Which one you prefer? Owning games physically or digitally?

[Mistral]

I'm not really averse to digital downloads, but really, part of it is because I can usually download the install program and linked data files, burn them to a DVD, and therefore have a physical backup for installation without redownloading or relying on the game provider to remain online. Places that don't let me do that, like Steam, I'm a little more leery about, but even there, it's no longer enough to keep me from using it. I hadn't really realized how spoiled I was about it until I decided to install a whole set of older games; I had completely forgotten the inconvenience of the old-school "dongle" style copy protection that requires the game disc in the tray, probably because back then, it really was ubiquitous. And with some of my CDs damaged by various circumstances (usually loaned to a friend), it becomes just as impossible to install and play those games as it would be if I had bought them off Steam and subsequently had my account locked for some reason or another.

[Gare]

I'm not too picky but I'm leaning towards digital because it's more convenient and often cheaper. Plus, I don't really care about owning a case, I never read manuals, etc.

[Aeolus Aeneas]

That is not a good parent.

Considering children make me want to commit homicide by their mere presence, I'd think it would be amazing that they would get off with a beating, rather than face a home made guillotine for the grave offense of destroying games that I value more than their lives.

[deadlegion]

I prefer physical copies.
I actually don't mind DLC's really.....as long as they're decent.I'm not being forced to buy them (yet) anyway


About children:
I don't have any of my own, but my sister has quite a few.
They have their own handhelds and games, if they break anything then they just have to go without until they get replacements (for their birthday or christmas).
I sometimes let them use my Wii (with WODE) when they visit.....but always supervised.

They aren't allowed near any of my other stuff (playstation 1's/2's, xboxes/x360, gamecube) at all.
In fact they know not to touch most things in my house without asking.

Kids learn pretty quickly that if they don't look after things then they have to go without

[Gypsy]

I'm not too picky but I'm leaning towards digital because it's more convenient and often cheaper. Plus, I don't really care about owning a case, I never read manuals, etc.

I thought Steam didn't sale most games until their value was way down. Plus fwiw you can get I think mostly comparable irl sales. ME2, Rage and something else are all $5 at Best Buy right now with coupons. I can't remember the third game. Arkham City is $10. I know Steam has some crazy sales but I don't know all the specifics because I don't really use it.

Completely agreed that manuals serve no purpose anymore except for being there. Either control options, tutorial or hell just hit buttons and figure it out.

[Gare]

I thought Steam didn't sale most games until their value was way down. Plus fwiw you can get I think mostly comparable irl sales. ME2, Rage and something else are all $5 at Best Buy right now with coupons. I can't remember the third game. Arkham City is $10. I know Steam has some crazy sales but I don't know all the specifics because I don't really use it.

Completely agreed that manuals serve no purpose anymore except for being there. Either control options, tutorial or hell just hit buttons and figure it out.

Isn't Best Buy US-only? We have no crazy sales in shops around here, and by the time stuff does get to the 15~ bucks price range, chances are it's already been on a Steam sale. A physical copy of Arkham City is still a solid 40 bucks here. As for Steam, Human Revolution, for example, was already 66% off (or 75%? can't remember) during Christmas.

Sure, I could probably look at other deals on sites that ship to Europe, and import cheap physical copies, but what's the point when Steam is a million times more convenient? And I don't have to wait a week or so for it to be shipped. And there's no risk of it being stolen by postal workers, which actually happened to me before.

[Gypsy]

Yeah all of that isn't an issue for me. Best Buy is probably US only, maybe Canada idk. I know the market in Europe is a lot different, but for me there is no point to Steam sales. I can definitely see why you'd do it.

Oh and FWIW Arkham City is still a $30 used game here, that sale is just insane.

[muppetboy]

New games: Physical. I still get the same buzz as when I was younger buying ZX Spectrum / Amiga / Playstation One / PS2 games. I'd be eager to get home from t'shop, carefully remove the cellophane wrapper, open up the box/case, take out the manual and read it inside out before even loading the game up! Of course, some games these days (xbox360 for example seeing as I have one) don't have manuals; It's either guesswork, in-game tutorial, or there's a link on a piece of card to an online manual which to me takes the fun out of owning the game. Might as well be just the game disc in a clear plastic sleeve... lol

Not so new games: Digital. Otherwise I wouldn't be posting this in EP!

[skullpoker]

I've kissed Steams ass over their sales around here before, and I'll do it again.

Last weekend I got Saints Row the third for $25, week before that I got Deus Ex: HR for $11. These games aren't very old at all, and Deus Ex is quite badass indeed. Haven't started SR yet, waiting to finish Deus Ex. :p

[Mr. Nemo]

I prefer physical. While I "rent" the game, most physical copies were designed to not be dependent to a server or some crap that prevents you from playing it at any time. It's that kind of control that allows me to tolerate buying physical versus the convenience of digital. Plus, I'm one of the lucky guys who live in an area that sells physical copies for as cheap as most digital sales.

As a side note, all that damaged cd talk goes out the window once you start using no cd patches, virtual discs and the like. It's not used for just committing piracy you know?

[Dr Mario]

As a side note, all that damaged cd talk goes out the window once you start using no cd patches, virtual discs and the like. It's not used for just committing piracy you know?

Similar workarounds are available for digital downloads, so its not an advantage. Its just as illegal in both cases anyway.

[Gypsy]

Or you could just not damage your shit. I know I don't want to have to rebuy anything so I take great care of all my media.

[Wyrm]

Or you could just not damage your shit. I know I don't want to have to rebuy anything so I take great care of all my media.

This. I don't understand how some people find it so difficult to put a disc back in its case, or ANY case for that matter.

[Inferno.]

This. I don't understand how some people find it so difficult to put a disc back in its case, or ANY case for that matter.

Even that gets on my nerves. Put the disc back in the correct case you lazy baboon.

[Gypsy]

Even that gets on my nerves. Put the disc back in the correct case you lazy baboon.

I have a friend, and I swear to god before he fixed it he had just about every game he owned (including catridge games like DS) in the case of another game for the same system. It can't be that hard to put stuff back in the proper case...but apparently it is for some people. I'm pretty OCD about all of this.