantasy VIII off of the PSN as well as Gods Eater Burst. I'm really enjoyng the unlimited download deal and the fact that I can always get the games back even if I delete the one I have somehow.

I guess I compare it to having unlimited personal copies of one game. Even if you can't download from more than one system, you can always get the game back if you want to play it again. If you lose things like me, it's a great way to get games.

[Firefly]

Physical copy all the way for me. I mean yeah they get scratched up and stuff,but I like to have the game case,manuals,etc. And plus, I am trying to start a collection of Final Fantasy,so I want the physical copies :3

[Furore]

Would you mind explaining to me how you do this exactly? I have FFVII on my PS3, but if I could copy it to my PSP from there, that'd be great.

EDIT: Sorry, didn't mean to double post. I meant to edit this into my first post.

I believe if it's on your PS3, you can press triangle on the game and there should be an option to copy if it your PSP is connected. It's why I store all PSP compatible titles on my PS3 whether or not the PS3 can play them. Just makes things convenient.

[Fluffles]

I'm a westerner and I prefer owning the game, usually for the artwork the game manuals sometimes have, or the cover artwork. There's times where I wish we in the west had the same cover art as those in the east, most of the time on FF titles, because I just think the artwork looks nicer.

I like owning the physical copy of anything, really. Mostly it is for the art, hence why I bought a book that's in Russian (having read the English counterpart) just because I loved the cover art.


Currently, the only game I own a digital copy of is FFVII and that's because the physical copy is like... $240 which is waay too much, IMO. So, if the option is getting a digital game for $9.99 or $240, at that much of a gap, I'll go for the cheaper option.

[The_Dream_Recluse]

Personally, i prefer the physical copy, mainly because i can hold it in my hands and know that it's always here (unless i sell it or get robbed) whereas with digital copies it's possible to lose the data if something happens to your console or computer. Plus, there's no awkward moment of caressing it with glee in the digital version

[Judge Magistrate]

I prefer to own something as opposed to downloading it or whatever. It just doesn't mean as much to me unless I own it physicaly.