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

[AUChase]

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

Last November, a buddy and I decided to get Call of Duty Advanced Warfare so we could play each other online.

I went to Best Buy and bought the disc for $48 with my GCU. He downloaded his from PSN for $60.

Last week, we decided we were done with the game. I took my disc back to Best Buy and got a $20 gift card for it. He deleted his copy from his hard drive.

I basically paid $28 to rent it for 10 months. He paid $60. Until that changes, I'm sticking with physical.

Where you really messed up.

[DickDalewood]

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

Con: Cost is just as high if not higher than disc release (hello Best Buy Gamers Club Unlocked).

Con: The games are almost never on sale.

Con: If you need to make hard drive space and have to re-download, said download takes forever.

Con: No future trade-in/resale value.

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Pro: Convenience - you don't have to constantly swap out discs and if you have multiple systems, the game can be on both.

Pro: Preloading allows for easier "midnight release access".

Pro: Traveling with the console is easier (unless of course you're destination point doesn't have internet. If that's the case, see the Cons list).

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Overall: Unless forced (I'm looking at you Forza Ultimate Edition), I feel we aren't yet near the point of digital being the ideal way to game on a console. Someday? No doubt.

[mestevo]

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

Digital purchases don't typically require an internet connection. Multiple console setups, not playing on home console, etc are where that comes in.

[donkey33]

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

Carrying on from my post above since I made another purchase, I just got MCC on special in store for $20 (aus) yet it's $100 on the xbox store (aus).

It's annoying to change discs but I won't sniff digital until that is different. I never trade in discs either so resell isn't a concern but stupid digital pricing is.

[SmashMan]

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

DriveClub has never been available to play without an internet connection (Lizard Squad taking down PSN last year was such a joy...). Any other title I've randomly owned digitally, if I don't have a connection there is a little padlock symbol over the image with a message regarding the need of online connectivity.

Sounds like your PS4 isn't set as your primary system.

http://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps4/settings/activation.html

[ExtremeGamer]

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

DriveClub has never been available to play without an internet connection (Lizard Squad taking down PSN last year was such a joy...). Any other title I've randomly owned digitally, if I don't have a connection there is a little padlock symbol over the image with a message regarding the need of online connectivity.

Yeah, your console isn't set as primary, I've never had a problem playing any of my games, Drive Club digital included, when PSN has been down or without an Internet connection.

I've been digital this entire gen, I won't ever go back to discs. The cons are so minor to me that it doens't matter. The lack of being able to trade games in? Sure, for some games it's been a negative like The Order or Project Cars, but it's nice to have every game I've owned under PS4 at my finger tips if I want it to be. There's been several games already that I deleted only to redownload months later and start playing again. In the past, that would have been me rebuying said game negating that trade value I just got. I remember one year buying NBA 2K 3 times throughout the 9 month period.

My biggest pro, I have 2 kids, they can turn on the PS4 and get to a game without getting discs out, scratching them or trying to figure out how everything works. They just select the game and play. For me that outweighs every single con anyone could come up with.

[DickDalewood]

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

Ah ok, that would make sense. Two PS4s, the living room console is set as the Primary so that my wife can access all of the content as well (she plays all of the same games for the most part, on her profile of course).

I'll remove that from my Cons, but the rest of my points still hold for me, especially when it comes to download speeds (admittedly due in part to my own internet I'm sure), HD size, and upfront cost and trade-in value. Again, GC Unlocked at BBY is just too good of a deal. Getting every new release for $47 goes a long ways.

A pro I forgot to mention, my brother and I will loan each other a game every now and then.

BTW, I don't have kids, but your comment about them not being able to scratch disks going digital is a great point.

[DickDalewood]

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

Actually... that brings up another question.

Would my wife's profile still require an active internet connection to access digital downloads even though she's on the Primary PS4?

[ExtremeGamer]

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

Actually... that brings up another question.

Would my wife's profile still require an active internet connection to access digital downloads even though she's on the Primary PS4?

You would be primary on hers, she primary on yours, that way all games should play at all times.

With the loaning games, it works the same in a way, where if you bought one copy of Call of Duty on PSN, both PS4's in your house could have it installed and playing online with it at the same time.

I don't care what anyone does, the GCU deals are fantastic and wish it was around last gen LOL. I was just stating why I'm digital only, I'm not about to try to convince anyone to change their way or opinion, there's too much of that in this thread LOL

I'm glad we have digital but also glad physical isn't dead.

[SmashMan]

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

Actually... that brings up another question.

Would my wife's profile still require an active internet connection to access digital downloads even though she's on the Primary PS4?

Depends on the primary settings and who purchased what.

If that living room console is set as primary for your profile (and it is) any profile on the system can play anything purchased on your profile. Works the same as PS3 in that sense. If things have also been purchased on her name, then that console would also have to be her primary to access the content offline too.

The online requirement only comes when you're on a non-primary system and accessing games you've bought.

This sounds confusing as hell to type out, man. Though it sounds like you already knew the basics so I might have just typed a bunch of stuff to confuse myself.

[DickDalewood]

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

Bahaha... nah, I appreciate it guys. And yes, so glad we still have the options for both, because there are certainly cases where I deviate from the norm.

Choices = always good.

[SportsGamer94]

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

One of the reasons I went all digital this gen is because I have gaming ADD. I often play a game for a short time then jump to a new game before beating the last game I purchased. Then six months later I get the itch to play it again. Last gen I often traded my games in after I stopped playing them, then when I got the itch to play them again I had to repurchase it.
Not having a ton of games scattered everywhere is well worth it to me.

Also I'm pretty sure when the next generation of gaming comes around M$ will have a way for digital to be backwards compatible, I hope so, my backlog is so long and time to play games is so little, Im pretty sure I won't beat all the games I have this gen.

[mestevo]

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

I've got pretty bad gaming ADD also.

My biggest con, personally, w/ going digital is compulsiveness and poor self-control . Tonight I almost bit on a couple of games that I have no time at all for just because they were on sale. I did grab Geomety Wars for $7.50, but was tempted by the Prototype bundle, Transformers and Spider-Man.

I know there are complaints about the Prototype ports, but this is one of my all time favorite franchises, with few games coming close to the freedom of movement these titles offered).

Speaking of gaming ADD, the first Prototype is one of maybe 5 games I've beaten in the last decade.

[ExtremeGamer]

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

I've got pretty bad gaming ADD also.

My biggest con, personally, w/ going digital is compulsiveness and poor self-control . Tonight I almost bit on a couple of games that I have no time at all for just because they were on sale. I did grab Geomety Wars for $7.50, but was tempted by the Prototype bundle, Transformers and Spider-Man.

I know there are complaints about the Prototype ports, but this is one of my all time favorite franchises, with few games coming close to the freedom of movement these titles offered).

Speaking of gaming ADD, the first Prototype is one of maybe 5 games I've beaten in the last decade.

Wow, only 5 games in the last 10 years? I've beaten about 15 games this year alone LOL

[RoyalBoyle78]

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

Im 100% Digital and will never look back, I have over 40 games installed and love the libary I have, plus for me and maybe onkly me, gives me a peice of mind I never have to worry about my disk drive not working nor putting a strain on my system. Im com


pletey happy all Digital.