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Do you prefer digital downloads or physical discs or physical cartridges?

  • I prefer the physical disc (example PS4, XB1)

    Votes: 3 9.4%
  • I prefer the physical cartridge (example Switch, 3DS)

    Votes: 11 34.4%
  • I prefer digital downloads (example, Nintendo eShop, Playstation store, Steam)

    Votes: 15 46.9%
  • Either is fine by me, I have no preference

    Votes: 3 9.4%

  • Total voters
    32

44267547

Cancelled
Jul 12, 2016
37,642
42,491
Disc/cartridge. (I prefer having the physical copy of content.)

Hardware might fail, content might be removed from online libraries, DRM policies might change, etc.

With a physical product it's just simpler and sometimes cheaper.

I would agree with that. I just like the concept that I can resell my games to make a generalized profit. And being how quickly games lose value, I usually sell them right away when I'm through with them. Unless it's a game I truly want to keep.
 
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Tsuchiya

macrumors 68020
Jun 7, 2008
2,310
372
I'm not a fan of paying a premium for a download, but I can't deny that the convenience almost makes up for it. Now if only my consoles had more built in storage...
 

Sensamic

macrumors 68040
Mar 26, 2010
3,012
645
I'm going all digital.

I hate the noise of the PS4 when a disc is inserted.

Playing a downloaded game is so quiet! The system barely makes a noise, it's super fast to change to another game, loading times are faster and I get them all on sales.

And I hope buying digital will mean I can download those games again in the future for PS5 maybe. I hope.
 

44267547

Cancelled
Jul 12, 2016
37,642
42,491
I'm going all digital.

I hate the noise of the PS4 when a disc is inserted.

Playing a downloaded game is so quiet! The system barely makes a noise, it's super fast to change to another game, loading times are faster and I get them all on sales.

And I hope buying digital will mean I can download those games again in the future for PS5 maybe. I hope.

When I owned my original PS4, inserting a game in the optical drive was horribly loud and slow to accept the disc. It Almost sounded like the motor was broken or burning out.

On my PS4 Pro, the motor is much improved and for quieter from what the original PS4 was.

I do think if there was no optical drive on a console, it would reduce less hardware and less likely for something else to go wrong.
 
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Eggtastic

macrumors 65816
Jun 9, 2009
1,027
684
NJ
Well, I made the mistake of buying the COD IW with the digital download for COD MW remastered. I figured it would keep me interested for months, since usually thats what I do with video games (buy one, play for months on end, then buy another one).

However, I ignored the reviews and bought the game because I liked the futuristic shooters (been playing Halo 5 for a long time). Welp, I couldn't get into it. I enjoyed MW advanced warfare so much, but this game was awful. I disliked it so much that it left a bad taste in my mouth for MW remastered.

Now, I try to sell the game, and game stop won't take back digital downloads (once the code is used it can't be used again despite deleting whatever you downloaded).

I have been trying to sell the game (advertising it as just having IW) and people only want the remastered MW. So from now on, just going with the physical game. Lesson learned.
 

Sensamic

macrumors 68040
Mar 26, 2010
3,012
645
When I owned my original PS4, inserting a game in the optical drive was horribly loud and slow to accept the disc. It Almost sounded like the motor was broken or burning out.

On my PS4 Pro, the motor is much improved and for quieter from what the original PS4 was.

I do think if there was no optical drive on a console, it would reduce less hardware and less likely for something else to go wrong.
Exactly!

I was actually thinking that using discs could potentially stress the hardware inside the console and that could lead to future failure.

I'm using the PS4 slim. I only have Uncharted 4 on disc and every time I play it I get worried with all the noise. It makes you feel as if the console has trouble reading discs.

I hope to avoid any possible future inside failure of the console by going all digital. If the hard drive fails I can change it.

It's been a very very long time since I last used a disc and an optical bay in any machine. It just feels like it's not a good method anymore. I think it produces more stress in the components.

I also never sell my games. I like to play all of them again from time to time.
 
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MRU

macrumors Penryn
Aug 23, 2005
25,368
8,948
a better place
The Xbox one and PS4 'should' only spin the disc (assuming you are fully installed) for licence checking when starting the game. It's why it could sound a little noisy but will soon stop making the noise once game is up and running and licence check has passed. If your drive is continuously spinning whilst playing an installed game, something is very odd.
 

Sensamic

macrumors 68040
Mar 26, 2010
3,012
645
The Xbox one and PS4 'should' only spin the disc (assuming you are fully installed) for licence checking when starting the game. It's why it could sound a little noisy but will soon stop making the noise once game is up and running and licence check has passed. If your drive is continuously spinning whilst playing an installed game, something is very odd.
It's just at first, but every time I hear it I get a uneven feeling inside me. It's like looking at old tech and you feel like it's gonna break in any second
 
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44267547

Cancelled
Jul 12, 2016
37,642
42,491
Exactly!

I was actually thinking that using discs could potentially stress the hardware inside the console and that could lead to future failure.

I'm using the PS4 slim. I only have Uncharted 4 on disc and every time I play it I get worried with all the noise. It makes you feel as if the console has trouble reading discs.

I hope to avoid any possible future inside failure of the console by going all digital. If the hard drive fails I can change it.

It's been a very very long time since I last used a disc and an optical bay in any machine. It just feels like it's not a good method anymore. I think it produces more stress in the components.

I also never sell my games. I like to play all of them again from time to time.

To me, I feel developers and future consoles (Difficult to say when) eventually will go without using an optical drive anymore. Square Enix tested the waters with Hitman on the PS4 when releasing digital only (Now available for disc) Unfortunately, the game bombed and didn't do well. Aside from that, I feel that digital download will ultimately take over. In some respects, it's already leading that way now with various games.

And from current readings, digital download is already hurting stores like Game Stop. Gamestop relies on hardware and used game purchases to float their business. Even speaking with a few employees, they said digital download is really affecting the resale of new and used games. Netflix has soared to new heights with download versus DVD rental slowly dying as well.

I prefer disc. However, Media entertainment is leading towards no discs with streaming and downloading. Cable companies are predicted to be streaming from applications off if smart TV's three years from now with the adoption of all digital, with analog being completely phased out.
 
Last edited:

hawkeye_a

macrumors 68000
Jun 27, 2016
1,637
4,381
I'm really stoked that the Nintendo Switch is going with cartridges. Faster load times, smaller physical storage space, variable (and a lot more if needed) capacity. (And i think lower power consumption considering no moving parts)

Wasn't the Vita an all 'download' console? How did owners find that experience?
 
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Sensamic

macrumors 68040
Mar 26, 2010
3,012
645
The only thing the worries me about digital games is if and when those games won't be available to download anymore.

Take the PS3 for example. It still has it's online store where people can still download their games if they bought them digital.

But for how long will that stay? When the PS5 comes out will Sony keep the PS3 online store still? And after that?
 

s0nicpr0s

macrumors regular
Sep 1, 2010
230
47
Illinois
I'm really stoked that the Nintendo Switch is going with cartridges. Faster load times, smaller physical storage space, variable (and a lot more if needed) capacity. (And i think lower power consumption considering no moving parts)

Wasn't the Vita an all 'download' console? How did owners find that experience?
The Vita had cartridges as well. There were a number of games that were digital only, but that wasn't the only option for every single game. Of all the games I own on my Vita, only Assassin's Creed 3 Liberation is physical, everything else is a download on my 64GB memory card.
[doublepost=1487015872][/doublepost]
Well, I made the mistake of buying the COD IW with the digital download for COD MW remastered. I figured it would keep me interested for months, since usually thats what I do with video games (buy one, play for months on end, then buy another one).

However, I ignored the reviews and bought the game because I liked the futuristic shooters (been playing Halo 5 for a long time). Welp, I couldn't get into it. I enjoyed MW advanced warfare so much, but this game was awful. I disliked it so much that it left a bad taste in my mouth for MW remastered.

Now, I try to sell the game, and game stop won't take back digital downloads (once the code is used it can't be used again despite deleting whatever you downloaded).

I have been trying to sell the game (advertising it as just having IW) and people only want the remastered MW. So from now on, just going with the physical game. Lesson learned.
Maybe someone else could confirm, but I was under the impression that MW Remastered itself, was exclusively digital, and that you could get it with either a digital Infinite Warfare, or a physical Infinite Warfare. I remember reading that even if you only wanted to play MW Remastered, you still needed IW installed.

And the digital download code redeems a license for the game onto your account, so it is exclusively tied to you and cannot be used by another. Otherwise I would have MW Remastered by now... Not willing to pay for IW whatsoever, so guess I'm going without. Haha
 

0098386

Suspended
Jan 18, 2005
21,574
2,908
Since getting a VR headset I've preferred my to get my games on download. Currently I'm jumping between my Battlefront bluray and RE7 for my VR fix, and it's a pain!
 

gkarris

macrumors G3
Dec 31, 2004
8,301
1,061
"No escape from Reality...”
Update:

Disney is pulling their stuff off Netflix and creating their own subscription streaming service:

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...etflix-launch-new-streaming-services.2060709/

MGM is starting a streaming subscription service for their new Stargate series and all previous Stargate programs:

http://deadline.com/2017/07/mgm-stargate-franchise-digital-series-stargate-origins-1202131483/

and of course, CBS All-Access with the new Star Trek series and complete availability of CBS/Paramount shows for a subscription.

I just upgraded Star Trek Enterprise and Stargate Atlantis discs to Blu-ray since the those series' physical discs appear to be out-of-print.

Fate of availability to own and download them is also unknown.

I assume the same will be for games as well...
 

0098386

Suspended
Jan 18, 2005
21,574
2,908
Oh gosh how times change. Recently I’ve only been buying 3DS games as digital downloads, and all my Switch games bar one is a download. As it’s a-okay to have one cart in at all times. In my case Zelda. And then 3 personal accounts for each region so I can buy any game I want.

Whereas on the PS4 I’ve found myself going for optical media instead, as I’m not really enjoying “big “ consoles these days and would rather have the option to trade or sell games for it.
 

pat500000

Suspended
Jun 3, 2015
8,523
7,515
I'm half-half on digital and disc. Some games are exclusive to digital. I prefer disc though so that i can trade in or sell it.
 
Last edited:

garirry

macrumors 68000
Apr 27, 2013
1,543
3,904
Canada is my city
My opinion hasn't changed much since last year. I still prefer physical media if the option's there, but if it's download-only or is significantly cheaper online, I choose digital. However, since I've started playing with my PS3 a little more since then, I've realised how slow the download speeds are on these consoles, and seeing that most games typically start at 5 GB, I find that waiting hours for them to download gets extremely tiresome (though to be fair physical games have similar problems with updates). I don't have this issue on the Wii U, and so almost all of my library is digital, except a few very large games.
 

gkarris

macrumors G3
Dec 31, 2004
8,301
1,061
"No escape from Reality...”
+1
Still prefer physical media as well.

Interesting - this place is putting out limited runs of physical media of PS4 Indie Games:

https://limitedrungames.com/collections/sold-out

Games discs are region-free. Many sell out within hours...

Wish I had known - being a collector, this is pretty cool...

You can still play these games on a console when the service/server for the game system is long gone...
 
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deckard666

macrumors 65816
Jan 16, 2007
1,167
1,155
Falmouth
Its a tricky one as i didn't get on with Mario Kart on my switch so sold it a week after I bought the physical copy and "lost" a fiver - Obviously if I'd bought it as a DD it would have "lost"me 45 quid !! Also if I ever sold my Switch (aint happening as its the best console I have ever owned already) then the physical carts can be sold with it and also you can buy 2nd hand games saving between 5 and 20 quid depending on how old they are....on the flip side its a tiny pain having to change carts. I dont think bar games that have to bought as DD that I will change from buying the physical carts.
 

gkarris

macrumors G3
Dec 31, 2004
8,301
1,061
"No escape from Reality...”
Well, downloading only is gonna happen IF AND ONLY IF the download is CHEAPER than the physical.

I just got Battlefront Ultimate Edition for my PC for $5. I got it for Xbox One for $6 (I had an original physical copy I got used for $20 a while ago).

Physical copies will be useful for games way, way, in the future when the server for it is down. You hope that there is some sort of single-player/bot play in it as you won't be able to play any of the multiplayer games with it.

I thought I saw some AAA game being released soon where the physical will be $60 but the download will only be $50....
 

the8thark

macrumors 601
Apr 18, 2011
4,628
1,735
Do you prefer digital downloads or physical media
Digital download vs. Disc.

Both of these two statements are totally different. Not all physical media is a disc. Carts exist as well. Think 3DS and Nintendo Switch. Even back when the original post was made here, 3DS and DS carts existed.

I personally dislike discs but I really like carts.
So that's why I can't answer your poll. I like carts better than both discs and digital. There's no cart option here in your poll.
 
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