Pros and Cons of going to an all-digital game library

[daniel77733]

Re: Pros and Cons of going to an all-digital game library

Only 24%???

This can't be accurate because that seems way too low. Always thought that it was over at least 50%. If it's truly only 24%, then I have nothing to worry about whatsoever. LOL.

[ubernoob]

Re: Pros and Cons of going to an all-digital game library

Only 24%???

This can't be accurate because that seems way too low. Always thought that it was over at least 50%. If it's truly only 24%, then I have nothing to worry about whatsoever. LOL.

Those numbers were from 2015, so they are undoubtedly higher now. How much higher, I have no clue.

Here are recent numbers we know from Q4 2016, all sourced from Akami 'State of the Internet' report:
- The US is 14th in the world with an average connection speed of 17.2 Mbps (2.15 MBps)
- 24% of all connections from New York State were 25Mbps or higher (3.125MBps)
- 20% of all connections from California were 25MBps or higher.
- Washington DC fastest region on average with average connection speed of 26.7 Mbps (3.3375 MBps)
- Massachusetts had an average speed of 21.7 Mbps (2.7125 MBps)
- California average speed of 18.8 Mbps (2.35Mbps)

[daniel77733]

Re: Pros and Cons of going to an all-digital game library

Never would have guessed that those percentages were that low. Going by all of that information, all digital is further away than even I thought it would be which to be perfectly honest, is better for me personally. At 38, I do however think that gaming will go all digital at some point during my lifetime.

[mestevo]

Re: Pros and Cons of going to an all-digital game library

Keep in mind the audience too though, if only 50% of households have a video game console of some sort, and even fewer if you remove things like the Nintendo devices, a much higher percentage of your audience likely has high speed connection.

The FCC in January 2016 said just 10% of Americans lack access to 25Mbps+ connections.

Only 4% in urban areas don't have that access.

The disparity is in Tribal and Rural areas, as it always has been.

It could happen in a couple of console generations, but we'll get something closer to the original Xbox One vision first, which would still havel let most of the physical buyers go about their business like it was no different anyways - which is how it should work anyways.

[ODogg]

Re: Pros and Cons of going to an all-digital game library

Keep in mind the audience too though, if only 50% of households have a video game console of some sort, and even fewer if you remove things like the Nintendo devices, a much higher percentage of your audience likely has high speed connection.

The FCC in January 2016 said just 10% of Americans lack access to 25Mbps+ connections.

Only 4% in urban areas don't have that access.

The disparity is in Tribal and Rural areas, as it always has been.

It could happen in a couple of console generations, but we'll get something closer to the original Xbox One vision first, which would still havel let most of the physical buyers go about their business like it was no different anyways - which is how it should work anyways.

Yeah it happens a lot faster than people think, heck just in my neighborhood they are building out fiber connections right now.

The numbers of people who can access high speed connections can be a bit misleading. The large percentage of rural areas of people who don't have access to high speed connections are also likely the same people who don't own Xbox Ones or PS4s. Those are people who live in places like West Virginia and are not into technology.

It'll take a while, there's no doubt about that, but every day we advance the calendar is a day we are heading to digital dominance. Physical media is going to become a relic for collectors and those few people who actually do game but live in the mountains of West Virginia.

[ExtremeGamer]

Re: Pros and Cons of going to an all-digital game library

You just laid the Smackdown on the entire state of West Virginia lol


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[countryboy]

Re: Pros and Cons of going to an all-digital game library

Odogg about to start receiving hate mail from West Virginia gamers....


I don't see myself ever going all digital unless I'm absolutely forced. There is something about seeing my collection of games sitting on the shelves. Games are separated by console/system and then put in alphabetical order.

[JayhawkerStL]

Re: Pros and Cons of going to an all-digital game library

I don't see myself ever going all digital unless I'm absolutely forced. There is something about seeing my collection of games sitting on the shelves. Games are separated by console/system and then put in alphabetical order.

This is exactly what I grew out of years ago. We started by keeping games, controllers and stuff in wood chest we kept in the dining room. As we have mostly eliminated physical disks, we now have a TV stand with drawers that I keep my controllers, headsets, and wires in, as well as my wife's knitting stuff.

I had quit buying VHS and DVDs a long time ago, preferring to rent, and now stream. All of my music is either sold or packed up, as everything is mp3 now. We no longer "decorate" with our media collections. The main exception are bookshelves. I suggested even taking those down, but that is the one thing my wife wants to maintain. We have thousands of books, and many are boxed up from or last two moves. But we have 3 bookshelves stocked now, and my daughter's room (which is now a guest room since she left for college) has a wall of built-in shelves that we keep books in.

But my wife no longer reads many paper books. She listens to audiobooks most of the time now. And I read 100% on my Kindle, including comics. I will admit that I miss going the bookstore with my wife. We would each grab several books we consider buying and then hang out in the coffee shop deciding what buy.

To be honest, when I still craved physical, it was really nothing more than being "that guy." The one always recommending what games, movies, and music you should be checking out, so I have them on hand, easily forcing them on people.

It wasn't until later, when another friend would give my DVDs to watch, because she thought they were essential that I figured out how annoying that was. And they sat there staring at me, while I tried to find time that I wanted watch them. They just became an uncomfortable obligation, as she would ask if I watched them yet, but refusing to take them back until I did. Once I decided to stop being "that guy," then giving up physical discs was so much easier.

[Valdarez]

Re: Pros and Cons of going to an all-digital game library

Haven't read the entire thread, but one more Con I'd add is that if you are unable to download / keep all games on your system (very likely), then years down the road, when you're feeling nostalgic & want to play an old game, if you didn't have it downloaded, then odds are you can't play it even though you bought/purchased it & own it.

[ODogg]

Re: Pros and Cons of going to an all-digital game library

Haven't read the entire thread, but one more Con I'd add is that if you are unable to download / keep all games on your system (very likely), then years down the road, when you're feeling nostalgic & want to play an old game, if you didn't have it downloaded, then odds are you can't play it even though you bought/purchased it & own it.

That's definitely a con and why I didn't like the idea of digital to start with. But then, for me anyways, I realized I never play old games really so it doesn't affect me in that regards. But I could see why some may not want to go the digital route because of this aspect. Those games won't be available forever.

[mestevo]

Re: Pros and Cons of going to an all-digital game library

Think that's a fear that only has abstract merit. How many games qualify for that description?

Things like online servers no longer being available is much more likely, and affects digital and physical purchases.

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[ODogg]

Re: Pros and Cons of going to an all-digital game library

Think that's a fear that only has abstract merit. How many games qualify for that description?

Things like online servers no longer being available is much more likely, and affects digital and physical purchases.

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Yeah, I sorta see your point...but like what if I wanted to download PS2 Destruction Derby for my PS2 right now? Ain't played it in a while and I'd like to play it. Doubt I could find it to do that.

Of course all of that above is not really valid, as it didn't work that way then, but isn't it a somewhat, possibly valid concern that if in, say 2021, you want to download a game from 2017 you wouldn't have access to it?

I don't really know but what do you guys think, will our libraries be available that long? We are all sort of new to this digital download stuff so I have no idea.

[mercalnd]

Re: Pros and Cons of going to an all-digital game library

Yeah, I sorta see your point...but like what if I wanted to download PS2 Destruction Derby for my PS2 right now? Ain't played it in a while and I'd like to play it. Doubt I could find it to do that.

Of course all of that above is not really valid, as it didn't work that way then, but isn't it a somewhat, possibly valid concern that if in, say 2021, you want to download a game from 2017 you wouldn't have access to it?

I don't really know but what do you guys think, will our libraries be available that long? We are all sort of new to this digital download stuff so I have no idea.

You can still redownload old digital 360 games that they are no longer selling provided you bought them before. I have some that date back to 2006 and can still be redownloaded if I want. I'm sure at some point they might pull the plug completely. But I figure any game that I really want to keep beyond that, such as NCAA 14, I can backup on my end. I doubt there'd be that many games that someone wants to keep way beyond the console's life that it becomes cost prohibitive to keep a backup.

[Valdarez]

Re: Pros and Cons of going to an all-digital game library

That's definitely a con and why I didn't like the idea of digital to start with. But then, for me anyways, I realized I never play old games really so it doesn't affect me in that regards. But I could see why some may not want to go the digital route because of this aspect. Those games won't be available forever.

I've basically gone mixed. I did upgrade my hard drive to a 2GB I believe so I hope to keep most games I download. I've bought quite a few small games digitially, but on the big ones, I only buy games that I believe I will play for years down the road -- Diablo 3, Destiny, Nobunaga's Ambition (though I'm 'still' waiting for a price drop on it!). These are games that I will never delete from the hard drive.

[ODogg]

Re: Pros and Cons of going to an all-digital game library

I'm just buying everything digital anymore, I suppose if I hit a rough patch money wise I will go back to saving 20% and getting physical but in general I don't trade in games, I keep them to sell with my system when it reaches end of life.