How do you prefer your game: physical or downloaded? Original packaging or slips?

[Remilia Scarlet]

I prefer my games in a physical medium, and in the original packaging. I only put my games in a slip book if I'm on the move because it's cumbersome to carry a lot of game cases around. 

 

I only download my games if A: they are free and not too big (exceeding 8GB) or B: I cannot easily obtain a disc copy (e.g. Resident Evil 4).

 

I prefer the original packaging because I like to admire the box art and it seems more inviting than a slip or stand in box. Like so:

 

 

VS

 

 

There is NOTHING inviting or interesting about that box.

[Splathew]

I know I'm in the minority but digital.

[LionKingEylside]

digital obviously. for what else do i have a 500 gb ps3. it also saves me from the annoying disc switching.

[OnePieceDude]

Both have their uses. Physical are cool because of the box art, how they line up on my shelf, and don't take up GB on the console. The digital are great if you loose the physical. Besides that... they're awful. Physical all the way.

[Remilia Scarlet]

digital obviously. for what else do i have a 500 gb ps3. it also saves me from the annoying disc switching.

 

Game Installs 

 

Patches 

 

DLC

 

A single game install can take up as much 10GB, so not downloading a full game leaves all that HDD space free for installs. Few realize this, but HDD space goes fast. The GB stack up rather quickly, what with background installation, DLC, patches, and downloaded games.

[J2V89]

I like mine physical always though I have digital games as well thanks to PS+. If there are games that don't have a physical version then I do get digital. What I like about physical is the box for games to have in my collection.

[CasaDeBen]

Game Installs 

 

Patches 

 

DLC

 

A single game install can take up as much 10GB, so not downloading a full game leaves all that HDD space free for installs. Few realize this, but HDD space goes fast. The GB stack up rather quickly, what with background installation, DLC, patches, and downloaded games.

Lol wait till you get a ps4. All games install and a lot are 50gbs

[katniss1444]

I buy triple A, $60 games physically because I'd rather take up space on my shelf than on my hard drive. I have no problem buying smaller, cheaper games digitally since thats often the only way to get them

[Remilia Scarlet]

Lol wait till you get a ps4. All games install and a lot are 50gbs

 

I have a PS4. I just don't use it much because I still have a hell of a backlog on my PS3.

[Not_like_therest]

Physical, I prefer being able to trade in or take it back. There are several games I regretted buying even pre-owned and was glad I got my money back or value towards something else. Especially since I dont always plat/100% a game. Often I'll buy a game I've been wanting for a year or 2 at launch then rent it if I decide I want the dlc if its been traded towards something else.

 

Dying light comes to mind, it took awhile for the trophies to get patched. I was glad I got more value for the trade in than choosing to wait, recently rented and platted. Da:I was platted back in january after 2 full playthroughs (as in all side quests and everything I did in first completed again) and no dlc, now almost summer and first dlc is about to be released which might be short for that $15 price tag....No thanks, I'll wait for the sale. 

[Humonic]

Physical, mainly because I like actually owning the stuff I pay for. 

[VetoShizuko]

Physical for my consoles but digital for my handhelds unless the game is an Limited Edition. I mostly play at home anyway so I don't do digital too much unless i get lazy and don't feel like ordering something online. 

[Not_like_therest]

I buy triple A, $60 games physically because I'd rather take up space on my shelf than on my hard drive. I have no problem buying smaller, cheaper games digitally since thats often the only way to get them

This, I remember how fast my 250 hd went on xbox when I played rock band with all those imports....The only triple A I have on digital is Diablo 3 Ultimate because it was a good sale but it sat unplayed for 3 months or more since I had burned out after 5 characters on ps3. I delete psn games after I'm done. Wish I could delete from libary though, good thing I'm choosy about arcade/indies.

[D-Tron]

Lol wait till you get a ps4. All games install and a lot are 50gbs

As annoying as that is, I still prefer physical over digital for PS4. When the system gets overcrowded, you can always delete the disc installs to make space on your system as re installing a disc game takes far less time than completely re downloading it.

There's also problems with publishers that scares me always from digital. Scott Pilgrim, MvC3 and more recently P.T. were just plucked from the store for their publisher's own reasons. The last of which got completely removed from download lists so even people who got that can no longer use it.

Nothing beats that shrink wrap and new game smell either. It makes me so hard.

Edited May 16, 2015 by Blue Flare

[edu_gamer]

If I have the chance I prefer physical, but in the end I end up buying the majority of my games digitally for many reasons, Digital games do not run out of stock and since all the physical stores near me are shitty in order to find the games that I like that's quite a relieve, I would have never been able to play Virtual Last Reward, Tales of Grace F or Xillia if I wanted to have them physically, although importing is always an option, but at least in my case digital is to troublesome, I still use my 80GB PS3 and since I wanted to play Yakuza 4 which needs 42GB to start the download I had to erase almost everything I had installed and mixed with my 6MB speed connection it's not like I can download my deleted games again anytime soon, but with 1TB and more than 50MB of internet connection I would happily switch to digital.

[Smushpie]

always get the physical copy whenever you can, I can tell you that there will be one day where online systems will shut down and you cannot recover that data again (including data that are offline and stored in your console). There will be a time where you accidentally delete your whole game data and you cannot ever download it again.

 

Downloaded copies only serves a purpose when the online system is stable forever (meaning PSN) which we know its not and one day be gone out of existence; such as in emergency situations where internet and the whole world is crapped out. Some of the downloaded games can only be used when you login to the online service so that is more bad news.

 

Physical Copies are a 'fail-safe' to this. I see way more cons of downloaded games than physical copies.

 

All you need in times where you have no internet, no data networks, etc.:

 

-Console

-Electrical Supply/Power supply

-Working Controller

-Physical copies of games

-TV

[Masamune]

Physical, original packaging (usually used from GameStop), I only have like 2 games with the GS packaging. That's actually the only reason I haven't pick-up Agarest 2 yet, because my local GameStop only has a copy with the GS packaging. The only time I buy digital is when it's a digital-only game.

[daniezutton]

I prefer physical, disc-based games, in the original packaging. Rarely will i purchase used, disc based games; simply because the casing and disc have became tarnished, and the redemption codes are no longer usable. Also, I don't always purchase "new" games as they release but, there are exceptions. Ex. The Last of Us

If i happen to visit a friend that also owns a PS3 or alternative consoles, I can use my disc carrier, instead of activating and deactivating my account on multiple systems (PS3). However, there are games i prefer as digital.

Physical Example: Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

Digital Example: Bejeweled 3

Plus, as Dreama mentioned, I also admire the boxart. ^•^

[Dragon-Archon]

I prefer a physical copy so I can put it with all my other games and feel like I really own the game. And I don't have to download the game first before playing it. Most of the time the box art is nice too. There's also the issue with limit free space on the HDD.

Edited May 16, 2015 by Dragon-Archon

[Avatar_Of_Battle]

I will only go digital if it's the only possible way to get something. 

My Dead Nation and AC Liberation HD  games for example. One day I'll get Legend of Korra and Deadfall Adventures Heart of Atlantis too...

 

My friend in another state bought Dead Space 3 for me so we could play so that's the only exception.

 

I tend to buy most of my games used and then trade in the ones I know I won't end up playing again so most times I don't care for the original box...but sometimes it is nice. (unless I was working and a grown man would fcking cry that the game came in a "ugly black box".)

[snakebit10]

It don't matter to me. I have bought my share of Physical and digital. As long as I have games to play.

[Luneth]

I prefer physical for my Ps3 and Ps4 games and digital for my vita.

[xZoneHunter]

physical, LE & CE ftw!

[Galactic Hyper Balls]

Physical and lots of indie DL's

 

both   .

[Boooda]

Haven't bought a physical game since Far Cry 3 and much prefer the digital route. I don't have room for video game clutter and I have all my xbox 360 games just sitting there collecting dust reminding me why I much prefer digital distribution.