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

[RoyalBoyle78]

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

I'm all Digital on both Xbox One and PS4, I will never go back to disks at all.

Just can't.

[mgoblue]

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

Gifting/selling won't ever happen. I could see trade in of some sort but can you imagine if some kid sells his brothers games to a friend, the uproar.


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You can do that with physical discs, so would just have to add protections somehow. Kids being stupid shouldn't hold something like this up.

[ODogg]

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

You can do that with physical discs, so would just have to add protections somehow. Kids being stupid shouldn't hold something like this up.

Yeah, that won't hold it up. That's what parental controls are for.

[ExtremeGamer]

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

You can do that with physical discs, so would just have to add protections somehow. Kids being stupid shouldn't hold something like this up.

You most definitely can. But these games are on MS/Sony servers. People could argue they didn't know and now their games are gone. Parental controls are there for a reason but I would bet 90% of system owners don't use them. Shouldn't be an excuse but still a hurdle. Can't sell or trade in music and that's been around for ages as a digital medium. You can't trade or gift used games on STEAM can you?

If anyone does it though, it's MS. No chance Sony would even consider it.


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[mgoblue]

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

You most definitely can. But these games are on MS/Sony servers. People could argue they didn't know and now their games are gone. Parental controls are there for a reason but I would bet 90% of system owners don't use them. Shouldn't be an excuse but still a hurdle. Can't sell or trade in music and that's been around for ages as a digital medium. You can't trade or gift used games on STEAM can you?

If anyone does it though, it's MS. No chance Sony would even consider it.


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Yeah...I just know it was the original plan with Xbox One (every disc/digital would be the same, have a code that you enter and track the DRM). You make good points, but more it's a question of how the digital market is and can it be disrupted? Just because we've never had digital trades yet doesn't mean it's not the future....It's a matter of when.

[ODogg]

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

You most definitely can. But these games are on MS/Sony servers. People could argue they didn't know and now their games are gone. Parental controls are there for a reason but I would bet 90% of system owners don't use them. Shouldn't be an excuse but still a hurdle. Can't sell or trade in music and that's been around for ages as a digital medium. You can't trade or gift used games on STEAM can you?

If anyone does it though, it's MS. No chance Sony would even consider it.


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I don't think there's been a great demand for it there for music, most people buy the music they want to hear and they plan to keep it. They don't buy it, listen to it and "beat it" and then want to get rid of it.

As for on Steam, well true on that but not sure how much of a comparison is quite correct there considering the game prices on PC games are so much lower and there is still the pirating to take into account as well.

I agree, there are hurdles but this is going to become a real issue when more and more people have not only bought games but wish to sell them, trade them or gift them and realize they cannot do it. There is going to be a large demand for it.

I also agree it will be something for Microsoft to consider more than anyone else. The fact they are going to allow (probably) self-service refunds on digital shows they're entertaining going that route. Microsof is # 2 so they really need to do it so it can be something they can use it as a reason to purchase their games versus Sonys".

Sony has no real incentive to do it since they're in such a huge lead and don't really need to. But then again, if enough people complain and MS does, I could see them doing it at some point as well.

[ExtremeGamer]

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

Nah. They don't care what MS is doing. MS has allowed digital preorder cancels since day 1. Still can't on PSN. Sony does what Sony does and usually isn't consumer friendly.


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[daniel77733]

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

2016 was the year Digital Game Sales arrived.

74% of all games sold in 2016 were sold digitally.

It's convenience. Once you start using digital media you do not want to go back to discs.

Now that people are using digital media it is time for both companies, Sony and Microsoft, to come up with a system to trade, sell and gift digital titles.

Microsoft has at least offered self-service digital returns (testing) so that's a start but we need a lot more.

Digital Sales have arrived!

This doesn't impress me at all. If anything, it's highly inflated. Subscriptions, add-on content, mobile apps, social network games, etc. can ONLY be purchased digitally so obviously the percentage should be higher.

What I want is numbers for retail/digital games only. In other words, how many copies did Horizon, Zelda, etc. sell physically and digitally? And what's the percentages for both? All the other stuff means nothing because you can't purchase it any other way. When games that are available physically on a disc get outsold 70% digitally to 30% physically (excluding all the other stuff obviously), THEN I'll be impressed. Until then, it has a LONG way to go. At least another decade until digital full game sales overtake physical sales of those same exact games that are available digitally.

[ODogg]

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

This doesn't impress me at all. If anything, it's highly inflated. Subscriptions, add-on content, mobile apps, social network games, etc. can ONLY be purchased digitally so obviously the percentage should be higher.

What I want is numbers for retail/digital games only. In other words, how many copies did Horizon, Zelda, etc. sell physically and digitally? And what's the percentages for both? All the other stuff means nothing because you can't purchase it any other way. When games that are available physically on a disc get outsold 70% digitally to 30% physically (excluding all the other stuff obviously), THEN I'll be impressed. Until then, it has a LONG way to go. At least another decade until digital full game sales overtake physical sales of those same exact games that are available digitally.

The number is inflated due to the DLC, add-ons and etc but it's still staggeringly high considering the numbers just a few years ago. I'd say within a couple of years digital game sales versus physical straight up, one-to-one will be higher.

It won't be another decade. All the Gamestops closing say otherwise, consumers are going to digital in a hurry.

The previous roadblock was two-fold: one, consumers didn't have experience with buying digital and just bought their games in the stores because they had always done it that way and two, slow download speeds.

Well now most everyone has bought a digital game at one time or another and experienced the convenience, not just at purchase but in use. As many in this thread have said, once you get used to just going over to a game and clicking to start it and not having to insert a disc, it's difficult to want to go back.

And secondly, and probably most importantly, a large portion of consumers now have significant bandwidth increases and can download a game in a matter of hours, if not even minutes, instead of days. This was a huge roadblock to get people to go digital and it's one that is mattering less and less.

The biggest obstacles left are two-fold, games are cheaper on physical media (which is ironic I think) and once you buy a digital game you're stuck with it. Those are pretty big for some people but not all. I for one don't think a lot of people really care too much about reselling games at this point. Most people can't get enough money out of them to make it matter.

The bigger obstacle right now left is the sheer sales on games that don't usually happen as frequently for digital, until a game has been out a good while.

For example, I'm all about digital but just bought Ghost Recon Wildlands for PS4 from Amazon because they had it on sale for $34. I would have preferred it digital but it was $59.99 for the digital version so I got the physical.

In my video game channel on Facebook I see this time and time again, the biggest reason most people still buy physical is the price. That's the last real obstacle and it will be around for awhile because physical retailers don't want it to go away.

[ESPNdeportes]

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

So in the past year I have basically ended up being all digital, for a few reasons.

First, I realized that buying used games from gamestop doesn't support the developers, just gamestop. Second, PSN flash sales are really good. Like really, insanely good. Third, I've decided to very rarely buy new games and just wait for used games on sale, typically the "complete" editions.

[LowerWolf]

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

I was a staunch supporter of discs but switched over to digital when I got the Pro. I went so far as to trade in all my discs and replace them with digital versions (PSN BF/Christmas/flash sales basically made it an even swap).

Outside of some favorites for collection purposes, all my music, movies, books and now games are digital. It's just really nice to sit on the couch, play a game of MLB and then instantly switch to Madden.

Cost is the last thing they need to figure out, but going digital has actually saved me money. Unless it's a game I really want (like MLB) I'm going to wait for a PSN sale now. GCU had me buying games sometimes that I really didn't need.

[daniel77733]

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

ODogg...

While I agree with most of what you said, there's just a few small problems.

First, mobile apps is virtually every game and they are usually $1 so that inflates the number dramatically.

Second, GameStop isn't closing stores because of digital. GameStop is closing stores because their PUR membership is crap compared to Best Buy GCU and Amazon Prime. Add in the fact that they're not a consumer friendly retailer in regards to their business practices and well, that's why they're closing down stores.

Third, prices for digital especially at launch and overall MSRP will never match physical. Physical sales and whatnot have to be approved by the respective publisher or they simply don't go on sale. Why do you think you that you rarely if ever see Nintendo published games on sale? It's because Nintendo doesn't approve it.

My argument will always be the same. If there's no physical copies of games, digital games will always be $60 (if not higher) and will never ever go on sale for one simple reason - you would have no other way to buying and playing the game. Physical games is what allows you to get the sales digitally because unlike physical, once you buy a digital game, that's it, you're stuck with it.

No returns, no refunds, no trade ins, etc. And yes, I know that Microsoft is allowing refunds but most will abuse it, get banned and well, it turn out to be a negative because those who honestly use it correctly will be those that lose out.

At launch, EVERY game is full retail price digitally. Best Buy GCU gives you 20% off every new and sealed game, from pre-orders to being five years old. As long as it's new, you get 20% off.

Prime allows 20% off for game pre-orders and two weeks after release. This is the second reason why GameStop is closing stores. Why buy a game for $65 including tax when you can get it for $52 in NY? First is obviously their horrible business practices.

Back to digital, im not sure about Xbox One but on PS4, I know you get 20% off for some games if you pre-order them but you must be a PlayStation Plus member which is basically $120 for two years compared to $30 for two years with GCU.

Publishers can't exactly eliminate the retailers, especially Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo because without all of those retailers, where would you go buy the hardware? If no retailer has physical games to sell including online retailers such as Amazon, why would any of them carry the hardware? The retailers would have no incentive to do so.

Sure, the big three could sell the hardware through their distribution center themselves or open up stores but both cost more money than shipping to actual retailers because they would have to open up a lot more stores in order to be able to sell the consoles.

Imagine the entire state of NY having to go to Manhattan to buy a Switch at the Nintendo store as the only option? This would literally kill the console because outside of those in that area, majority of people are not making that trip. And obviously, you can't sell a console digitally because it's hardware as opposed to software.

I know a lot of people think that publishers will compete with each other and thus, the price will decrease but sorry, I don't see that happening for one simple reason. The publishers technically have no more competition if games were only digital. You either buy at $60 or you don't. Majority will give in and pay the $60. Publishers aren't going to give up that easy money.

In an age of broken games, patches, pre-order bonuses, season/expansion passes, micro-transactions, DLC, etc., no publisher will even think about giving the consumer a break especially when the consumer has no other option as to where they can buy the game.

Publishers rarely if ever give the consumers a break now. Imagine without any other options and choices. If/when games hit $30 on release date digitally, then I'll definitely consider going all digital but let's be honest, that's not going to happen with or without physical.

Every year, the digital percentage increases but it's expected because look at all the other stuff that gets added in plus you only have like a billion $1 games on mobile so it pretty much becomes a guarantee that digital increases every year.

What I want to see are the number without all that extra fluff and bullcrap. Reason they don't do that is simple - it wouldn't impress anyone.

[greenegt]

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

...

For example, I'm all about digital but just bought Ghost Recon Wildlands for PS4 from Amazon because they had it on sale for $34. I would have preferred it digital but it was $59.99 for the digital version so I got the physical.

In my video game channel on Facebook I see this time and time again, the biggest reason most people still buy physical is the price. That's the last real obstacle and it will be around for awhile because physical retailers don't want it to go away.

Yep. That's why I am primarily physical. Digital is very convenient, and I tried going digital only for a few months in 2014, but prices brought me back to physical. I've been on the Best Buy GCU program for 3 years and saved a considerable amount of money between the 20% discount, the $10 pre-order offers, and the 10% trade in bonuses.

[ODogg]

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

daniel, wow, well I thought I was a writer, LOL..that's a lot to respond to so I won't even try. I will say this though, Gamestops demise is directly being attributed to digital sales in nearly every article written on the subject. No one really cares too much (in the public) about their game membership program or why it sucks. Heck I'd wager most people don't even know they have one.

Gamestop is the largest mover of physical gaming media. Physical media is in a sharp decline. It makes sense to attribute their closing stores due to that reason. It's not as if Gamestops sales, prices or other aspects of its business have suddenly changed.

[fishepa]

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

I am digital for the games I know I will play for a long time, which is not many at all. I made the mistake of buying a few games digitally that I got burned on (Division I'm looking at you). The way I typically play games is to buy them when they first come out because I fall for the hype, then I play anywhere between 4-6 hours then have no desire to play them anymore.

If I had bought the physical copy of said games, then I would have saved myself typically around $30 ($12 for BB GC or Amazon Pre-Order and then trading it back in for at least $20).

The only benefit I see to digital games is possibly faster loading times and not having to switch out games because I'm lazy.