Your thoughts on digital games versus owning them?

[BigGiacomoSlim]

For the longest time I have been all about owning a copy of the games I buy, Even as things have gone more to the digital to where I believe one day it will all be digital I just liked owning a copy

I feel like it allowed me to trade it in for store credit when I am done with it, Just makes me feel like I own in

Now I am thinking of changing and going to digital. I am curious what you all feel about that? To me it feels like I do not own the game, also feels like if lets say my PS account got banned for some reason (I never had that happen but I have OCD and like to prepare, what if I got hacked and they closed it) I would lose all my purchases would I not?

Guess I am looking for fans of digital to kinda convince me what its the smart move

[crques]

Re: Your thoughts on digital games versus owning them?

Funny this thread popped up because I've been thinking this way as well. I've been a physical copy guy from day one, but my last two game purchases have been digital, Madden 24 and I just preordered MLB. Like you, I used to resell my physical copies when newer versions came out, but it has been a while since I've even done that. Also, I ended up rebuying a lot of older generation console games that I once owned but sold, just for nostalgic collecting purposes. With that being said, I think I'm going to switch over to all digital copies from here on out. Its just a little less hassle when I want to play to have everything on my dashboard and not have to get up and switch games out.

[BigGiacomoSlim]

Re: Your thoughts on digital games versus owning them?

Funny this thread popped up because I've been thinking this way as well. I've been a physical copy guy from day one, but my last two game purchases have been digital, Madden 24 and I just preordered MLB. Like you, I used to resell my physical copies when newer versions came out, but it has been a while since I've even done that. Also, I ended up rebuying a lot of older generation console games that I once owned but sold, just for nostalgic collecting purposes. With that being said, I think I'm going to switch over to all digital copies from here on out. Its just a little less hassle when I want to play to have everything on my dashboard and not have to get up and switch games out.

Its a hard change to make man. I want to do it but then I feel like I do not really own it. Like I am curious, If I buy games on ps5, then ps6 comes out and ps5 games work on ps6 will my account show those games on the ps6?

[ChaseB]

Re: Your thoughts on digital games versus owning them?

I've come around with the same thoughts as video games as I do my Blu-ray/DVD collection. I cut it wayyyyyyyy back in the last 24 months and now basically I go digital unless I want some special edition version in some regards. So with blu-rays that's like getting a 20-year anniversary of Groundhog Day or something, and then with video games it's now either getting a collector's edition or steelbook or just being content having the digital. I like less clutter and the things I have feeling more "special" now than I used to.

[LowerWolf]

Re: Your thoughts on digital games versus owning them?

I'm basically all digital now across all my media. Switched to digital on the PS4 in late 2016. I only game on my PS5, which is the digital only version.

Biggest reason for me was it just seemed silly to have each game fully installed on the HD, but still have to have a physical disc in the drive to play it. And it's definitely nice not having to get up from the couch if I want to play a different game. Yeah, first-world problems for sure.

Side benefits are that I'm definitely more picky about what games I buy now since I'm "stuck" with that game. And the PS store has sales often enough that I don't feel like I'm missing out there.

I used to trade in games a lot, especially sports games. So I do miss out on getting some trade-in credit. But it might be worth the $10 I'm giving up to not have to walk in to GameStop or Best Buy.

I installed a 2-TB SDD for my PS5 and have another 2-TB external HD for my PS4 games. As long as I have those games downloaded, I feel like I own them. Sure, I could delete a game and years from now it could be removed from the PS store and then it's gone. But you could just as easily lose a disc and be in the same boat.

And while there's no guarantee future versions of the PS will support older digital games, there's no guarantee they'll support discs either. In fact, I'd argue it's more likely for Sony/MS to phase out disc drives completely on future consoles. Newer cars, computers, etc., no longer come with disc drives factory installed. Not a stretch to think the PS6 or PS7 will be digital only.

That's partly why I switched to digital elsewhere too. My CD collection wasn't doing me any good once I got a car/laptop without a disc drive. Sound quality isn't as good, but it's more convenient to stream music from my phone in my car. I did hang on to CDs from my favorite bands, but traded in the rest. Even though I no longer have a BR player, I did keep some BR movies that I love, but traded in the rest. When I actually watch a movie, it's streaming. Comic books that I read are all digital, but I do buy some hard copies to keep as collectibles. Pretty much all other books are digital now though. Definitely cuts down on the clutter.

[danj13]

Re: Your thoughts on digital games versus owning them?

I've gone basically all digital. I've never seen having a digital game as not owning it. I have been able to download my copy of NCAA Football 13 on different 360s through the years and never had an issue. I always buy my sport games digitally because by the time I'm done with them they don't trade in for much anyways. I did recently buy FFVII digital because of the resale value if I can finish it semi quickly.


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[BigGiacomoSlim]

Re: Your thoughts on digital games versus owning them?

Thank you for the input. I guess its time to dive in and do it. I guess I should buy an extra storage drive for ps5 also. Just need to find out which one and hope its simple to install

[zello144]

Re: Your thoughts on digital games versus owning them?

I've gone all digital. Makes it easier and simpler for me I'm not a big fan of having a large physical collection that I'll never touch or go through and all it does is just take up space. Being able to play games and not have to swap discs is amazing. Unfortunately there's a lot of things that end up getting delisted when I realized I was going fully digital (The Deadpool game). In addition to my PS5 I also own a 360 and have been buying what remains digitally on the 360 store before they shut it down in July.

Funny thing is I own a disc PS5 and will probably continue to buy the disc versions of a console.

[Christian9]

Re: Your thoughts on digital games versus owning them?

The problem I have with digital is that you are not truly the “owner” of the game, but have the rights to play it. And if internet goes down or some other issue occurs, you’re not able to login to play that game.

Other than that it’s so convenient!


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[Kramer5150]

Re: Your thoughts on digital games versus owning them?

The problem I have with digital is that you are not truly the “owner” of the game, but have the rights to play it. And if internet goes down or some other issue occurs, you’re not able to login to play that game.

Other than that it’s so convenient!


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Obviously if it's some sort of live service game or MP then of course you would need an online connection, but talking single player games you do not need an internet connection...at least on Xbox you don't, not sure about PS.

You can play any digital games offline as long as that Xbox is set to your home Xbox in the setting, general, and personalization and there should be an option to "Make this my home Xbox" and by that way, you can allow games to be played offline on that Xbox, share all of your content like gold and games to other profiles on that console.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...that%20console.

[BigGiacomoSlim]

Re: Your thoughts on digital games versus owning them?

The problem I have with digital is that you are not truly the “owner” of the game, but have the rights to play it. And if internet goes down or some other issue occurs, you’re not able to login to play that game.

Other than that it’s so convenient!


Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

If you own the game and downloaded in your system no internet needed right ?

[BigGiacomoSlim]

Re: Your thoughts on digital games versus owning them?

I've gone all digital. Makes it easier and simpler for me I'm not a big fan of having a large physical collection that I'll never touch or go through and all it does is just take up space. Being able to play games and not have to swap discs is amazing. Unfortunately there's a lot of things that end up getting delisted when I realized I was going fully digital (The Deadpool game). In addition to my PS5 I also own a 360 and have been buying what remains digitally on the 360 store before they shut it down in July.

Funny thing is I own a disc PS5 and will probably continue to buy the disc versions of a console.

How did you lose a game you own digitally ? Deadpool,

[fsufan4423]

Re: Your thoughts on digital games versus owning them?

I would never buy digital, I need my box art. I love going back looking at older games I've bought over the years. It's like every game tells a story in my life at that time.

It's like looking at pictures or something. I have so many old games dating back to PS1, PS2, and the first Xbox. I never trade anything when it comes to gaming. I primarily play on PC now, but I still will pick up a few PS5 and Series X games on sale.

[ChaseB]

Re: Your thoughts on digital games versus owning them?

How did you lose a game you own digitally ? Deadpool,

Generally it happens if an entire service disappears. But if you have the game downloaded on your console, you still would be able to play it. Other times things get delisted here and there -- PT is a classic example where it just is hard to get even though it was just a demo in a lot of regards because it's not listed anymore so if you delete it it's gone.

[ChaseB]

Re: Your thoughts on digital games versus owning them?

I haven't given much if any thought to digital. How easy/convenient is to play digital versions between say , 5 houses. Some buddies of mine, used to play the old EA NCAAF every week, like a poker night. We all had PS3, but we didn't all have a copy of EA NCAAF. Love to get that started back this fall with EA CFB, just wonder if digital is convenient. And quick.

You mean like can five people share one game? Usually games are tied specifically to an account you make so only you can play on it. Some services like Steam allow you to share games and play them together but it's not like "standard" in the industry.